40 t88,200 lb
A fully loaded semi-truck in the EU may weigh at most 40 tonnes (88,185 lb), the limit for a five- or six-axle tractor and trailer. In the US the federal limit on Interstate highways is 80,000 lb (36.3 tonnes). Empty, the tractor and trailer weigh only about 15 tonnes (33,000 lb), so most of the weight is cargo.
| UK six-axle, or EU container transportEU: three-axle tractor carrying a 40 ft ISO container in combined road and rail transport | 44 t97,000 lb |
|---|---|
| EU zero-emission truckUp to 2 t extra allowed for the battery or other zero-emission technology | 42 t92,600 lb |
| EU standard limitFive or six axles, up to 16.5 m long | 40 t88,200 lb |
| US federal limit80,000 lb on the Interstate system | 36.3 t80,000 lb |
| Empty US tractor and 53 ft dry vanAbout 30,000 to 35,000 lb | 15 t33,100 lb |
| Empty EU five-axle combinationTypical two-axle tractor with a 13.6 m trailer | 14.8 t32,600 lb |
The number is a legal limit, not a measurement. EU Directive 96/53/EC sets the maximum weight that member states must allow for trucks crossing their borders, and for an articulated vehicle (a tractor unit pulling a semi-trailer) with five or six axles it is 40 tonnes. The same rules cap such a combination at 16.5 m long, 2.55 m wide and 4 m tall.
The weight also has to be spread out. A single non-driving axle may carry 10 tonnes and the tractor’s driving axle 11.5 tonnes. On a typical five-axle rig that means up to 18 tonnes on the two-axle tractor and 24 tonnes on the trailer’s three axles, so a truck can be under 40 tonnes overall and still be overloaded on one axle.
There are exceptions. A three-axle tractor carrying a 40 ft ISO container as part of a road and rail journey may weigh 44 tonnes, and zero-emission trucks may carry up to 2 tonnes extra to make up for heavy batteries. Some countries go higher on their own roads: the UK allows 44 tonnes on six axles.
In the US, federal rules (23 CFR 658.17) cap a truck on the Interstate system at 80,000 lb (36,287 kg), about 3.7 tonnes less than the EU limit. No single axle may carry more than 20,000 lb and no tandem pair more than 34,000 lb, and a “bridge formula” lowers the total when the axles are too close together.
On the classic five-axle “18-wheeler”, the two tandem pairs can carry 34,000 lb each, which is 68,000 lb, leaving 12,000 lb for the steering axle up front. Away from the Interstate, and with permits or older grandfathered rules, some states allow much heavier combinations on their own roads.
Tata Steel’s loading guide works with a tare weight of 14.8 tonnes for a typical European five-axle combination, a two-axle tractor with a 13.6 m trailer. That leaves about 25 tonnes (55,000 lb) for cargo before the rig hits 40 tonnes.
American tractors are bigger. A day cab tractor weighs about 15,000 to 20,000 lb, and a sleeper cab for long-haul driving about 18,000 to 25,000 lb. A 53 ft dry van trailer adds 13,000 to 15,000 lb, so the empty rig comes to 30,000 to 35,000 lb (13.6 to 15.9 tonnes), leaving roughly 45,000 lb (20 tonnes) for freight under the 80,000 lb limit.
Fully loaded, a European semi may weigh up to 88,185 lb (40 t) and an American one up to 80,000 lb on the Interstate. Empty, a tractor with a dry van trailer weighs about 30,000 to 35,000 lb.
A US day cab tractor weighs about 15,000 to 20,000 lb, and a sleeper cab about 18,000 to 25,000 lb because of the bunk, bigger fuel tanks and extra equipment.
In the EU a typical five-axle rig can carry about 25 tonnes (55,000 lb) of cargo. In the US a tractor with a 53 ft dry van can usually take about 42,000 to 45,000 lb before reaching 80,000 lb.
Yes, but not on the Interstate without a permit. Some states allow heavier combinations on their own roads under permits or grandfathered rules, and in Europe 44 tonnes (97,003 lb) is allowed for container transport and on UK six-axle rigs.
Last checked October 2, 2026.
