The Big Rentals Guide to Towing an Enclosed Trailer in Dallas, TX

You've got a house to move across the metroplex, a load of trade-show gear headed to the convention center or a workshop's worth of tools bound for a new job site — and none of it should ride out in the open. In North Texas, an open trailer means your cargo takes on whatever the sky decides to throw down that afternoon, from spring hail to a wall of blowing dust ahead of a storm line.

That's the case for an enclosed trailer rental in Dallas. Lock it, load it and your cargo stays dry, shaded and secure. But towing one well takes more than backing up to a hitch. Pick a trailer that's too small and you're making a second run across town. Underestimate a North Texas crosswind on an open stretch of I-35 and you'll feel the trailer start to wander. This guide covers the sizes that fit real loads, the Texas rules that apply the moment you couple up and the storm-and-wind prep that keeps a Dallas haul steady.

Why Dallas Renters Choose Enclosed Trailers

Dallas–Fort Worth is one of the fastest-growing metros in the country. The area added nearly 178,000 residents in a single year and led every U.S. metro in new home construction, authorizing more than 71,000 residential units in 2024. Add the steady stream of corporate relocations that keep landing in the region and you get near-constant movement — households changing addresses, contractors shuttling between sites and crews hauling gear across town. An enclosed trailer is the workhorse for all of it because it locks and it stays dry.

Fort Worth brings its own demand. Ranching, agriculture and the aerospace and defense presence out west keep equipment and supplies on the move. And whatever the load, an enclosed trailer keeps it out of the sun, off the radar of anyone eyeing an open deck and safe from the hail that North Texas is famous for. You'll find trailer rentals across Dallas from local owners who know the region's roads and weather.

Texas Towing Laws Every Enclosed Trailer Renter Should Know

A handful of state rules kick in the moment you connect the coupler. Know them before you hit the road.

When your trailer needs its own brakes

Under the Texas Transportation Code §547.401, a trailer needs its own brakes once its gross weight exceeds 4,500 lb. That's a higher bar than many states set, so a lot of smaller enclosed trailers fall under it. But load up a tandem-axle unit and you can clear 4,500 lb without much trouble — and at that point the trailer must have working brakes that stop it safely. Check the trailer's gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) and confirm its brake setup before you book. Read more about what GVWR means and how to read it.

Safety chains, lights and hitch basics

Texas requires safety chains as a secondary connection under Transportation Code §545.410. Cross them under the tongue so they catch the coupler if it comes loose. Every required lamp and reflector has to work too — a burned-out tail or brake light is one of the easiest stops a trooper can make.

Towing speed limits

Unlike some states, Texas doesn't set a separate, lower speed limit for vehicles pulling trailers. The posted limit is the limit. That said, a loaded enclosed trailer on an open North Texas highway is no place to push it — wind and weight both argue for backing off well below the sign.

Do you need a special license?

For a typical enclosed trailer, a standard Texas Class C license is all you need. Texas does have a wrinkle worth knowing: if your truck and trailer together carry a combined rating over 26,001 lb and the trailer alone is rated above 10,000 lb, you'd need a non-commercial Class A license — even for personal use. That's heavy-equipment territory, not a normal enclosed-trailer move, but it's the line to be aware of if you're towing something large.

Width and height

Legal trailer width in Texas is 8 ft 6 in (102 in). Standard enclosed rentals sit within that, so a normal haul won't need an oversize permit.

Matching an Enclosed Trailer to Your Vehicle and Load

The right rental is a match between three things: what you're hauling, what you're towing with and how you load it.

Sizing

Common enclosed sizes run from 5x8 up to 8.5x24. As a rough guide, a 5x8 to 6x12 handles small moves, a motorcycle or general gear, while a 7x14 to 8.5x24 covers full-room moves, equipment and larger vendor loads. When you're on the fence, size up one step — the difference between one trip and two matters more when a storm's building to the west. Read more about choosing the right enclosed trailer size for your load.

Hitch and brake controller

Match the trailer's coupler to your ball size — usually 2 in or 2-5/16 in, listed on the rental. If the trailer has electric brakes, your tow vehicle needs a brake controller installed and working. Confirm your setup before pickup so you're not sorting it out in the lot.

Balance and tongue weight

Aim for about 10% to 15% of the load weight resting on the tongue. Too little and the trailer sways; too much and you overload the hitch. Because an enclosed trailer hides the load, it's easy to stack everything against the back doors and set up a sway you won't notice until you're at speed in a crosswind. Load heavy items low and toward the front, and strap them down so nothing shifts. Read more about the common mistakes renters make with enclosed trailers.

Towing Through North Texas Wind and Storm Season

This is the part that separates a Dallas haul from one anywhere else. The open terrain and the weather add a few risks worth planning around.

Crosswinds and trailer sway

North Texas is flat, open and windy, and an enclosed trailer is basically a tall box that catches every gust. On stretches like I-35 or the tollways, a sudden crosswind or the bow wave off a passing semi can start the trailer swaying. Good tongue weight is your first defense. Beyond that, ease off the throttle rather than steering hard, keep both hands on the wheel and consider a sway-control hitch for bigger loads. On a high-wind advisory day, it's fair to just wait.

Spring storms and hail

North Texas sits in the heart of hail country, and spring brings severe thunderstorms, damaging wind and the occasional tornado watch. An enclosed trailer shields your cargo from hail that would wreck it on an open deck — but check the forecast before a long haul, and don't try to outrun a storm line with a loaded trailer behind you. Parking under cover during the worst of it protects the trailer too.

Summer heat and tires

Dallas summers routinely push past 100 degrees, and hot pavement is hard on trailer tires. Check pressure when the tires are cold, look for age cracking in the sidewalls and don't run tires past their date code. A blowout on a loaded trailer at highway speed is an avoidable way to lose a day.

Winter ice

It doesn't happen often, but when an ice storm hits the metroplex, the roads turn treacherous fast and the region isn't built to clear them quickly. If bridges and overpasses are iced, don't tow. No move is worth sliding a loaded trailer through an intersection.

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.

Ready To Book?

Get the size right, add brakes when your load crosses 4,500 lb and respect the North Texas wind, and an enclosed trailer is the safest way to move valuable cargo across the metroplex. When you're ready, browse enclosed trailer rentals in Dallas from local owners near you.

The Short Version

• Enclosed trailers are the Dallas go-to for relocation, corporate moves and any cargo that needs protection from sun, theft and hail.
• Texas requires trailer brakes once gross weight exceeds 4,500 lb (Transportation Code §547.401) — confirm the trailer's GVWR and brake setup before you book.
• Texas sets no separate towing speed limit, but wind and weight are good reasons to run under the posted sign.
• A standard Class C license covers a typical enclosed-trailer haul; a non-commercial Class A only comes in above 26,001 lb combined with a trailer over 10,000 lb.
• Legal trailer width is 8 ft 6 in, so standard rentals won't need a permit.
• Plan for crosswind sway on open highways, check the forecast for spring hail and check tire pressure and age in the summer heat.
• Match the coupler and brake controller to your tow vehicle, and keep 10% to 15% of the load on the tongue.