Trailer length restrictions in South Carolina

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
See posts with no answers
Bill_Frisbee

Bill_Frisbee

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 2, 2005
Posts
49
Location
Guelph, Ontario
The Good Sam Club's "RVers Planning Map" indicates that the maximum trailer length that can be towed by a CAR without a special permit in South Carolina is 35 feet.  I have posted this fact on other forums. The responses led me to contact the Good Sam Club directly. Their response is pasted below. My initial emai is below the response.

Bill
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>l

Thank you for contacting the Good Sam Club regarding towing. The towing laws that are listed applies to trucks as well. The maximum feet in South Carolina for towing is 35 feet.

We hope that you find this information helpful. Should you need further assistance or have any other questions, please contact us at [email protected] or 1-800-234-3450 Monday through Friday 5:30 AM to 7:30 PM, and Saturday 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Mountain Time.



Sincerely,

Chavon Carter
Member Services Correspondent
Good Sam



COMMENTS:
I recently recieved the Good Sam Club's RVers Planning Map. On the rear of the map is a table that showsvarious limits, etc. for CARS Towing Trailers. My first question is whether the information in the table applies to pick-up trucks as well as cars? Second question: in the table, it says that the maximim length of trailer permitted without permit in South Carolina is 35 feet. Could you confirm that the 35 foot limit printed on your map is correct?

Thanks
 
The vehicle code of South Carolina reads as follows:

SECTION 56-5-4070. Length of vehicles; limitations on vehicle combinations.

(A) Two or three unit vehicle combinations may be operated on the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, on those qualifying federal-aid highways so designated by the United States Secretary of Transportation, and on other highways as designated by the Department of Transportation in accordance with Section 56-5-4075. The Department of Public Safety may require warning devices which may be necessary to protect public safety. When in use on the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways and "other qualifying highways":

(1) No trailer or semitrailer may be operated in a two unit truck tractor-trailer or truck tractor-semitrailer combination in excess of fifty-three feet, inclusive of the load carried on it. A fifty-three foot long trailer must be equipped with a rear underride guard, and the distance between the kingpin of the vehicle and the center of the rear axle assembly or to the center of the tandem axle assembly if equipped with two axles may be no greater than forty-one feet.

(2) A trailer or semitrailer, operating in a three unit combination, may not exceed a length of twenty-eight and one-half feet, inclusive of the load carried on it.

(3) Auto and boat transporters may not have an overall length in excess of seventy-five feet, exclusive of front and rear overhang. However, front overhang may not exceed three feet, and rear overhang may not exceed four feet.

(4) Saddle mounts and full mounts may not have an overall length in excess of seventy-five feet.

(B) No motor vehicle, exclusive of truck tractors being used in two or three unit combinations on the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, on those qualifying federal-aid highways so designated by the United States Secretary of Transportation, and on other highways as designated by the Department of Transportation in accordance with Section 56-5-4075, may exceed a length of forty feet extreme overall dimension, inclusive of front and rear bumpers and load carried on it, except buses as approved by the Department of Public Safety, or motor homes which may not exceed forty-five feet in length, if the turning radius of the motor home is forty-eight feet or less.

(C) A combination of vehicles coupled together or especially constructed to transport motor vehicles in a truckaway or driveaway service may tow up to three saddle mounts. No other combination of vehicles coupled together may consist of more than two units, except as permitted by subsection (A).

(D) Except as permitted by subsection (A), trailers or semitrailers used within combinations may not exceed a length of fifty-three feet, and auto transporters are excluded from trailer length limitations. A fifty-three foot long trailer must be equipped with a rear underride guard, and the distance between the kingpin of the vehicle and the center of the rear axle assembly or to the center of the tandem axle assembly if equipped with two axles may be no greater than forty-one feet. Auto transporters may be allowed an upper level overhang not to exceed three feet on the front and four feet on the rear.

(E) Except where specifically prohibited in this article, there is no overall length limit on combination vehicles.
 
Carl ...

I have sent another email off to the Good Sam Club asking for the specific reference in the South Carolina Statutes where the 35' length restriction is located. Based on your homework and that of others, methinks they may have a tough time providing that reference. Will post Good Sam's response when I get it.

Bill
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Members online

Total: 1,039 (members: 8, guests: 1,031)

Forum statistics

Threads
131,972
Posts
1,388,447
Members
137,722
Latest member
RoyL57
Back
Top Bottom