{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/46.2-1135.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/46.2-1135.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/46.2-1135.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/46.2-1135.html"}],"law_id":79786,"edition_id":1,"section_id":79786,"structure_id":13887,"section_number":"46.2-1135","catch_line":"(Contingent effective date &#8212; see note*) Liquidated damages for violation of weight limits","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 46-338.2; 1956, c. 215; 1958, cc. 541, 612, \u00a7 46.1-342; 1968, c. 184; 1974, c. 331; 1977, c. 644; 1981, c. 187; 1986, c. 588; 1987, c. 372; 1989, c. 727; 1994, c. 922; 1997, c. 479; 2001, cc. 411, 433; 2003, c. 314; 2007, c. 896.","full_text":"A\n\nAny person violating any weight limit as provided in this chapter or in any permit issued pursuant to Article 18 (&#xA7; 46.2-1139 et seq.) of this chapter by the Department or its designee or by local authorities pursuant to this chapter shall be assessed liquidated damages. The amount of those damages shall be:\n\t\t\tAll gross permit violations shall be assessed $.20 per pound over the permitted weight limit.\n\t\t\tIf a person has no prior violations under the motor vehicle weight laws, and the excess weight does not exceed 2,500 pounds, the general district court may waive the liquidated damages against such person. Except as provided by &#xA7; 46.2-1138, such assessment shall be entered by the court or by the Department as a judgment for the Commonwealth, the entry of which shall constitute a lien upon the overweight vehicle. Except as provided by &#xA7; 46.2-1138, such sums shall be paid to the Department or collected by the attorney for the Commonwealth and forwarded to the State Treasurer and allocated to the fund appropriated for the construction and maintenance of state highways.B\n\nIf the gross weight of the vehicle exceeds lawful limits by at least 25 percent but no more than 50 percent, the amount of the liquidated damages shall be two times the amount provided for in the foregoing provisions of this section; if the gross weight of the vehicle exceeds lawful limits by more than 50 percent, the amount of the liquidated damages shall be three times the amount provided for in the foregoing provisions of this section. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to pickup or panel trucks.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":285859,"text":"Any person violating any weight limit as provided in this chapter or in any permit issued pursuant to Article 18 (&#xA7; 46.2-1139 et seq.) of this chapter by the Department or its designee or by local authorities pursuant to this chapter shall be assessed liquidated damages. The amount of those damages shall be:\n\t\t\tAll gross permit violations shall be assessed $.20 per pound over the permitted weight limit.\n\t\t\tIf a person has no prior violations under the motor vehicle weight laws, and the excess weight does not exceed 2,500 pounds, the general district court may waive the liquidated damages against such person. Except as provided by &#xA7; 46.2-1138, such assessment shall be entered by the court or by the Department as a judgment for the Commonwealth, the entry of which shall constitute a lien upon the overweight vehicle. Except as provided by &#xA7; 46.2-1138, such sums shall be paid to the Department or collected by the attorney for the Commonwealth and forwarded to the State Treasurer and allocated to the fund appropriated for the construction and maintenance of state highways.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":285860,"text":"If the gross weight of the vehicle exceeds lawful limits by at least 25 percent but no more than 50 percent, the amount of the liquidated damages shall be two times the amount provided for in the foregoing provisions of this section; if the gross weight of the vehicle exceeds lawful limits by more than 50 percent, the amount of the liquidated damages shall be three times the amount provided for in the foregoing provisions of this section. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to pickup or panel trucks.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A"}},"ancestry":[{"id":13887,"edition_id":1,"name":"Maximum Vehicle Weights","identifier":"17","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12828,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:46:11","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:46:11","permalink":{"id":228897,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13887,"identifier":"17","token":"46.2\/III\/10\/17","url":"\/46.2\/III\/10\/17\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12828,"edition_id":1,"name":"Motor Vehicle and Equipment Safety","identifier":"10","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12827,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:55","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:55","permalink":{"id":228599,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12828,"identifier":"10","token":"46.2\/III\/10","url":"\/46.2\/III\/10\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12827,"edition_id":1,"name":"Operation","identifier":"III","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12770,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:55","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:55","permalink":{"id":228597,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12827,"identifier":"III","token":"46.2\/III","url":"\/46.2\/III\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12770,"edition_id":1,"name":"Motor Vehicles","identifier":"46.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:52","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:52","permalink":{"id":225289,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12770,"identifier":"46.2","token":"46.2","url":"\/46.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":56026,"structure_id":13887,"section_number":"46.2-1122","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/46.2-1122\/","token":"46.2\/III\/10\/17\/46.2-1122","metadata":false},{"id":63431,"structure_id":13887,"section_number":"46.2-1123","catch_line":"Weight of vehicles and loads","url":"\/46.2-1123\/","token":"46.2\/III\/10\/17\/46.2-1123","metadata":false},{"id":81854,"structure_id":13887,"section_number":"46.2-1124","catch_line":"Maximum single axle weight, generally; maximum weight per inch of tire width","url":"\/46.2-1124\/","token":"46.2\/III\/10\/17\/46.2-1124","metadata":false},{"id":64875,"structure_id":13887,"section_number":"46.2-1125","catch_line":"Maximum tandem axle weight, generally","url":"\/46.2-1125\/","token":"46.2\/III\/10\/17\/46.2-1125","metadata":false},{"id":75488,"structure_id":13887,"section_number":"46.2-1126","catch_line":"Maximum gross weight, generally","url":"\/46.2-1126\/","token":"46.2\/III\/10\/17\/46.2-1126","metadata":false},{"id":79744,"structure_id":13887,"section_number":"46.2-1127","catch_line":"Weight limits for vehicles using interstate highways","url":"\/46.2-1127\/","token":"46.2\/III\/10\/17\/46.2-1127","metadata":false},{"id":65156,"structure_id":13887,"section_number":"46.2-1127.1","catch_line":"Weight limit exception for certain emergency vehicles using the interstate highways","url":"\/46.2-1127.1\/","token":"46.2\/III\/10\/17\/46.2-1127.1","metadata":false},{"id":71884,"structure_id":13887,"section_number":"46.2-1128","catch_line":"Extensions of weight limits; fees","url":"\/46.2-1128\/","token":"46.2\/III\/10\/17\/46.2-1128","metadata":false},{"id":64956,"structure_id":13887,"section_number":"46.2-1129","catch_line":"Further extensions of weight limits for certain vehicles hauling Virginia-grown farm or forest products","url":"\/46.2-1129\/","token":"46.2\/III\/10\/17\/46.2-1129","metadata":false},{"id":67458,"structure_id":13887,"section_number":"46.2-1129.1","catch_line":"Further extension of weight limits for certain vehicles utilizing an auxiliary power unit or other idle reduction technology","url":"\/46.2-1129.1\/","token":"46.2\/III\/10\/17\/46.2-1129.1","metadata":false},{"id":74311,"structure_id":13887,"section_number":"46.2-1129.2","catch_line":"Further extension of weight limits for vehicles fueled by natural gas or powered by means of electric battery power","url":"\/46.2-1129.2\/","token":"46.2\/III\/10\/17\/46.2-1129.2","metadata":false},{"id":75262,"structure_id":13887,"section_number":"46.2-1130","catch_line":"Crossing bridge or culvert by vehicle heavier than allowed; where weight signs to be erected","url":"\/46.2-1130\/","token":"46.2\/III\/10\/17\/46.2-1130","metadata":false},{"id":55374,"structure_id":13887,"section_number":"46.2-1130.1","catch_line":"Overweight permits granted to cross bridges and culverts by certain emergency response vehicles responding to an emergency call","url":"\/46.2-1130.1\/","token":"46.2\/III\/10\/17\/46.2-1130.1","metadata":false},{"id":73274,"structure_id":13887,"section_number":"46.2-1131","catch_line":"Penalty for violation of weight limits","url":"\/46.2-1131\/","token":"46.2\/III\/10\/17\/46.2-1131","metadata":false},{"id":54921,"structure_id":13887,"section_number":"46.2-1132","catch_line":"Service of process in weight violation cases","url":"\/46.2-1132\/","token":"46.2\/III\/10\/17\/46.2-1132","metadata":false},{"id":67994,"structure_id":13887,"section_number":"46.2-1133","catch_line":"Special processing provisions for overweight violations","url":"\/46.2-1133\/","token":"46.2\/III\/10\/17\/46.2-1133","metadata":false},{"id":58537,"structure_id":13887,"section_number":"46.2-1134","catch_line":"Special overweight seizure provisions; penalty","url":"\/46.2-1134\/","token":"46.2\/III\/10\/17\/46.2-1134","metadata":false},{"id":79786,"structure_id":13887,"section_number":"46.2-1135","catch_line":"(Contingent effective date -- see note*) Liquidated damages for violation of weight limits","url":"\/46.2-1135\/","token":"46.2\/III\/10\/17\/46.2-1135","metadata":false},{"id":67144,"structure_id":13887,"section_number":"46.2-1136","catch_line":"Procedures for issuing and serving process in overweight vehicle cases","url":"\/46.2-1136\/","token":"46.2\/III\/10\/17\/46.2-1136","metadata":false},{"id":68997,"structure_id":13887,"section_number":"46.2-1137","catch_line":"Weighing vehicles; procedure; shifting loads; unloading excess load; weighing fee; certificate as to accuracy of scales admissible in evidence; penalties","url":"\/46.2-1137\/","token":"46.2\/III\/10\/17\/46.2-1137","metadata":false},{"id":56637,"structure_id":13887,"section_number":"46.2-1138","catch_line":"County ordinances fixing weight limits on roads that have been withdrawn from secondary system","url":"\/46.2-1138\/","token":"46.2\/III\/10\/17\/46.2-1138","metadata":false},{"id":68164,"structure_id":13887,"section_number":"46.2-1138.1","catch_line":"City ordinances fixing weight limits on certain roads","url":"\/46.2-1138.1\/","token":"46.2\/III\/10\/17\/46.2-1138.1","metadata":false},{"id":83960,"structure_id":13887,"section_number":"46.2-1138.2","catch_line":"Town ordinances concerning weight limits on certain roads","url":"\/46.2-1138.2\/","token":"46.2\/III\/10\/17\/46.2-1138.2","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":58537,"structure_id":13887,"section_number":"46.2-1134","catch_line":"Special overweight seizure provisions; penalty","url":"\/46.2-1134\/","token":"46.2\/III\/10\/17\/46.2-1134","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":67144,"structure_id":13887,"section_number":"46.2-1136","catch_line":"Procedures for issuing and serving process in overweight vehicle cases","url":"\/46.2-1136\/","token":"46.2\/III\/10\/17\/46.2-1136","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/46.2-1135\/","history_text":"<p>The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 14 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1956, chapter 215; in 1958, chapters 541 and 612; in 1968, chapter 184; in 1974, chapter 331; in 1977, chapter 644; in 1981, chapter 187; in 1986, chapter 588; in 1987, chapter 372; in 1989, chapter 727; in 1994, chapter <a href=\"https:\/\/legacylis.virginia.gov\/cgi-bin\/legp604.exe?941+ful+CHAP0922\">922<\/a>; in 1997, chapter <a href=\"https:\/\/legacylis.virginia.gov\/cgi-bin\/legp604.exe?971+ful+CHAP0479\">479<\/a>; in 2001, chapters <a href=\"https:\/\/legacylis.virginia.gov\/cgi-bin\/legp604.exe?011+ful+CHAP0411\">411<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/legacylis.virginia.gov\/cgi-bin\/legp604.exe?011+ful+CHAP0433\">433<\/a>; in 2003, chapter <a href=\"https:\/\/legacylis.virginia.gov\/cgi-bin\/legp604.exe?031+ful+CHAP0314\">314<\/a>; in 2007, chapter <a href=\"https:\/\/legacylis.virginia.gov\/cgi-bin\/legp604.exe?071+ful+CHAP0896\">896<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":61806,"section_number":"16.1-69.48","catch_line":"Fees and fines","order_by":null,"url":"\/16.1-69.48\/"},{"id":72168,"section_number":"16.1-77","catch_line":"Civil jurisdiction of general district courts; amending amount of claim","order_by":null,"url":"\/16.1-77\/"},{"id":73274,"section_number":"46.2-1131","catch_line":"Penalty for violation of weight limits","order_by":null,"url":"\/46.2-1131\/"},{"id":68997,"section_number":"46.2-1137","catch_line":"Weighing vehicles; procedure; shifting loads; unloading excess load; weighing fee; certificate as to accuracy of scales admissible in evidence; penalties","order_by":null,"url":"\/46.2-1137\/"},{"id":56637,"section_number":"46.2-1138","catch_line":"County ordinances fixing weight limits on roads that have been withdrawn from secondary system","order_by":null,"url":"\/46.2-1138\/"},{"id":68164,"section_number":"46.2-1138.1","catch_line":"City ordinances fixing weight limits on certain roads","order_by":null,"url":"\/46.2-1138.1\/"},{"id":83960,"section_number":"46.2-1138.2","catch_line":"Town ordinances concerning weight limits on certain roads","order_by":null,"url":"\/46.2-1138.2\/"},{"id":77996,"section_number":"46.2-1143","catch_line":"Overweight permits for coal haulers; trucks hauling gravel, sand, asphalt, crushed stone, or liquids produced from gas or oil wells in certain counties; penalties","order_by":null,"url":"\/46.2-1143\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":56637,"section_number":"46.2-1138","catch_line":"County ordinances fixing weight limits on roads that have been withdrawn from secondary system","order_by":null,"url":"\/46.2-1138\/"},{"id":68738,"section_number":"46.2-1139","catch_line":"Permits for excessive size and weight generally; penalty","order_by":null,"url":"\/46.2-1139\/"}],"permalink":{"id":228967,"object_type":"law","relational_id":79786,"identifier":"46.2-1135","token":"46.2\/III\/10\/17\/46.2-1135","url":"\/46.2-1135\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/46.2-1135\/","token":"46.2\/III\/10\/17\/46.2-1135","dublin_core":{"Title":"(Contingent effective date &#8212; see note*) Liquidated damages for violation of weight limits","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 46.2-1135","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section id=\"A\"><p><span class=\"prefix-number\">A.<\/span> Any person violating any weight limit as provided in this chapter or in any permit issued pursuant to Article 18 (&#xA7; <a class=\"law\" title=\"Permits for excessive size and weight generally; penalty\" href=\"\/46.2-1139\/\">46.2-1139<\/a> et seq.) of this chapter by the <span class=\"dictionary\">Department<\/span> or its designee or by local authorities pursuant to this chapter shall be assessed liquidated <span class=\"dictionary\">damages<\/span>. The amount of those <span class=\"dictionary\">damages<\/span> shall be:\n\t\t\tAll gross permit violations shall be assessed $.20 per pound over the permitted weight limit.\n\t\t\tIf a person has no prior violations under the <span class=\"dictionary\">motor vehicle<\/span> weight <span class=\"dictionary\">laws<\/span>, and the excess weight does not exceed 2,500 pounds, the general district <span class=\"dictionary\">court<\/span> may <span class=\"dictionary\">waive<\/span> the liquidated <span class=\"dictionary\">damages<\/span> against such person. Except as provided by &#xA7; <a class=\"law\" title=\"County ordinances fixing weight limits on roads that have been withdrawn from secondary system\" href=\"\/46.2-1138\/\">46.2-1138<\/a>, such assessment shall be entered by the <span class=\"dictionary\">court<\/span> or by the <span class=\"dictionary\">Department<\/span> as a <span class=\"dictionary\">judgment<\/span> for the Commonwealth, the entry of which shall constitute a <span class=\"dictionary\">lien<\/span> upon the overweight vehicle. Except as provided by &#xA7; <a class=\"law\" title=\"County ordinances fixing weight limits on roads that have been withdrawn from secondary system\" href=\"\/46.2-1138\/\">46.2-1138<\/a>, such sums shall be paid to the <span class=\"dictionary\">Department<\/span> or collected by the attorney for the Commonwealth and forwarded to the State Treasurer and allocated to the fund appropriated for the construction and maintenance of state <span class=\"dictionary\"><span class=\"dictionary\">highways<\/span><\/span>. <a id=\"paragraph-285859\" class=\"section-permalink\" href=\"https:\/\/vacode.org\/46.2-1135\/#A\"><i class=\"fa fa-link\"><\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section id=\"B\"><p><span class=\"prefix-number\">B.<\/span> If the <span class=\"dictionary\">gross weight<\/span> of the vehicle exceeds lawful limits by at least 25 percent but no more than 50 percent, the amount of the liquidated <span class=\"dictionary\">damages<\/span> shall be two times the amount provided for in the foregoing provisions of this section; if the <span class=\"dictionary\">gross weight<\/span> of the vehicle exceeds lawful limits by more than 50 percent, the amount of the liquidated <span class=\"dictionary\">damages<\/span> shall be three times the amount provided for in the foregoing provisions of this section. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to <span class=\"dictionary\">pickup or panel trucks<\/span>. <a id=\"paragraph-285860\" class=\"section-permalink\" href=\"https:\/\/vacode.org\/46.2-1135\/#B\"><i class=\"fa fa-link\"><\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":"                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\n(CONTINGENT EFFECTIVE DATE &#8212; SEE NOTE*) LIQUIDATED DAMAGES FOR VIOLATION\nOF WEIGHT LIMITS (\u00a7 46.2-1135)\n\nA. Any person violating any weight limit as provided in this chapter or in any\npermit issued pursuant to Article 18 (&#xA7; 46.2-1139 et seq.) of this chapter\nby the Department or its designee or by local authorities pursuant to this\nchapter shall be assessed liquidated damages. The amount of those damages shall\nbe:\n\t\t\tAll gross permit violations shall be assessed $.20 per pound over the\npermitted weight limit.\n\t\t\tIf a person has no prior violations under the motor vehicle weight laws, and\nthe excess weight does not exceed 2,500 pounds, the general district court may\nwaive the liquidated damages against such person. Except as provided by &#xA7;\n46.2-1138, such assessment shall be entered by the court or by the Department as\na judgment for the Commonwealth, the entry of which shall constitute a lien upon\nthe overweight vehicle. Except as provided by &#xA7; 46.2-1138, such sums shall\nbe paid to the Department or collected by the attorney for the Commonwealth and\nforwarded to the State Treasurer and allocated to the fund appropriated for the\nconstruction and maintenance of state highways.\n\nB. If the gross weight of the vehicle exceeds lawful limits by at least 25\npercent but no more than 50 percent, the amount of the liquidated damages shall\nbe two times the amount provided for in the foregoing provisions of this\nsection; if the gross weight of the vehicle exceeds lawful limits by more than\n50 percent, the amount of the liquidated damages shall be three times the amount\nprovided for in the foregoing provisions of this section. The provisions of this\nsubsection shall not apply to pickup or panel trucks.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 46-338.2; 1956, c. 215; 1958, cc. 541, 612, \u00a7 46.1-342;\n1968, c. 184; 1974, c. 331; 1977, c. 644; 1981, c. 187; 1986, c. 588; 1987, c.\n372; 1989, c. 727; 1994, c. 922; 1997, c. 479; 2001, cc. 411, 433; 2003, c. 314;\n2007, c. 896.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}