Fact Check: Is New York State Banning Trailer Hitches?

Is New York State banning trailer hitches?

Recently, an article went viral about driving with a trailer hitch or empty ball mount installed when you aren't towing.

Legal To Drive In New York With Trailer Hitch

A truck carries rafting gear.

New York State won't fine or ticket you. It's legal in the Empire State to drive with a trailer hitch or empty ball mount installed when you aren't towing.

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New York State Police debunked the rumor that driving with an empty hitch is illegal. You don't have to remove your hitch receiver when not towing.

However, there are ways you could get pulled over and ticketed

How You Could Get Pulled Over

Electric bikes on a truck hitch rack near a bridge.

New York State does rigorously regulate how the hitch operates, enforces strict visibility for your rear license plate, and demands specific equipment standards to ensure safety on the road.

If your hitch extends over a sidewalk when parked, or blocks automated toll cameras, which New York cracks down on, you risk drawing the attention of law enforcement.

According to NY law, your rear license plate must be clearly visible and not obstructed. If your ball mount, bike rack, or hitch accessory covers the letters, numbers, or state stickers on your plate, you can be ticketed.

This applies even if you are actively towing a trailer that is correctly registered and plate.

Towing Standards

a blue car being loaded onto a flatbed truck

Safety chains are mandatory for all trailers.

Any trailer weighing more than 10,000 lbs must have brakes on all wheels. It's illegal to tow a trailer equipped with brakes if they are not fully functional.

If your trailer is registered in New York and weighs over a certain limit, it must undergo an annual safety inspection at a licensed DMV station

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