--- title: "GVWR: Definition and Meaning | NPSA" description: "GVWR is gross vehicle weight rating. It is the maximum loaded weight of a single motor vehicle, as set by the manufacturer." url: https://npsa.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/gvwr publisher: National Portable Storage Association (NPSA) phone: "(816) 960-6552" email: info@npsa.org --- Trucking and regulatory # GVWR GVWR is gross vehicle weight rating. It is the maximum loaded weight of a single motor vehicle, as set by the manufacturer. It includes the vehicle, fuel, driver, cargo and equipment. It is printed on the vehicle's certification label and set by the maker. ## Why it matters GVWR is on the vehicle's certification label. It drives many rules, including whether a truck is a commercial motor vehicle and which license class is needed. In federal rules, 10,001 pounds is a common threshold and 26,001 pounds is another. A common mistake is to confuse GVWR with the weight of the truck when empty. It is the most the maker says the vehicle can weigh loaded. Another is to ignore it when adding a crane or a heavy bed. Check the label, add up the equipment and the load, and stay under the rating. Ask a compliance professional about your fleet and state rules. [Read: Safety and compliance for container delivery: DOT, FMCSA, CDL and OSHA](https://npsa.preview.multisites.ai/guides/dot-fmcsa-osha-compliance) Definition source: [ecfr.gov](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-III/subchapter-B/part-390/subpart-A/section-390.5) ## Related terms [### GCWR GCWR is gross combination weight rating. It is the greater of the manufacturer's value for the power unit or the sum of the GVWRs of the power unit and towed units. It is used for tractor-trailers and trucks that tow.](https://npsa.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/gcwr)[### Class B CDL A Class B CDL is the commercial license for heavy straight vehicles. Federal rules cover a single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 pounds or more, or one that tows a vehicle of 10,000 pounds GVWR or less. It covers many heavy single-unit trucks.](https://npsa.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/class-b-cdl)[### Class A CDL A Class A CDL is the commercial license for combination vehicles. Federal rules cover any combination with a gross combination weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more, where the towed unit has a GVWR over 10,000 pounds. It is the class for most tractor-trailer rigs.](https://npsa.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/class-a-cdl)[### DOT number A DOT number is an identifier assigned to a company that operates commercial vehicles. Most people mean the USDOT number issued by FMCSA. It tracks a carrier's safety record from audits, inspections and crash reports. Rules differ by state for in-state carriers.](https://npsa.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/dot-number)[### tare weight Tare weight is the weight of an empty container or vehicle. Subtract it from the gross weight to find the weight of the goods inside. On a shipping container, it is not set by the ISO standards. It depends on how the container was built.](https://npsa.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/tare-weight)[### maximum gross weight Maximum gross weight is the most a container may weigh when loaded, including its own tare weight and the cargo. In ISO 668, ratings include the gross mass of the container. Carrier listings often show 30,480 kg for 20-foot and 40-foot dry containers.](https://npsa.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/maximum-gross-weight) [All 220 terms](https://npsa.preview.multisites.ai/glossary) For the industry ## Grow your portable storage business with NPSA Members get event rates, the Community Forum, the directory listing and leads from this website. [Join NPSA](https://npsa.preview.multisites.ai/join-us)[See member benefits](https://npsa.preview.multisites.ai/member-benefits) Need storage? ## Get quotes from NPSA member companies Tell us what you need and where. A member company that serves your area will contact you. [Request a quote](https://npsa.preview.multisites.ai/request-a-quote)[Which unit do I need?](https://npsa.preview.multisites.ai/find-storage)