Overloaded Truck Penalties in Vietnam (Updated 2026) – A Detailed Guide for Vehicle Owners and Drivers

27/12/2025

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How much is the fine for overloaded vehicles? This guide provides the latest 2026 updates on penalties for overloaded trucks under Vietnamese law, including detailed thresholds (10%, 30%, 50%) and key compliance notes for drivers and transport businesses.

CONTENTS

What Is an Overloaded Vehicle?

To determine whether a vehicle is overloaded, the following parameters must be considered:

Vehicle curb weight
Permissible cargo load
Maximum gross vehicle weight (GVW) as per design

Based on these figures, inspection authorities and drivers can determine whether the vehicle is operating within legal limits or exceeding them.

Overloading is commonly categorized into three types:

Cargo overload: Carrying goods exceeding the permitted load capacity
Axle overload: Excessive weight concentrated on one or more axles beyond technical limits
Gross weight overload: Total vehicle weight (vehicle + cargo) exceeding the allowable limit

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Who Is Responsible for Overloading Violations?

The latest penalty regulations are applied under Decree 168/2024/NĐ-CP, effective from January 1, 2025.

Responsible parties include:

Driver: The person directly operating the overloaded vehicle
Individual vehicle owner: If allowing the violation to occur
Corporate owner: Transport companies or organizations owning the vehicle

This means both drivers and businesses share legal responsibility for overload violations.

How to Calculate Overload Percentage

The overload percentage is calculated using the following formula:

Overload Percentage = (Actual Load − Permitted Load) / Permitted Load × 100%

Overload Percentage = (Actual Gross Weight−Permitted Gross Weight) / Perrmitted Gross Weight × 100%

Example:
A truck is permitted to carry 5 tons but is actually carrying 6 tons:

$(6000 - 5000) / 5000 \times 100% = 20%$

=> The overload percentage is 20%.

Latest Overload Penalties (2026 Update)

According to Decree 168/2024/NĐ-CP (Articles 21, 32, and 34), penalties are categorized based on overload percentages and applied to drivers, individual owners, and corporate owners.

Violations	For drivers	For individual	For Organization	Additional penalties
10% – 30% overload and 20% – 30% for tank	800.000 – 1.000.000	4.000.000 – 6.000.000	8.000.000 – 12.000.000
30% – 50% overload	3.000.000 – 5.000.000	10.000.000 – 12.000.000	20.000.000 – 24.000.000
50% – 100% overload	5.000.000 – 7.000.000	20.000.000 – 26.000.000	40.000.000 – 52.000.000
100% – 150% overload	7.000.000 – 8.000.000	30.000.000 – 40.000.000	60.000.000 – 80.000.000	Additional: Deduction of 4 license points
Over 150% overload	8.000.000 – 12.000.000	65.000.000 – 75.000.000	130.000.000 – 150.000.000	Additional: Deduction of 4 license points
10% – 20% overload (road limit)	4.000.000 – 6.000.000	10.000.000 – 12.000.000	20.000.000 – 24.000.000	Mandatory damage remediation (if any)
20% – 50% overload (road limit)	13.000.000 – 15.000.000	28.000.000 – 30.000.000	56.000.000 – 60.000.000	Additional: Deduct 2 license points + remediation
Over 50% overload (road limit)	40.000.000 – 50.000.000	65.000.000 – 75.000.000	130.000.000 – 150.000.000	Additional: Deduct 4 license points + remediation
Refusal to Comply with Weight Inspection	40.000.000 – 50.000.000			Deduction of 10 license points + mandatory corrective measures

Key Takeaways

Maximum fine for drivers: up to 50,000,000 VND
Maximum fine for businesses: up to 150,000,000 VND
Additional penalties: license point deductions and mandatory remediation

Overloading is a high-risk violation with serious financial and legal consequences.

Practical Advice for Drivers and Transport Businesses

To avoid overload penalties and ensure safe operations:

Always check cargo weight before departure
Ensure compliance with permitted load stated in inspection documents
Distribute cargo evenly to avoid axle overload
Stay updated with the latest traffic regulations
Implement internal control processes (for companies) to prevent violations

Conclusion

Understanding overloaded vehicle penalties helps drivers and businesses proactively manage transport operations, minimize legal risks, and ensure road safety.

Always verify cargo weight before each trip. Compliance not only protects your finances but also contributes to safer roads and more sustainable infrastructure.