Tennessee trailer laws and regulations
Tennessee trailer rules at a glance: which trailers must be titled, brake threshold, length, width, height limits, hitch, lighting, and mirror requirements.
Tennessee titles and registers most trailers but exempts boat, farm, and utility trailers from registration. The brake threshold is 3,000 lbs, the max trailer width is 102 inches, max trailer length is 40 ft, and the combined rig cannot exceed 65 ft.
Quick reference
| Rule | Tennessee limit |
|---|---|
| Title required | Yes for most; boat/farm/utility exempt from registration |
| Max combined length (tow + trailer) | 65 ft |
| Max trailer length | 40 ft |
| Max trailer width | 102 in (excludes mirrors, clearance lights, accessories) |
| Max height (trailer + load) | 13 ft 6 in |
| Trailer brakes required | Over 3,000 lbs, with driver-cab actuation |
| Breakaway brakes | Must auto-engage on accidental detachment |
| Safety chain | Required in addition to primary coupling |
| Lighting | Rear lamp visible from 500 ft (yellow or red) |
| Mirrors | Side mirrors required if interior view is obstructed |
Source: Tennessee Code Title 55 (Motor Vehicles), administered by the Department of Revenue (titling/registration) and Department of Safety (enforcement).
Title and registration
Not every trailer in Tennessee needs to be registered, but most need a title:
- Boat trailers: title not required, registration not required.
- Farm trailers: registration not required.
- Utility trailers: registration not required.
- Travel trailers, fifth-wheels, commercial trailers, and most others: title and registration both required.
Even when registration is exempt, a title makes ownership transfers and theft claims significantly easier. Most counties title utility trailers on request if the owner wants the paper trail.
Dimensions
- Max combined length (tow vehicle plus trailer): 65 ft.
- Max trailer length: 40 ft.
- Max trailer width: 102 in (clearance lights, mirrors, and safety devices do not count).
- Max overall height including load: 13 ft 6 in.
Anything larger than these limits needs a TDOT oversize permit.
Hitch and safety chain
Regardless of the primary coupling style (ball, pintle, fifth-wheel, gooseneck), Tennessee requires a safety chain or cable as a secondary connection between the tow vehicle and trailer. Crossed chains under the tongue form a “hammock” that catches the tongue if the coupler releases.
Lighting
The state statute requires a lamp at the rear of every towed vehicle emitting yellow or red light visible under normal weather from at least 500 ft. In practice, every trailer also needs:
- Tail lights
- Brake lights
- Turn signals
- License plate light (when registered)
- Reflectors
If you tow with a Ford built between 2021 and 2026 (F-150, Super Duty, Ranger, Expedition, Maverick, Transit, or Lincoln Navigator), check the recall status for 26C10 (NHTSA 26V104000). Ford issued an OTA fix in March 2026 for an Integrated Trailer Module software fault that affects trailer light and brake behavior. Vehicles that have not received the update can still have intermittent trailer wiring problems.
Speed limits
No special towing speed in general traffic. Posted limits apply. An officer can stop you for unsafe operation (trailer swaying, weaving, or going too fast for conditions) even when you are under the posted speed.
Mirrors
If the interior rearview mirror is blocked by the trailer or its load, the vehicle must have side mirrors that give a clear view to the rear. Tennessee does not list a specific distance the driver must see, but a 200 ft rule is standard guidance and what most state troopers reference.
Brakes
Tennessee brake requirements:
- Any trailer or semi trailer over 3,000 lbs gross weight must have brakes the driver can activate from the tow vehicle’s cab.
- The brake system must be designed so that, if the trailer accidentally breaks away from the tow vehicle, the trailer brakes apply automatically.
That second rule is the breakaway switch. Almost every trailer over 3,000 lbs has one: a small pull-pin attached to a battery and brake controller that locks the trailer brakes if the trailer separates. Check it works each time you connect, by pulling the pin with the controller wired but the trailer chocked.
A Tekonsha P3, Redarc Tow-Pro Elite, or Curt Echo controller in the tow vehicle satisfies the cab-control rule.