Does GVWR Include Towing? What Drivers Need to Know About Weight Ratings

No—GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) does not include the full weight of a trailer you’re towing. It only covers the maximum allowable weight of the vehicle itself when loaded, which includes passengers, cargo, fuel, aftermarket equipment, and the trailer’s tongue or pin weight pressing down on the tow vehicle. For the combined weight of the vehicle plus the trailer, use GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating).

What GVWR Means

GVWR is the manufacturer’s specified maximum safe operating weight for a vehicle when it’s loaded and ready to drive. You must never exceed this rating. It protects components such as the suspension, brakes, frame, and tires, and it’s central to safe, legal towing.

What Counts Toward GVWR

The following items add to the vehicle’s GVW (actual weight) and therefore count against the GVWR limit.

• Curb weight of the vehicle (factory weight with standard equipment and fluids)
• Passengers and driver
• Cargo inside the cabin or bed
• Fuel and all fluids
• Aftermarket accessories and upfits (e.g., toolboxes, caps, racks, winches, plows)
• Hitch hardware and bed-mounted equipment
• Trailer tongue weight (conventional/bumper-pull) or pin weight (fifth-wheel/gooseneck)
• Vertical loads such as roof cargo or bike racks

If any of these push your actual vehicle weight above the GVWR, you’re overloaded—even if the trailer itself is within its own limits.

What Does Not Count Toward GVWR

Some towing-related weight does not sit on the tow vehicle and therefore does not count against GVWR.

• The portion of trailer weight carried by the trailer’s own axles
• The full trailer weight (except the tongue/pin weight transferred to the tow vehicle)
• Weight of a towed vehicle or dolly borne by its own axles

While these do not count against GVWR, they do count toward the vehicle’s GCWR and must be within the manufacturer’s tow rating and combined weight limits.

GCWR, GAWR, Payload, and Tow Rating—How They Relate

Safe towing requires understanding several linked ratings and how they constrain your setup. The list below defines each term and its role.

• GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating): Max allowed weight of the tow vehicle plus everything in/on it, plus the fully loaded trailer.
• GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating): Max allowed weight on each axle. You can be under GVWR yet still overload a front or rear axle.
• Payload: How much weight you can add to the empty vehicle. Typically listed on the door sticker; calculated as GVWR minus curb weight. Tongue/pin weight uses up payload.
• Curb Weight: Vehicle weight as delivered from the factory with standard equipment and fluids, no cargo or passengers.
• Tow Rating: Max trailer weight the vehicle can pull, assuming a properly equipped vehicle and within GVWR, GAWR, and GCWR.
• Tongue Weight Guidelines: Conventional trailers typically 10–15% of trailer weight; many boats 5–10%; fifth-wheel/gooseneck pin weights often 15–25%. This vertical load counts against payload and GVWR.
• Weight-Distribution Hitch (WDH): Helpful for balance and stability; it may restore axle loads but does not increase GVWR, GAWR, or GCWR.

All these ratings must be satisfied simultaneously. Meeting one limit (e.g., tow rating) does not guarantee you meet the others.

How to Check If Your Setup Is Within Limits

Use the following steps to verify compliance before a trip or purchase.

1. Find labels: Check the driver’s door jamb for GVWR, GAWR, and payload; check the owner’s manual or manufacturer resources for GCWR and tow rating.
2. Calculate available payload: Subtract estimated passengers, cargo, and accessories from the payload number.
3. Estimate tongue/pin weight: Use typical percentages (10–15% for conventional, 15–25% for fifth-wheel). Better yet, measure with a tongue scale or at a public scale.
4. Compare with GVWR: Loaded vehicle weight (curb weight + payload, including tongue/pin) must be ≤ GVWR.
5. Check axle loads (GAWR): Distribute cargo and use a WDH if appropriate; verify front and rear axle weights at a CAT or certified scale.
6. Verify GCWR and tow rating: Combined actual weight (loaded vehicle + loaded trailer) must be ≤ GCWR and the trailer must be ≤ the tow rating.
7. Adjust as needed: Reduce cargo, rebalance the trailer, or choose a lighter trailer if any rating is exceeded.
8. Re-weigh after changes: Confirm compliance before extended travel.

Following these steps provides a practical “go/no-go” check and helps avoid unsafe or illegal loads.

Example Calculation

Suppose an SUV has a GVWR of 7,000 lb and a curb weight of 5,100 lb, giving a payload rating of 1,900 lb. You tow a 6,000 lb trailer with an estimated 12% tongue weight (720 lb). Passengers and cargo (excluding tongue weight) total 900 lb.

Payload used = 900 lb + 720 lb = 1,620 lb → within 1,900 lb payload. Loaded vehicle weight = 5,100 + 1,620 = 6,720 lb → under the 7,000 lb GVWR. If the vehicle’s GCWR is 13,500 lb, combined actual weight = 6,720 (vehicle) + 6,000 (trailer) = 12,720 lb → under GCWR. This setup meets GVWR and GCWR, assuming axle weights and tow rating also check out.

Legal and Safety Notes

Beyond ratings, towing safely involves legal and equipment considerations.

• Exceeding ratings can violate laws, void warranties, and increase liability in crashes.
• Trailer brakes are required by law above certain weights; ensure proper brake controller setup.
• Tires must be rated for the load and correctly inflated; heat buildup from overload is a leading failure cause.
• Airbags or helper springs can improve ride height but do not raise GVWR or GAWR.
• Use proper hitch classes and weight distribution when specified by the manufacturer.

Compliance with both vehicle ratings and local regulations is essential for safety and legal protection.

Bottom Line

GVWR does not include the full weight of what you tow, but it does include the trailer’s tongue or pin weight because that load rests on the tow vehicle. To tow safely, confirm you’re within GVWR, GAWR, tow rating, and GCWR—all at the same time.

Summary

GVWR limits the loaded weight of the vehicle itself and includes tongue/pin weight; it does not include the entire trailer’s weight. GCWR governs the combined weight of the vehicle and trailer. Stay within GVWR, GAWR, tow rating, and GCWR, verify actual weights at a scale, and use correct hitching and braking to keep your setup safe and legal.

Does trailer GVWR include trailer weight?

No, trailer Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) does not include the trailer’s empty weight. GVWR refers to the maximum weight a trailer can safely hold, which is its own empty weight plus the weight of the cargo and anything else loaded onto it. 
Here’s a breakdown:

• GVWR (Trailer’s Rating): Opens in new tabThis is the maximum weight the trailer is designed to safely carry, as determined by the manufacturer. 
• GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight): Opens in new tabThis is the actual, total weight of the trailer when it’s loaded, including its own empty weight and everything you are hauling. 
• Payload Capacity: Opens in new tabThe maximum weight of the cargo you can add to the trailer, which is the GVWR minus the trailer’s empty weight. 

How it works for trailers:

1. Manufacturer sets the GVWR: The manufacturer rates the trailer for its maximum safe operating weight. 
2. Trailer has its own weight: The empty weight of the trailer itself is a factor. 
3. You add cargo: You add your passengers, cargo, and accessories. 
4. The sum is the GVW: The trailer’s empty weight plus the weight of your load must not exceed the GVWR. 

In simple terms:
Imagine a 2,000-pound trailer with a 5,000-pound GVWR. 

• GVWR: 5,000 pounds (maximum safe load).
• Trailer’s Weight: 2,000 pounds (empty weight).
• Payload Capacity: 3,000 pounds (5,000 lb GVWR – 2,000 lb trailer weight).
• Maximum GVW: 5,000 pounds (the trailer and its load combined).

Can I tow a trailer with a higher GVWR than my truck?

It is never safe to exceed your vehicle’s GVWR. Even if you can get the vehicle moving with a heavier load than posted, you will not control the vehicle safely or stop it at a safe distance. You will be damaging vehicle components with every foot you drive.

Does GVWR have anything to do with towing?

Determining Towing Capacity
To determine vehicle’s towing capacity, use the vehicle’s manufacturer’s weight rating (GVWR) and compare it to the gross weight of trailer or payload. This would include passengers, fuel, cargo, etc. If the GVWR is greater than the payload or trailer, it is safe to tow.

How much can I tow if my GVWR is 7000 lbs?

A trailer with a 7,000-pound Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) requires a tow vehicle with a towing capacity of at least 7,000 pounds, but more is better for comfortable and safe towing. You must verify that your tow vehicle has sufficient payload for the trailer’s tongue weight and all other passengers and cargo, and the tow vehicle should also have the appropriate towing package. 
Key Considerations

• Trailer GVWR vs. Tow Vehicle Capacity: Opens in new tabA 7,000 lb GVWR trailer needs a tow vehicle rated to tow at least that much weight. 
• Payload Capacity: Opens in new tabThis is the maximum amount of weight a tow vehicle can carry in its own cabin, including passengers, cargo, and the trailer’s tongue weight. 
• Tongue Weight: Opens in new tabThe trailer’s tongue weight (the downward force it exerts on the hitch) is part of the tow vehicle’s payload, not its towing capacity. You’ll need to subtract this weight from your tow vehicle’s payload capacity. 
• Towing Package: Opens in new tabEnsure your vehicle has a proper tow package, which often includes appropriate axle ratios and hitch equipment. 
• Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR): Opens in new tabThis is the total maximum weight of the fully loaded tow vehicle and trailer combined. 

What to do

1. Check the Trailer’s VIN Label: Opens in new tabFind the trailer’s VIN label for its GVWR and determine its estimated tongue weight. 
2. Check the Tow Vehicle’s Door Sticker: Opens in new tabLocate the payload capacity on your tow vehicle’s door sticker. 
3. Calculate Your Payload: Opens in new tabSubtract the weight of the driver, passengers, and any additional cargo from the tow vehicle’s payload to find out how much you have left for the trailer’s tongue weight. 
4. Verify with a Weight-Distribution Hitch: Opens in new tabA weight-distribution hitch can help balance the load and is recommended when towing heavy trailers.