A Question About Truck Scales

You are still limited by the axle rating and tire rating, which ever is less...

 

Which he clearly explained in his post.

unloader

 

Sorry RD...it's not that simple. Others were right when they said it depends on your axle rating and tire rating. SOME states allow more, but states like Arkansas limit you to 12,000 regardless of axle and tire capacity. (unless permitted).
Most fleet trucks (and most spec trucks ) have 13,000 rated front axles. Most tires are rated 6,250 or so.
California will allow up to the rated capacity of the axle/wheels/tires as long as the gross does not exceed 80,000#.
In fleet trucks, they'll start pulling you around back and checking when you exceed 12,600 as long as they have personnel and time.
Now the technical part.
All scales rated 'legal for trade' (and any scale used to authenticate fines must be legal for trade) is accurate to 1/10 of 1% of the rated capacity. Most highway scales have a capacity of 200,000#. So that means they're legal within 200#.
Again, not to be too technical, but if the scale is linear, that accuracy is related to the displayed weight. So if you're scaling out at 80,000, you are legal within 80# or in other words, they can't prove anything outside of 80,080.
It's a pain in the butt to head to court and prove accuracy for your scale in justifying a fine, especially if you don't keep it calibrated. Federal Highway Weight Standards require calibration annually. Most states have not been doing that, California included.
So if challenged, not only can that ticket be thrown out, but every ticket since the last calibration.
For that reason, they'll write a ticket only if you're WAY out of allowed weight (unless you mouth off). That way, no one challenges it.
Now I say this as an expert witness in several states, including California, where I hold a Scalemaster license.
So the short answer for the original poster is: "They were probably busy or short handed."
You were lucky.