{"id":1984,"date":"2020-03-07T21:14:00","date_gmt":"2020-03-07T21:14:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dealerfireblog.com\/thirdcoastautos\/?p=1984"},"modified":"2026-01-16T22:59:09","modified_gmt":"2026-01-16T22:59:09","slug":"texas-flat-towing-laws-and-requirements","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thirdcoastautos.com\/blog\/texas-flat-towing-laws-and-requirements\/","title":{"rendered":"Is flat-towing illegal in Texas?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2>Texas Flat-Towing Laws and Requirements<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Flat-towing, also known as dinghy towing, is a popular way to take an extra vehicle along on a journey. The method is often performed with an RV by individuals who want to bring their own ride-along on their camping journey. However, each state has different regulations regarding flat-towing, and they should all be followed when one drives through that state. What are the Texas flat-towing laws? Is the practice even legal?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-button aligncenter\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thirdcoastautos.com\/blog\/category\/texas\/\"> Get more helpful information about the Lone Star State on our blog! <\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Flat-towing is legal in Texas. <\/strong>However, there are certain regulations one should be sure to follow. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dealerfireblog.com\/thirdcoastautos\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/767\/2020\/03\/texas-lone-star-flag_b.jpg\" alt=\"Texas flag against a sky.\" class=\"wp-image-1986\" width=\"500\" height=\"333\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3>Do you need a trailer brake for flat-towing in Texas?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The maximum towed vehicle weight or stopping distance\nallowed without a trailer brake is capped at 4,500 pounds in Texas. For weights\nhigher than this, a trailer brake is required. This limit varies from state to\nstate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>While towing in Texas, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thirdcoastautos.com\/blog\/does-it-snow-in-austin-tx\/\">do you need to worry about snow?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>Texas Towing Regulations<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>There are also regulations regarding the drawbar\/connector\nused in pulling the drawn vehicle. The connector:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Must be strong enough to pull all the weight\ndrawn<\/li><li>May not exceed a length of fifteen feet between\nthe vehicles, except for when it\u2019s a connection between two vehicles\ntransporting poles, pipes, machinery or other objects of a structural nature\nthat cannot be easily dismembered<\/li><li>When drawing another vehicle and using a chain,\nrope or cable to connect the two, the operator must display a white flag or\ncloth not less than 12 inches square<\/li><li>A motor vehicle may not draw more than three\nmotor vehicles attached to it by the triple saddle-mount method<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3>What is the triple saddle-mount tow method?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The triple saddle-mount method of towing refers to the\npractice of mounting the front wheels of the trailing vehicle onto the bed of\nanother vehicle, while leaving only the rear wheels of the trailing vehicle in\ncontact with the road. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>After you&#8217;re done towing, you may wonder: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thirdcoastautos.com\/blog\/what-are-the-best-pubs-in-austin-tx\/\">What are the best pubs in Austin, Texas?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>Is your flat-towed vehicle considered a trailer?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard defines a trailer\nas a motor vehicle, with or without motive power, that\u2019s designed for carrying\npersons or property, being drawn by another motor vehicle. By this definition,\nwe\u2019d say that yes, the flat-towed vehicle is a trailer. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Texas Flat-Towing Laws and Requirements Flat-towing, also known as dinghy towing, is a popular way to take an extra vehicle along on a journey. The method is often performed with an RV by individuals who want to bring their own ride-along on their camping journey. However, each state has different regulations regarding flat-towing, and they [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1989,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[10,11,3,8],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v16.1.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Find out all the details of Texas Flat-Towing Laws here in the Lone Star State! 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