Do I Need Trailer Brakes?

When do you need trailer brakes in Canada?

Each province and territory sets its own weight. The table gives the line in the unit the law uses, with the other unit after it, and links the section we read. Where a place also compares the trailer with the tow vehicle, that is the second column.

Newfoundland and Labrador: We read the Highway Traffic Act and the Licensing and Equipment Regulations and found no trailer weight at which brakes become mandatory. Section 25(5) of the regulations sets a stopping test instead: a loaded combination must stop within 10 m from 30 km/h. Until we find a weight line in force, we do not publish one.

The three provinces people ask about most

When do you need trailer brakes in BC?

Brakes are required over 1,400 kg (3,086 lb) of licensed weight, or at any weight if the trailer is at or over 50% of the tow vehicle's licensed weight. That second test catches light trailers behind small cars. Brakes go on every wheel, and over 2,800 kg the driver must be able to apply them from the seat. Over 1,400 kg gross, a breakaway system must hold the brakes on for 15 minutes.

When do you need trailer brakes in Alberta?

Behind a private passenger vehicle, brakes are required over 910 kg (2,006 lb), but only if the trailer is also at least half the tow vehicle's unladen weight. A heavy truck can tow a trailer over 910 kg without brakes if the trailer is under half its weight. Required brakes must apply on breakaway and stay applied for 15 minutes.

When are trailer brakes required in Ontario?

Brakes are required at or over 1,360 kg (2,998 lb), measured on the gross weight, trailer plus load. Section 64(5) asks for brakes "adequate to stop and to hold" the trailer and names no type, so surge and electric both qualify if they do that.

When do you need trailer brakes in the United States?

Each state sets its own line for private trailers. Federal rules, 49 CFR 393.42, Brakes required on all wheels (FMCSA), cover commercial motor vehicles only. We publish a state once we have read its statute.

Not yet verified: Massachusetts, Missouri, Pennsylvania. The tool says so rather than guessing.

Which kind of brakes: surge or electric?

Surge brakes sit in the trailer's coupler. When the tow vehicle slows, the trailer pushes against the hitch and that push works a master cylinder that applies the trailer's hydraulic brakes. Nothing needs wiring in the tow vehicle, which is why rental and boat trailers often use them.

Electric brakes use a magnet in each drum, powered through the 7-way plug and governed by a brake controller in the tow vehicle. You can set how hard they bite and apply them by hand, which surge brakes cannot do. Electric-over-hydraulic systems use that same controller signal to drive a hydraulic pump at the trailer.

The law mostly asks for brakes that are "adequate" and leaves the type to you, with three exceptions in Canada. British Columbia wants brakes the driver can apply from the seat over 2,800 kg. Saskatchewan wants non-electric brakes applied by the tow vehicle's pedal over 3,700 kg GVWR. Nova Scotia wants brakes "controlled by the operator" over 4,000 lb. A plain surge brake meets none of those.

A free-backing surge coupler is one that lets the trailer reverse without the coupler applying the brakes, so you can back up a ramp without a lockout pin.

Do I need a brake controller?

For electric or electric-over-hydraulic brakes, yes. Without one the brakes only work when the breakaway switch fires. A proportional controller, such as the Tekonsha P3, uses a motion sensor so the trailer brakes as hard as the tow vehicle is slowing. A time-delay controller ramps up to a set output instead.

On the P3, the wires carry: black from the battery, red from the brake light switch, and blue out to the trailer brakes. Check your own controller's manual, since colours vary by maker.

Brake controller gain setting

Guidance, not law. This is the controller maker's setup procedure, from Tekonsha Prodigy P3 Electronic Brake Control instructions, P/N 5881 Rev C. Your own controller's manual comes first.

1. Warm the brakes first: drive a short way with the manual control applied lightly. Warm brakes grab harder than cold ones.
2. With the trailer connected and the engine running, set the power (gain) to 6.0 as a starting point.
3. On a dry, level, paved road at 25 mph (40 km/h), fully apply the manual control.
4. If the trailer wheels lock, turn the power down. If braking feels weak, turn it up.
5. Repeat until the power sits just below wheel lock-up.
6. Make a few low-speed stops with the brake pedal to check it.

Set it again when the load changes or the road is wet or icy. When it is right, the truck and trailer feel like they stop as one. If you cannot lock the trailer wheels at any setting, the maker says to have the brakes inspected. Boost settings on the P3 make the trailer brakes start earlier in a stop; it is not meant for icy roads.

Brake controller troubleshooting

A "no trailer connection" message (some controllers show a short code such as nc) usually means the trailer is not plugged in, the brake circuit is open, the connector is corroded, or a brake magnet has lost its ground. An "overload" message means the controller saw too much current, often a short in the brake wiring. Those causes are the P3 manual's list; other brands use different codes for the same faults.

Breakaway brakes and lights

A breakaway switch sits on the trailer tongue with a cable to the tow vehicle. If the trailer comes loose, the cable pulls a pin and the switch applies the trailer brakes from the trailer's own battery. The table above says where it is required and at what weight; Nova Scotia's line for it (over 3,000 lb) is lower than its brake line.

Brake lights are a separate rule and apply to every trailer, braked or not. For example Vehicle Equipment Regulation (Alberta), Alta. Reg. 122/2009, s. 18(3) and (4) and Motor Vehicles Regulations (Yukon), C.O. 1978/120, s. 37.

Sources

• Vehicle Equipment Regulation (Alberta), Alta. Reg. 122/2009, s. 56: Behind a private passenger vehicle, a trailer is exempt if it is 910 kg or less or under half the tow vehicle's unladen weight, so brakes are required only when both are exceeded. Required brakes must apply automatically on breakaway and stay applied for at least 15 minutes (s. 56(2)). Commercial tow vehicles use a 2,300 kg line (s. 56(4)(b)). Checked 2026-10-24.
• Motor Vehicle Act Regulations (B.C. Reg. 26/58), Division 5, s. 5.02(3) and (4): BC requires brakes on every wheel unless the trailer is both 1,400 kg or less and under half the tow vehicle's licensed weight. Over 2,800 kg licensed weight the brakes must be capable of being applied by the driver from the normal seated position (s. 5.02(4)(c)). A house trailer with more than 2 axles may leave one axle unbraked. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Motor Vehicle Act Regulations (B.C. Reg. 26/58), Division 6, ss. 6.01 and 6.07(1): Section 6.01 defines a "commercial trailer" for Division 6 as a trailer, semitrailer or house trailer with a gross weight of more than 1 400 kg, so the breakaway rule reaches private RV and utility trailers over 1,400 kg, not just commercial ones. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Vehicle Equipment, Safety and Inspection Regulation (Manitoba), M.R. 31/2019, s. 2.8(1), item 4: For trailers under 4,500 kg GVWR, Manitoba requires a service brake system at a registered gross weight of 1,360 kg or more, and lists no breakaway device. Trailers of 4,500 kg GVWR and over need a breakaway device only if the manufacturer fitted one (s. 2.7, item 4). Checked 2026-10-24.
• Motor Vehicle Act (New Brunswick), R.S.N.B. 1973, c. M-17, s. 233(3): New Brunswick's line is 1.5 tonnes (1,500 kg) gross mass or more, gross mass being the vehicle plus its load (s. 1). The same subsection requires the brakes to apply automatically on an accidental breakaway, and requires driver application from the cab only for air brakes. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Licensing and Equipment Regulations (Newfoundland and Labrador), CNLR 1007/96, s. 25: Read in full on 2026-10-24 together with the Highway Traffic Act, RSNL 1990 c. H-3. Neither sets a trailer weight at which brakes become mandatory. Section 25(5) instead treats a combination's service brakes as inadequate if, fully loaded, it cannot stop within 10 m from 30 km/h. Newfoundland and Labrador is marked not yet verified. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Motor Vehicle Equipment Regulations (Northwest Territories), R.R.N.W.T. 1990, c. 12 (Supp.), ss. 53 and 56: The NWT brake standards (ss. 42 and 43) reach a trailer only at 1,360 kg GVWR or more and at 50% or more of the tow vehicle's GVWR. Section 56(b) requires brakes on both ends of each axle on trailers built after 1984. Automatic application on separation is required only for air brakes (s. 45(1)(f)). Text read from OpenNWT's copy of the GNWT consolidation, because the GNWT PDF link returned 404 on 2026-10-24. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Standards of Vehicle Equipment Regulations (Nova Scotia), N.S. Reg. 51/85, s. 23A: Nova Scotia's brake line is written in pounds: over 4,000 lb, trailer plus load, with brakes controlled by the driver. The online consolidation is marked unofficial. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Trailer Couplings and Other Safety Devices Regulations (Nova Scotia), N.S. Reg. 86/73, s. 6: Nova Scotia's breakaway line (over 3,000 lb) is lower than its brake line (over 4,000 lb). The regulation defines a breakaway switch as an automatic device that applies the trailer brakes should the trailer disconnect. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Motor Vehicle Equipment Regulations (Nunavut), R.R.N.W.T. 1990, c. 12 (Supp.), ss. 53 and 56: Nunavut kept the NWT regulation at division in 1999, with the same 1,360 kg and 50% of GVWR exemption and the same all-axles rule in s. 56. The consolidation is marked not up to date; the one later amendment, R-043-2018, changes ss. 2, 4 and 85 and does not touch these sections. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Highway Traffic Act (Ontario), R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 64(5): Ontario's line is 1,360 kg or more, and s. 1(1) defines gross weight as "the combined weight of vehicle and load", so it is the loaded trailer. The section does not specify the type of brake or which wheels. Checked 2026-10-24.
• R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 587 (Equipment), under the Highway Traffic Act (Ontario): The equipment regulation made under s. 64 sets stopping distances (s. 3) and air brake rules, and contains no breakaway requirement for a light trailer. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Highway Traffic Act (Prince Edward Island), R.S.P.E.I. 1988, c. H-5, s. 124(4) and (5): PEI's line is 1,500 kg gross weight or more (vehicle plus load, s. 1). The brakes must apply automatically on an accidental breakaway. New trailers sold in PEI need service brakes on all wheels unless under 1,500 kg (s. 124(5)). Consolidation current to May 29, 2026. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Highway Safety Code (Quebec), CQLR c. C-24.2, ss. 244 and 245: Quebec requires brakes on every weight-bearing wheel at 1,300 kg loaded, or when the loaded trailer is over half the tow vehicle's net mass, and the tow vehicle must carry the equipment to operate them. Section 245 requires a chain, cable or other safety device on any trailer without an independent brake system able to stop it if it separates. Checked 2026-10-24.
• The Vehicle Equipment Regulations, 1987 (Saskatchewan), c. V-2.1 Reg 10, ss. 174 and 176: Section 174(1) requires a brake system on a trailer with a GVWR of more than 1,360 kg, acting on both ends of all axles if built in or after 1985. It must apply automatically on breakaway (s. 174(2)). Electric brakes over 2,800 kg GVWR, and non-electric brakes over 3,700 kg GVWR, must be activated by the tow vehicle's brake pedal (s. 174(3)). Electric brakes need their own 12 volt breakaway power source (s. 176(2)). Checked 2026-10-24.
• Motor Vehicles Regulations (Yukon), C.O. 1978/120, ss. 40, 53 and 54: Section 40(3) exempts those trailers from s. 40(2)'s rule that a towed trailer must have adequate brakes, so brakes are required over 910 kg unless the trailer is under half the towing unit's weight. A "commercial trailer" (gross weight over 1,365 kg, s. 1.1) needs a service brake on each wheel (s. 53) and brakes that apply on separation and stay applied 15 minutes (s. 54(1)). Checked 2026-10-24.
• Ala. Admin. Code r. 760-X-1-.09(c) and (d): Alabama: Brakes on all wheels unless the trailer weighs 3,000 lb gross or less and its loaded weight is no more than 40 percent of the tow vehicle's gross weight. Breakaway: Trailers over 3,000 lb gross made after January 1, 1972 need brakes that apply automatically on breakaway and stay on for at least 15 minutes. Department of Public Safety rule, not a statute. The exemption at 3,000 lb or less also needs the 40 percent condition and the stopping performance rule. Checked 2026-10-24.
• 13 AAC 04.205(d): Alaska: A trailer with a GVWR over 5,000 lb needs working brakes (at least one wheel each side on a single or double axle, two each side on a triple axle). Breakaway: Required on any towed vehicle that must have brakes: a breakaway system able to apply all required brakes if it separates. Regulation, not statute. Measured on GVWR, not actual weight. Text read on Cornell LII's reproduction of the Alaska Administrative Code; the official akleg.gov viewer could not be loaded as a static page. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 28-952(A)(3): Arizona: Brakes when gross weight is 3,000 lb or more, applied from the cab or working automatically with the tow vehicle's service brakes (surge brakes qualify). Breakaway: Required: brakes must apply automatically on an accidental breakaway. Read on Justia's 2025 Arizona Revised Statutes. The official azleg.gov page (https://www.azleg.gov/ars/28/00952.htm) sits behind a JavaScript challenge and could not be opened as a static page. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Ark. Code § 27-37-501(c) and (d): Arkansas: Brakes applied from the cab when gross weight is 3,000 lb or more; new trailers sold in the state need service brakes on all wheels (semitrailers under 1,500 lb excepted). Breakaway: Required: brakes must apply automatically on an accidental breakaway. Read on Justia's 2025 Arkansas Code; the official Arkansas Code is hosted by LexisNexis and is not a stable public URL. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Cal. Veh. Code § 26302(b); § 26304(a): California: Trailers first registered after January 1, 1966 with a gross weight of 3,000 lb or more need brakes on at least two wheels. Breakaway: Power brakes on trailers built after December 31, 1955 that must have brakes must apply on breakaway and hold for at least 15 minutes (§ 26304). Section 26303 sets a separate rule for trailer coaches and camp trailers that was not opened at source; see that section before stating a camp trailer figure. Trailers built after January 1, 1982 with air brakes need brakes on all wheels. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Colo. Rev. Stat. § 42-4-223(1)(c) and (1)(d)(III): Colorado: Brakes applied from the cab on all wheels when gross weight is 3,000 lb or more. Breakaway: Required: brakes must apply automatically on an accidental breakaway. Read on Justia's 2025 Colorado Revised Statutes (official C.R.S. is published as title PDFs). Horse trailers of two horses or less and some farm and fertilizer trailers are exempt from the all-wheel rule. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Conn. Gen. Stat. § 14-81(a): Connecticut: Brakes on all wheels when the trailer's GVWR is 3,000 lb or more. Measured on GVWR (changed from gross weight in 2009). Trailers with a GVWR of 8,000 lb or less need not have brakes controllable from the driver's seat. Section 14-81 itself has no breakaway clause. Checked 2026-10-24.
• 21 Del. C. § 4305: Delaware: A trailer over 4,000 lb gross (vehicle plus load) may not go faster than 10 mph unless it has brakes controlled by the driver of the tow vehicle. Threshold is 'in excess of 4,000 pounds', so it applies above 4,000 lb, not at it. No breakaway clause in § 4305. Checked 2026-10-24.
• 18 DCMR 720.9 and 721.1: District of Columbia: Brakes on all wheels unless the trailer weighs 3,000 lb gross or less and its loaded weight is no more than 40 percent of the tow vehicle's gross weight. Breakaway: Trailers over 3,000 lb gross made after September 15, 1963 need brakes that apply automatically on breakaway and stay on for at least 15 minutes (18 DCMR 721.1). Municipal regulation. Breakaway rule is at https://dcregs.dc.gov/Common/DCMR/SectionList.aspx?SectionNumber=18-721. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Fla. Stat. § 316.261(3)(a) and (4): Florida: Brakes on all wheels unless the trailer weighs 3,000 lb gross or less and its loaded weight is no more than 40 percent of the tow vehicle's gross weight. Breakaway: Trailers over 3,000 lb gross need brakes that apply automatically on breakaway and stay on for at least 15 minutes. Checked 2026-10-24.
• O.C.G.A. § 40-8-50(d) and (e): Georgia: Brakes on all wheels when gross weight is 3,000 lb or more; surge brakes allowed within GVWR ratio limits. Breakaway: Required for surge-brake trailers: brakes must apply automatically on an accidental breakaway (§ 40-8-50(e)(5)). Read on Justia's 2025 Code of Georgia; the official code is hosted by LexisNexis. The breakaway clause in § 40-8-50 is written as a condition for surge brakes. Farm trailers up to 4,000 lb empty are exempt. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Haw. Code R. § 19-133.2-40(b)(8): Hawaii: At safety inspection, a trailer over 3,000 lb gross fails without brakes actuated from the tow vehicle. Breakaway: Required on trailers over 3,000 lb gross: brakes must self-actuate on breakaway. Inspection rule (Department of Transportation administrative rule), not a statute; read on Cornell LII's reproduction. No trailer brake weight was found in HRS chapter 291. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Idaho Code § 49-933(3): Idaho: Brakes when the trailer's unladen (empty) weight is 1,500 lb or more, applied by the driver from the cab. Breakaway: Required: brakes must apply automatically on an accidental breakaway. Measured on unladen weight, not loaded weight. Farm trailers hauling farm products within 50 miles are exempt (§ 49-933(4)). Checked 2026-10-24.
• 625 ILCS 5/12-301(a)(4) and (a)(5): Illinois: Brakes when gross weight is over 3,000 lb, operable from the cab; between 3,001 and 5,000 lb, brakes on one wheel each side are enough. Breakaway: Required on towed trailers over 5,000 lb. Threshold is 'over 3,000 pounds'. Boat trailers have a parallel rule in (a)(4.1). Checked 2026-10-24.
• Ind. Code 9-19-3-3: Indiana: Brakes when gross weight is at least 3,000 lb, applied by the driver from the cab. Breakaway: Required: brakes must apply automatically on an accidental breakaway. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Iowa Code § 321.430(3): Iowa: Brakes when gross weight is 3,000 lb or more, with a way to apply them from the cab (or self-actuating brakes), plus a weight-equalizing hitch with sway control. Section 321.430 has no breakaway clause. The hitch and sway-control part does not apply to trailers pulled by a truck or truck tractor. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Kan. Stat. Ann. § 8-1734: Kansas: No weight threshold in statute: every vehicle and combination must stop from 20 mph within 40 feet; the secretary of transportation may require more. Performance rule only in the statute. Any Kansas administrative regulation adding a trailer threshold was not checked. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Ky. Rev. Stat. § 189.090: Kentucky: No trailer weight threshold in statute: a vehicle or combination must stop from 20 mph within 40 feet; commercial vehicles over 10,000 lb declared gross follow 49 CFR 393. Performance rule only. The 10,000 lb figure applies to commercial motor vehicles, not private trailers. Checked 2026-10-24.
• La. R.S. 32:341(C), as amended by Acts 2026, No. 778: Louisiana: Brakes applied from the cab on trailers of 3,000 lb gross or more that are used in commerce or were originally built with brakes (as amended by Act 778 of 2026). Breakaway: Required on the same trailers: brakes must apply automatically on an accidental breakaway. The consolidated page still shows the pre-2026 wording (any trailer of 3,000 lb or more). Act 778 of the 2026 Regular Session (HB 868) narrows (C) to trailers used in commerce or originally manufactured with brakes: https://www.legis.la.gov/Legis/ViewDocument.aspx?d=1480688. The Act's effective date was not confirmed from its text. Checked 2026-10-24.
• 29-A M.R.S. § 1902(4): Maine: Brakes on all wheels of all axles, except a trailer not exceeding 3,000 lb gross. Section 1902 has no breakaway clause. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Md. Code, Transp. § 22-301(d) and (e): Maryland: Brakes on all wheels unless the trailer's registered gross weight is 3,000 lb or less and its loaded weight is no more than 40 percent of the tow vehicle's gross weight. Breakaway: Over 3,000 lb and up to 10,000 lb registered gross (built after June 1, 1970): breakaway brakes on all wheels of at least one axle, holding 15 minutes. Over 10,000 lb: on all wheels. Measured on registered gross weight. Checked 2026-10-24.
• MCL 257.705(1)(c) and (d): Michigan: New trailers sold in Michigan need brakes on all wheels unless under 3,000 lb gross and within the 40 percent rule; any trailer of 15,001 lb gross or more needs brakes on all wheels applied from the cab. Two thresholds: (d) 3,000 lb for new trailers sold in the state (with a 40 percent of tow vehicle condition), (c) 15,001 lb for all trailers operated on a highway. Farm trailers are excluded from (d). Checked 2026-10-24.
• Minn. Stat. § 169.67, subd. 3: Minnesota: Brakes when the trailer's gross vehicle weight is 3,000 lb or more, or when its gross weight exceeds the empty weight of the tow vehicle; surge brakes qualify. Breakaway: Trailers over 3,000 lb gross vehicle weight need brakes that stop and hold the trailer if it detaches. Two triggers: 3,000 lb, or heavier than the empty tow vehicle, whichever comes first. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Miss. Code Ann. § 63-7-51(3): Mississippi: Brakes applied from the cab on any trailer carrying over one ton (2,000 lb) of load. Breakaway: Required on those trailers: brakes must apply automatically on an accidental breakaway. The statute measures the load carried ('over one ton'), not the trailer's gross weight; 2,000 lb is one ton in pounds. New trailers sold in the state need brakes on all wheels unless two-axle, under 2,000 lb gross and towed by an automobile (§ 63-7-51(4)). Read on Justia's 2025 Mississippi Code. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Mont. Code Ann. § 61-9-304(1); § 61-9-305: Montana: Brakes on all wheels unless the trailer weighs 3,000 lb gross or less and its loaded weight is no more than 40 percent of the tow vehicle's gross weight. Breakaway: Trailers over 3,000 lb gross made after January 1, 1966 need brakes that apply automatically on breakaway and stay on for at least 15 minutes (§ 61-9-305). Breakaway section: https://leg.mt.gov/bills/mca/title_0610/chapter_0090/part_0030/section_0050/0610-0090-0030-0050.html Checked 2026-10-24.
• Neb. Rev. Stat. § 60-6,246: Nebraska: Cabin (camping) trailers and boat trailers: brakes on at least two wheels from 3,000 lb gross loaded weight, and on every wheel from 6,500 lb; commercial trailers with over 10,000 lb carrying capacity need brakes on every wheel. Breakaway: Cabin and boat trailers that must have brakes need a breakaway, surge, or impulse switch. The 3,000 lb rule names cabin trailers and recreational (boat) trailers only; utility trailers are covered for safety chains but not by a brake weight. Checked 2026-10-24.
• NRS 484D.250(2), (5) and (9): Nevada: Trailers over 3,000 lb gross need brakes on all wheels; trailers built after July 1, 1975 need service brakes on all wheels unless under 1,500 lb gross. Breakaway: Trailers over 3,000 lb gross made after July 1, 1969 need brakes that apply automatically on breakaway and stay on for at least 15 minutes. Two thresholds depending on build date: 1,500 lb gross for trailers manufactured after July 1, 1975 (subsection 9), 3,000 lb for the general rule (subsection 2). Checked 2026-10-24.
• N.H. RSA 266:30: New Hampshire: Trailers need adequate brakes, except a trailer under 3,000 lb gross whose axle weight is no more than 40 percent of the tow vehicle's rated axle weights; house trailers over 1,500 lb always need brakes. Read in the chapter 266 merged page (https://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/XXI/266/266-mrg.htm). No breakaway clause in 266:30. Checked 2026-10-24.
• N.J. Stat. § 39:3-67: New Jersey: Brakes on all wheels, controlled by the driver, unless the trailer weighs 3,000 lb gross or less and no more than 40 percent of the tow vehicle's gross weight. Breakaway: Every trailer required to have brakes must have brakes that apply automatically on breakaway and hold it for an adequate period. Read on Justia's 2025 New Jersey Revised Statutes; the official NJ statutes viewer needs JavaScript. Checked 2026-10-24.
• N.M. Stat. Ann. § 66-3-840(A)(3) and (4): New Mexico: Brakes on all wheels unless the trailer's gross vehicle weight is under 3,000 lb; house trailers of 3,000 lb or more need brakes applied by the driver. Read on Justia's 2025 New Mexico Statutes; the official NMOneSource viewer needs JavaScript. Section 66-3-840 has no breakaway clause. Checked 2026-10-24.
• N.Y. Veh. & Traf. Law § 375(1)(c): New York: Brakes on any trailer over 1,000 lb unladen, and on any trailer built from January 1, 1971 with a gross weight over 3,000 lb. Two tests: over 1,000 lb unladen (any age), or over 3,000 lb gross (registered maximum, actual, or unladen plus manufacturer's rated capacity) for trailers built from 1971. No breakaway clause in § 375(1)(c). Checked 2026-10-24.
• N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-124(f): North Carolina: Brakes controlled by the driver on trailers with a gross weight of two tons (4,000 lb), and on house trailers of 1,000 lb gross or more. The statute says 'two tons'; 4,000 lb is that figure in pounds. House trailers: 1,000 lb gross. No breakaway clause in § 20-124(f). Checked 2026-10-24.
• N.D. Cent. Code § 39-21-32(3): North Dakota: No weight threshold: any trailer towed faster than 25 mph needs safety chains or brakes applied from the cab. Breakaway: Where brakes are used, they must apply automatically on an accidental breakaway. Speed based, not weight based: chains or brakes above 25 mph. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Ohio Rev. Code § 4513.20(A)(4) and (5): Ohio: Brakes applied from the cab on trailers with an empty weight of 2,000 lb or more; boat trailers of 3,000 lb or more (built from 2008) need surge or electric brakes. Breakaway: Required on the same trailers: brakes must apply automatically on breakaway. Measured on empty weight, not loaded weight. Manufactured homes and travel trailers built from 2001 follow the same 2,000 lb empty-weight rule. Checked 2026-10-24.
• 47 O.S. § 12-301(C): Oklahoma: Brakes applied from the cab when the trailer's GVWR is 3,000 lb or more. Breakaway: Required: brakes must apply automatically on breakaway and stay on for at least 15 minutes. Measured on GVWR. A trailer under 3,000 lb GVWR still needs brakes if it exceeds the 40 percent of tow vehicle condition in 12-301(C)(3). Checked 2026-10-24.
• ORS 815.125: Oregon: No weight threshold in statute: a combination needs a brake system on one or more of its vehicles that meets the stopping standard. Performance rule: combinations must stop from 20 mph within 35 feet. Read in the chapter 815 page. Checked 2026-10-24.
• R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-23-4(c): Rhode Island: Brakes applied from the driver's position when gross weight is 4,000 lb or more. Breakaway: Required: brakes must apply automatically on an accidental breakaway. Checked 2026-10-24.
• S.C. Code § 56-5-4850(c) and (d): South Carolina: Brakes on all wheels (vehicles built after June 7, 1949) unless the trailer weighs 3,000 lb gross or less and its loaded weight is no more than 40 percent of the tow vehicle's gross weight. Breakaway: Trailers over 3,000 lb gross need brakes that apply automatically on breakaway and stay on for at least 15 minutes. Read in the chapter 5 page of Title 56. Checked 2026-10-24.
• S.D. Codified Laws § 32-18-2, 32-18-3 and 32-18-17: South Dakota: Brakes on all wheels unless the trailer's maximum gross weight is 3,000 lb or less (7,000 lb if built before July 1, 1974) and its loaded weight is no more than 40 percent of the tow vehicle's gross weight. Breakaway: Trailers over 3,000 lb gross made after July 1, 1967 need brakes that apply automatically on breakaway and stay on for at least 15 minutes (§ 32-18-17). Breakaway section: https://sdlegislature.gov/api/Statutes/32-18-17.html Checked 2026-10-24.
• Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-9-204(c): Tennessee: Brakes applied from the cab when gross weight is 3,000 lb or more. Breakaway: Required: brakes must apply automatically on an accidental breakaway. Read on Justia's 2025 Tennessee Code; the official code is hosted by LexisNexis. Intrastate trailers up to 7,500 lb GVWR with surge brakes and a separate hydraulic breakaway are exempt from (c)(1). Some farm trailers are exempt. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Tex. Transp. Code § 547.401: Texas: Brakes on trailers over 4,500 lb gross; trailers over 4,500 lb and up to 15,000 lb are exempt if never drawn faster than 30 mph. Read on Justia's 2025 Texas Statutes; the official statutes.capitol.texas.gov page needs JavaScript. Breakaway rules sit in § 547.405, which was not opened, so breakaway is left blank. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Utah Code § 41-6a-1623: Utah: No weight threshold in statute: every vehicle and combination must stop from 20 mph within 40 feet; the department may require more by rule. Performance rule only in the statute. Any department rule adding a trailer threshold was not checked. Checked 2026-10-24.
• 23 V.S.A. § 1307(e), (f) and (g): Vermont: Over 3,000 lb and under 6,000 lb gross: brakes on at least one axle, applied from the cab. 6,000 lb or more: brakes on all wheels. At 3,000 lb or less no brakes are needed if the trailer is no more than 40 percent of the tow vehicle's gross weight. Breakaway: Required above 3,000 lb: brakes must apply automatically on breakaway and stay on for at least 15 minutes. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Va. Code § 46.2-1070: Virginia: Brakes controlled by the driver when the trailer's actual gross weight is 3,000 lb or more. Measured on actual gross weight. No breakaway clause in § 46.2-1070. Checked 2026-10-24.
• RCW 46.37.340(3)(a) and (4): Washington: Brakes on all wheels unless the trailer weighs 3,000 lb gross or less and its loaded weight is no more than 40 percent of the tow vehicle's gross weight. Breakaway: Trailers over 3,000 lb gross made after January 1, 1964 need brakes that apply automatically on breakaway and stay on for at least 15 minutes. Checked 2026-10-24.
• W. Va. Code § 17C-15-31(3): West Virginia: Brakes applied from the cab when gross weight is 3,000 lb or more. Breakaway: Required: brakes must apply automatically on an accidental breakaway. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Wis. Stat. § 347.35(3)(a) and (am): Wisconsin: Brakes when gross weight is 3,000 lb or more (trailers built after January 1, 1942), unless the trailer is no more than 40 percent of the tow vehicle's gross weight and the combination meets the stopping standard. Brake system design is left to department rule (§ 347.35(3)(b)); the statute itself has no breakaway clause. Farm trailers are excluded. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Wyo. Stat. § 31-5-950: Wyoming: No weight threshold in statute: every vehicle and combination must stop from 20 mph within 40 feet; the superintendent may require more by regulation. Performance rule only in the statute. Any highway department regulation adding a trailer threshold was not checked. Checked 2026-10-24.
• 49 CFR 393.42, Brakes required on all wheels (FMCSA): The federal rule covers commercial motor vehicles. It exempts a semitrailer or full trailer of 1,361 kg (3,000 pounds) gross or less when its axle weight is no more than 40 percent of the towing vehicle's (s. 393.42(b)(3) and (4)). Private towing is set state by state. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Vehicle Equipment Regulation (Alberta), Alta. Reg. 122/2009, s. 18(3) and (4): Brake lamps are required on a trailer whatever it weighs: two at 760 mm wide or wider, one if narrower. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Motor Vehicles Regulations (Yukon), C.O. 1978/120, s. 37: Every trailer in Yukon needs two stop lamps, whether or not it needs brakes. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Tekonsha Prodigy P3 Electronic Brake Control instructions, P/N 5881 Rev C (guidance, not law): Tekonsha's setup: connect the trailer, set power to 6.0 with the engine running, drive at 25 mph on dry level pavement and fully apply the manual control; turn power down if the trailer wheels lock and up if braking is weak; then check with a few low-speed stops using the pedal. Warm the brakes first, never set power high enough to lock the wheels, and re-set it for different loads and road conditions. The P3 shows "No Trailer Connection!" for an unplugged connector, an open brake circuit, corrosion or a lost magnet ground, and "Warning! Overload" for excessive current. Checked 2026-10-24.