Kerb weight, payload, towing capacity: under­stand­ing the weight fields in the vehicle registration

Why the weight fields decide between a good buy and a bad one

In most used-car purchases the weight fields hardly matter — you drive an estate, load up the shopping, done. But as soon as you're looking for a van, a motorhome or a towing vehicle for a trailer or caravan, these inconspicuous codes become the most important figures in the whole document. They decide whether the vehicle can fulfil your intended use at all.

A real-world example: two identically built vans are for sale, outwardly identical. One comes with heavy equipment as standard, a second battery and a body — its mass in running order is higher, so the remaining payload is considerably lower. Anyone who looks only at model and engine overlooks the fact that one of these vehicles simply isn't allowed to carry enough for its purpose. That very information sits in fields G and F.1.

This guide belongs to the vehicle-documents cluster and deals exclusively with the weight and load fields. What the registration certificate is overall and what it's for is covered in the overview of the Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil 1 (registration certificate part 1). The complete field-by-field legend of all codes — including PS, kW and displacement — can be found in the field-codes article. Here it's only about mass and load.

The relevant fields: G, F.1 and F.2

The three weight figures in the upper part of the Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil 1 (registration certificate part 1) are directly connected. Field G states the mass in running order, often also called kerb weight. What's meant is the weight of the vehicle ready to drive but unladen. Field F.1 is the technically permissible gross weight: the absolute maximum the manufacturer has approved for the design — vehicle plus occupants plus luggage plus cargo. Field F.2 states the gross weight permissible in the country of registration.

The difference between F.1 and F.2 regularly causes confusion. F.1 is the manufacturer's technical limit. F.2 is the value that applies to registration in the respective country and that may be set lower, for example for tax or licence reasons. In Germany the two values are identical for the vast majority of cars and vans. Where they differ, the lower value valid in the country of registration, from F.2, is generally the one that counts on the road. If nothing is entered in F.2, the value from F.1 applies.

For a purchase, one thing above all matters: these values are vehicle-specific. Two cars of the same type can differ in G and F.1 because equipment, engine or subsequent modifications change the weight. So never rely on a value from a brochure or a forum — always go by the actual figures in the registration of the vehicle standing in front of you.

One special case concerns modified or up-rated vehicles. With motorhomes or vans it happens that the gross weight has been raised or lowered afterwards — for instance to stay under the 3.5-tonne limit for driving licence category B. Such entries are found in part 1 and in the remarks fields. If the registered gross weight doesn't match what the vehicle is technically capable of, that's a point you should clarify before buying.

Calculating the payload: the formula and its pitfalls

The payload — that is, what you're actually allowed to load — is fundamentally the result of a simple subtraction: technically permissible gross weight (F.1) minus mass in running order (G). The result is the reserve left to you for occupants, luggage, cargo and any nose weight at the trailer. So a vehicle with a 2,000 kg gross weight and a 1,500 kg mass in running order has around 500 kg of payload.

The pitfall lies in the definition of the mass in running order. Under the EU definition used today, the mass in running order already includes: all operating fluids, a fuel tank filled to at least 90 percent, and a driver factored in as a flat figure. That means: on modern vehicles the driver is already included in G on paper and must not be subtracted a second time from the payload. On older vehicles and under older standards, the mass in running order could be defined without a driver and with a different tank level. So anyone who wants to know exactly needs to know under which definition the value in G was determined.

For practice this means: calculate conservatively. From the calculated payload, subtract the weight of your passengers, plus luggage, fitted extras such as a roof rack or a retrofitted tow bar, and everything that stays permanently in the vehicle. What remains is the realistic payload for everyday use. Especially with a fully occupied car and holiday luggage, the theoretical reserve is used up faster than many people think.

A frequently overlooked factor is the axle load. Alongside the gross weight, there are permissible loads per axle (shown as further fields in the registration certificate). A vehicle can stay under the permissible gross weight overall and still have one axle overloaded — for example, if heavy luggage sits far back in the boot or there's a high nose weight at the rear. With vans and motorhomes loaded unevenly, this is a real point, not a theoretical one.

Towing capacity: O.1 braked, O.2 unbraked

If you want to pull a trailer, a caravan or a horse trailer, fields O.1 and O.2 are decisive. O.1 states the permissible towing capacity for braked trailers, i.e. trailers with their own overrun brake. O.2 states the towing capacity for unbraked trailers. The braked value (O.1) is always considerably higher than the unbraked one (O.2), because a trailer axle that brakes along relieves the towing vehicle's braking system.

It's important that this is about the actual weight of the loaded trailer, not its permissible gross weight alone. What counts is what's actually hitched up behind. A caravan with a 1,400 kg permissible gross weight that you load with only 1,100 kg actually weighs 1,100 kg for the calculation. Conversely, you must not load an empty trailer that permits a high gross weight up to its maximum if your towing vehicle allows less in O.1.

Besides O.1 and O.2 there is a second limit you must not exceed: the permissible gross weight of the combination, often called the gross train weight. The towing vehicle and trailer together must not exceed a certain total weight — and this value may be lower than O.1 plus F.1 would give on paper. For towing combinations you must therefore always observe both limits: the towing capacity and the gross train weight.

Two further values belong in the same consideration but usually aren't in the vehicle registration: the nose weight and the roof load. The nose weight is the weight the trailer drawbar presses vertically onto the coupling — a value important for driving stability, found on the tow bar's type plate and in the owner's manual. Incidentally, the nose weight counts towards the towing vehicle's payload, so it reduces its remaining load capacity. The roof load limits what you may put on a roof rack, and is likewise stated in the owner's manual. Both are safety-relevant, even though they aren't printed in part 1.

Driving licence category: what you may pull with B and BE

The papers say what the vehicle is technically allowed to do — your driving licence says what you're allowed to drive. The two have to match. Driving licence category B generally allows vehicles up to 3,500 kg gross weight. A trailer may be taken along as long as the combination stays within certain limits — put simply, the trailer may come along up to 750 kg permissible gross weight without further conditions, and beyond that up to a combined gross weight of 3,500 kg.

For heavier rigs there is the BE extension and the additional code B96, which raises the ceiling for the combination. Because the exact limits depend on the issue date of the licence and the code entered, you should, when in doubt, look up the values that apply to you specifically rather than rely on a rule of thumb. Here it's only about the relationship: the towing capacity in the registration and the driving licence category limit each other.

For a purchase this means a double check. First: does the vehicle, according to O.1 and O.2, allow the towing capacity you need? Second: does your driving licence category cover the combination of towing vehicle and planned trailer? Both conditions must be met. A vehicle with a high towing capacity is of no use to you if your licence doesn't cover the combination — and vice versa.

A practical note on the tow bar itself: the coupling too has a permissible D-value and a permissible nose weight. With retrofitted couplings it's worth a look at the type plate and the accompanying papers, so that the fitted coupling actually matches the desired towing capacity. This is especially relevant with older used cars fitted with a retrofitted coupling.

Overloading and its consequences

Overloading is no trivial offence. Anyone who loads their vehicle beyond the gross weight, or an axle beyond its permissible load, risks a fine during a check that increases with the degree of overloading; in cases of significant overloading, points are added. I deliberately don't quote specific amounts here, because they differ depending on the extent and the applicable rules — the key point is that the consequences grow with the scale, and you may be prohibited from continuing until the load is reduced.

Heavier than the fine are the technical and legal consequences. An overloaded vehicle brakes worse, sits less stably in bends and strains the tyres, suspension and brakes beyond their design. In the event of damage, significant overloading can also have insurance and liability consequences. That's precisely why the values in G, F.1, O.1 and O.2 aren't bureaucracy but a safety limit.

For buying a used car this means: if you plan to run a vehicle regularly at the load limit — as a tradesperson with a full van, as a camper with a loaded caravan — then check the reserve before the purchase, not first at the weighbridge. Work through your realistic needs: occupants, tools, materials, nose weight, extra equipment. Only when the payload from F.1 minus G carries these needs with a buffer does the vehicle fit your use.

When buying a towing vehicle, the combination comes on top: towing capacity from O.1, gross train weight and your driving licence category must together carry your planned rig. Anyone who reconciles these three limits before signing avoids the most expensive mistake — buying a vehicle that is too tightly dimensioned for its actual purpose from the outset.

Code overview: weight and load fields at a glance

The following table sums up the fields this guide is about. All the other codes of the registration certificate are covered in the field-codes article of the cluster.

Code	Field	Meaning
G	Mass in running order	Weight of the vehicle ready to drive, unladen (under the EU definition incl. operating fluids, tank and a flat driver figure)
F.1	Technically permissible gross weight	Manufacturer's limit from vehicle, occupants and cargo
F.2	Gross weight permissible in the country of registration	Value valid for registration in the country; in Germany usually identical to F.1
O.1	Towing capacity braked	Maximum weight of a trailer with its own brake
O.2	Towing capacity unbraked	Maximum weight of a trailer without its own brake
—	Payload (calculated value)	F.1 minus G — the remaining load capacity
—	Nose weight	Vertical load of the drawbar on the coupling; shown on the coupling type plate and in the owner's manual
—	Roof load	Permissible weight on the roof rack; shown in the owner's manual

When an on-site check safeguards the papers

Reading the weight fields is one half — checking whether the papers match the vehicle is the other. With up-rated or modified vehicles, with retrofitted tow bars, or with vans carrying special bodywork, a gap can open up between the registered gross weight, the actual condition and your needs that isn't visible from the papers alone. This is exactly where an independent look pays off.

checkdenwagen sends an experienced inspector to the seller — Germany-wide, from €289 incl. VAT and travel. The inspector doesn't just assess the bodywork, technology and driving behaviour across over 100 points, but also checks whether the vehicle documents are consistent and match the equipment fitted. You receive the structured report within 24 hours. The Premium Check adds a market-value assessment — the strongest basis when you want to negotiate on the price of a van or towing vehicle.