Ohio Bridge Law: Axle Limits Under ORC 5577
Ohio writes the federal bridge formula into its own code — ORC 5577.04 — with 20,000 / 34,000 / 80,000 limits and the 36-foot two-tandem rule. The length statute allows 53-foot semitrailers without stating a kingpin-to-rear-axle distance, so weight, not geometry, is what you manage in Ohio.
By Avery Schwartz · Former CDL-A driver, 3 years OTR · Updated 2026-09-15
The numbers at a glance
| Limit | OH | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Gross weight | 80,000 lb | ORC 5577.04 |
| Single axle | 20,000 lb | ORC 5577.04 |
| Tandem axle | 34,000 lb | ORC 5577.04; 36-ft rule for two consecutive tandems |
| KPRA / wheelbase | No KPRA figure in ORC 5577.05 | 53-ft semitrailer allowed; verify any kingpin requirement with ODOT |
| Bridge formula applies? | Yes — statewide | W = 500((LN/N−1) + 12N + 36) in 5577.04 |
Legal limits change and enforcement varies by road. Confirm anything you're betting a ticket on with ODOT / Ohio State Highway Patrol.
How Ohio applies the bridge law
Ohio Revised Code 5577.04 reads almost like a copy of 23 U.S.C. 127: 20,000 lb on any one axle, 34,000 lb on any tandem, the formula W = 500((LN/N−1) + 12N + 36) for any group of two or more consecutive axles, and a maximum overall gross of 80,000 lb. The 36-foot rule is there too — two consecutive sets of tandem axles may carry 34,000 each provided the first-to-last axle distance across both sets is 36 feet or more. Because Ohio adopted the formula as state law, it applies on state routes as well as the Interstate.
Ohio's dimension statute, ORC 5577.05, allows 53 feet for any semitrailer operated in a commercial tractor-semitrailer combination, loaded or empty. We did not find a kingpin-to-rear-axle distance in that section, and Ohio is not listed in J.J. Keller's KPRA table, so for a standard 53-foot van we treat Ohio as having no statutory KPRA cap. If you run a specialty trailer or a longer combination, verify with ODOT's Special Hauling Permits office.
Ohio State Highway Patrol's Motor Carrier Enforcement operates fixed scales on I-70, I-71, I-75, I-80/90 (the Turnpike is enforced separately), and I-77, and uses portable scales widely on state routes. Ohio also has a well-known short-tandem / long-tandem distinction in its permit rules; it does not change legal 80,000-lb operation but matters if you ever run under permit.
How to slide your tandems for Ohio
Ohio is a pure weight state for a 53-foot van. Scale, find the heavy group, and slide toward it. If you are westbound into Indiana, remember Indiana's 43-foot kingpin-to-rearmost-axle rule on the state highway system, and set your hole for the tighter of the two states.
Worked example. You scale at the first CAT after the shipper: steer 11,800, drives 35,300, trailer tandems 31,900, gross 79,000. Gross is legal; the drives are 1,300 over. Sliding the tandems forward (toward the cab) moves weight from the drives to the trailer axles. On a trailer with 4-inch hole spacing, a hole is worth roughly 250 lb, so 1,300 lb needs six holes: drives about 33,800, tandems about 33,400. Both groups are under 34,000 with a few hundred pounds of margin, and the gross hasn't changed. Now check the geometry for Ohio using the row in the table above — and if you'll cross into a stricter state, set for that one instead. The Tandem Slide Calculator does the hole math for your trailer's actual rail spacing and tells you which direction to move.
Common tickets in Ohio
Based on the statutes above and what drivers commonly report; citation practice varies by officer and county, so treat this as a watch list, not a fine schedule.
- Tandem over 34,000 and gross over 80,000 — routine OSHP citations; Ohio fines are per-pound over with an escalating schedule, verify with OSHP.
- Bridge-formula violation on an inner group when tandems are slid far forward and the drive-plus-trailer four-axle group drops below 36 feet.
- Posted-bridge or local-road overweight — county engineers post many bridges below legal weight.
Ohio bridge law FAQ
Does Ohio have a kingpin-to-rear-axle law for 53-foot trailers?
ORC 5577.05 allows 53-foot semitrailers and does not state a kingpin distance, and Ohio is not listed in J.J. Keller's KPRA table. We treat Ohio as having no statutory KPRA cap for a standard van; verify with ODOT if you have an unusual trailer.
Does the bridge formula apply on Ohio state routes?
Yes. Ohio adopted the formula as state law in ORC 5577.04, so it applies on all highways, not only the Interstate.
What is the 36-foot rule in Ohio?
Two consecutive sets of tandem axles may carry 34,000 lb each only if the overall distance between the first and last axles of those sets is 36 feet or more. Otherwise the four-axle group is limited by the formula.
What are Ohio's short tandem and long tandem limits?
Those are permit-load figures from ODOT's special hauling rules, not legal limits. For a non-permitted truck the tandem limit is 34,000 lb.
Related
Sources
- Ohio Revised Code 5577.04 — Maximum axle and gross weights; bridge formula
- Ohio Revised Code 5577.05 — Maximum width, height, length (53-ft semitrailer)
- J.J. Keller — U.S. KPRA allowances (Ohio not listed)
This page is a driver's summary, not legal advice. Statutes are quoted or paraphrased from the sources listed; where we couldn't verify a figure from an official source we've said so.