RV Weight & Payload Safety Calculator

Compare your total loaded weight (dry weight plus water, passengers, cargo, and propane) against the RV Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, or GVWR. If total weight exceeds GVWR, you are overloaded. The calculator above flags any overload and tells you how much to remove.

UVW (Unloaded Vehicle Weight, also called dry weight) is the RV as it leaves the factory. GVWR is the maximum legal loaded weight. Cargo Carrying Capacity (CCC) is the difference: GVWR minus UVW, fresh water, propane, passengers, and tongue weight. Most rented Class C rigs have a CCC of 1,000 to 2,000 lbs.

Fresh water weighs 8.34 lbs per US gallon. A full 40-gallon tank adds 334 lbs to your rig. Gray and black tanks also add weight as they fill, so plan for a heavier rig near the end of a trip.

Yes. Every person, pet, and piece of cargo in a motorized RV counts toward GVWR. For travel trailers, passengers ride in the tow vehicle and count toward that vehicle's payload, but cargo in the trailer counts toward the trailer GVWR.

An overloaded trailer sways, brakes poorly, and can blow tires. Exceeding payload also voids RV warranty, insurance coverage, and roadside assistance. Always weigh your loaded rig at a CAT scale before a long trip.