Truck payload calculator
Your truck’s payload capacity from its GVWR and curb weight — then what’s left once people, cargo and a trailer’s tongue weight are aboard. Free, nothing stored.
Your truck
Enter your GVWR and curb weight — or your payload — to see your truck’s payload capacity.
The payload formula
Payload capacity = GVWR − curb weight. GVWR is the most the loaded truck may weigh; curb weight is what it weighs empty with a full tank. The difference is everything you can put in it — and a trailer’s tongue weight counts too, because it presses down on the truck, not on the trailer’s axles. The payload capacity guide explains each number, and how to read your door jamb sticker shows where they’re printed.
Worked example
| Item | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|
| GVWR | 7,050 lb |
| Curb weight | −5,150 lb |
| Payload capacity | 1,900 lb |
| Four people | 650 lb |
| Cooler, gear, bed toolbox | 200 lb |
| Travel trailer tongue weight | 900 lb |
| Remaining | 150 lb |
A half-ton with a 7,050 lb GVWR and a 5,150 lb curb weight has 1,900 lb of payload. A family of four and a weekend of gear use 850 lb before anything is hitched; a 7,000 lb travel trailer’s 900 lb tongue takes most of the rest. That truck may carry an 11,000 lb tow rating — payload is what runs out first.
Why payload, not towing capacity
The brochure’s tow rating assumes a nearly empty truck. Every passenger and cooler comes out of payload, and so does the tongue weight, which is 10–15% of the trailer. That’s why a truck rated to tow 11,000 lb is often over payload behind a 7,000 lb trailer. Check the tongue range with the tongue weight calculator, or see how much your truck can tow from its payload.
Frequently asked questions
What does payload mean?
Payload is the weight a truck may carry on top of its own weight: every person aboard, driver included, everything in the cab and bed, aftermarket accessories, and the tongue or pin weight of any trailer. It is not how much the truck can tow — that is a separate, usually much larger, number.
How do I calculate payload capacity?
Payload capacity = GVWR − curb weight. A truck with a 7,050 lb GVWR that weighs 5,150 lb empty with a full tank has 1,900 lb of payload. The door jamb’s tire-and-loading label often prints the answer directly: “the combined weight of occupants and cargo should never exceed …”.
Is GVWR the same as payload?
No. GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating) is the most the whole truck may weigh loaded. Payload is GVWR minus what the truck weighs empty. A GVWR of 7,050 lb does not mean 7,050 lb of payload — it might mean 1,900 lb.
Does fuel count against payload?
No — curb weight already assumes a full tank, so fuel is inside the curb figure. Passengers, cargo, accessories added after the factory, and tongue weight all count against payload.
Where do I find GVWR and curb weight?
GVWR is on the certification label in the driver’s door jamb. Curb weight is in the owner’s manual or the manufacturer’s spec sheet for your trim — or drive the empty truck across a certified scale for the real number.
The app does even more
- Scan the door-jamb sticker instead of typing the GVWR
- Add each person, pet and piece of gear — the total keeps itself up to date
- Save a profile per trip and re-check in seconds
- A pre-tow checklist you tick off before every departure
Free — with an optional $2.99 one-time Pro upgrade.
TowCheck is an informational planning aid that does arithmetic on the figures you supply. It is not a certification or inspection service and does not replace a certified scale — always verify your weights before you tow.