Car Weight Lookup Tool - Quick and Free Weight Check

Vehicle Weight Lookup Tool - Service Summary

Purpose

This tool is designed for transport drivers who need to quickly and accurately check the weight of a vehicle.

Key Features

Vehicle Weight Retrieval: Allows users to enter a Vehicle Registration Mark (VRM) to retrieve the unladen weight of the vehicle.
Vehicle Details Display: Displays essential vehicle details such as registration, make, and model, along with the vehicle's weight.
Search Limit Management: Limits each user to a maximum of 10 searches to ensure fair usage and manage server load.
Database Integration: Saves search results to a database, enabling quick retrieval for repeated searches and minimizing redundant API calls.
User-Friendly Interface: Provides a simple, intuitive form for entering vehicle information and displaying results.

How It Works

Step 1: Users access the tool.
Step 2: Users enter the VRM of the vehicle they wish to check.
Step 3: The tool checks the database to see if the vehicle data is already stored. If found, it retrieves the data from the database. If not found, it fetches the data from an external API, saves it to the database, and then displays it.
Step 4: The tool displays the vehicle's registration, make, model, and unladen weight to the user.

Benefits

Efficiency: Saves time by providing quick access to vehicle weight information.
Accuracy: Ensures transport drivers have reliable data for planning and compliance purposes.
User Limits: Fair usage policy with a limit of 10 searches per user.

This tool is ideal for transport drivers who need to verify vehicle weights regularly, helping them manage loads and comply with transport regulations.

Car Weights and the UK Law

This information is sourced from Gov.uk and DVLA API Sources.

Vehicle Weights Explained

Vehicle categories on driving licences can depend on the weight of the vehicle. The different terms you might see are explained below.

Unladen Weight

The unladen weight of any vehicle is the weight of the vehicle when it’s not carrying any passengers, goods, or other items. It includes the body and all parts normally used with the vehicle or trailer when it’s used on a road. It does not include the weight of:

fuel
batteries in an electric vehicle - unless it’s a mobility scooter or powered wheelchair

Mass in Running Order

This is the total weight of a vehicle when it’s empty and ready to be used on the road without carrying any passengers, goods, or other items.

Cars, Buses, and Lorries

Mass in running order for cars, buses, and lorries includes the driver, the body, and all parts normally used with the vehicle along with essential fluids like oil and a full tank of fuel.

Motorbikes, Mopeds, and Quad Bikes

Mass in running order for motorbikes, mopeds, and quad bikes does not include the weight of:

the driver that weighs up to 75kg
the machines or equipment installed on the load platform area
batteries for electric vehicles
storage tanks for gaseous fuel
storage tanks for compressed air for vehicles that run on pre-compressed air

Maximum Authorised Mass

Maximum authorised mass (MAM) means the weight of a vehicle or trailer including the maximum load that can be carried safely when it’s being used on the road. This is also known as gross vehicle weight (GVW) or permissible maximum weight. It will be listed in the owner’s manual and is normally shown on a plate or sticker fitted to the vehicle.

The plate or sticker may also show a gross train weight (GTW), also sometimes called gross combination weight (GCW). This is the total weight of the tractor unit plus trailer plus load.

Down-Plating

If a vehicle is unlikely to be used at its potential maximum weight, it may be ‘down-plated’. This means that a lower weight is shown on the plate or sticker attached to the vehicle.

Vehicle Weight Lookup Tool

How to Use the Vehicle Weight Lookup Tool

Step 1: Enter the Vehicle Registration Mark (VRM)

Step 2: Submit the Form

Step 3: View the Results

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