Utah trailer laws and regulations
Utah trailer rules at a glance: length, width, height limits, hitch and safety chain requirements, lighting, mirrors, and braking standards for towing.
Utah requires safety chains on every towed vehicle, max trailer length is 40 ft, max width is 102 in, max height is 14 ft, combined length is 65 ft, and every motor vehicle and combination must be able to stop within 40 ft from 20 mph. House trailers cannot carry passengers while moving.
Quick reference
| Rule | Utah limit |
|---|---|
| Max combined length (tow + trailer) | 65 ft including bumpers |
| Max trailer length | 40 ft |
| Max trailer width | 102 in (appurtenance exception) |
| Max height (trailer + load) | 14 ft |
| Safety chain or cable | Required on every towed vehicle |
| Riding in house trailer while moving | Prohibited |
| Stopping standard | 40 ft from 20 mph, all combinations |
| Mirrors | Required driver-side + interior or passenger-side |
| Lighting | Tail, brake, license, turn signals, 2 red reflectors; clearance lights over 80 in |
Source: Utah Code Title 41 (Motor Vehicles), administered by the Utah DMV and enforced by Utah Highway Patrol.
Dimensions
- Max combined length (vehicle plus trailer, with bumpers): 65 ft.
- Max trailer length: 40 ft.
- Max trailer width: 102 in. Excess width is allowed when due to an appurtenance (mirror, securement device, etc.).
- Max trailer height including load: 14 ft.
Loads over these limits need an oversize permit from UDOT.
It is also illegal to ride inside a house trailer while it is being towed.
Hitch and safety chains
Utah is specific on safety chain rules. Every towed vehicle must be coupled with a safety chain, cable, or equivalent device in addition to the regular trailer hitch or coupling. The chain must be:
- Securely connected to the chassis of both the tow vehicle and the towed vehicle (and to the drawbar).
- Of sufficient material and strength to prevent the trailer from becoming separated.
- Adjusted with no more slack than necessary for proper turning.
- Attached to the trailer drawbar so it cannot drop to the ground and so the towed vehicle continues to follow the towing vehicle’s path.
The chain requirement does not apply to a semi trailer using a fifth-wheel and kingpin assembly, or to a pole trailer.
Lighting
The basic Utah trailer lighting list:
- Tail lights
- Brake lights
- License plate light
- Turn signals
- Two or more red reflectors
Trailers over 80 in wide also need clearance lights at the corners.
If you tow with a 2021 to 2026 Ford F-150, 2022 to 2026 Super Duty, Ranger, Expedition, Maverick, Transit, or Lincoln Navigator, check the status of recall 26C10 (NHTSA 26V104000). Ford pushed an OTA fix in March 2026 for an Integrated Trailer Module software fault that affects trailer light operation.
Speed limits
No special towing speed in Utah general traffic. Posted limits apply. Trooper discretion covers unsafe operation (sway, weaving) even when you are at or under the posted limit.
Mirrors
All motor vehicles in Utah must have:
- A mirror on the left (driver’s) side, located to give the driver a view of the highway to the rear.
- Plus either an interior mirror approximately centered, or an exterior mirror on the right side.
If the trailer or load blocks the interior mirror, the right-side exterior mirror becomes required, and most drivers add mirror extenders for adequate trailer-side visibility.
Brakes
Utah’s braking standard applies to every motor vehicle and every combination of vehicles:
- The service braking system must be capable of stopping the vehicle or combination within 40 ft from an initial speed of 20 mph, on a level, dry, smooth, hard surface.
- The parking brake system must hold the vehicle or combination on any grade on which it is operated, under all loading conditions.
In practice, that 40 ft stopping rule means a heavy trailer needs working brakes. A 7,000 lb travel trailer behind a half-ton pickup will not stop in 40 ft from 20 mph on the tow vehicle’s brakes alone. An electric brake controller (Tekonsha P3, Redarc Tow-Pro, Curt Echo) in the tow vehicle plus electric brakes on the trailer is the standard setup.
Every trailer with brakes should also have a working breakaway switch that applies the trailer brakes if the trailer separates from the tow vehicle. Test it before every trip.