Safety Chains and Breakaway Requirements

What rating do trailer safety chains need?

The laws that give a figure word it two ways. In Nova Scotia, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania, each chain on its own must be rated at least the trailer's gross weight. In British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Hawaii, North Carolina and Oregon, the chains together must be. The federal rule for commercial trailers, 49 CFR 393.70(d), Coupling devices and towing methods (FMCSA), is the second kind. Most other laws ask only for chains strong enough to hold or control the trailer, with no number.

So the rating that meets all of them is each chain at least the trailer's GVWR. A 7,000 lb (3,175 kg) trailer on two chains rated 5,000 lb (2,268 kg) each passes the combined rule (10,000 lb (4,536 kg) together) but fails the each-chain rule. On two chains rated 7,800 lb (3,538 kg), the figure CURT part 80302, 35 in safety chain with 1 clevis hook gives for its 1/4 in grade 43 chain, it passes both.

Use the breaking strength (often printed as minimum break force) for this check. The laws above say breaking or ultimate strength, and the makers below publish their figures the same way. The hooks, and the loops they hook onto, need a rating at least as high as the chain: CURT Manufacturing, Safety Chains: Learn More says "Remember, each safety chain assembly connecting your trailer to your vehicle must meet or exceed the gross trailer weight."

Safety chain grades and ratings, as makers publish them

Two things stand out. Size alone does not tell you the rating: CURT's 1/4 in chain is 7,800 lb (3,538 kg) in grade 43 and 12,600 lb (5,715 kg) in grade 70. And the Class 1 to 3 chains in Peerless's chart are rated for light trailers only. Peerless says its chains meet SAE J684, the industry standard for couplings, hitches and safety chains on trailers up to 10,000 lb (4,536 kg) GVWR. J684 itself is a paid standard, so this page does not quote its figures. Maine and Montana set a size instead of a rating: at least 1/4 in (6.4 mm), in 29-A M.R.S. § 2385(3) (Maine) and, for trailers of 3,000 lb (1,361 kg) or less, Mont. Code Ann. § 61-9-208(6)(a).

Safety chain requirements by province and territory

Each province and territory writes its own rule. This is the law as we read it, with the section linked. Where we have not verified it, the row says so.

Ontario: Ontario's coupling regulation, Reg. 618, is written for full trailers behind a truck tractor or another trailer, where each chain must be rated at the gross weight. For a ball-hitch trailer behind a pickup we have only the ministry's handbook so far, which is guidance, not the regulation. New Brunswick: The Motor Vehicle Act sections we read on towing (s. 257) cover drawbar strength and length, not safety chains. We have not yet found the regulation that sets a chain rule, so we do not state one.

Safety chain requirements by state

Every state sets its own rule for private trailers. We publish a state once we have read its statute or regulation. Where the law names a number of chains or says to cross them, that is in the requirement.

Not yet verified: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah, West Virginia, Wyoming. We could not open or have not yet read the governing section, so we do not state a rule. For New York, The only chain rule we found in § 375 is for tow dollies. The general New York trailer chain rule was not found in this section, so New York stays unverified for trailers. Read on Public.Law's copy; the official nysenate.gov page could not be opened as a static page.

How to attach trailer safety chains

1. Hook to the tow vehicle, not the ball. Use the chain loops on the hitch receiver or frame. COMAR 11.13.08.06, Safety Chains and Attaching Means Required (Maryland) puts it plainly: "Safety chain connections may not be made to the hitch ball, the pintle hook, or pintle hook casting, or to a ball mount designed to be readily removable when not in use." A removable ball mount leaves with the trailer if it fails.
2. Cross them under the coupler. Left side of the trailer to the right loop, right side to the left. The X forms a cradle that catches the tongue if it comes off the ball. WAC 204-70-070, Safety chains and attaching means required (Washington): "Be crossed in such a manner as to prevent the tongue from dropping to the ground and to maintain connection in the event of failure of the primary connecting system."
3. Set the slack. Long enough for your tightest turn, short enough not to drag. SDCL 32-19-10 (South Dakota): "No more slack shall be left in safety chains, cables, or equivalent devices than shall be necessary to permit proper turning". Equal slack on both sides, where the law says so (WAC 204-70-070, COMAR 11.13.08.06).
4. Close the hooks. Trailer Couplings and Other Safety Devices Regulations (Nova Scotia), N.S. Reg. 86/73, s. 5 wants hooks "that will not become disconnected accidentally", and California Vehicle Code § 29004 a "positive means" so the connection is not dislodged. A latch or keeper on each hook does it.
5. Never weld or patch a chain. Washington and Maryland ban welding a chain after it is made; replace a cut, cracked or worn link rather than repairing it.

Clip the breakaway cable separately, to the hitch or frame, not to the chains: see the breakaway section below. Ball and ball mount sizing and the hitch class finder cover the rest of the connection.

Do safety chains need to be crossed?

By law in Pennsylvania and Washington: 75 Pa.C.S. § 4905(d) (Pennsylvania) says "The safety chains shall be crossed". Saskatchewan's rule says a chain or cable must be "looped under the tow bar". In Ontario, Ontario Ministry of Transportation, Official MTO Driver's Handbook, Towing: Attaching your trailer (guidance) says chains must be crossed under the tongue. Most other laws say the chains must stop the tongue or drawbar dropping to the ground, which is what crossing does. There is no place where crossing them breaks the law, so cross them.

Trailer safety chains or cables?

Most of the laws we read accept either: "chain, cable or equivalent device" is the usual wording, and British Columbia's "auxiliary coupling device" covers both. Pennsylvania and Prince Edward Island say safety chains, so use chains there. Wisconsin also accepts leveling bars.

Cables suit light trailers. CURT Manufacturing, Safety Chains: Learn More lists its nylon-coated safety cables from 3,500 lb (1,588 kg) to 7,500 lb (3,402 kg), fitted with latches rather than open S-hooks; its chains go much higher. Whichever you pick, the rating rule is the same: at least the trailer's GVWR per cable to be safe everywhere.

Safety chains with hooks: S-hook, latch or clevis

An open S-hook can bounce off over a bump, which is why several laws ask for hooks that cannot come off by accident. A clevis hook with a spring latch, like the CURT parts in the table above, closes the gap. Check the hook is rated at least as high as the chain: a 7,800 lb (3,538 kg) chain on a weak hook is a weak chain.

Buying safety chains at Canadian Tire, Princess Auto, Harbor Freight or Tractor Supply

Wherever you buy them, Canadian Tire, Princess Auto, Harbor Freight, Tractor Supply, Home Depot, O'Reilly or a trailer shop, read the tag before the price:

• A rated breaking strength (minimum break force) at least your trailer's GVWR, per chain.
• A grade stamp on the links (30, 43 or 70). Grade and size together set the rating, as the table above shows.
• Hooks with a latch or keeper, rated as high as the chain.
• A length that reaches your loops crossed, with a little slack for turning.

Buying a breakaway cable or switch at Harbor Freight or a store near you is the same exercise: match it to your brake type (electric or surge), and for electric brakes make sure there is a charged battery behind the switch. The test below tells you whether the whole system works.

What is a breakaway cable, and what does it do?

A breakaway switch sits on the trailer tongue. Its cable clips to the tow vehicle. If the trailer separates, the cable pulls a pin out of the switch and the trailer's own battery applies its electric brakes, so the trailer stops instead of rolling on. Surge-brake trailers carry a breakaway cable at the coupler too. Safety chains hold the trailer to you; the breakaway stops it if the chains fail too.

Several laws spell out how long the brakes must hold. Required brakes must stay applied for at least 15 minutes in British Columbia, Alberta and Yukon, and in many states. Nova Scotia is the place to watch: it requires a breakaway switch on any trailer over 3,000 lb (1,361 kg), below its brake line. The brake rules themselves are on do I need trailer brakes?.

Where a breakaway system is required

These rows come from the same statutes as our trailer brake table. Where a place requires brakes, this is what it says about breakaway; where it says nothing in the sections we read, the row says that.

States missing from this table either have no breakaway clause in the brake section we read or are not yet verified; the brakes page says which. Ontario: We found no breakaway requirement for a light trailer in s. 64 or in the Equipment regulation, Reg. 587.

Breakaway battery: does it need one, and how do I test the switch?

Electric brakes need their own battery for breakaway, because the tow vehicle's power leaves with it. Saskatchewan writes that into law: under The Vehicle Equipment Regulations, 1987 (Saskatchewan), c. V-2.1 Reg 10, ss. 174 and 176, electric breakaway brakes need their own 12 volt power source (s. 176(2)). Surge brakes work mechanically and need no battery.

CURT 52044 breakaway kit installation manual (guidance) gives this test, done with the 7-way plug disconnected:

1. Jack the trailer so a wheel spins free, on jack stands.
2. Spin the wheel and pull the breakaway pin. The wheel should stop at once.
3. Leave the pin out for 15 minutes, then try to turn the wheel. The brakes should still hold.
4. Put the pin back, lower the trailer, and recharge the battery before you tow.

Push the test button on the battery box before every trip. CURT's kit charges from the 7-way plug's auxiliary 12 V circuit while you tow, and gives an average of 9 to 12 months on a charge without maintenance charging. It is not a parking brake.

Breakaway cable: where to clip it, and when to replace it

Clip it to the tow vehicle's hitch or frame on its own, with enough slack to turn. CURT's manual says not to attach it to the safety chains, their hooks or the ball, and to check before each use that the cable has not been damaged by dragging and moves freely. A cable that has frayed from dragging is due for replacement.

Searching "breakaway cable" also turns up USB, Xbox and racing wheel cables. Those are a different product; this page is about trailers.

Weight distribution hitch chains are not safety chains

The chains on a round bar weight distribution hitch hang the spring bars from their brackets, and you set the tension by the links you take up. They carry nothing if the trailer leaves the ball. Chain against bar styles, and how to set them, are on the weight distribution hitch page.

Sources

• 49 CFR 393.70(d), Coupling devices and towing methods (FMCSA): The federal rule for commercial motor vehicles towing a full trailer or converter dolly: a safety device not attached to the pintle hook, no more slack than turning needs, connected so the tow-bar cannot drop to the ground, and as a whole at least the gross weight being towed. Private towing is set by each state. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Vehicle Equipment Regulation (Alta. Reg. 122/2009), s. 98: Alberta: two separate means of attachment, each strong enough to pull all the weight towed (s. 98(2)). The secondary one must keep the trailer tracking behind the tow vehicle and keep the drawbar off the road (s. 98(3)). A fifth wheel trailer needs no second means (s. 98(5)). No chain grade or rating in pounds is set. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Motor Vehicle Act Regulations (B.C. Reg. 26/58), Division 7, s. 7.07(1)(c): British Columbia: an auxiliary coupling device (chains or cable) rated at least the gross weight towed, on every trailer except a semitrailer on a fifth wheel and kingpin behind a truck tractor. The wording is the device as a whole, not each chain. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Vehicle Equipment, Safety and Inspection Regulation (M.R. 31/2019), s. 5.4(1)(g) and (3): Manitoba: an additional chain or cable that stops a full separation, keeps the drawbar off the ground, is not connected to the ball, socket or any fastener of the primary coupling, and meets the breaking strength above. A fifth wheel trailer with a breakaway or emergency braking device is exempt (s. 5.4(3)). Checked 2026-10-24.
• Licensing and Equipment Regulations (CNLR 1007/96), s. 39(c): Newfoundland and Labrador: a chain or metal cable as strong as the hitch itself, on every trailer except a fifth wheel and kingpin semitrailer behind a truck tractor. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Motor Vehicle Equipment Regulations (Northwest Territories, R.R.N.W.T. 1990, c. 12 (Supp.)), s. 72: Northwest Territories: a second coupling device rated like the main one on anything but a fifth wheel. Read on OpenNWT's copy of the government consolidation. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Trailer Couplings and Other Safety Devices Regulations (Nova Scotia), N.S. Reg. 86/73, s. 5: Nova Scotia: a safety connecting device on every trailer, not attached to any part of the hitch that would fail with it, with minimum slack, an ultimate strength not less than the gross weight (each chain on its own when two are used), hooks that will not come off by accident, and connected so the tow bar cannot drop to the ground. The online consolidation is marked unofficial. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Motor Vehicle Equipment Regulations (Nunavut consolidation of R.R.N.W.T. 1990, c. 12 (Supp.)), s. 72: Nunavut kept the same rule as the Northwest Territories: a second coupling device rated like the main one, except on a fifth wheel. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Ontario Ministry of Transportation, Official MTO Driver's Handbook, Towing: Attaching your trailer (guidance, not law): The ministry's handbook also says chains, if used, must be crossed under the tongue so it cannot drop to the road, and the hooks must have latches or devices that will not come off by accident. It is a handbook, not the regulation; we have not yet found the section of Ontario law it rests on for a light trailer. Checked 2026-10-24.
• R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 618, Specifications and Standards for Trailer Couplings, s. 5: Ontario's coupling regulation is written for full trailers behind a truck tractor or another trailer (heavy combinations). It sets the same each-chain strength rule as Nova Scotia, plus hooks that cannot come off by accident. It is not written for a ball-hitch trailer behind a pickup. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Highway Traffic Act (Prince Edward Island), R.S.P.E.I. 1988, c. H-5, s. 127(5): Prince Edward Island: at least two chains of equal length on a drawbar, ball hitch or utility trailer hitch, each strong enough to hold the vehicles together on its own. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Highway Safety Code (CQLR c C-24.2), ss. 245 and 437.1: Quebec: required on any trailer without an independent brake system able to stop it on separation (s. 245). It must be connected while towing, and on a trailer without independent brakes it must keep the trailer following the tow vehicle with the drawbar off the ground (s. 437.1). Checked 2026-10-24.
• The Vehicle Equipment Regulations, 1987 (RRS c V-2.1 Reg 10), s. 199: Saskatchewan, for trailers on anything but a fifth wheel: a secondary coupling device that stops a full separation and keeps the tongue off the ground, not attached to the primary coupling, and if it is a chain or cable, connected to the trailer, looped under the tow bar and connected to the tow vehicle (s. 199(3)). Checked 2026-10-24.
• Motor Vehicles Regulations (Yukon, O.I.C. 1978/120), s. 33: Yukon: two separate means of attachment, each strong enough to pull all the weight towed, with the secondary one keeping the trailer in track and the drawbar off the road. Checked 2026-10-24.
• 13 AAC 04.275(a) and (b) (Alaska): Alaska: a safety chain, chains, cable or equivalent device in addition to the hitch, no more slack than turning needs, connected so the drawbar cannot drop to the ground. Fifth wheel and kingpin couplings are exempt. Read on Cornell LII's reproduction of the Alaska Administrative Code. Checked 2026-10-24.
• California Vehicle Code § 29004: California: a safety chain, cable or equivalent device on every towed vehicle, with a positive means so it cannot become dislodged, no more slack than turning needs, and connected so the drawbar cannot drop to the ground. Fifth wheel and kingpin semitrailers are exempt. Checked 2026-10-24.
• C.R.S. § 42-4-506(3) (Colorado): Colorado: safety chains or cables arranged so the towed vehicle cannot break loose if the drawbar fails, on all motor vehicles and trailers except semitrailers on a proper fifth wheel. Read on Justia's 2025 Colorado Revised Statutes. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Fla. Stat. § 316.530(2): Florida: a trailer on a rear trailer hitch needs safety chains, cables or other devices that comply with the federal driveaway-towaway rules the statute names (49 CFR 393.71), strong enough to keep the connection under all conditions. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Haw. Code R. § 19-133.2-40(a)(5) and (b)(10): Hawaii: an inspection rule. A trailer of any weight fails its safety inspection without chains or cables rated at least its gross weight. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Ind. Code § 9-20-9-8(c): Indiana: suitable safety chains or devices, one on each side of the coupling and at the extreme outer edge of the vehicle. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Iowa Code § 321.462: Iowa: a safety chain in addition to the drawbar, able to hold the towed vehicle if the main connection fails. Checked 2026-10-24.
• 29-A M.R.S. § 2385(3) (Maine): Maine: a safety chain or steel cable in addition to the tow bar, attached to prevent breakaway, on every trailer except truck tractor and semitrailer units on a fifth wheel. Maine sets a minimum size rather than a rating. Checked 2026-10-24.
• COMAR 11.13.08.06, Safety Chains and Attaching Means Required (Maryland): Maryland: a safety chain, cable or equivalent on every towed vehicle; attachment points equally spaced either side of the centreline and not common with the ball or coupling; no welding on the chain; equal slack no more than turning needs; oriented so the tongue cannot drop. Strength is set by the regulation's Table 4, which did not render as text, so this site does not reproduce it. Checked 2026-10-24.
• 540 CMR 22.10, Use of Safety Chains While Towing a Trailer (Massachusetts): Massachusetts: two safety chains, one each side of the hitch, connected so the tow bar cannot drop, not dragging, no more slack than turning needs, and each on its own rated at least the loaded trailer. Read on Cornell LII's reproduction of the CMR. Checked 2026-10-24.
• MCL 257.721(3) (Michigan): Michigan: suitable safety chains or devices, one on each side of the coupling and at the extreme outer edge of the trailer. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Minn. Stat. § 169.82, subd. 3(b): Minnesota: safety chains or cables permanently attached to every trailer except on an approved fifth wheel and kingpin, no longer than free turning needs. Minimum fine $25. Checked 2026-10-24.
• RSMo § 307.170.6 (Missouri): Missouri: required on every towed vehicle, strong enough to control it if the primary coupling fails, except where the coupling is a center-locking ball over or nearly over the rear axle and not on the bumper. Farm implements and vehicles not required to be registered are exempt (307.170.7). Checked 2026-10-24.
• Mont. Code Ann. § 61-9-208(6)(a): Montana, for trailers of 3,000 lb or less: a steel safety chain or cable with no part thinner than one-fourth of an inch. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Neb. Rev. Stat. § 60-6,246(3): Nebraska: two safety chains or cables on cabin (camping), boat and utility trailers. Checked 2026-10-24.
• NAC 484D.130 (Nevada), adopting 49 CFR 393.70 and 393.71: Nevada applies the federal coupling rules to every combination on its highways, so the federal safety device rule (393.70(d)) is Nevada's rule. Checked 2026-10-24.
• RSA 266:63, Trailer Breakaway Safety Chains (New Hampshire): New Hampshire: a chain or cable on every trailer, farm trailers included, connected so the tow-bar cannot drop. Exempt: fifth wheel units, full trailers on a converter dolly, trailers towed by motorcycles, and some farm implements. Checked 2026-10-24.
• N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-123(c): North Carolina: required where the primary attachment is a ball hitch. A trailer with locking pins or bolts strong enough to hold its gross weight is exempt unless federal motor carrier rules apply, as are fifth wheel semitrailers with locking devices. Checked 2026-10-24.
• N.D. Cent. Code § 39-21-44.2: North Dakota: chains and coupling of a design, strength and construction that prevent unintentional uncoupling. Fifth wheels are exempt, as is farm equipment at 25 mph or less. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Ohio Rev. Code § 4513.32(A): Ohio: stay chains or cables on every trailer not connected to a commercial tractor by a fifth wheel. Checked 2026-10-24.
• ORS 818.150(5) and 818.170(2) (Oregon): Oregon: one or more chains or cables, connected so the tow bar cannot drop, no more slack than turning needs. Exempt (818.170(2)): disabled vehicles under tow, dollies without a tow bar, and semitrailers on a fifth wheel or ball assembly over or ahead of the rear axle that cannot separate without a manual release. Checked 2026-10-24.
• 75 Pa.C.S. § 4905(d) (Pennsylvania): Pennsylvania: the chains must also be crossed, connected so the tow bar cannot drop, with no more slack than turning needs. Read on Justia's 2025 Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes. Checked 2026-10-24.
• S.C. Code § 56-5-5150: South Carolina: a safety chain, cable or equivalent device in addition to the drawbar, tongue or hitch, whenever one vehicle tows another. Checked 2026-10-24.
• SDCL 32-19-9 (South Dakota): South Dakota: required above 20 mph; fifth wheel semitrailers and pole, pipe or log dollies are exempt. A Class 2 misdemeanor. Checked 2026-10-24.
• SDCL 32-19-10 (South Dakota): South Dakota: the chains must also be connected so the drawbar cannot drop to the ground and be strong enough to control the trailer if the hitch fails. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Tex. Transp. Code § 545.410: Texas: the statute leaves chain type by trailer weight and the attaching method to Department of Public Safety rules, which this site has not read yet. Agricultural trailers and trailers run under the federal motor carrier rules are exempt. Read on Public.Law's copy; the official statutes.capitol.texas.gov page needs JavaScript. Checked 2026-10-24.
• 23 V.S.A. § 1341, Trailer coaches; safety chain (Vermont): Vermont's section names trailer coaches only, and asks for a hitch, coupling and chain adequate to ensure public safety. It sets no rating. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Va. Code § 46.2-1118: Virginia: an emergency chain or cable on any two vehicles connected by a fifth wheel, drawbar or trailer hitch, plus a locking device on the hitch. Checked 2026-10-24.
• WAC 204-70-070, Safety chains and attaching means required (Washington): Washington: two safety chains, cables or wire ropes; attachment points equally spaced either side of the centreline and not sharing fasteners with the ball or coupling; no welding or cold shuts; equal slack no more than turning needs; crossed; damaged links replaced at once. Chapter 204-70 covers trailers of 10,000 lb GVW or less. Checked 2026-10-24.
• Wis. Stat. § 347.47(3) and (4): Wisconsin: chains, leveling bars or cables on every towed vehicle except fifth wheel semitrailers and pole or pipe dollies, only the slack turning needs, connected so the drawbar cannot drop. Minimum strength is set by department rule (Trans 308), which this site has not read yet. Checked 2026-10-24.
• N.Y. Vehicle and Traffic Law § 375(29-a): The only chain rule we found in § 375 is for tow dollies. The general New York trailer chain rule was not found in this section, so New York stays unverified for trailers. Read on Public.Law's copy; the official nysenate.gov page could not be opened as a static page. Checked 2026-10-24.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.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.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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Peerless Industrial Group, Trailer Safety Chains flyer (27.81) (guidance, not law): Peerless's own chart of the trailer GVWR each of its chains is rated for: Class 1, 3/16 in grade 30, 2,000 lb; Class 2, 5/0 chain, 3,500 lb; Class 3, 1/4 in or 5/16 in grade 30, 5,000 lb; Class 4 and above, 8/0 chain 7,600 lb, 1/4 in grade 70 12,600 lb, 3/8 in grade 43 16,200 lb, 3/8 in grade 70 26,400 lb, 1/2 in grade 70 45,200 lb. The flyer says the chains meet SAE J684 for trailers up to 10,000 lb GVWR and marks the heaviest as not defined by J684. Checked 2026-10-24.
• CURT Manufacturing, Safety Chains: Learn More (guidance, not law): CURT's basic safety chains are grade 30 certified; its standard chains come in 27, 35 and 48 in lengths with minimum break forces from 2,000 to 24,000 lb; its nylon-coated safety cables run from 3,500 to 7,500 lb and use safety latches rather than S-hooks. Checked 2026-10-24.
• CURT part 80302, 35 in safety chain with 1 clevis hook (guidance, not law): A 1/4 in grade 43 chain, 32 in long, with a minimum break force of 7,800 lb. Checked 2026-10-24.
• CURT part 80303, 35 in safety chain with 1 clevis hook (guidance, not law): A 1/4 in grade 70 chain, 32 in long, with a minimum break force of 12,600 lb: the same size as part 80302, a higher grade. Checked 2026-10-24.
• CURT part 80304, 35 in safety chain with 1 clevis hook (guidance, not law): A 5/16 in grade 70 chain, 32 in long, with a minimum break force of 18,800 lb. Checked 2026-10-24.
• CURT part 80315, 35 in safety chain with 1 clevis hook (guidance, not law): A 3/8 in grade 43 chain, 31 in long, with a minimum break force of 16,200 lb. Checked 2026-10-24.
• CURT 52044 breakaway kit installation manual (guidance, not law): CURT's breakaway kit: a switch on the trailer and a 12 V 5 Ah gel cell battery with a charger fed from the 7-way plug's auxiliary 12 V circuit, and a push-to-test button to check the charge before each use. The test is done with the 7-way unplugged and the wheels off the ground: pull the pin, the spinning wheel should stop, and the brakes should still hold after 15 minutes. It says not to use the kit as a parking brake, not to attach the switch cable to the safety chains, hooks or ball, and gives an average battery life of 9 to 12 months on a charge without maintenance charging. Checked 2026-10-24.