Trailer brake requirements by province

Canada

Every province and territory draws its own line. Here they are side by side, each read from the law itself.

When do you need trailer brakes in Canada?

When the trailer is over the weight line where you are driving. We have read the law for 12 of the 13 provinces and territories. Their lines run from 910 kg to 1,500 kg, and Nova Scotia writes its line in pounds. What gets weighed differs too: some measure the loaded trailer, some its GVWR or registered weight.

Want an answer for your own trailer? The brake checker takes your province, the trailer's weight and the tow vehicle's, and applies the same rows.

Law, not advice. Each row is what the section we cite says, in plain words. Confirm with the province before you rely on a reading near the line, and remember the rule that applies is the one where you are towing.

Trailer brake rules by province and territory

The line is given in the unit the law uses, with the other unit after it.

Trailer brake requirements by province and territory, read at source
Province or territory Brakes required Tow vehicle test What kind of brakes Breakaway Law
Alberta Check my trailer over 910 kg (2,006 lb)maximum gross weight of the trailer Exempt if the trailer is under 50% of the tow vehicle's unladen weight Brakes adequate to control the trailer, loaded or unloaded. The section does not name a type, so surge or electric brakes both qualify if they do that. Exempt if 910 kg or less or under half the tow vehicle's unladen weight, so a trailer needs brakes only when it is over both. This is the rule behind a private passenger vehicle; a commercial tow vehicle uses 2,300 kg (s. 56(4)(b)). A trailer built when federal law did not require brakes is exempt (s. 56(3)). Yes, with the brakes Vehicle Equipment Regulation (Alberta), Alta. Reg. 122/2009, s. 56
British Columbia Check my trailer over 1,400 kg (3,086 lb)licensed vehicle weight of the trailer Also required at any weight if the trailer is at or over 50% of the tow vehicle's licensed weight Brakes at each end of each axle (every wheel), able to control the trailer without pulling it off line. Over 2,800 kg licensed weight the driver must be able to apply them from the seat (s. 5.02(4)(c)), which a surge brake on its own cannot do. A house trailer with more than 2 axles may leave one axle unbraked. Exempt only if 1,400 kg or less and under half the tow vehicle's licensed weight, so a light trailer behind a light car can still need brakes. Yes, over 1,400 kg (3,086 lb) Motor Vehicle Act Regulations (B.C. Reg. 26/58), Division 5, s. 5.02(3) and (4) ; Motor Vehicle Act Regulations (B.C. Reg. 26/58), Division 6, ss. 6.01 and 6.07(1)
Manitoba Check my trailer at or over 1,360 kg (2,998 lb)registered gross weight of the trailer None A service brake system able to stop and hold the trailer at any load within its GVWR. The regulation does not name a type or say which wheels. Section 2.8 lists no breakaway device for trailers under 4,500 kg GVWR. At 4,500 kg GVWR and over, s. 2.7 requires one only if the manufacturer fitted it. The old Highway Traffic Act section with a 910 kg line has been repealed. None in the sections cited Vehicle Equipment, Safety and Inspection Regulation (Manitoba), M.R. 31/2019, s. 2.8(1), item 4
New Brunswick Check my trailer at or over 1,500 kg (3,307 lb)gross mass, trailer plus load None Brakes adequate to control, stop and hold the trailer. Only air brakes must be driver-applied from the cab, so s. 233(3) does not rule out surge brakes. The statute writes the line as one and one-half tonnes, which is 1,500 kg. Yes, with the brakes Motor Vehicle Act (New Brunswick), R.S.N.B. 1973, c. M-17, s. 233(3)
Newfoundland and Labrador Check my trailer Not yet verified Not yet verified We read the Highway Traffic Act and the Licensing and Equipment Regulations and found no trailer weight at which brakes become mandatory. Section 25(5) of the regulations sets a stopping test instead: a loaded combination must stop within 10 m from 30 km/h. Until we find a weight line in force, we do not publish one. Not yet verified Licensing and Equipment Regulations (Newfoundland and Labrador), CNLR 1007/96, s. 25
Northwest Territories Check my trailer at or over 1,360 kg (2,998 lb)GVWR of the trailer Exempt if the trailer is under 50% of the tow vehicle's GVWR The service and emergency brake standards in ss. 42 and 43 apply, and on a trailer built after 1984 the brakes must act on both ends of each axle (s. 56(b)). Exempt if the GVWR is under 1,360 kg or under 50% of the tow vehicle's GVWR. Automatic application on separation is required only for air brakes (s. 45(1)(f)). Read from OpenNWT's copy of the government consolidation, because the GNWT PDF link was down. None in the sections cited Motor Vehicle Equipment Regulations (Northwest Territories), R.R.N.W.T. 1990, c. 12 (Supp.), ss. 53 and 56
Nova Scotia Check my trailer over 4,000 lb (1,814 kg)gross weight of load and vehicle None Adequate brakes controlled by the driver of the towing vehicle (s. 23A). Read plainly, a surge brake, which the driver does not control, does not meet that wording. That is our reading, so confirm with Nova Scotia before relying on surge brakes over 4,000 lb. Nova Scotia writes both lines in pounds, and the breakaway line is lower than the brake line. The online consolidation of s. 23A is marked unofficial. Yes, over 3,000 lb (1,361 kg) Standards of Vehicle Equipment Regulations (Nova Scotia), N.S. Reg. 51/85, s. 23A ; Trailer Couplings and Other Safety Devices Regulations (Nova Scotia), N.S. Reg. 86/73, s. 6
Nunavut Check my trailer at or over 1,360 kg (2,998 lb)GVWR of the trailer Exempt if the trailer is under 50% of the tow vehicle's GVWR The same rules as the Northwest Territories regulation Nunavut kept in 1999: brake standards in ss. 42 and 43, and brakes on both ends of each axle on trailers built after 1984 (s. 56(b)). Exempt if the GVWR is under 1,360 kg or under 50% of the tow vehicle's GVWR. Nunavut's consolidation is marked not up to date; the one later amendment does not touch these sections. None in the sections cited Motor Vehicle Equipment Regulations (Nunavut), R.R.N.W.T. 1990, c. 12 (Supp.), ss. 53 and 56
Ontario Check my trailer at or over 1,360 kg (2,998 lb)gross weight, trailer plus load None Brakes adequate to stop and to hold the trailer. Section 64(5) does not name a type or say which wheels, so surge or electric brakes both qualify if they do that. We found no breakaway requirement for a light trailer in s. 64 or in the Equipment regulation, Reg. 587. None in the sections cited Highway Traffic Act (Ontario), R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 64(5) ; R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 587 (Equipment), under the Highway Traffic Act (Ontario)
Prince Edward Island Check my trailer at or over 1,500 kg (3,307 lb)gross weight, trailer plus load None Brakes adequate to control, stop and hold the trailer; driver-applied from the cab only for air brakes. New trailers sold in PEI need service brakes on all wheels (s. 124(5)). Yes, with the brakes Highway Traffic Act (Prince Edward Island), R.S.P.E.I. 1988, c. H-5, s. 124(4) and (5)
Quebec Check my trailer at or over 1,300 kg (2,866 lb)mass of the trailer, once loaded Also required at any weight if the trailer is over 50% of the tow vehicle's net mass An independent braking system acting on every weight-bearing wheel, and the tow vehicle must carry the equipment to operate it (s. 244). Brakes are required at 1,300 kg loaded, or when the loaded trailer is over half the tow vehicle's net mass. Section 245 requires safety chains or a cable on any trailer whose brakes cannot stop it if it separates; it does not mandate a breakaway device as such. None in the sections cited Highway Safety Code (Quebec), CQLR c. C-24.2, ss. 244 and 245
Saskatchewan Check my trailer over 1,360 kg (2,998 lb)GVWR of the trailer Also required at any weight if the trailer is over 150% of the tow vehicle's GVWR Brakes on both ends of every axle (one axle if built before 1985). Electric brakes over 2,800 kg GVWR, and non-electric brakes such as surge over 3,700 kg GVWR, must be applied by the tow vehicle's brake pedal (s. 174(3)), so surge brakes stop being acceptable above 3,700 kg. Section 174(1) also lists clause (a), any type T-1 or T-2 trailer, joined to the 1,360 kg clause by "or". Read literally that would reach every trailer; we show the 1,360 kg line because it is the only weight in the section. Confirm with SGI if your trailer is lighter. Clause (c) also catches a trailer whose GVWR exceeds the tow vehicle's by more than 50%. Yes, with the brakes The Vehicle Equipment Regulations, 1987 (Saskatchewan), c. V-2.1 Reg 10, ss. 174 and 176
Yukon Check my trailer over 910 kg (2,006 lb)gross laden weight of the trailer Exempt if the trailer is under 50% of the towing unit's weight Adequate brakes: the combination must stop within the Act's distances and the brakes must hold the trailer on any Yukon highway grade (s. 40(1)). Over 1,365 kg gross, a service brake on each wheel (s. 53). Exempt if 910 kg or less or under half the towing unit's weight. Trailers of non-residents touring Yukon are exempt if they meet their home rules. Section 54(2) lists exceptions to the breakaway rule that the published consolidation does not render legibly. Yes, over 1,365 kg (3,009 lb) Motor Vehicles Regulations (Yukon), C.O. 1978/120, ss. 40, 53 and 54

BC, Alberta and Ontario in plain words

When do you need trailer brakes in BC?

In British Columbia, a trailer needs brakes over 1,400 kg (3,086 lb), measured on the licensed vehicle weight of the trailer. Brakes are also required when the trailer is at or over 50% of the tow vehicle's licensed weight. What is required: Brakes at each end of each axle (every wheel), able to control the trailer without pulling it off line. Over 2,800 kg licensed weight the driver must be able to apply them from the seat (s. 5.02(4)(c)), which a surge brake on its own cannot do. A house trailer with more than 2 axles may leave one axle unbraked. Source: Motor Vehicle Act Regulations (B.C. Reg. 26/58), Division 5, s. 5.02(3) and (4).

When do you need trailer brakes in Alberta?

In Alberta, a trailer needs brakes over 910 kg (2,006 lb), measured on the maximum gross weight of the trailer. A trailer over the line is still exempt if it is under 50% of the tow vehicle's unladen weight. What is required: Brakes adequate to control the trailer, loaded or unloaded. The section does not name a type, so surge or electric brakes both qualify if they do that. Source: Vehicle Equipment Regulation (Alberta), Alta. Reg. 122/2009, s. 56.

When do you need trailer brakes in Ontario?

In Ontario, a trailer needs brakes at or over 1,360 kg (2,998 lb), measured on the gross weight, trailer plus load. What is required: Brakes adequate to stop and to hold the trailer. Section 64(5) does not name a type or say which wheels, so surge or electric brakes both qualify if they do that. Source: Highway Traffic Act (Ontario), R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 64(5).

Trailer brake controllers in Canada

No province names a brand or type of controller. What the law does in three places is require the driver to be able to apply the trailer brakes: British Columbia over 2,800 kg, Saskatchewan for non-electric brakes over 3,700 kg GVWR, and Nova Scotia over 4,000 lb. A surge brake works on its own when the trailer pushes on the hitch, so above those lines electric or electric-over-hydraulic brakes with a controller are the practical answer. How to set one up is on the brake checker page.

Towing into the United States?

Each state sets its own line, usually in pounds. The state table covers all fifty states and DC from the same data.

Sources

Common questions

When do you need trailer brakes in Canada?
It depends on the province or territory. The lines we have read run from 910 kg to 1,500 kg, and Nova Scotia writes its line in pounds, over 4,000 lb (1,814 kg). Several provinces also compare the trailer with the tow vehicle, so a light trailer behind a small car can need brakes. Newfoundland and Labrador is not yet verified.
When do you need trailer brakes in BC?
In British Columbia, a trailer needs brakes over 1,400 kg (3,086 lb), measured on the licensed vehicle weight of the trailer. Brakes are also required when the trailer is at or over 50% of the tow vehicle's licensed weight. What is required: Brakes at each end of each axle (every wheel), able to control the trailer without pulling it off line. Over 2,800 kg licensed weight the driver must be able to apply them from the seat (s. 5.02(4)(c)), which a surge brake on its own cannot do. A house trailer with more than 2 axles may leave one axle unbraked. Source: Motor Vehicle Act Regulations (B.C. Reg. 26/58), Division 5, s. 5.02(3) and (4).
When do you need trailer brakes in Alberta?
In Alberta, a trailer needs brakes over 910 kg (2,006 lb), measured on the maximum gross weight of the trailer. A trailer over the line is still exempt if it is under 50% of the tow vehicle's unladen weight. What is required: Brakes adequate to control the trailer, loaded or unloaded. The section does not name a type, so surge or electric brakes both qualify if they do that. Source: Vehicle Equipment Regulation (Alberta), Alta. Reg. 122/2009, s. 56.
When do you need trailer brakes in Ontario?
In Ontario, a trailer needs brakes at or over 1,360 kg (2,998 lb), measured on the gross weight, trailer plus load. What is required: Brakes adequate to stop and to hold the trailer. Section 64(5) does not name a type or say which wheels, so surge or electric brakes both qualify if they do that. Source: Highway Traffic Act (Ontario), R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 64(5).
When do you need trailer brakes in Saskatchewan?
In Saskatchewan, a trailer needs brakes over 1,360 kg (2,998 lb), measured on the GVWR of the trailer. Brakes are also required when the trailer is over 150% of the tow vehicle's GVWR. What is required: Brakes on both ends of every axle (one axle if built before 1985). Electric brakes over 2,800 kg GVWR, and non-electric brakes such as surge over 3,700 kg GVWR, must be applied by the tow vehicle's brake pedal (s. 174(3)), so surge brakes stop being acceptable above 3,700 kg. Source: The Vehicle Equipment Regulations, 1987 (Saskatchewan), c. V-2.1 Reg 10, ss. 174 and 176.
When do you need trailer brakes in Quebec?
In Quebec, a trailer needs brakes at or over 1,300 kg (2,866 lb), measured on the mass of the trailer, once loaded. Brakes are also required when the trailer is over 50% of the tow vehicle's net mass. What is required: An independent braking system acting on every weight-bearing wheel, and the tow vehicle must carry the equipment to operate it (s. 244). Source: Highway Safety Code (Quebec), CQLR c. C-24.2, ss. 244 and 245.
Do I need a trailer brake controller in Canada?
If the trailer has electric brakes, yes: the controller in the tow vehicle is what applies them. No province names a brand or type of controller. Three set a weight above which the driver must be able to apply the trailer brakes: British Columbia over 2,800 kg licensed weight, Saskatchewan for non-electric brakes over 3,700 kg GVWR, and Nova Scotia over 4,000 lb. Above those lines, electric or electric-over-hydraulic brakes with a controller are the usual way to comply.
Is a federal rule the same as the provincial trailer brake rules?
No. Trailer brake lines for private trailers are set by each province and territory, which is why they differ. The US federal rule, 49 CFR 393.42, Brakes required on all wheels (FMCSA), covers commercial vehicles in the United States only.