How Wide Can Trailers Be?

How Wide Can Trailers Be?

In general, the maximum legal load width is 8.5 feet (102 inches), and the maximum height limit is also 102 inches. Legal length is typically 48 to 53 feet, and the maximum weight is about 46,000 pounds. Some trucks may be able to scale heavier, but 46,000 pounds is usually the standard.

What is the widest load without permit?

Any load more than 8.5 feet wide is, by definition, an oversize load, and with few exceptions will require a state permit to travel on public highways. In some cases, on local, narrower roads, the maximum legal trailer width may be just 8 feet.

How wide can I make a trailer?

Legally, your trailer can only be 8’6″ wide. The majority of states will also only allow a tiny house that is 13’6 inches off the ground, though some Western states permit 14′. No trailer can exceed 53′, unless you have a special permit.

You can tow a boat as big as a 10ft wide without a permit. You will need a wide load permit to tow your boat through a state that has narrower width restrictions than your home state. The law doesn’t matter whether you will be stopping or just passing through; it applies either way.

James H. Sterling
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James H. Sterling

James Sterling reports on renewable energy developments, climate policy, ecological conservation, and green tech innovations around the globe.