What Is GVW (DMC)? Gross Vehicle Weight in Poland Explained

What is a vehicle's GVW and what does it mean?

Gross vehicle weight (GVW) is the highest permissible weight at which a given vehicle or vehicle combination may legally travel on public roads. It sets the maximum value that the vehicle's actual weight must not exceed. In practice, exceeding GVW means breaking the rules on permissible vehicle weight.

Under Article 2(54) of the Polish Road Traffic Act (Prawo o ruchu drogowym), GVW is the highest weight of a vehicle loaded with persons and cargo, as set by the relevant technical conditions, at which the vehicle is allowed on the road. This means that the vehicle's actual weight must not exceed the value stated in its documents at any time during operation.

Have vehicles under 3.5 t GVW in your fleet? Evotax also handles working time settlements for van drivers! If you need support in this area, get in touch.

What does GVW consist of?

A vehicle's GVW is made up of two key elements:

• Curb weight (shown in field G of the registration certificate), meaning the weight of the unloaded vehicle, ready to drive;
• Payload, covering the weight of the cargo, the driver and the passengers, in line with the type approval and the rules on permissible weight.

For example, the curb weight of a Skoda Superb 1.5 TSI is 1,454 kg (G), while its GVW is 2,065 kg (F.2). This means the car's payload is 611 kg. Going beyond this value means exceeding GVW, even if the vehicle does not look overloaded.

Who sets a vehicle's GVW?

The maximum weight of a vehicle is set by the manufacturer based on design parameters such as frame strength, suspension, axles and the braking system. This value then goes through type approval and is entered as the vehicle's GVW in its registration documents.

For trucks, tractor units and vehicle combinations, what matters is not only the GVW of the single vehicle, but also the gross combination weight of the whole set.

Maximum GVW in Poland

In Poland, the maximum gross combination weight without special permits is:

• 40 tonnes for a combination of a tractor unit (2- or 3-axle) and a three-axle semi-trailer;
• 44 tonnes in combined transport, when a 3-axle tractor unit is used.

Exceeding these limits means breaching the permissible weight rules, which has direct administrative and financial consequences for both the driver and the carrier.

Why is staying within GVW so important?

Staying within a vehicle's GVW is fundamental because:

• It affects the vehicle's stability and driving safety;
• It determines which roads a truck or vehicle combination may use;
• Trucks with a GVW above 16 tonnes are often subject to local traffic restrictions;
• Many bridges and viaducts have weight restrictions;
• Vehicle weight checks are one of the key elements of roadside enforcement.

Where is GVW on the registration certificate?

Information on GVW appears in section F of the vehicle registration certificate. The section is divided into three fields that contain the key data on the vehicle's weight. To interpret these values correctly, you need to understand what each field means. The same field codes are used across the EU, so the explanation below also applies to certificates issued in other Member States.

F.1: maximum technically permissible laden mass

Field F.1 shows the maximum technically permissible laden mass of the vehicle, which results from its design and may be higher than the GVW allowed under national rules (F.2). It is a technical parameter set by the manufacturer based on the strength of key systems such as the brakes, suspension, steering and axle load capacity. This value is the highest weight of the vehicle ready to drive, including its curb weight, the cargo and the weight of the driver and passengers.

Exceeding F.1 means exceeding the vehicle's maximum technical capacity, which can cause technical damage, faster wear of structural components and a real risk to road safety. Such a violation is also grounds for a weight check and administrative penalties. Note that field F.1 does not apply to motorcycles.

F.2: permissible maximum laden mass (GVW)

Field F.2 shows the vehicle's GVW as permitted under the rules of the country of registration. It is the highest legally permitted weight of the loaded vehicle allowed on public roads. In practice, it is the limit that the vehicle's actual weight must not exceed.

For passenger cars, the values in F.1 and F.2 are usually identical, because the legal limits match the manufacturer's parameters. Trucks are different: their GVW depends on factors such as the number of axles, axle spacing, type of suspension, road class and axle loads. Standard limits in Poland are:

• 18 tonnes for a two-axle vehicle;
• 25 tonnes for a three-axle vehicle (26 tonnes with twin wheels and air suspension on the drive axle);
• 32 tonnes for a four-axle vehicle.

These differences are crucial when assessing whether GVW has been exceeded and what the carrier is liable for.

F.3: permissible maximum laden mass of the whole vehicle combination

Field F.3 shows the gross combination weight, meaning the permissible weight of the whole vehicle combination. This applies both when a towing vehicle pulls a trailer and to combinations such as a tractor unit with a semi-trailer. The value is the maximum permissible total weight of the towing vehicle and the trailer together.

Subtracting F.1 from F.3 gives the maximum braked trailer weight the vehicle can tow without exceeding the permissible combination weight; the towing limits are also shown in field O.1 (braked trailer) and O.2 (unbraked trailer). Since January 1, 2023, the Polish 1.33 ratio between the GVW of the towing vehicle and the trailer no longer applies, so F.3 is now the clear reference for the combination.

What happens if you exceed GVW?

Exceeding a vehicle's GVW is one of the most serious violations of the rules on permissible weight. The consequences can be far-reaching: legal, financial and technical.

The consequences depend on the scale of the overload, the type of vehicle (passenger car, truck, vehicle combination) and whether the breach concerns the GVW of a single vehicle or the gross combination weight. Liability may fall on the driver as well as on the vehicle owner or the carrier.

Fines for exceeding GVW in Poland

Under Annex 3 to the Polish Road Transport Act, the penalty for carrying goods with an overloaded vehicle depends on the GVW category and the size of the overload. For vehicles with a GVW from 3.5 to 12 tonnes:

• PLN 500 for an overload of up to 5%;
• PLN 1,000 for an overload of 5% to 10%;
• PLN 1,500 for an overload of 10% to 20%;
• PLN 2,000 for an overload above 20%.

For vehicles with a GVW above 12 tonnes, penalties are much higher:

• PLN 1,000 for an overload of up to 5%;
• PLN 2,000 for an overload of 5% to 10%;
• PLN 5,000 for an overload of 10% to 20%;
• PLN 10,000 for an overload of 20% or more.

An overloaded vehicle may also be treated as an abnormal (non-standard) vehicle travelling without a permit, which carries a separate administrative penalty under the Polish Road Traffic Act, starting at PLN 6,000 for an overload of up to 10%. In the worst cases, the two penalties together can reach around PLN 25,000.

For vehicles with a GVW up to 3.5 t, fines usually range from PLN 500 to PLN 2,000, depending on the degree of overloading. Owners of vehicles up to 3.5 t now have to watch not only the weight, but also new obligations, which we describe in our article on tachographs in vans from July 1, 2026.

Retention of the registration certificate

If a weight check reveals that GVW has been exceeded, officers may retain the vehicle's registration certificate. They can also prohibit further driving until the vehicle's actual weight is brought back within the permitted limit.

In practice, this means unloading the excess cargo at the check site or transferring it to another vehicle. In extreme cases, when the violation cannot be removed, the vehicle may be towed to a car park, and all costs, including parking, are borne by the owner or the carrier.

Technical damage caused by exceeding GVW

Regularly exceeding a vehicle's GVW leads to heavy wear of key structural components. The most exposed are:

• The braking system, which overheats faster and loses effectiveness;
• Suspension components, which are prone to cracks, deformation and play;
• Tires, which carry a higher load and a higher risk of damage.

Operating a vehicle whose actual weight exceeds GVW also throws off the chassis geometry, increases axle wear and shortens the life of the whole vehicle.

Road safety risks of an overloaded vehicle

A vehicle that exceeds its GVW handles noticeably worse and needs a much longer braking distance. Excess weight reduces stability in corners, increases the risk of skidding and makes emergency maneuvers harder.

In practice, even a correct and quick reaction by the driver may not be enough to avoid a collision, especially during sudden braking or when swerving around an obstacle. This is why exceeding GVW is treated as one of the most serious road safety risks.

GVW, insurance and carrier liability

Exceeding GVW can also affect insurance after a collision or accident. If, during the claims process, the insurer finds that the vehicle was overloaded and that this contributed to the damage, it may refuse to pay compensation or significantly reduce it. This applies in particular when the vehicle's actual weight at the time of the incident exceeded the GVW stated in its documents.

How to avoid GVW problems in practice: carrier and driver obligations

Staying within GVW requires consistent operating procedures. The basics are weighing the cargo before departure on certified scales and distributing the load correctly across the axles, which reduces the risk of exceeding the permissible weight and of uneven suspension load.

Good logistics planning should account not only for the cargo, but also for the vehicle's curb weight, passengers, equipment and fluids, so that the actual weight never goes beyond the legal limit. A good standard is to leave a safety margin of 3% to 5% of the vehicle's payload, which protects against unexpected weight changes.

In transport companies, regular driver training on weight rules and loading procedures is essential. It is also worth considering on-board load monitoring systems, which let you check the vehicle's actual weight on an ongoing basis with high accuracy.

For loads of varying weight, we recommend standard loading plans and checking the gross weight of the cargo in the transport documents every time, instead of relying only on the shipper's declaration. This significantly reduces the risk of exceeding GVW during a roadside check.

What is the difference between GVW and actual weight?

GVW (in Polish DMC) is the maximum weight at which a vehicle may legally travel on the roads. It includes the vehicle's curb weight and the weight of the cargo, driver and passengers, and it is entered on the registration certificate (field F.2).

Actual weight (in Polish RMC, rzeczywista masa całkowita) is the real weight of the vehicle at a given moment, meaning its actual load while driving or during a check.

If the actual weight exceeds GVW, the vehicle is overloaded. This can lead to a fine, retention of the registration certificate and, in commercial transport, administrative penalties for the carrier.

What is GVW? Summary

GVW is a key parameter for safety and compliance: it defines how much a vehicle may weigh together with its cargo, driver and passengers. You can check it on the registration certificate: F.2 shows the vehicle's GVW, F.3 the gross combination weight, and F.1 the maximum technical weight resulting from the vehicle's design.

If the actual weight exceeds GVW, you risk financial penalties, retention of the registration certificate and a ban on further driving, while overloading also increases the risk of breakdowns and accidents. The best practice is therefore to weigh the cargo, check the load distribution across the axles and plan loading with a safety margin.

If you run a transport company and need advice on GVW or support with drivers' working time settlements or accounting for transport, contact us! The Evotax team is here to help.