Is a Tow Bar Legal in the US?
Fitting a tow bar or receiver hitch is legal in every US state. The rules attach to towing itself: safety chains are near-universally required, trailer brakes become mandatory above state weight thresholds, and in some states the hitch must not hide your plate.
Why?
There is no state where installing a hitch on your own car is restricted, and no inspection barrier to fitting one rated for your vehicle. The legal obligations start when a trailer is attached.
When towing, essentially every state requires safety chains capable of holding the trailer if the coupling fails, crossed under the tongue. Trailer brake rules are state-by-state and keyed to weight: the strictest states require brakes from around 1,000 to 1,500 lb of trailer weight, while many others set the line at 3,000 lb, and breakaway systems are commonly required on heavier trailers.
The one hitch-specific catch is plate visibility: several states, Virginia among them, explicitly prohibit a hitch or ball mounted so it hides any part of the license plate, while others exempt properly installed hitches. If the ball blocks your plate, remove it when not towing in a strict state.
What decides if it's legal
- Fitting a hitch or tow bar is legal in every state.
- Safety chains are required when actually towing, essentially everywhere.
- Trailer brake requirements kick in by weight, from about 1,000 lb in the strictest states to 3,000 lb or more in others.
- In several states a hitch or ball must not block the license plate.
Does it depend on your state?
The hitch itself is fine everywhere; what varies is the trailer-brake weight threshold, chain specifics, and whether a plate partially hidden by a hitch is ticketable in your state.
Related legality guides
Sources
Sources last reviewed July 2026.
This page is general guidance, not legal advice, on the rules in the US for tow bar. The detail varies by exact vehicle and changes over time - confirm with your insurer and the EPA, NHTSA and your state DMV before modifying.