A trailer is a vehicle that is not self-propelled but is towed by a motor vehicle. It is designed for carrying goods, and includes a farm trailer. It must be mobile and capable of being towed on its own wheels by a motor vehicle without significant modification or cost. A pre-fabricated mobile home is not a trailer – it does not meet registration requirements and is not eligible for Autopac. A trailer vehicle type includes a body style for cabin or house trailers, which includes (but is not limited to) travel trailers and fifth wheels.

Trailer

Trailer styles are listed alphabetically below:

Gooseneck trailer

A gooseneck trailer hooks up to a truck via either an in-bed or a chassis-mounted 5th wheel hitch, which is somewhat similar to a semi-trailer hook up. They are referred to as gooseneck trailers because of the gooseneck design of the trailer's tongue.

House or cabin trailer

A house or cabin trailer is the body style of a trailer used as a mobile home, mobile industrial or commercial structure, or a travel trailer. Tent trailers are not house or cabin trailers.

Semi-trailer

A semi-trailer" is a trailer constructed so that its weight and the weight of its load are carried partly upon an axle of the truck tractor towing it and partly upon an axle of the trailer. It is equipped with the upper half of a fifth wheel. Semi-trailers are not insured under Basic Autopac, but must be licensed every two years. A pup trailer, single or double axle, with or without a steering axle, when attached to a semi-trailer unit as a train, requires a semi-trailer plate.

Tent trailer

A tent trailer is a movable structure built on its own chassis having a rigid or canvas top and side walls that can be folded for travel. It is designed as a temporary accommodation for travel, recreational or vacation use.

Tow dolly

A tow dolly is a trailer designed to carry one axle of a motor vehicle and used to tow that vehicle behind another motor vehicle. The most common application of a tow dolly is a recreational vehicle, motorhome, pickup truck and camper, towing a small passenger vehicle. One axle of the motor vehicle in tow is mounted on the tow dolly, which in turn is hitched to the towing vehicle. Tow dollies must meet the requirements of The Highway Traffic Act for safety equipment (i.e., lights, brakes and connections).

Utility trailer

A utility trailer" is a body style for a trailer used for any cargo-bearing purposes not defined elsewhere.

Miscellaneous body styles

Driveaway unit

A driveaway unit is a combination of a motor vehicle that moves on its own motive power and one or more vehicles that are either:

• entirely carried
• pulled in such a manner that all of the wheels of the vehicles are on the highway
• partly towed and partly carried

The term driveaway unit also includes the motor vehicle that moves on its own motive power even when it is not in combination with other vehicles. These units must be unladen (i.e., the only goods which can be carried are the units themselves which are part of the driveaway unit).

In order to obtain this variable plate, the insured must have a valid driveaway operation. The plate itself is transferable from one vehicle to another (similar to a Dealer Plate).