Your sprinter van needs to stop at a weight station for a check if:
1. Your Mercedes sprinter van has a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of >10,000lbs..
2. The sprinter van has a registered (plated) weight above 10,000lbs.
3. You’re using your sprinter for commercial purposes.
If any of these factors are correct in your case, you have to stop at weigh stations when driving on the highway.
Only a Heavily Loaded Van Would Go Over the Limit
A fully loaded Mercedes Sprinter Van can be 11 000 lbs (the weight of the van plus what it’s carrying,) but that really is you using it fully laden.
Even a heavily loaded van will not usually weigh more than 9000 lbs fully laden.
So it is possible you could go over the 10 000lbs limit, but you really would have to be using it to its full capacity.
A Mercedes Sprinter Van without a driver or a load is 5200 to 5700 lbs. The most it can carry is 6400 lbs.
You might be towing stuff and the maximum it can tow is 7500 lbs.
How To Check the Weight of Your Sprinter Van
The weight of your sprinter van is boldly crested on the door pillar of the driver’s door. You have to open the door to see the information on the door panel. The information shows the sprinter van’s weight, model, year of manufacture, and country of origin.
If your Mercedes sprinter van weighs over 10,000lbs. you have to register for a USDOT number. The US Department of Transport is responsible for registering and assigning DOT numbers. Drivers are required to register and display their DOT# for the highway patrol or other law enforcement.
Under 10,000lbs Sprinter Van Can Still Be a Commercial Vehicle
Yes. The definition of commercial use can be tricky when you don’t drive commercially.
However, if you transport cargo with your sprinter van to make money, you’re using it commercially. Similarly, when you carry passengers with your Sprinter van, you’re using the vehicle commercially.
What Happens if You Exceed the Weight Limits
This is not recommended due to the time and economic cost. The penalty for exceeding weight limits varies from state to state; however, most laws involve paying a fine based on the excess weight or unpacking your vehicle until it meets the weight criteria.
The States Requiring Vehicles To Stop?
Keep in mind that every state has a unique DOT rule. So if you intend to travel across state lines with your sprinter van, you should learn the highway rules for your destination.
Alabama: The law allows an officer to request a truck or trailer to be weighed using portable or stationary scales. The officer can also order a truck to scales for dependable weighing within a 5-mile radius.
Alaska: In Alaska, all trucks above ten thousand lbs must be stopped and weighed. Needless to say, you need a USDOT license to drive a 10,000+ lbs sprinter van in Alaska.
Arizona: In the Grand Canyon state, gross vehicle weight (GVW) fees apply for 10,000 lbs. or more trailers or semi-trailers and vehicles transporting passengers (other than for school buses or charities).
Also, vehicles carrying harmful materials or vehicles for a mortician, ambulance, hearse, or similar vehicles.
Arkansas: According to the state rules of the road, farm vehicles, passenger or commercial vehicles of 10,000 lbs. or more must stop at the weight and inspection stations.
California: In California, the rules of the road are pretty broad. All commercial vehicles must stop for size, weight, and smoke emissions check wherever the California Highway Testers and the signage are displayed for inspection purposes.
Colorado: The rules of the road in the Centennial state are quite similar to the rest. Every owner or driver of a vehicle with a GVW rating or a gross combination weight rating of over 26,000 lbs. needs clearance before using a vehicle.
Connecticut: Things work quite differently in Connecticut. The rules of the road state that all commercial vehicles must stop irrespective of weight. So if your vehicle fits the category or is being used commercially, you have to stop.
Delaware: According to the Delaware Code for vehicles’ size and weight, drivers or vehicle owners must use their vehicles based on road rules for the vehicle’s weight class and purpose.
Florida: The 2011 Florida state status XXIII allows the Florida highway patrol officers to stop any driver for weighing. The vehicle’s gross weight must comply with the registered gross weight.
Georgia: Agriculture vehicles, commercial cars, or specialty cars weighing over 10,000 lbs. must stop at the weight and inspection stations.
Hawaii: Vehicles, trucks, or trailers with a GVW of 10,000 lbs. or more are required to stop for a weigh-in.
Idaho: Weighing is available at ten fixed entry points with 10 roving devices. According to the Idaho Tranport Department handbook, vehicles over 10,000 lbs. are required to stop for a weight check.
Illinois: The rules of the road allow highway patrol officers to pull over suspected vehicles that have exceeded weight limits.
Indiana: Any vehicle with a GVW of ten thousand lbs. or more must stop and pass through weight assessment.
Iowa: Every vehicle over 10,000 lbs. must stop for a weight check at weigh stations.
Also, any patrol officer can wave down any suspected vehicle for weightinspection at the weigh station or require that the weight is checked at the nearest public scale.
If the suspected vehicle is overweight, the officer can ground the vehicle until the excess load is removed to reduce the GVW to an acceptable limit.
Kansas: On the highway, any registered vehicle can be subjected to a weight inspection. If the police officer believes that a vehicle exceeds its weight, they can demand that the driver stops to be weighed on a mobile or fixed scale.
Kentucky: Any commercial or agriculture vehicle weighing 10,000 lbs or more must stop for weight inspection.
Louisiana: In Louisiana, every agricultural, specialty (single or with a trailer), or commercial vehicle of 10,000 lbs or more must stop at the weigh station.
Maine: An officer can ask a driver to pull over to assess registration and transport load at a designated weigh station.
Maryland: In Maryland, the State police maintain 7 weighing stations where farm and commercial vehicles of over 10,000 lbs have to stop for assessment.
Similarly, commercial vehicles with more than 16 passengers or carrying hazardous material with signage must stop for a check.
Massachusetts: The rules of the road in Massachusetts require agricultural, passenger, and specialty (single or trailer carriages) that are 10,000 lbs or more to stop for weighing.
Michigan: Dual rear wheel vehicles that transport agricultural products, trucks with a weight of more than 10,000 lbs with dual rear wheels, towing equipment, and all combination tractor/semi-trailer vehicles must stop.
Minnesota: In the land of 10,000 lakes, every 10,000 lbs or more GVW-graded vehicle must stop for weighing.
Mississippi: In Mississippi, members of the state’s Tax Commission, tax collectors, road patrol, and other law enforcement officers can order a vehicle to be weighed to verify that it was registered accurately.
Missouri: All GVW commercial trucks over 18,000 lbs have to stop.
Montana: Highway patrols are permitted to stop vehicles moving farm products or trucks with the GVW rating of 8,000 lbs. or higher.
Nebraska: All motor vehicles over 1 ton must stop, except for the trucks that pull a recreational trailer.
Nevada: In the Silver State, vehicles with a GVW rating of 10,000lbs. or more are required to pass through a weight test.
New Hampshire: The rules of road usage in New Hampshire allow any law enforcement officer to subject a driver of a vehicle to have their vehicle weighed on portable or stationary scales within 10 miles of an end-point.
New Jersey: All vehicles must stop weighing 10,001 lbs. or more.
New Mexico: Trucks weighing over 26,001 lbs. or more must stop for assessment.
New York: The New York state road law requires all motor vehicles weighing over 10,000 lbs to stop at a weigh station for assessment. This rule applies to towing vehicles pulling a trailer or another vehicle.
North Carolina: Down south in North Carolina, the Transportation Department operates 6 to 13 permanent weighing stations. A law enforcement officer may stop a vehicle to check if its weight meets its stated gross weight and weight limits.
North Dakota: Highway officers are allowed to stop all vehicles with a GVW rating of over 10,000 lbs except for leisure vehicles used for personal and recreational purposes.
Ohio: When driving across weigh stations, all commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs (5 tons) have to cross scales.
Oklahoma: The law permits any officer of the Public Safety Department, the Oklahoma Tax Board, or sheriff to stop any vehicle for weighing on a portable or stationary scale.
Oregon: Every vehicle or vehicle combination above 26,000 lbs is required to stop for weight assessment.
Pennsylvania: When using public highways, passenger and specialty vehicles towing large trailers, agriculture vehicles, large RVs, or trucks are subject to inspection and weighting, regardless of size.
Rhode Island: GVW trucks over 100 000 lbs and farm vehicles must stop for weight inspection at a weigh station.
South Carolina: In South Carolina, motor vehicles weighing over 10,000lbs. or more are required to stop for a check. If the vehicle is not compliant with the GVW rating, the inspecting officer will remove the excess load before allowing the vehicle to drive on the highway.
South Dakota: Vehicles over 8,000 lbs must stop at the weigh station for GVW check.
Tennessee: In Tennessee, weigh stations are located throughout the state to enforce the state’s road rules. Single vehicles or combination vehicles with a GVW rating of 10,000lbs. or more require a commercial driving license to use the road. Also, these vehicles must stop at weigh stations for weight verification.
Texas: In Texas, all commercial vehicles must stop for a check when directed by a police officer or road marshal.
Utah: Any police officer or road marshal can wave down a vehicle for height, weight, and length inspection within 3 miles to the nearest scale or entrance port.
Vermont: Any uniformed officer believing the vehicle’s weight and its load is illegal may have the vehicle stopped for one hour to determine the weight of the vehicle. If you do not want to weigh on portable scales, you can request to be weighed on a stationary scale.
Virginia: Trucks with a gross weight of more than 7,500 lbs must stop.
Washington: Farming and lorries over 10,000 lbs. must stop.
West Virginia: In the Mountain State, a safety enforcement officer or police officer can pull over a vehicle or combination of vehicles at a mobile or stationary weighing station or take a driver to the closest weighing station for weight assessment.
Wisconsin: GVW trucks of more than 10,000 lbs are required to stop at weigh stations assessment.
Wyoming: When instructed by a regulatory sign or police officer, trucks must stop for inspection. All trucks weighing or carrying a load of 150,000 lbs or more must get a permit before entering Wyoming and driving on public roads.
Conclusion
Check the legislation in the state(s) you drive through if you drive a larger sprinter and think you may need to stop at a weighing station.
Most trucks have their GVW rating displayed on the side to show the weight of the load they are expected to carry.
If you are unsure of what your sprinter van can handle, please stop at the weigh station to prevent a heavy fine.