California Oversize and Overweight Fines and Penalties

Under California Vehicle Code Section 35551(a) VC, having an overweight vehicle is a criminal offense that can carry significant penalties. According to Vehicle Code § 42030(a), the fines start out small. For up to 1,000 pounds over the weight limit for a single axle, the fine is as low as $20 before fees are added. A fine for a typical overweight truck can range from five hundred ($500) to the thousand dollars. Every person convicted of a violation of any weight limitation provision of Division 15 (commencing with Section 35000), and every person convicted of a violation of Section 21461 with respect to signs provided pursuant to Section 35654 or 35752, and every person convicted of a violation of Section 40001 for requiring the operation of a vehicle upon a highway in violation of any provision referred to in this section shall be punished by a fine. In most cases driving an overweight vehicle is a misdemeanor in California law. Misdemeanor ( summary ) probation up (6) months in county jail; and/or a fine of up to one thousand dollars ($1,000).The exception is if the amount of excess weight is less than four thousand five hundred one pounds (4,501). In this case, VC 35551 is only a California infraction. The penalty for overweight vehicles as an infraction is a fine of two hundred fifty dollars ($250).

http://www.dot.ca.gov/trafficops/trucks/weight.html

http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/paffairs/faq/faq32.htm