I tow an 8500+ pound fiver- I want to tow a 100 pound john boat on a light trailer behind. I live in Texas where double tow is legal. I was wondering if that is just a TX thing or if I can go into some neighboring states too? I have a regular drivers license no class B or A. I tried to do a search but found no good info or list.

Monte

 

http://www.rvsafety.com/state.htm

 

I don't see why you can't tow double in other states as long as the state that you are licensed in and the vehicles are registered in allows it. I think it's just like if one state allows a 14 year old to have a license, other states have to allow it for that person when traveling thru.

 

The rvsafety link is good, but not entirely accurate. For Minnesota it says you can be 75' long. The copy of thge laws that I have is from the book that the state troopers carry and it says 60' is max length for us. My suggestion is to call the state cops in the states you are thinking about and get a copy from them. That way you have "ammunition" in case a local cop is not quite as versed as the state patrol.
Tom

 

[quote author=Crabjoe link=board=11;threadid=20451;start=0#msg191995 date=1065127901]
I don't see why you can't tow double in other states as long as the state that you are licensed in and the vehicles are registered in allows it. I think it's just like if one state allows a 14 year old to have a license, other states have to allow it for that person when traveling thru.


[/quote]

Good thought, but trust me it does not work that way. In Maryland you should know that it took a Federal minimum standards law to allow commercial trucks with doubles. RV's so not fall under the same law. An example of that is Florida where a Dodge 3500 cannot pull a 50 foot trailer that is legal in Alabama and Georgia, but I removed my pickup bed and registered the truck as a tractor, now I fall under the federal mandate and can pull my 50 foot trailer in Florida. Of course if you want to get the $7000 a year insurance and $700 a year tags, you can too.

 

I was suprised to see that in KY it says the max length is only 55'. I know several people breaking that by over 10'.

 

[quote author=Citizen link=board=11;threadid=20451;start=0#msg199666 date=1066829816]
I was suprised to see that in KY it says the max length is only 55'. I know several people breaking that by over 10'.
[/quote]

A little history is in order here to understand the different length limits. Years ago each state had a different length limit. YOu almost had to have a cab over to pull a trailer and be legal in all states. Tennessee was 53' where most states in the east were 55. California had a 65 foot limit making pulling doubles almost impossible and no sleeper. The feds stepped in and determined the length limits minimum which is now 48 foot with any length trailer and all states allow a 53 foot trailer with any length tractor. But this if for interstates and the designated feeder roads and is only for semi trucks. In other than semi "tractors" you are at the mercy of the verious states limits. What are they, every state is different. I got tired of the differing laws and set up as a tractor as mentioned in other posts. Most Rand McNally large maps have the federal limits in them, but this does not apply to a dually and a gooseneck.

 

You can also find this information in the "Trailer Life Directory" under "Rules of the Road and Towing Laws" p20 of the 2003 directory. It has notes on the different rules for each state.
I hope you don't get into a situation where you have to back that rig up.