If you’ve ever asked yourself, “Do I need a breakaway cable on my trailer?” you’ve come to the right place. You may have seen our post on how to connect a trailer breakaway cable, but are braking systems for trailer breakaways required? In this post, we address this question specifically as it pertains to the laws and regulations in North America as of the time of writing.
What Is a Trailer Breakaway Cable?
A trailer breakaway cable is a small safety cable that connects from your towing vehicle to the breakaway switch attached to the trailer, travel trailer, or 5th wheel. Cars towed behind motorhomes also utilize the same type of safety system.
If a trailer breaks loose from the towing vehicle, you will, of course, no longer have standard braking control of the trailer. The purpose of the breakaway cable is to ensure that the trailer brakes are automatically activated if the trailer becomes disconnected from the towing vehicle. The moment the distance between the towing vehicle and the trailer increases (due to a breakaway), the cable pulls the pin, which activates the trailer’s brakes and brings it to a stop.
It’s important to clarify that the breakaway cable differs from the heavy-duty safety chains (or cables) designed to hold the trailer to the towing vehicle in the event of a hitch failure. That’s an entirely different safety device.
It’s essential to properly connect the trailer breakaway cable to ensure the breakaway system functions as intended when needed. Correctly installed, the cable can prevent accidents and potential injury by activating the trailer’s brakes should the trailer become disconnected. For more on that topic, we refer you again to our post on how to connect a trailer breakaway cable.
Here are a few different types of breakaway cables that can be installed on virtually any trailer:
- RELIABLE SAFETY. This trailer breakaway switch offers safer towing by connecting your vehicle to your trailer's breakaway battery and trailer brakes....
- STRONG CONNECTION. To ensure a dependable electrical connection for the wires, this trailer breakaway switch is equipped with silver contact points
- GOOD PERFORMANCE: Comes with stain steel O ring, easy adapte to your old break away cable pin, heavy duty carabiner makes it easy to clip cable to...
- DURABLE: Trailer Emergency Breakaway Cable wrapped with UV-resistant PU material, make high-strength woven steel wire cable scratch-resistant for...
- PROVIDES A SAFER AND MORE EFFECTIVE CONNECTION to your trailer, because it doesn’t rust, fray or become damaged while towing which keeps you...
- THE COILED CABLE STAYS SAFELY OFF THE GROUND while you’re towing, preventing wear and tear to the cable and providing years of lasting use
Is a Trailer Breakaway Cable Required by Law?
So, if you’ve wondered, “Do I have to have a breakaway cable on my trailer?” the answer is that it depends on where you’re traveling. Most U.S. States and Canadian Provinces do require a breakaway cable, though this is generally based on weight. For a trailer that’s required to be equipped with a breakaway cable system, it must automatically activate emergency brakes should the trailer become separated from the tow vehicle.
In the U.S., both state and federal regulations require breakaway kits on certain types of trailers. For instance, U.S. federal law states that if you’re towing a trailer with a gross weight of 3,000 lbs or more, it must have a breakaway kit installed. So, while there are states whose regulations apply to trailers with higher weights than 3,000 lbs, you still need to be in compliance with federal law.
Even the compact TAXA Mantis weighs in at 3,115 lbs. Many other small travel trailers are below, but very close, to the 3,000 lb cut-off weight that U.S. federal law requires to have a breakaway system. (Photo: TAXA Outdoors)
That said, some states may have additional requirements or exceptions related to a trailer brake system, so you may also want to check the laws in your home state or wherever you intend to travel. However, overall, you need a breakaway cable on any trailer weighing over 3,000 lbs when towing in the United States.
According to the Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations, trailers with a gross weight exceeding 4,500 kg (9,921 lbs) that are equipped with electric brakes must have a breakaway system installed. But here again, some provinces and territories may have additional requirements or exceptions, so you’ll want to check with your local transportation authority to make sure you’re following all appropriate laws and regulations in all Canadian provinces and territories.
While you, of course, want to ensure that you’re legal in any state/province you travel through, we suggest that the best way to think about these sorts of RVing questions is from a safety standpoint first and foremost. In our opinion, regardless of the regulations where you travel, it’s a good idea to have a breakaway cable system on all trailers.
Even if your trailer is in compliance with state and federal laws and regulations without a breakaway kit, having a breakaway system on any trailer is important from a safety perspective.
A breakaway system is a critical safety feature of any trailer. While it may only be required by law for certain types or weights of trailers, it’s highly recommended for all trailers. If you add a breakaway kit to your towing system, you’re not only increasing your safety and that of your property, you’re also increasing the safety of everyone traveling with and around you when you’re towing. This alone is reason enough to have a breakaway kit installed.
Installing a breakaway system isn’t difficult, but it’s important to follow proper guidelines and instructions to ensure it’s done properly. You’ll also want to maintain and regularly test your breakaway cable to ensure that it’ll work when you need it. For more information regarding installation and some important notes on what to avoid when you install a breakaway system, please see our post, How to Connect a Trailer Breakaway Cable the Right Way.
And if you want to be sure your trailer is able to stop quickly and under control, be sure to read our article, The Best Trailer Brake Controllers: Safely Stop Your Trailer.
UPDATE! NEW TRAILER TOWING & WEIGHT LIMIT POST, VIDEO & CALCULATOR!
We’re excited to announce that we’ve released a new video and blog post all about Trailer Towing & Weight Limits. We’ve included a FREE towing and weight calculator that we designed to do all the math for you, making sure your rig is properly balanced and within all weight limits. Don’t let a sagging trailer alert everyone in the campground that you’re overweight, and don’t let the dreaded trailer sway ruin your trip (or worse)!
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Letmgrow
Saturday 6th of September 2025
How many folks do you know who actually pull the pin on the brake system and check if the brakes activate or ever go to the trouble of exposing the battery for the system and do a voltage test of the battery with the trailer wiring whip disconnected? There is a myriad of older trailers in use which I'd bet never had a battery tested or replaced. These batteries don't last forever. In a perfect world the vehicle to trailer wiring should be able to supply voltage to the brakes but will it? Some variables here too. Nothing is perfect.
Jay
Saturday 6th of September 2025
We've had 3 tow dollies over the years, mostly having electric brakes powered by a controller in the MH. None appear to have breakaway systems (but they all had safety chains). If a dolly got separated from the MH, its power cables would also get pulled off and there would be no power to the electric brakes. I guess that the dolly and its attached vehicle would eventually stop when it hit something. The dolly's brakes do not automatically engage when unpowered because you wouldn't otherwise be able to move it during routine disconnecting.
When flat-towing (our preferred method), we use our breakaway cable (of course), but if the supplemental braking system is only powered through its umbilical, then what would happen if the umbilical got pulled off during a breakaway in that situation?
TheRVgeeks
Saturday 6th of September 2025
Good point about tow dollies, @Jay. From what we've found, there are aftermarket addons for enabling a breakaway system. These include a battery to power the electric brakes once a breakaway is triggered. Since not all states require auxiliary braking on tow dollies, we're guessing the manufacturers have decided that it's up to the consumer to determine if its required in their state of residence, and install it as necessary.
Seems like a weak loophole to us, since having that system could be critical to ensuring someone else doesn't get injured or killed. But we do tend to err on the side of caution, so maybe we're just sensitive to that.
As for your towed vehicle's breakaway system, our guess is that it's not ONLY powered by the umbilical. In most systems that we've seen, the auxiliary braking is actually powered from the towed vehicle's battery... and the power being supplied through the umbilical is used to keep the towed vehicle's battery recharged. Of course, there are likely systems that DON'T operate this way, but that would mean they'd definitely be less useful!
Jesse Crouse
Saturday 6th of September 2025
It may not be required, but how would you want to be behind a towed vehicle or trailer with no emergency cable switch when it breaks loose. Give others the same thing you want for yourself. Also check your insurance policy.
TheRVgeeks
Saturday 6th of September 2025
Good points, @Jesse Crouse.
Randy Springer
Saturday 14th of October 2023
When I tow a tow car behind my motorhome, what type of braking system must (or should) the tow car be equipped with? Can the tow vehicle braking system be employed and what type of control should be used?
TheRVgeeks
Saturday 14th of October 2023
Hi Randy! We think this article is a good place to start: https://www.thervgeeks.com/towed-car-brake-systems/ Please check that out, and we'd be happy to answer any follow-up questions the best we can.
Larry Derouin
Sunday 10th of September 2023
Taking Drivers Ed in the late 60's in Ca. and Md.,we were taught "no matter the weight, if the trailer has electric brakes, it MUST HAVE a WORKING breakaway or Deadman switch". I know for a fact in Md, it's required to pass vehicle safety inspection upon transfer of ownership. (Passing safety Inspection is required to get tags & registration).
My understanding is that a trailer of 1500#GTWR and higher requires brakes, whether Electric or Hydraulic surge brakes. You would think if that's so, then a breakaway or Deadman would also be required at the same weight ratings as the operating brakes.