What is GVWR? Why Is It Important?
9/23/2022
Understanding your vehicle’s GVWR is imperative to towing safely and legally, and exceeding your vehicle’s GVWR can cause unexpected wear or even premature failure of integral vehicle systems.
The GVWR is the maximum weight of your vehicle when it is FULLY LOADED, meaning the weight of the vehicle, fuel, passengers, cargo and everything else on board the vehicle. The GVWR DOES NOT include the weight of any trailers .
The GVWR is established by the manufacturer (for both your RV and vehicle) and is found in many places, including on the title, in the owner’s manual and on the sticker in the driver’s doorjamb.
When calculating your vehicle’s GVWR, it is important to know how much your vehicle weighs, as the GVWR includes the weight of the vehicle.
To determine your vehicle’s load capacity, you must subtract the weight of the vehicle from the GVWR. The solution to that equation is the maximum weight that you may load into your vehicle.
For example, if a vehicle’s GVWR is 10,000 lbs., and the vehicle weighs 5,000 lbs. with a driver and a full tank of fuel, then the heaviest load the vehicle can carry is 5,000 lbs.
What is GVWR on a Trailer?
Trailers also have GVWRs. The law requires a trailer to have a sticker stating its GVWR and its unladen weight on the driver’s side of the tongue of the trailer. Calculating the GVWR of a trailer is done using the same basic formula shown above, meaning the manufacturer stated GVWR minus the weight of the trailer including any water or gear is the maximum available load capacity of the trailer.
