Let’s say you’re planning a cross-country roadtrip with your camper trailer, it’s important you know where your passengers can legally ride in the trailer and where you could get pulled over and ticketed. But the specifics may come down to what type of trailer hitch you have: eight states only allow passengers in a fifth wheel trailer.

First and foremost. There are 26 states that expressly prohibit passengers from riding in any travel trailer–regardless of hitch type. Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming. Considering that travel trailers have no airbags or a structure to keep from crumpling in the case of a crash, this makes perfect sense.

States that allow passengers in a 5th wheel camper trailer only

There are eight states where you can’t put passengers in your camper trailer if it’s attached to your vehicle with a regular bumper hitch. But they allow passengers in fifth-wheel trailers, under certain conditions. They are California, South Dakota, North Dakota, Oregon, Montana, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and New York.

Most of these eight states have not only specified what type of hitch the travel trailer must use, but have other fine print as well. In California, the doors and windows of your fifth wheel camper trailer must have safety glazing, and your passengers must have a device to communicate with the driver. In Wisconsin, any passengers under 12 must be accompanied by someone who is at least 16.

This is an intriguing caveat. A 5th wheel trailer hitch is essentially a tower installed in your truck bed that attaches to the pivot point of a compatible trailer. By raising the axis point it improves the tow vehicles control over a tall trailer. It also improves weight distribution by moving that axis point between the two vehicles axles–like in a semi truck. There may be less chance a 5th wheel will skid back and forth or blow over while on the road. But if the tow vehicle crashes for another reason, the passengers in a 5th wheel camper trailer won’t have any real protection.

If you don’t see your state on either of these lists, it doesn’t mean that it has a law allowing passengers in any camper trailer. It just means there’s no law expressly prohibiting them. Your city may also have local ordinances dictating who can and can’t ride in a trailer.