Weigh Station Locations by State
Knowing where the chicken coops are is half the battle. This guide covers how to find weigh stations across every major corridor, which states have the most enforcement, and the tools that help you plan routes and track open stations in real time.
Ahmad Qazi
Founder & CEO, O Trucking LLC
Fact-Checked by O Trucking Editorial Team
5+ years supporting drivers with route planning and compliance operations
Written by Ahmad Qazi, founder of O Trucking LLC, drawing on 9+ years dispatching for owner-operators. Learn more about us.
O TruckingWeigh Station Locations by State: Complete Guide (2026)
Key Takeaways
- The U.S. has approximately 750 permanent weigh stations, plus hundreds of unpredictable portable setups with no fixed location.
- California, Texas, Georgia, Florida, and Oregon rank among the strictest states for weigh station enforcement.
- Most stations run daytime hours (often 7 AM to 7 PM) Monday through Friday, though high-traffic corridors operate extended or 24-hour schedules.
- Drivewyze, PrePass, and Trucker Path provide weigh station locations and real-time open/closed status for route planning.
- Electronic bypass via Drivewyze or PrePass only applies to participating permanent stations and never excuses running overweight.
Major Corridors and Their Stations
Interstate highways carry the bulk of American freight, and high-traffic corridors have the most weigh stations. Here are the corridors where you will encounter the most enforcement activity:
I-5 (West Coast) — Runs from Canada to Mexico through Washington, Oregon, and California. California alone operates over a dozen stations on I-5, including the major Dunsmuir and Grapevine locations. Oregon has mandatory stops for trucks over 26,000 lbs GVW.
I-10 (Southern Corridor) — Stretches from Jacksonville, FL to Los Angeles, CA. Heavy enforcement in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. The Ehrenberg, AZ station and the Banning, CA station are among the busiest in the country.
I-80 (Northern Corridor) — Runs coast to coast through Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, Utah, and Nevada. Wyoming operates several high-altitude stations that are especially active during CVSA blitz weeks.
I-75 and I-95 (East Coast) — Major north-south arteries. Georgia and Florida operate some of the most active weigh stations on I-75. I-95 stations in Virginia, North Carolina, and Florida are known for thorough inspections.
States with the Most Enforcement
Some states are more aggressive than others when it comes to weigh station enforcement. California, Texas, Georgia, Florida, and Oregon consistently rank among the top states for total inspections conducted each year. Oregon requires all commercial vehicles over 26,000 lbs GVW to stop at open weigh stations, making it one of the strictest states.
States like New Mexico, Wyoming, and Arizona also punch above their weight due to high volumes of through-traffic on I-10, I-25, and I-40. These states use both permanent stations and aggressive portable enforcement.
State Border Stations
Permanent vs. Portable Stations at a Glance
Knowing which type of station you are dealing with changes how you plan. Permanent stations are mapped and trackable; portable setups are not. Here is how the two compare:
| Feature | Permanent Station | Portable Setup |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Fixed, signed, mapped in GPS and apps | Anywhere — shoulders, ramps, rest areas, lots |
| Predictability | High — open/closed status often available | Low — no schedule, little warning |
| Scales | In-ground platform or weigh-in-motion | Portable wheel-weigher pads or axle scales |
| Bypass eligible | Often, via Drivewyze or PrePass | No — you are flagged in by an officer |
| Best defense | Apps, GPS, CB reports, route planning | A truck and paperwork that are always ready |
Either way, the surest protection is being legal before you ever roll past a scale. Run your numbers with our gross weight calculation guide, confirm you are inside the limits with the axle weight limits guide, and understand what a citation costs in our overweight truck penalties guide.
Hours of Operation Patterns
Weigh station hours are not standardized nationally. Each state sets its own schedule, and individual stations within a state may have different hours. However, some patterns hold true across most locations:
Daytime hours — Most stations operate between 7 AM and 7 PM local time, Monday through Friday. Weekend operations are less common but do occur on busy corridors.
Extended hours — High-traffic stations on I-5, I-10, and I-75 often operate into the evening or overnight. California operates several 24-hour stations.
CVSA blitz weeks — During International Roadcheck and other CVSA events, stations operate extended hours with extra staff. These typically occur in May and September each year.
Apps and Tools for Tracking Stations
Modern technology makes it easier than ever to know which stations are open before you reach them. The best tools include Drivewyze and PrePass for electronic bypass and real-time status, Trucker Path for community-reported open/closed status, and even basic GPS systems like Garmin dezl that include weigh station locations in their mapping data.
Many drivers also rely on CB radio reports from other truckers to know whether a coop is open or closed. Hearing “coop's open at the 142” on channel 19 remains one of the fastest ways to get real-time intelligence.
Electronic Bypass: Skipping the Scale Legally
Weigh-in-motion technology and transponder programs now let qualifying trucks roll past many open stations without pulling in. With Drivewyze (an app-based service that works through your phone or ELD) or PrePass (a windshield transponder), the system reads your carrier safety profile as you approach. If your CSA scores and credentials are in good standing, you get a green light to continue at highway speed; if not, you are signaled to pull in. Bypass eligibility is decided trip by trip, so a clean safety record directly translates into fewer stops and more uptime.
Bypass only applies to participating permanent stations — it does nothing for portable enforcement, and a green light is never a license to run overweight. The scale still weighs you in motion, and an over-limit reading can still pull you in. For the full walkthrough of what officers look for once you do stop, see our guide on weigh station procedures and our tips on how to avoid running overweight.
Portable Stations Are the Wild Card
Weigh Station Locations FAQ
Common questions about finding and navigating weigh stations across the United States
How many weigh stations are there in the United States?
There are approximately 750 permanent weigh stations across the United States. The exact number changes as states build new facilities and close older ones. In addition to permanent stations, states operate hundreds of portable weigh station setups that can appear on any highway at any time. California, Texas, Florida, and Georgia have the most permanent stations due to their high freight traffic volumes.
Are weigh stations open 24/7?
Most weigh stations are not open 24/7. Hours vary by state and location. Many operate during daytime hours only (typically 7 AM to 7 PM or 8 AM to 5 PM), while high-traffic stations on major interstates may run extended or overnight hours. Some states publish schedules, but hours can change without notice. Apps like Drivewyze and PrePass provide real-time open/closed status.
What is a portable weigh station?
A portable weigh station is a temporary enforcement setup that uses portable scales and can be deployed almost anywhere — highway shoulders, rest areas, or vacant lots near major routes. Officers set up portable wheel-weigher pads or axle scales and flag trucks to pull over. These are harder to predict because they have no fixed location and no published schedule.
Can I use an app to find open weigh stations?
Yes. Drivewyze, PrePass, Trucker Path, and Google Maps all provide weigh station location data. Drivewyze and PrePass also show real-time open/closed status and allow qualifying trucks to bypass stations electronically. Trucker Path relies on driver reports for open/closed status, which can be slightly delayed but is still useful for route planning.
What happens if I drive past an open weigh station without stopping?
Bypassing an open weigh station when you are required to stop is a violation in every state. Enforcement officers monitor stations and can radio ahead or dispatch a patrol unit to pull you over. Penalties vary by state but commonly include fines, a citation that can land on your CSA record, and in repeat or egregious cases the truck can be ordered to return to the scale. The only legal way to skip an open station is through an approved electronic bypass program such as Drivewyze or PrePass that gives you a green light to proceed.
Do I have to stop at a weigh station if my truck is empty?
In most states, yes. Stop requirements are based on a vehicle's registered gross weight (GVWR) or commercial status, not on whether you are loaded at that moment. An empty tractor-trailer or a bobtail tractor still meets the commercial-vehicle threshold in many jurisdictions, so you must enter an open station unless signage or a bypass system says otherwise. When in doubt, pull in — entering an open coop you did not need to is harmless, but skipping one you were required to enter is a violation.
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