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State By State Braking Laws
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From the Digest of Motor Laws / AAA / Edition 73
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| State |
State DOT or DMV Phone Number |
State DOT or DMV Web Address |
Width |
Height |
Max Total Length |
Max Trailer Length |
Trailer Braking System Requirements |
| Alabama |
334-242-6358 |
www.dot.state.al.us |
102" |
13' 6" |
N/A |
40' |
Required over 3000 lbs. GVW |
| Alaska |
907-465-3900 |
www.dot.state.ak.us |
102" |
14' |
75' |
40' |
Required over 5000 lbs. GVW |
| Arizona |
602-712-7227 |
www.azdot.gov |
102" |
13' 6" |
65' |
40' |
Required over 3000 lbs. GVW |
| Arkansas |
501-569-2612 |
www.ahtd.state.ar.us |
102" |
13' 6" |
65' |
53.5' |
Required over 3000 lbs. GVW / all trailers weighing 1500 lbs or more shall have brakes on all wheels |
| California |
916-654-5266 |
www.dot.ca.gov |
102" |
14' |
65' |
40' |
Required over 3000 lbs. GVW / on at least 2 wheels |
| Colorado |
800-999-4997 |
www.dot.state.co.us |
102" |
14' 6" |
70' |
N/A |
Required over 3000 lbs. GVW |
| Connecticut |
860-594-3000 |
www.dot.state.ct.us |
102" |
13' 6" |
60' |
N/A |
Required over 3000 lbs. GVW, On all wheels. All trailers over 8000 lbs. GVW, shall be capable of braking by foot or hand. |
| Delaware |
302-760-2080 |
www.deldot.net |
102" |
13' 6" |
65' |
40' |
Every motor vehicle when operated on a highway shall be equipped with brakes adequate to control the movemant, and to stop and hold such vehicle and any trailer attached thereto, including 2 separate means of applying the brakes. |
| Dist. Columbia |
202-673-6813 |
www.ddot.dc.gov/main.shtm |
N/A |
13' 6" |
85' |
60' |
Required over 3000 lbs. GVW, On all wheels |
| Florida |
850-414-4100 |
www.dot.state.fl.us |
102" |
13' 6" |
65' |
40' |
Required over 3000 lbs. GVW, On all wheels. |
| Georgia |
404-656-5267 |
www.dot.state.ga.us |
102" |
13' 6" |
60' |
N/A |
Required over 3000 lbs. GVW, On all wheels. |
| Hawaii |
808-587-2150 |
www.state.hi.us/dot/ |
108" |
14' |
65' |
40' |
Required over 3000 lbs. GVW |
| Idaho |
208-334-8000 |
www.itd.idaho.gov |
102" |
14' |
75' |
48' |
Trailers with a unladen weight of 1500 lbs. Must have independent braking system |
| Illinois |
217-782-7820 |
www.dot.state.il.us/ |
102" |
13' 6" |
65' |
60' |
Required over 3000 lbs. GVW |
| Indiana |
317-232-5533 |
www.in.gov/dot/ |
102" |
13' 6" |
65' |
N/A |
Required over 3000 lbs. GVW |
| Iowa |
515-239-1101 |
www.dot.state.ia.us |
102" |
13' 6" |
70' |
N/A |
Required over 3000 lbs. GVW |
| Kansas |
785-296-3566 |
www.ksdot.org |
102" |
14' |
65' |
N/A |
Every combination of vehicles shall have a service breaking system, which will stop such combination within 40 feet from an initial speed of 20 mph. |
| Kentucky |
502-564-4890 |
www.kytc.state.ky.us |
96" |
13' 6" |
63' |
N/A |
Kentucky law does not specifically require brakes on trailers, however, vehicles singular or in combination must be able to stop within distance specified by statute. |
| Louisiana |
225-379-1100 |
www.dotd.state.la.us |
96" |
13' 6" |
70' |
40' |
Required over 3000 lbs., GVW On all wheels. |
| Maine |
207-624-3000 |
www.maine.gov/mdot |
102" |
13' 6" |
65' |
48' |
Required over 3000 lbs., GVW On all wheels. |
| Maryland |
410-865-1142 |
www.mdot.state.md.us/ |
102" |
13' 6" |
55' |
40' |
Required over 3000 lbs. GVW. Not required on all wheels if trailer does not exceed 40% of the GVW of the towing vehicle. Over 10,000 lbs required on all wheels |
| Massachusetts |
617-973-7800 |
www.state.ma.us/mhd/ |
102" |
13' 6" |
65' |
40' |
Every trailer having an unladed weight of more than 10,000 lbs shall be equipped with air or electric brakes. |
| Michigan |
517-373-2090 |
www.michigan.gov/mdot |
102" |
12' 6" |
65' |
45' |
Required over 3000 lbs. GVW |
| Minnesota |
651-296-3000 |
www.dot.state.mn.us/ |
102" |
13' 6" |
60' |
45' |
A trailer with a gross weight of 3000 lbs, GVW or more, or a gross weight that exceeds the empty weight of the towing vehicle, must be equipped with brakes that can adequately control the movement of and stop and hold the trailer. |
| Mississippi |
601-359-7001 |
www.mdot.state.ms.us |
102" |
13' 6" |
53' |
40' |
Required over 2000 lbs. GVW, On all wheels. |
| Missouri |
888-275-6636 |
www.modot.state.mo.us/ |
102" |
13' 6" |
55' / 65' |
N/A |
Independent breaking system not required except on trailers coupled by a 5th wheel & kingpin. |
| Montana |
406-444-6200 |
www.mdt.state.mt.us |
102" |
14' |
65' |
N/A |
Required over 3000 lbs. GVW, On all wheels. Less than 3000 lbs GVW not required if the total weight of the trailer does not exceed 40% of the GVW of the towing vehicle. |
| Nebraska |
402-471-2281 |
www.dmv.state.ne.us |
102" |
14' 6" |
65' |
40' |
Required over 3000 lbs. GVW Over 6500 lbs GVW require brakes on all wheels. |
| Nevada |
775-888-7000 |
www.nevadadot.com |
102" |
14' |
70' |
N/A |
Required over 1500 lbs. GVW, On all wheels. |
| New Hampshire |
603-271-3734 |
www.state.nh.us/dot |
102" |
13' 6" |
N/A |
48' |
Every trailer shall at a speed of 20 mph be capable of stopping within a distance of 30 feet. |
| New Jersey |
609-530-3536 |
www.state.nj.us/transportation/ |
102" |
13' 6" |
50' |
40' |
Every trailer must be equipped with brakes and be synchronized with towed vehicle. |
| New Mexico |
505-827-5100 |
www.nmshtd.state.nm.us |
102" |
14' |
75' |
40' |
Required over 3000 lbs. GVW |
| New York |
518-457-6195 |
www.dot.state.ny.us |
102" |
13' 6" |
65' |
48' |
Required on trailers that weigh over 1000 lbs. / adequate brakes requires over 3000 lb GVW |
| North Carolina |
919-733-2522 |
www.ncdot.org |
96" |
13' 6" |
60' |
35' |
Required over 4000 lbs. GVW |
| North Dakota |
701-328-2500 |
www.nd.gov/dot |
102" |
14' |
75' |
53' |
Every trailer must be equipped with adequate brakes. |
| Ohio |
614-466-2335 |
www.dot.state.oh.us |
102" |
13' 6" |
65' |
40' |
Brakes required if the trailer has an empty weight of over 2000 lbs |
| Oklahoma |
405-522-8000 |
www.okladot.state.ok.us |
102" |
13' 6" |
65' |
40' |
Required over 3000 lbs. GVW |
| Oregon |
888-ASK-ODOT |
www.odot.state.or.us/home |
102" |
14' |
65' |
45' |
Independent braking system not required but combination of vehicles must stop within legal limits. |
| Pennsylvania |
717-787-2838 |
www.dot.state.pa.us/ |
102" |
13' 6" |
60' |
N/A |
Every trailer must be equipped with adequate brakes. |
| Rhode Island |
401-222-2481 |
www.dot.state.ri.us |
102" |
13' 6" |
60' |
N/A |
Required over 4000 lbs. GVW, On all wheels. |
| South Carolina |
803-737-2314 |
www.dot.state.sc.us/ |
102" |
13' 6" |
N/A |
48' |
Required over 3000 lbs. GVW, On all wheels. Under 3001 lbs brakes not required unless trailer exceeds 40% of the towing vehicle gross weight. |
| South Dakota |
605-773-3265 |
www.sddot.com |
N/A |
14' |
N/A |
N/A |
Required on all trailers. |
| Tennessee |
615-741-2848 |
www.tdot.state.tn.us/ |
102" |
13' 6" |
N/A |
N/A |
Required over 3000 lbs. GVW |
| Texas |
512-463-8588 |
www.dot.state.tx.us/txdot.htm |
102" |
13' 6" |
65' |
N/A |
Required over 4500 lbs. GVW |
| Utah |
801-965-4559 |
www.dot.state.ut.us |
102" |
14' |
65' |
40' |
Every combination of vehicle shall at a speed of 20 mph be capable of stopping within a distance of 40 feet. |
| Vermont |
802-828-2657 |
www.aot.state.vt.us |
102" |
13' 6" |
65' |
45' |
Required over 3000 lbs. GVW on at least 1 axle. Over 6000 lbs GVW required on all wheels |
| Virginia |
804-786-2801 |
http://virginiadot.org/ |
102" |
13' 6" |
65' |
45' |
Required over 3000 lbs. GVW |
| Washington |
360-705-7000 |
www.wsdot.wa.gov |
102" |
14' |
60' |
N/A |
Required on all trailers on all wheels. Under 3000 lbs not required unless trailer exceeds 40% of the towing vehicle gross weight. |
| West Virginia |
800-642-9066 |
www.wvdot.com |
102" |
13' 6" |
75' |
40' |
Required over 3000 lbs. GVW |
| Wisconsin |
608-266-1466 |
www.dot.wisconsin.gov/ |
102" |
13' 6" |
60' |
N/A |
Required over 3000 lbs. GVW |
| Wyoming |
307-777-4714 |
http://wydotweb.state.wy.us |
102" |
14' |
65' |
45' |
Every combination of vehicle shall at a speed of 20 mph be capable of stopping within a distance of 40 feet. |
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DISCLAIMER: GREAT LAKES TRAILER ASSUMES NO LIABILITY IN THE INFORMATION PROVIDED ABOVE.
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| WE SUGGEST IF YOU HAVE SPECIFIC INFORMATION OR TO VERIFY THE INFORMATION PROVIDED AS STATE LAWS CHANGE OFTEN, USE THE SUPPLIED PHONE NUMBERS OR WEB SITES FOR THE SPECIFIC STATE IN QUESTION. |
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INFORMATION PROVIDED FROM THE AAA DIGEST OF MOTOR LAWS EDITION #73
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