GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) Calculator

Reviewed By: Patrick Myers (BSME)

Enter the tare weight and the rated payload into the calculator to determine a truck’s gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR).

GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) Calculator

GVWR is the manufacturer’s maximum loaded vehicle weight. Use this tool to check your actual loaded weight, remaining payload, and combined towing weight.

GVWR Check

GCWR Check

Payload Capacity

Enter your vehicle’s GVWR from the door sticker, then add the weight actually carried by the vehicle. This gives you actual loaded vehicle weight, remaining payload, and how close you are to the rating.

GVWR Rating

3,500 lbs

6,000 lbs

8,500 lbs

10,000 lbs

14,000 lbs

26,000 lbs

Curb or Actual Empty Vehicle Weight

Passengers

Cargo / Bed Load

Accessories / Add-ons

Trailer Tongue or Pin Weight on Vehicle

This tab checks the tow vehicle itself. Tongue or pin weight counts against the vehicle’s GVWR and payload.

GVWR Formula

The following formula is used to calculate gross vehicle weight rating:

GVWR = TW + RP

Where GVWR is the gross vehicle weight rating (lbs)
TW is the vehicle's tare weight (lbs)
RP is the rated payload of the vehicle (lbs)

To calculate the gross vehicle weight, sum the vehicle tare weight and the rated payload.

Tare weight is considered the official weight of the vehicle when empty. The term tare weight is also often used interchangeably with curb weight.

GVWR Definition

What is GVWR?

A gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) is defined as the sum of the empty vehicle weight and its rated payload. It's used as a measure of the safe weight of the vehicle.

Example Problem

How to calculate GVWR?

First, determine the tare weight of the vehicle. This is typically provided right from the manufacturer of the vehicle. For this example problem, the tare weight is determined to be 4000lbs.

Next, determine the rated payload. This vehicle in particular is able to carry 1500 lbs of payload safely.

Finally, calculate the GVWR using the formula above:

GVWR = TW + RP

GVWR = 4000 + 1500

GVWR = 5500 lbs

Follow-Up Calculations

If your truck’s GVWR is 7,200 lb and it’s actually running close to that limit, the next question is often how that weight affects performance. At 340 hp, you’re looking at about 21 lb per horsepower, and you can check the power-to-weight ratio to see how much slower the vehicle will feel once passengers and cargo are on board.

A 7,500 lb SUV at full GVWR needs a lot more stopping force than the same SUV at 5,500 lb, because the brakes must convert that extra mass into heat every time you slow down. Use the estimate the brake torque you need tool to translate vehicle weight and desired deceleration into the torque each wheel has to produce.

If a van is rated at 6,800 lb GVWR and you load most of that weight over the rear axle, hard braking can shift several hundred pounds forward in an instant. You can estimate axle load shifts to see how acceleration and braking change the actual load on each axle, which is especially important when you’re near the vehicle’s rating.