Weights and dimensions by country: the strictest one rules.

• It applies to international transit; each country enforces it at the scale under its national rule (Arts. 32-33) and each State applies its own penalties (Art. 38).
• T3-S2 = 5 + 16 + 16 t; T3-S3 = 5 + 16 + 20 t (Art. 12, Table 1). The 22.40 m length is that of articulated vehicles (Art. 13, Table 2).
• Single axle of 9 t on articulated vehicles (drive axle of the T2 and semitrailer); on rigid trucks the drive axle allows 10 t (C2) and the tandem 16.5 t (C3).
• Tolerance (Art. 35): the State may release the vehicle if it does not exceed 5% of the authorized weight per axle or the maximum per vehicle type; with overload or imbalance it does not continue until corrected.
• Special permit (Art. 11): only for long objects or pieces that cannot be divided; each country grants it and it is valid for a single trip.
• Minimum distance between outermost axles on T3-S2 and T3-S3: 14.40 m (Art. 14).
• The effective date SIECA reports is that of the 2002 Protocol of Amendment; the 2014 version, approved on Aug 14, 2014, is the one SIECA indicates as currently in use.
• Honduras adopted the same weight table by national regulation; Maersk and Crowley publish it for Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua. Costa Rica and Panama enforce the values of their national rules.
• Height: a High Cube container on a chassis or a 53’ dry van (≈4.11 m) sits a few centimeters below the 4.15 m maximum; it is advisable to measure the actual combination (our own estimate).

Central American Agreement · T3-S2 · gross limit of 37,000 kg

20’ standard, 23,000–23,244 kg: 37,000 kg − tractor and 2-axle chassis 11,650 kg − container 2,300 kg. Tare derived from a 2015 Crowley table (equipment in Guatemala). The maximum is the figure from that same table, not an independent confirmation. High risk of exceeding the 16 t tandem. Applies to Guatemala (international cargo), El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua.

40’ standard, 21,600 kg: 37,000 kg − tractor and 2-axle chassis 11,650 kg − container 3,700 kg. Tare derived from a 2015 Crowley table (equipment in Guatemala). Applies to Guatemala (international cargo), El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua.

40’ HC, 21,400 kg: 37,000 kg − tractor and 2-axle chassis 11,650 kg − container 3,900 kg. Tare derived from a 2015 Crowley table (equipment in Guatemala). Applies to Guatemala (international cargo), El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua.

40’ HC reefer, 19,919 kg: Operator data, not our own calculation: maximum cargo Crowley published in 2015 for a 40’ reefer container with its equipment in Guatemala, on a 2-axle chassis (43,914 lb).

53’ dry van, 18,900–23,900 kg: 37,000 kg − tractor − dry van 6,060 kg (one manufacturer’s spec sheet). The range corresponds to tractors of 12,000 kg and of 7,000 kg; with one of 8,500 kg it gives ≈22,400 kg. In Guatemala the total length of the combination must be checked against 22.00 m (according to the DGC, 2012). Applies to Guatemala (international cargo), El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua.

Central American Agreement · T3-S3 · gross limit of 41,000 kg

20’ standard, 26,000–26,350 kg: 41,000 kg − tractor and 3-axle chassis 12,700 kg − container 2,300 kg. Tare derived from a 2015 Crowley table (equipment in Guatemala). The maximum is the figure from that same table, not an independent confirmation. Applies to Guatemala (international cargo), El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua.

40’ standard, 24,600 kg: 41,000 kg − tractor and 3-axle chassis 12,700 kg − container 3,700 kg. Tare derived from a 2015 Crowley table (equipment in Guatemala). Applies to Guatemala (international cargo), El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua.

40’ HC, 24,400 kg: 41,000 kg − tractor and 3-axle chassis 12,700 kg − container 3,900 kg. Tare derived from a 2015 Crowley table (equipment in Guatemala). Applies to Guatemala (international cargo), El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua.

40’ HC reefer, 22,867 kg: Operator data, not our own calculation: maximum cargo Crowley published in 2015 for a 40’ reefer container with its equipment in Guatemala, on a 3-axle chassis (50,413 lb).

Guatemala (domestic dry cargo) · T3-S2 · gross limit of 37,960 kg

53’ dry van, 23,400 kg: 37,960 kg (domestic limit according to the DGC, 2012; indicative figure) − tractor 8,500 kg − dry van 6,060 kg. Low confidence. The total length of the combination must be checked against 22.00 m (according to the DGC, 2012).

Costa Rica · T3-S2 · gross limit of 39,000 kg

20’ standard, 25,000 kg: 39,000 kg − tractor and 2-axle chassis 11,650 kg − container 2,300 kg. Tare derived from a 2015 Crowley table (equipment in Guatemala).

40’ standard, 23,600 kg: 39,000 kg − tractor and 2-axle chassis 11,650 kg − container 3,700 kg. Tare derived from a 2015 Crowley table (equipment in Guatemala).

40’ HC, 23,400 kg: 39,000 kg − tractor and 2-axle chassis 11,650 kg − container 3,900 kg. Tare derived from a 2015 Crowley table (equipment in Guatemala).

53’ dry van, 20,900–25,900 kg: 39,000 kg − tractor − dry van 6,060 kg (one manufacturer’s spec sheet). The range corresponds to tractors of 12,000 kg and of 7,000 kg; with one of 8,500 kg it gives ≈24,400 kg. The total length of the combination must be checked against 21.00 m.

Costa Rica · T3-S3 · gross limit of 45,500 kg

20’ standard, 28,200–28,300 kg: With 45,500 kg and a tractor and 3-axle chassis of 12,700 kg, the calculation exceeds the container plate: the range is the maximum plate payload according to ONE and Seaboard Marine spec sheets. On a 20’ the axle group limit is usually reached first.

40’ standard, 26,600–28,800 kg: With 45,500 kg and a tractor and 3-axle chassis of 12,700 kg, the calculation exceeds the container plate: the range is the maximum plate payload, combined for 40’ and 40’ HC depending on the equipment (ONE and Seaboard Marine spec sheets).

40’ HC, 26,600–28,800 kg: With 45,500 kg and a tractor and 3-axle chassis of 12,700 kg, the calculation exceeds the container plate: the range is the maximum plate payload, combined for 40’ and 40’ HC depending on the equipment (ONE and Seaboard Marine spec sheets).

Panama · T3-S2 · gross limit of 38,300 kg

20’ standard, 24,300 kg: 38,300 kg (sum of axle limits, not a figure in the law) − tractor and 2-axle chassis 11,650 kg − container 2,300 kg. Tare derived from a 2015 Crowley table (equipment in Guatemala). Low confidence.

40’ standard, 22,900 kg: 38,300 kg (sum of axle limits, not a figure in the law) − tractor and 2-axle chassis 11,650 kg − container 3,700 kg. Tare derived from a 2015 Crowley table (equipment in Guatemala). Low confidence.

40’ HC, 22,700 kg: 38,300 kg (sum of axle limits, not a figure in the law) − tractor and 2-axle chassis 11,650 kg − container 3,900 kg. Tare derived from a 2015 Crowley table (equipment in Guatemala). Low confidence.

For a T3-S2 (3-axle tractor with a 2-axle semitrailer), 39,000 kg gross weight; for a T3-S3 (3-axle semitrailer), 45,500 kg. It is gross weight: it counts the tractor, the chassis, the container and the cargo. The unit cannot measure more than 21.00 m long, 2.60 m wide and 4.15 m high, under Executive Decree 31363-MOPT; the detail by axle is in the Costa Rica section.

It depends on the country and on the axles of the chassis, because the scale also weighs the tractor, the chassis and the empty container. As an estimate, with the weights of the Central American Agreement (Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala) a standard 40’ carries about 21,600 kg on a 2-axle chassis and about 24,600 kg on a 3-axle chassis; in Costa Rica, about 23,600 kg with 2 axles and, with 3 axles, whatever the container’s plate allows (26,600–28,800 kg, depending on the unit). These are calculations with reference tares, not legal limits: the full table and its assumptions are in How much cargo can I carry?

No. The Central American Agreement sets 37 t for the T3-S2 and 41 t for the T3-S3 in international transit, but each country enforces its own regulation at the scale: Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala apply those same weights; Costa Rica (39 t and 45.5 t) and Panama (38.3 t and 43.9 t, indicative data) have their own. The dimensions do not match in all of them either, and on a route that crosses several countries the strictest one rules.

The axles of the semitrailer: T3-S2 is a 3-axle tractor with a 2-axle chassis or dry van, and T3-S3 has a 3-axle semitrailer. With the third axle the regulation allows more gross weight: under the Central American Agreement, 41 t instead of 37 t. But the 3-axle chassis also weighs more: in the estimate for a standard 40’, the payload goes up 3,000 kg, not 4,000 kg.

The prudent assumption is that it needs a permit: Law 10 of January 24, 1989 sets 2.50 m of width and 16.70 m of length for articulated vehicles, less than the Central American Agreement (2.60 m and 22.40 m). A 53’ dry van exceeds that width and, with the tractor, that length, so it would require a Special Operating Permit (Permiso Especial de Operación; the detail is in the Panama section). It is our own calculation with a manufacturer’s spec sheet: confirm it before dispatching.

It depends on the country, and in none of them is it a margin for loading extra.
Costa Rica: 500 kg on vehicles or combinations with 2 to 4 axles and 1,000 kg on those with 5 axles or more, per axle or axle group; it is not cumulative and does not allow exceeding the maximum authorized weight; no fine and no transloading (Art. 6).
Nicaragua: no verified data; confirm with your GoTruck contact.
Honduras: exceptional variation of up to 5% of the weight per axle (Art. 17); if the excess does not exceed 5%, the vehicle continues with the penalty set by law (Art. 43).
El Salvador: variation of up to 5% in dimension and in weight per axle, provided the gross vehicle weight does not exceed the maximum (Art. 21).
Guatemala: overweight is not allowed; only a 5% load imbalance between axles is accepted (according to the Dirección General de Caminos, 2012).
Panama: Law 10 of 1989 does not provide a tolerance margin.

Beyond the tolerance each country allows, the truck does not go on: under the regulations cited on this page, the excess is removed, redistributed or transferred to another unit before continuing, at the expense of the carrier or of whoever answers for the cargo. There may also be a penalty, which each country sets. There is no official source that says which scales operate or at what hours: the prudent approach is to load as if the truck were going to be weighed at every station.

It is very tight: the maximum height is 4.15 m in the six countries and in the Central American Agreement. As an indicative calculation, on a gooseneck chassis it stands at ≈ 4.115 m, 3.5 cm below the 4.15 m maximum of the Central American Agreement; on a standard flatbed (≈ 4.41 m) it exceeds it. The real height depends on the chassis assigned: it is worth measuring the unit before leaving.