State law chart
Trailer Safety Chain Laws by State
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Quick answer
39 of the 50 states in this dataset have a safety-chain requirement on file. The statutes vary more than most guides suggest: most require chains or cables strong enough to hold the trailer if the hitch fails, some limit the slack or require two, and only 8 of the rules on file mention crossing them. Crossing them under the coupler is still good practice everywhere. 5 states have not yet had a chain statute confirmed and are marked as needing verification, not as having no rule.
Safety chain requirement by state
| State | Chains required | Statute detail | Sources on file |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | No statewide requirement found | Ala. Code 32-5-51 | Statute read directly |
| Alaska | Yes | 13 AAC 04.275(a)-(b) | Statute read directly |
| Arizona | No statewide requirement found | A.R.S. 28-1108(A); 28-1095(G)(1) | Statute read directly |
| Arkansas | Yes | Ark. Code 27-35-111(a)(2) | Statute read directly |
| California | Yes | Cal. Veh. Code 29004 | Statute read directly |
| Colorado | Yes | C.R.S. 42-4-506(3) | Statute read directly |
| Connecticut | Yes | R.C.S.A. 14-137-123, 14-137-124, as stated by Connecticut DMV | Statute read directly |
| Delaware | No statewide requirement found | 21 Del. C. 4191(b) | Statute read directly |
| Florida | Yes | Fla. Stat. 316.530(2) | Statute read directly |
| Georgia | Needs verification | — | 2 official sources |
| Hawaii | Yes | Haw. Admin. R. 19-133.2-40(a)(5), (b)(10) | Statute read directly |
| Idaho | Needs verification | — | 2 official sources |
| Illinois | Yes | 625 ILCS 5/15-110(b) | Statute read directly |
| Indiana | Yes | Ind. Code 9-20-9-8(c) | Statute read directly |
| Iowa | Yes | Iowa Code 321.462 | Statute read directly |
| Kansas | Yes | K.S.A. 8-1907(a) | Statute read directly |
| Kentucky | Needs verification | — | 2 official sources |
| Louisiana | Yes | La. R.S. 32:384(D) | Statute read directly |
| Maine | Yes | 29-A M.R.S. 2385(3) | Statute read directly |
| Maryland | Yes | COMAR 11.13.08.06 | Statute read directly |
| Massachusetts | Yes | 540 CMR 22.10 | Statute read directly |
| Michigan | Yes | Mich. Comp. Laws 257.721(3) | Statute read directly |
| Minnesota | Yes | Minn. Stat. 169.82, subd. 3(b) | Statute read directly |
| Mississippi | Yes | Miss. Code Ann. 63-5-25(1) (text via Mississippi Legislature bill document) | Statute read directly |
| Missouri | Yes | Mo. Rev. Stat. 307.170.6 | Statute read directly |
| Montana | Yes | Mont. Code Ann. 61-9-208(6)(a) | Statute read directly |
| Nebraska | Yes | Neb. Rev. Stat. 60-6,246(3) | Statute read directly |
| Nevada | Yes | Nev. Admin. Code 484D.130, under NRS 484D.855(2); combination defined at NRS 484A.045 | Statute read directly |
| New Hampshire | Yes | N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. 266:63 | Statute read directly |
| New Jersey | Needs verification | — | 3 official sources |
| New Mexico | No statewide requirement found | NMSA 1978 66-7-408 | Statute read directly |
| New York | Yes | NY VTL 375(1)(c), 375(29-a); NY DMV MV-529C | Statute read directly |
| North Carolina | Yes | N.C.G.S. 20-123(c) | Statute read directly |
| North Dakota | Yes | N.D.C.C. 39-21-44.2 | Statute read directly |
| Ohio | Yes | Ohio Rev. Code 4513.32(A) | Statute read directly |
| Oklahoma | Yes | 47 O.S. 12-405.1(A), (C) | Statute read directly |
| Oregon | Yes | ORS 815.150(5); exemptions ORS 818.170(2) | Statute read directly |
| Pennsylvania | Yes | 75 Pa.C.S. 4905(d) | Statute read directly |
| Rhode Island | No statewide requirement found | R.I. Gen. Laws 31-25-11, 31-25-12 | Statute read directly |
| South Carolina | Yes | S.C. Code 56-5-5150 | Statute read directly |
| South Dakota | Yes | SDCL 32-19-9; 32-19-10 | Statute read directly |
| Tennessee | Yes | Tenn. Code Ann. 55-7-114, per Tennessee Highway Patrol trailer inspection requirements | Statute read directly |
| Texas | Yes | Tex. Transp. Code 545.410 | Statute read directly |
| Utah | Yes | Utah Code 41-6a-1634 | Statute read directly |
| Vermont | Yes | 23 V.S.A. 1341 (definition at 23 V.S.A. 4(41)) | Statute read directly |
| Virginia | Yes | Va. Code 46.2-1118 | Statute read directly |
| Washington | Yes | WAC 204-70-070 | Statute read directly |
| West Virginia | No statewide requirement found | W. Va. Code 17C-17-7; 17C-15-47 | Statute read directly |
| Wisconsin | Yes | Wis. Stat. 347.47(2), (3); capacity per Wis. Admin. Code Trans 308.12(4) | Statute read directly |
| Wyoming | Needs verification | — | 2 official sources |
Where a state shows "Needs verification", a specific statute has not yet been confirmed for this dataset. Rate and cross your chains regardless.
What the statutes actually require
Read side by side, the chain rules on file fall into a few patterns. Many say a chain, cable or equivalent device strong enough to control the trailer if the hitch fails. Several require two, either side of the coupling (Massachusetts, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Washington among them). Some tie the strength to the trailer's weight: Oregon requires a tensile strength equal to the towed vehicle's weight, and North Carolina chains strong enough to hold its gross weight. Tennessee requires two chains crossed under the hitch. The state page quotes your state's wording.
Why cross the chains
Crossed chains form a cradle under the coupler. If the ball fails or the coupler lifts off, the tongue drops into that cradle instead of onto the road, which is what several statutes describe as keeping the drawbar off the ground. Most states do not spell out crossing, but it is how chains do that job.
Getting the slack right
Too tight and the chains bind in a sharp turn or on a steep driveway. Too loose and they drag, wear through and cannot cradle the coupler. Several statutes say no more slack than turning needs. In practice: as short as possible while still allowing the tightest turn you will make, checked by making that turn.
Chain rating and attachment
Use chains and hooks with a stamped rating, and match the rating to at least the loaded weight of the trailer. Hooks with working latches stay put over bumps. Attach to the tow vehicle's chain loops on the hitch receiver or frame, not to the ball mount, which leaves with the trailer if the mount is what fails.
Mistakes that show up at inspection
Twisting a chain to shorten it concentrates load on one link. An unrated hardware-store chain has no known strength. Running chains straight rather than crossed removes the cradle. Clipping the breakaway cable to a chain defeats the breakaway system as well.
Worked example
Worked example: sizing chains for a 7,000 lb trailer
A 7,000 lb loaded travel trailer with a standard bumper-pull coupler and a weight-distribution hitch, in a state whose statute ties chain strength to the towed vehicle's weight.
| Line item | Weight | Where the number comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Loaded trailer weight | 7,000 lb | Scale ticket, not brochure dry weight |
| Minimum rating per chain | 7,000 lb | Each chain rated for the full loaded weight |
| Combined pair rating | 14,000 lb | Either chain can hold the trailer alone |
| Hook type | Rated, latching | Open hooks can bounce free |
| Attachment point | Receiver or frame loop | Not the ball mount |
| Configuration | Crossed under coupler | Forms the cradle |
Chain strength is a number stamped on the chain and hooks, not a guess from link thickness. If nothing is stamped, the strength is unknown and the chain should be replaced.
Frequently asked questions
Are trailer safety chains required in every state?
A requirement is on file for 39 of the 50 states in this dataset. A few states' statutes were read and contain no chain rule, and 5 have not been confirmed yet. Fit rated chains everywhere.
Should safety chains be crossed?
Yes, as practice. Crossing them forms a cradle under the coupler so the tongue cannot hit the road if the hitch fails. Only 8 of the chain rules on file mention crossing, Tennessee's among them, so in most states it is good practice rather than the letter of the law.
How strong do safety chains need to be?
Statutes word it differently: strong enough to control the trailer, to hold its gross weight, or with a tensile strength equal to its weight. Meeting all of those means chains and hooks each rated for at least the trailer's loaded weight.
Can I attach the chains to the ball mount?
No. If the ball mount is what fails, the chains leave with it. Use the chain loops on the receiver or frame.