The Big Rentals Guide to Towing a Car Hauler Trailer in and around Seattle, WA

An open car hauler does nothing to keep the weather off the car, and Seattle is the rainiest big city in the country. So the first question here is not which trailer, it is whether the car on the deck can arrive wet and road-filmed, because on an open hauler through a Puget Sound drizzle, it will. For a work truck or a project car, no problem. For a show car or a fresh build, that answer changes the rental.

Add two more things the region hands you, a statewide 60 mph towing cap and the Cascade passes, and a Seattle car haul becomes as much about weather and patience as about the car itself. Loading it and tying it down is the routine part. This guide covers the sizes that fit real Seattle hauls, the Washington rules that apply the second you couple up, the grades and the rain to plan around, and where you can actually leave the trailer when you are done.

Why Seattle Renters Choose Car Haulers

Start with the market. A metro this size buys and sells a lot of cars, and dealers, auctions and private sales keep vehicles moving to new owners all around the Sound. A car hauler is how they travel when they cannot or should not be driven. Read more about how open and enclosed car haulers compare.

Then there is the Pacific Northwest enthusiast streak. Project builds, imports, classics and track cars all spend time on trailers, and plenty of them do not run under their own power, which means a winch and a plan. Read more about how to tow a non-running vehicle with a rented car hauler.

Beyond that, cars cross the mountains for the eastern half of the state, head to and from the track, and get hauled in and out of storage on the calendar. Wherever the car is going, you will find trailer rentals across the Seattle area from local owners near you.

Washington Towing Laws to Know

Brakes and breakaway

Washington requires brakes on all wheels and a breakaway at 3,000 lb, able to stop the trailer within 40 ft from 20 mph (RCW 46.37.340). A car runs 3,000 to 4,500 lb on its own, so a loaded hauler is past the line, and on the passes those brakes and that charged breakaway battery are what save you coming down. Confirm the trailer's brakes, the breakaway and your tow vehicle's controller, and check the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) before you book. Read more about what GVWR means and how to read it.

Securing the car

Washington's secured-load law, known as Maria's Law, requires that nothing escape the vehicle (RCW 46.61.655). For a car that means four rated tie-downs to the car's designated points, not the suspension, with the parking brake set and the car in gear. Recheck the straps after the first few miles, because a car that creeps on the deck is a car that was not tied down tightly enough. Read more about how to load and tie down a car on a rental trailer.

Speed, lanes and the HOV exception

Washington caps towing at 60 mph, and where a lower truck limit is posted you follow that (RCW 46.61.400). Trailers are barred from the left lane on freeways with three or more lanes in one direction, but here is the local wrinkle worth knowing: the HOV lane is not counted as the left lane, so a vehicle towing a trailer that meets the occupancy requirement may actually use it. That makes Washington an exception to the trailer bans you hit in a lot of states. In practice, a loaded car hauler held to 60 usually belongs in the right lanes anyway, but the carpool lane is not categorically off limits the way it is in California or Texas.

Width and license

Width is capped at 8 ft 6 in, which a car hauler sits inside, all trailers are registered in Washington, and a standard license covers a personal car haul.

Where you can leave it

Seattle holds on-street parking to 72 hours, and a trailer left at the curb is subject to citation and impound. A loaded car hauler is not something to leave on the street while you sort out the car, so plan to stage on private property at both ends and unload promptly.

Matching Trailer to Car

Deck length

Car haulers commonly run 16 to 20 ft of deck. Measure the car rather than trusting the category, since a long sedan, a classic with overhang or a full-size truck eats more deck than you would guess, and check the trailer's payload against the car's curb weight.

Ramps and winch

A low or lowered car drags on a steep ramp, so match the ramp angle and deck height to the car. If it does not run, you need a working winch and a plan, so confirm the winch before you go get the car.

Open or enclosed

This is the Seattle decision, and the rain makes it for you. For a daily driver or a project shell, an open deck is fine. For a classic, a show car, a fresh build or anything with paint you care about, an enclosed hauler keeps the weather and the road film off it, and in this climate that is worth the cost more often than not.

Hitch and balance

Match the coupler and receiver to the loaded weight, confirm the brake controller, and set the car forward on the deck for 10% to 15% tongue weight. Too far back and the trailer sways, which you will feel first in a crosswind on a bridge.

Rain, the Cap and the Passes

An open deck in the rain

Plan for the car to get wet. On an open hauler through a typical Seattle day, the car arrives beaded with water and road grime, which is fine for most hauls and a dealbreaker for a few. If the car cannot take it, that is the argument for an enclosed hauler, not a tarp flapping at highway speed.

Slower by law

The 60 mph cap means traffic will pass you, and that is the law working as intended. Hold the right lanes and do not chase the flow, because a loaded hauler pushed past 60 gets light and nervous, especially on wet pavement. Give yourself a longer trip than the map suggests.

The Cascade passes

Cross to the eastern side of the state and you are on Snoqualmie or another mountain route, which means sustained grades and, in winter, traction and chain requirements. A loaded hauler works the brakes hard on a long descent, so downshift and let the engine hold your speed rather than riding the pedal. Check WSDOT pass conditions before you go, and do not take a car over a pass in a storm.

Wind and water

The bridges and open stretches around the Sound catch crosswind, and a car up on a deck gives the wind a big surface. Keep the load balanced, keep a little weight forward, and ease off in a strong gust rather than fighting the wheel.

Insurance and Damage Protection

What about insurance and damage protection?

Before towing a rented trailer, contact your auto insurance provider to ask whether your policy covers liability and towing-related damage claims.

Eligible rentals booked through Big Rentals also include Basic Rental Protection at checkout. This added protection can help limit your financial responsibility for certain damage or theft events during the rental period.

For full details on how Basic Rental Protection works, including deductibles, exclusions, and renter responsibilities, review our FAQ and platform terms.

One thing worth being clear about: that protection applies to the trailer. The car riding on it is a separate conversation, and for a valuable car it is one to have with your own insurer before pickup day.

Ready To Book?

Size the deck to the car, confirm brakes and a winch, tie the car down at four points, choose enclosed for anything the rain would ruin, and hold 60 on the way to the passes. Do that and a car hauler is the dependable way to move a vehicle around the Sound and over the mountains. When you are ready, browse car hauler trailer rentals in Seattle from local owners near you.

The Short Version

• Car haulers move Seattle's regional car market, its Pacific Northwest enthusiast scene, and cars headed over the mountains or into storage.
• A car puts a hauler over Washington's 3,000 lb threshold, so all-wheel brakes and a breakaway are a given (RCW 46.37.340).
• Tie the car down at four rated points under the secured-load law (RCW 46.61.655), parking brake set and in gear, and recheck after a few miles.
• Washington caps towing at 60 mph, and it is the exception on carpool lanes: a trailer that meets occupancy may use the HOV lane, though a loaded hauler usually belongs in the right lanes anyway.
• Plan for an open deck to arrive wet, so choose enclosed for a car you care about; downshift and check WSDOT on the Cascade passes.
• Seattle holds on-street parking to 72 hours and a trailer at the curb can be impounded, so stage on private property, and keep 10% to 15% of the weight on the tongue.