Gross Vehicle Weight Ratings and Licensing
California motorists driving a tow vehicle, such as a truck or a car with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 4,000 lbs. or more, can tow a fifth-wheel travel trailer not used for hire with a GVWR of less than 10,000 lbs. in the state of California with their standard Class C license. If you want to tow a fifth-wheel travel trailer with a GVWR of greater than 10,000, but less than 15,000 lbs., to a camp site or other destination, you can do so only if you add a fifth-wheel recreational endorsement to your license by passing the law (not driving) test for the noncommercial Class A license and for the Class C license (unless you qualified for the Class C license within the past 12 months), according to the California Department of Motor Vehicles.
Individuals with a non-commercial Class A license can haul a fifth-wheel trailer weighing more than 15,000 lbs., if it is not used for hire.
According to the DMV no passenger vehicle, regardless of weight may tow more than one vehicle and no vehicle weighing less than 4,000 lbs. may tow any vehicle (including fifth-wheel trailers) that weigh 6,000 lbs., or more.
Braking System
The California Department of Motor Vehicles requires all fifth-wheel travel trailers with a GVWR of 1,500 pounds or greater to have brakes. The braking system in your tow vehicle must have a braking capacity that is rated for the total load of your fifth-wheel travel trailer. While most fifth-wheel travel trailers are remotely controlled from a tow vehicle using a brake controller, it is always best to test your fifth-wheel travel trailer's breaking capacity and level of stability before traveling across uneven terrain.
Before heading to your outdoor destination, check that the brake controller on your tow vehicle is synced with the brakes on your fifth-wheel travel trailer. When you press the brake inside your tow vehicle, your fifth-wheel trailer should slow to the same speed and come to a complete stop. If your fifth-wheel trailer does not stop, the vehicles are not synced and you must reconnect the brake controller per the manufacturer's instructions.
Weight Distribution
Visit a public scale to obtain the true weight of your vehicle. According to the California DMV, it is essential that you carefully weigh your fifth-wheel travel trailer to ensure the weight distribution is even. Pack camping, hiking and fishing equipment and large gear from front to rear as well as left to right. In California, a trailer vehicle's hitch weight must equal approximately 10 to 15 percent of a trailer's gross weight and be loaded in front of the front axle.
