Federal Highway Administration

GVWR Class Identification


SOURCE: Figure 21. Law Enforcement Vehicle Identification Guide



Class 1-2: Light Duty (GVWR = 10,000 lbs or Less)

This is a set of three reference cards designed to help law enforcement by depicting types of vehicles and vehicle weights so officers can correctly identify vehicle type.

The first card shows silhouettes of Class 1 and 2 Light-Duty vehicles.

  • Class 1 – Light Duty includes cars, light-duty pickup trucks, and minivans with a GVWR over 6,000 lbs. or less and 4 tires only.
  • Class 2 – Light Duty includes SUVs, standard-size pickup trucks, and vans with a GVWR of 6,001 to 10,000 lbs. and 4 tires only.

GVWR Class 1 and 2 - Light Duty

Class 3-6: Medium Duty (GVWR = 10,001 - 26,000 lbs)

The second card in the series assists officers in identifying Class 3 through Class 6 vehicles.

  • Class 3 – Medium Duty includes flat bed trucks, box trucks and extended bed cargo vans with a GVWR of 10,001 to 14,000 lbs. and 6 tires or more.
  • Class 4 – Medium Duty includes delivery vans, small buses, and conversion vans about the size of an ambulance with a GVWR or 14,001 to 16,001 lbs. and 6 tires or more.
  • Class 5 – Medium Duty includes RVs, dump trucks, or medium-size refrigerated trucks with a GVWR of 16,001 to 19,500 lbs. and 6 tires or more.
  • Class 6 – Medium Duty includes buses, and medium size cargo or delivery trucks with a GVWR of 19,501 to 26,000 lbs. and 6 tires or more.

A note below these silhouettes indicates that Class 3 through 6 includes a range of mid-sized to larger vehicles including delivery trucks, utility vehicles, motor homes, package parcel trucks, ambulances, small dump trucks, landscape vehicles, small flatbed and stake-type trucks, refrigerated and box trucks, and small and medium-duty buses (school and local transit buses).


GVWR Class 3-6 - Medium Duty

Class 7-8: Heavy Duty (GVWR = 26,001 lbs and over)

The third card in the series assists officers in identifying Class 7 and 8 vehicles as well as motorcycles, trailers and motor homes.

  • Class 7 – Heavy Duty includes large delivery trucks and tractor-tailer combinations with a GVWR of 26,001 to 33,000 lbs. and 6 tires or more.
  • Class 8 – Heavy Duty includes motor coaches, all tractor-tailer combinations, refuse trucks, and construction vehicles with a GVWR of 33,001 or more and 10 or more tires.

GVWR Class 7 and 8 - Heavy Duty