Definition
49 CFR 390.5 defines gross vehicle weight rating as the value specified by the manufacturer as the maximum loaded weight of a single motor vehicle. Gross combination weight rating, GCWR, is the greater of the value the power unit manufacturer displays on the federal certification label, or the sum of the GVWRs or gross vehicle weights of the power unit and the towed units. The GVWR is printed on the vehicle certification label, usually on the driver door frame.
Why it matters
Under the same section, a commercial motor vehicle includes any self-propelled or towed vehicle used on a highway in interstate commerce to transport passengers or property when its GVWR, GCWR, gross vehicle weight, or gross combination weight is 10,001 pounds or more, whichever is greater. Other vehicles qualify by passenger count or by hauling placarded hazardous materials. Once a vehicle is a commercial motor vehicle, the inspection, repair, and maintenance rules of Part 396 apply, including DVIRs and the annual inspection.
GVWR and CDLs are different thresholds
The 10,001 pound threshold is for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. Commercial driver license requirements use different weight thresholds: 49 CFR 383.5 starts the CDL vehicle groups at a GVWR or GCWR of 26,001 pounds or more. Do not assume a driver needs a CDL just because the truck is a commercial motor vehicle.
Shop angle
Record GVWR on the unit record along with VIN, make, model, and year. It tells you whether the unit needs an annual inspection decal and DVIR certifications, and it affects tire, brake, and suspension specifications. Light and medium duty work trucks above 10,001 pounds are often missed as commercial motor vehicles. MetaFleet can read VINs from a photo to fill in the unit record; see VIN photo scan, or get a walkthrough.