CoopsAreOpen California Sitemap

California Weigh Stations Truck Scales

WARNING! We’ve had reports of officers ticketing sleeping drivers for idling their trucks at truck stops- most recently truck stops in the Fresno area. Watch out! Thanks, Mike D., for the latest update!

Many California weigh station locations have signs on the roadway leading up to them that rental and delivery trucks must enter open weigh stations.

PrePass trucks that receive a green light in California must still enter an open weigh station if they are pulling an oversize/overweight (even permitted) load except LCVs operating with an annual permit that receive a green light. They must also enter an open weigh station if they are operating on a temporary permit to haul hazardous waste/materials.

Weigh stations in California seem to close if the officers realize the ramps are full. Maybe they monitor the cb- it often seems that when drivers start complaining about it, they close the scales. If you’re lucky, you’ll be the one driving by. California weigh stations take quite a bit of time to cross- the speed limits are low and the weighing is slow. They do have a lane dedicated to empty trucks to cut down on the back up, but they still weigh them- this isn’t the honor system.

No one is relaxed when entering a California weigh station. Several weigh stations have a lot of inspection bays and a lot of officers performing inspections, but even the weigh stations with small facilities perform inspections. The Banning weigh station used to sell t-shirts saying I SURVIVED THE BANNING SCALES. The weigh station itself didn’t profit from the sales. They profited a police club.

If you have a spread axle or tri-axle trailer with more than 8 feet from the center of the first axle to the center of the rear axle, you can have a trailer axle weight up to 42,000. Except in California. California rounds to the nearest whole number. So if you have 8 feet 5 inches, they round the distance up to 9 feet and you’re good to haul the weight. But if you have 8 feet 4 inches, they round down and you’re limited to 34,000. They do not always check the distance- but they do sometimes check it. Be aware.

California (along with Oregon and Washington) issues CVSA stickers for trucks and trailers that have passed inspections. The stickers are color coded and have cut-outs on the corners. This system allows a DOT officer to look at your windshield and know at a glance if you’ve passed an inspection and when.

Diesel sold in California is often referred to as “California Gold.” The fuel prices in California have historically been much higher than in the surrounding states. In the past several years, the surrounding states have been giving California a run for their money on having the highest fuel prices.

It’s a good idea to check fuel prices online and decide where you are going to buy ahead of time. Historically, truckers have found that fuel is cheaper in Ripon, Barstow or Bakersfield and more expensive at the truck stops in Ontario, San Diego, San Francisco and along route 101. Things change daily, so basing your decisions on what has “historically” been the case does not always work out.

If you’re looking for a lot of excitement at a truck stop, plan to stay over at one of the Ontario truckstops, south west of the I 10, I 15 junction. There are two T.A. truck stops there. The one on the west side of Milliken Avenue has a reputation for being slightly more wild than the one on the east side. Plan to pay for parking if you don’t buy fuel, shop service or items from the store.

If you prefer a less expensive and less dramatic truck stop experience, plan to park in Barstow at Lenwood road or in Wheeler Ridge (just north of the Grapevine, south of the junction of I 5 and route 99). Both locations have services for 18 wheelers- truck washes, fueling, repair, tire and maintenance shops, and personal services.

The California fuel tax rate is $0.476 per gallon of diesel. This rate includes a 6% state sales tax and a 1.25% county tax.

(Livingston) – 99 sb California Weigh Station Truck Scales

(Willits) – 101 sb California Weigh Station Truck Scales

(San Luis Reservoir) – 152 wb California Weigh Station Truck Scales
this is a wide spot/pullout area for portables but is marked as TRUCK BRAKE INSPECTION AND SCALES

Thanks, Russellmania, for exit before/exit after corrections! there is a Petro at the junction of route 33 east of the scale and truck parking at Casa de Fruita west of the scale

(San Luis Reservoir) – 152 eb California Weigh Station Truck Scales
this is a wide spot/pullout area for portables but is marked as TRUCK BRAKE INSPECTION AND SCALES

Thanks, Russellmania for exit before/exit after and parking corrections! there is a Petro at the jct of route 152 and route 33 east of the scale and truck parking at Casa de Fruta west of the scale

Acton (Canyon Country) – 14 nb California Weigh Station Truck Scales
This is a pullout check station with no permanent building or facilities.

Acton 14 sb California Weigh Station Truck Scales
This is a pullout check station with no permanent building or facilities.

Antelope (Sacramento) – I 80 eb California Weigh Station Truck Scales
There is a 49er Truck Stop (formerly a 76) at the West El Camino exit west of the Antelope weigh station. They charge to park.

Antelope (Sacramento) – I 80 wb California Weigh Station Truck Scales
There is a 49er Truck Stop (formerly a 76) at the West El Camino exit west of the Antelope weigh station. They charge to park.

Blythe (Black Hawk) – I 10 wb California Weigh Station Truck Scales
The first PrePass sensors and WIM for this weigh station are before the Airport/Mesa exit, so if you exit you will not be likely to get the green light for PrePass. There is a truck stop at Airport/Mesa exit.

Brea (Fullerton) – 57 nb California Weigh Station Truck Scales
This check station is located off the north bound side of the 57 freeway at the Tonner Canyon Road exit. There is no exit on the south bound side.

Buckhorn (Blue Lake) – 299 wb California Weigh Station Truck Scales

Cache Creek (Tehachapi) – 58 wb California Weigh Station Truck Scales
There is an Oasis Travel Center on business 58.

Cajon I 15 nb California Weigh Station Truck Scales

Cajon I 15 sb California Weigh Station Truck Scales
The Cajon scale is located at the bottom of the Cajon grade. This is one of the steep grades with reduced speeds for trucks. At the very top of the hill there is a truck brake check area. Following the brake check, trucks are required to slow down. California bears will sit in the middle sometimes as you go down the grade, so you’ll want to pay attention to that speed limit.

Truckers who take the hill slowly will often find that the weigh station will be closed when they get there- all the trucks passing them filled it up. It’s one of the California weigh stations that closes when the ramp gets full.

There have also been a few truck wrecks in the area- truckers coming down the hill have clipped others that are waiting in line at the weigh station. It’s not a pretty sight.

After clearing the weigh scale, the roadway curves around to the right. Then the roadway splits. To the right is I 15 and to the left is I 215. Truckers in this area need to keep an eye out for cars making last minute lane changes.

The Cajon scale is the only California weigh station that many truckers ever cross. Going in and out of L.A. on cross-country runs from New Jersey, a trucker could route this way every time he came in and out of the L.A. area. There is a Pilot truck stop at the top of the hill north of the Cajon truck scale.

Calexico 111 nb California Weigh Station Truck Scales

Camino 50 wb California Weigh Station Truck Scales

Carson I 405 nb California Weigh Station Truck Scales
This scale is out of service per the California DOT website.

Carson I 405 sb California Weigh Station Truck Scales
This scale is out of service per the California DOT website.

Chowchilla River 99 nb California Weigh Station Truck Scales
There is a Pilot at exit 159 south of the truck scale and a Merced County Truck Stop at Harvey Pettit Road north of the Chowchilla River weigh station.

Conejo (Thousand Oaks) – 101 nb California Weigh Station Truck Scales

Conejo (Thousand Oaks) – 101 sb California Weigh Station Truck Scales

Cordelia I 80 eb California Weigh Station Truck Scales
There is a Rest Area west of the Cordelia weigh station in the area of Callbox 80-068.

Cordelia I 80 wb California Weigh Station Truck Scales
There is a Rest Area/Truck Parking area west of the Cordelia weigh station at call box 80-067.

Cottonwood I 5 nb California Weigh Station Truck Scales
Exit 662 has a Texaco/Pacific Pride fuel stop with a small parking lot and exit 673 has a TA travel center north of the truck scale. There is a rest area north of exit 653 south of the Cottonwood weigh station. There are three truck stops- a Petro truck stop, Flying J truck stop and TA travel center- at exit 630 south of the scale.

Cottonwood I 5 sb California Weigh Station Truck Scales
Exit 662 has a Texaco/Pacific Pride fuel stop with a small parking lot and exit 673 has a TA travel center north of the truck scale. There is a rest area south of exit 657 south of the Cottonwood weigh station. There are three truck stops- a Petro truck stop, Flying J truck stop and TA travel center- at exit 630 south of the scale.

Desert Hills (Banning) – I 10 eb California Weigh Station Truck Scales
There is a truck stop at Cabazon exit and also casino at Apache trail exit east of the scales. There is also a Pilot truck stop at Indian Ave exit east of the Banning weigh station.

There is a Rest area west of the scales at callbox 10-382.

Desert Hills (Banning) – I 10 wb California Weigh Station Truck Scales
Truckers know this weigh station as Banning, but the true name of this truck scale is Desert Hills Weigh Station. It even says so on the sign on the building.

Banning used to have a number of outdoor inspection bays to pull truckers into for vehicle inspections. During 2006, however, they constructed a large, double-bay indoor inspection building.

Banning has got to be one of the most nerve-wracking weigh stations in the country. Any trucker who has to sit in line waiting to cross the scales has plenty of time to wonder if they’re going to pick his truck to inspect. Not that there’s anything wrong with his truck, mind you- it’s just that you have anywhere from 5-15 minutes of slowly idling your truck forward to think about it.

It is also widely rumored that the Banning weigh station sells t-shirts and mugs that read “I survived Banning.” They no longer sell the t-shirts. “I survived Banning” products used to be sold at the Banning scale as part of a police club in order to raise money- they were never sold to benefit the weigh station.

Truckers who are looking for a safe place to park should consider parking at the Banning weigh station. There is no official policy, but the consensus among most of the officers at the Banning truck scale is that they would rather have drivers park to rest at the weigh station than have tired drivers on the roadway. If you do want to park, you’ll want to cross the scale, park, and go inside to inform the officers that you’d like to take your break. That way they will know that your truck is not “unattended.” Unattended trucks have a 4-hour time limit after which the truck will be towed.

As you head west through the desert toward Palm Springs, you’ll come to a steep down grade that will bring you down into Coachella a good ways east of the Banning scale. There are several casinos through this stretch where you can stop and play the slots or the table games. You’ll then pass through the Palm Springs area where the gardeners tend to some lushly landscaped laws on golf courses and private residences in gated communities.

As you’re driving past the casinos and truck stops toward the Banning scale, you’ll begin to wonder how much further you have. When you start coming through the windmill farm, you’ll be getting closer. At that point you will be on an uphill grade that is deceptive- it doesn’t look like you’re going uphill. You may loose your momentum before you realize it and need to drop a gear. When you get to the Banning truck scale, you may be lucky enough to have the sign over the freeway turn to SCALE CLOSED DO NOT ENTER from ALL TRUCKS ENTER SCALE. Banning will change it when the ramp is full, it’s just that sometimes they wait until it’s really, really full, so you can’t count on just driving slowly and letting all the Chicken Truckers fill up the ramp in front of you.

In the old days, or so rumor has it, Banning inspection officers were known to create ticketable offenses. A truck in good working order was rumored to pull into an inspection bay and by the time the inspector was done, his brakes were out of adjustment. The story goes that the Feds got wind of this and did a sort of sting operation involving cameras under the trailers. We don’t know if the rumor is true, but it sure makes for a good trucker story! There is a truck stop at Cabazon exit and also casino at Apache trail exit east of the scales. There is also a Pilot truck stop at Indian Ave exit east of the Banning weigh station. There is a rest area west of the scales at callbox 10-382. (Thanks, Russellmania, for the correction!)

Donner Pass (Truckee) – I 80 wb California Weigh Station Truck Scales
Parking is not allowed at the Truckee weigh station. If a tired trucker asks to park, officers may, at their discretion, allow the driver to park. But parking is strongly discouraged. Parking is also not allowed at the adjacent Agricultural Inspection. There was a Boom Town truck stop at exit 4 in Nevada east of the scale- but it is closed now. There are several truck stops in Reno- good luck finding parking in them, though. There is a rest area west of the scale.

Dunsmuir Grade (Shasta) – I 5 sb California Weigh Station Truck Scales
There is a Travelers Travel Plaza with a large paved lot at exit 745 north of the Shasta weigh station. Exit 745 also has a McDonalds with truck parking and other restaurants within close proximity to the truck parking.

Gilroy 101 nb California Weigh Station Truck Scales
There are no short legal truck routes around these scales. There are multiple signs posted no trucks along the side roads. There is a Garlic Farm truck stop in Gilroy at the Monterey exit south of the scale.

Gilroy 101 sb California Weigh Station Truck Scales
There are short no legal truck routes around these scales. There are multiple signs posted no trucks along the side roads. There is a Garlic Farm truck stop at the Monterey exit south of the scales.

Grapevine (Castaic) – I 5 nb California Weigh Station Truck Scales
There is a Pilot at exit 176 north of the scale.

Grapevine (Wheeler Ridge) – I 5 sb California Weigh Station Truck Scales
This truck scale never closes it seems- if you see it closed, take a picture to commemorate the event. The weigh station also has a very active inspection bay.

There are two truck stops and a lot of truck parking at the exit just north of the truck scale, so there is no excuse for crossing the scale with any logbook or safety violations. Both the Petro truck stop and the T.A. travelcenter have truck repair and tire shops.

There are plenty of truck services. There is even a Starbucks coffee just across the street from the Petro within walking distance. There is a Blue Beacon truck wash, as well. If you are out of hours, you should be able to find parking. Even if things are full, there is usually room at the Petro for some “creative” parking.

If you can’t find parking at the truck stops, you can park at the Wheeler Ridge weigh station. Officers there say they would rather that tired truckers park and sleep than drive tired. They won’t bother a trucker who is sleeping.

Be aware of high wind potential in the area. We have seen trucks blown over as they were pulling into the Petro parking lot. California will shut traffic down on the Grapevine if the winds are strong enough.

The Grapevine weigh station sits just at the bottom of the so-called Grapevine hill on the north side. When you leave the scale, you’ll be starting up the grade in no time. Trucks are restricted to the right two lanes on the Grapevine, and if you pull out into the third lane to pass slower trucks, you’ll have people yelling at you on the radio. For good reason, too. The fine is hefty- though I think they mainly yell at you because they are jealous of the rate your truck is pulling the hill!

If your paperwork is in order and your truck is inspection-proof, we suggest heading up the Grapevine and parking at the Flying J in Gorman/Lebec. The temperature tends to be cooler up there. Exit 219 has a TA and a Petro north of the truck scale. There is a rest area at callbox 5-13 and exit 205 has a Flying J truck stop south of the scale.

Keddie 70 wb California Weigh Station Truck Scales

Keene (Tehachapi) – 58 eb California Weigh Station Truck Scales

Little River 101 sb California Weigh Station Truck Scales

Livermore I 580 eb California Weigh Station Truck Scales
This weigh station’s scale was reported to be out of the ground but as of June 1, 2009, the weigh station is back to full operations capacity. Thanks, russellmania, for the update. There is a truck brake check 3 miles east of the Livermore weigh station. There is a rest area just south of I 580 on I 5 and two truck stops at exit 441 on I 5 south of the rest area.

Livermore I 580 wb California Weigh Station Truck Scales
Lat: 37 42 50 N
Lon: 121 42 43 W There is a truck brake check area at the top of the hill 3 miles east of the Livermore scale. There are also two truck stops in Wesley at exit 441 on I 5 south of the junction of I 5 and I 580. There is a rest area just south of the junction on I 5 also (north of exit 441).

Lyons Dam 108 wb California Weigh Station Truck Scales

Mission Grade (Fremont) – I 680 nb California Weigh Station Truck Scales

Moorpark (Moorpark) – 118 wb California Weigh Station Truck Scales
This is a check station where DOT will sometimes set up.

Moorpark (Moorpark) – 118 eb California Weigh Station Truck Scales
This check station is located between call box 118-136 and 118-143.

Murphys 4 wb California Weigh Station Truck Scales

Myers Flat (The Brooks) – 101 nb/sb California Weigh Station Truck Scales
This is a turnout on the south bound side where an officer parks and waits for trucks he thinks may be in violation. 101 has a 65 foot length limit in this area so trucks over 65 feet are targets.

Thanks, BBQ Dave, for the info!

“Here is the deal… That is one of the sections of hwy in California which has a 65′ lenght limit. I knew it and choose to go there anyway. I heard that he was there and planed on stopping the exit before to wait him out. Well one of California mut have thought it would be a great gag OR something to tell me there was one more exit after Myers Flat wich I could use. There was not…
So… edited… as I came around the curve there he was. Well I decided to Pull into a wide spot used for truck parking. Got undressed and climbed into the sleeper. 30 min. later I get the knock on the door. He asked me what I was doing, I replied sleeping. Then his fun began… because he knew and I knew why I was really there “TO AVOID THE SCALES”. When all was said and done, I was cited for Crossing the Double Yellow Line to Enter the Parking Area, (Just had my trailer dovetailed to facilitate ground loading of equpment anywhere) which put me over on my bridge according to him. I found out later that he should not have included the ramp as it is not designed to carry any part of the load. per 49cfr sec 658.16par b 2., last one was Log Book Not Current, seems as though I over looked going up with a line from driving to sleeper berth on my drivng status. All this was done less than 50′ from a construction zone which he marked on the ticket. YEP that means double or triple the fine amount.
Then told me not to even bother checking with the court until after the 24th of March, as they would not have any information on the ticket until then. I didn’t wait I called them today march 11th, The woman was shocked at the amount $2,505.00 total And she said that it was due on the 18th of march, so I think he was setting me up for a failure to apear charge which would mean a license suspention also. So remember the spot and if you know you’re too long, logs are not current or for that matter any violation you may have he will write you. Don’t get the idea that I am whinning about it as I have been Driving since 1972 and have avoided the spotlight more than not just warnning everybody. OH YEAH he will come out after a north bound truck if he thinks they are in violation of something. BBQ Dave”

Nimitz (Fremont) – I 880 nb California Weigh Station Truck Scales

Nimitz (Fremont) – I 880 sb California Weigh Station Truck Scales

Otay Mesa I 905 nb California Weigh Station Truck Scales

Peralta (Anaheim) – 91 eb California Weigh Station Truck Scales

Peralta (Anaheim) – 91 wb California Weigh Station Truck Scales

Rainbow (Temecula) – I 15 nb California Weigh Station Truck Scales

Rainbow (Temecula) – I 15 sb California Weigh Station Truck Scales

San Onofre (Oceanside) – I 5 nb California Weigh Station Truck Scales
Coming out of San Diego, you will be able to pull into the rest area if you need to check your paperwork and make sure you have everything in order. Or you may consider pulling off on a ramp somewhere to do the same. Other than that, you won’t have anywhere to stop before you get to the Oceanside scale.

The Oceanside weigh station in adjacent to an immigration check point. The immigration check is not always open, but when it is, all car traffic must stop for immigration officials. Truckers in the weigh station don’t need to stop aside from scale officals directing you to do so. On occassion, the truck scale will be closed and the immigration check point will be open. If that is the case, truckers are to stay out of the scale lane. If they open the scale while you are in the lines for the immigration officials, you may loose time by staying out of the scale lane. But if you have already passed the “scales closed” sign, it may be in your best interest to loose the time, wait in the immigration line, and avoid the weighing and inspections at the weigh station.

There often seem to be more border patrol cars that California Highway Patrol cruisers. But the cruisers are in there- and they do inspections on both paperwork and vehicles at this location. You’ll want to be sure your equipment is in good shape.

South of the San Onofre weigh station, you will see yellow warning signs indicating that there may be families running across the road. These are official DOT signs and they show the outlines of a family of four running! No where else but California!

The weigh station is located alongside Joseph H. Pendleton Marine Corps Base. If you pull of somewhere south of the truck scales, you can watch the troops practicing maneuvers. Keep your eyes open for helicopters and military vessels. But keep your eyes on the road, too.

The military will practice helicopter maneuvering and do mock beach assaults. You will see some type of military activity in the area almost every time you pass through here.

San Onofre and San Clemente state beaches are nearby. There is a lot of surfing in the area, but San Onofre State Beach has another attration- it’s a nude beach. You won’t get an eyeful if you’re driving by on the freeway, however, and they don’t have any truck parking.

For anyone who has a porta potty on the truck, the rest area just south of the truck scale has an rv dump station. The dump is very convenient and you can pull your truck up into the sanitation area to do the job. There is a rest area approx. 7 miles south of the scale (2 miles south of exit 62 at mm 59.5). It has quite a few parking spots but the spots are small. When the rest area gets full, it can be difficult to get in or out of a spot. There are various places you can park both north and south of the scale, but actualy designated truck parking and truck stops are limited. The next actual truck stops going north bound are in Ontario where I 10 and I 15 junction.

San Onofre (Oceanside) – I 5 sb California Weigh Station Truck Scales
After you pass through San Juan Capistrano and San Clemente, you will be coming up on this scale, so be prepared ahead of time. Once you drive through L.A. you will be hard-pressed to find a place to pull over and update your log or check your load. There ARE places, but you have to know about them. There is no official place to park before you get to the scale.

The Oceanside weigh station is adjacent to an immigration check point. The immigration check is not always open, but when it is, all car traffic must stop for immigration officials. Truckers in the weigh station don’t need to stop aside from scale officals directing you to do so.

There seem to be more border patrol cruisers parked in the Oceanside weigh station than highway patrol cars. And you’ll want to be sure your equipment is up to specs- we do see officers inspecting trucks at this location.

Just south of the truck scale, you will see yellow warning signs indicating that there may be families running across the road. These are official DOT signs and they show the outlines of a family of four running! No where else but California!

The weigh station is located alongside Joseph H. Pendleton Marine Corps Base. If you pull of in the rest area or the scenic view area or even along a ramp, you can watch the troops practicing maneuvers. Keep your eyes open for helicopters and military vessels.

The military will do mock assaults on the beach head and will practice all kinds of helicopter maneuvers in the area. It’s all very interesting to watch.

Also nearby are San Onofre and San Clemente state beaches. San Onofre state beach is known for more than just surfing- it’s a nude beach. But you won’t get an eyeful if you’re driving on the freeway. You can’t see the beach from there- and they don’t have truck parking!

For anyone who may have an onboard porta potty, the rest area just south of the weigh station has an rv dump station. It’s very convenient and you can pull alongside it with your tractor trailer truck. You will have to pull through the parking bypass lane before the parking or through one of the truck parking spaces early on to get to the rv dump. There is a rest area approx. 7 miles south of the scales (2 miles south of exit 62 at mm 60). This rest area has limited parking- it has quite a few spaces but the spaces are small and if it gets full, it’s not designed for long trucks. There may be various places to park north of the San Onofre weigh station but the only true truck stops are located in Ontario south west of the I 10 I 15 junction.

Santa Nella I 5 nb California Weigh Station Truck Scales
There is a Pilot, TA and Rotten Robbies at exit 407 south of the scales. Exit 417 has a dirt pullout area on the east side, north of the scales.

Santa Nella I 5 sb California Weigh Station Truck Scales
there are a Pilot, TA and Rotten Robbies at exit 407 south of the scales, exit 417 has a dirt pullout area on the east side north of the scales

St. Vincents (San Rafael) – 101 sb California Weigh Station Truck Scales
This weigh station has a sign before the exit saying “No Trucks over 14 Feet Wide.”

Terra Linda (San Rafael) – 101 nb California Weigh Station Truck Scales

Two Rock (Willits) – 20 eb California Weigh Station Truck Scales
This scale is out of service according to the California DOT website.

Vallejo (Novato) – 37 eb California Weigh Station Truck Scales
This is a small pullout area with no scales in the ground. We’ve never even heard of California setting up in here- if they do and you see them, take a picture.

Vallejo (Novato) – 37 wb California Weigh Station Truck Scales
This is a small pullout area with no scales in the ground. We’ve never even heard of California setting up in here- if they do and you see them, take a picture.

Walnut Creek I 680 nb California Weigh Station Truck Scales
NB is sometimes open though drivers will tell you it is never open. We have had to cross that open scale multiple times and even came close to an overweight ticket for 200 lbs over on the trailer axle.

Lat: 37 55 31 N
Lon: 122 3 38 W

Walnut Creek I 680 sb California Weigh Station Truck Scales
We have never seen this scale open. The scale on the north bound side is rarely open.

Lat: 37 55 47 N
Lon: 122 3 37 W

Wausau 213 nb California Weigh Station Truck Scales
pull out check station for portables

Whiskeytown 299 eb California Weigh Station Truck Scales

Winterhaven I 8 wb California Weigh Station Truck Scales
Just west of this weigh station around the 8-801 call box you will sometimes see dune buggies riding around the sand dunes to the south side of I 8. There is a rest area west of the Winterhaven weigh station just west of exit 156- the rest area is a left exit.