Tie-down requirements
Tie-down requirements are two tests, both mandatory.
Securement
Federal cargo securement rules apply two separate tests to a load and both have to pass. The first is a minimum number of tie-downs set by the size and weight of what you are hauling.
One for an item up to five feet long and up to 1,100 pounds, two for anything longer than five feet and up to ten feet whatever it weighs, and for loads over ten feet, two for the first ten feet plus one more for each additional ten feet or part of it. The second is a minimum aggregate working load limit equal to at least half the weight of the cargo.
Two heavy straps can satisfy the rating test and still fail the count test. Four light ones can satisfy the count and fail the rating. The other rule worth knowing is about anchoring.
A strap anchored at one end counts for half its marked rating. One anchored at both ends and passing over the machine counts for all of it.
Test one: the minimum count
| Article of cargo | Minimum tie-downs | Typical example |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 5 ft and up to 1,100 lb | 1 | A small youth machine or a mini bike |
| Up to 5 ft but over 1,100 lb | 2 | A short, heavy item: uncommon in powersports |
| Over 5 ft and up to 10 ft, any weight | 2 | Almost every motorcycle, ATV and single side-by-side |
| Over 10 ft | 2 + 1 per additional 10 ft or part | A long side-by-side, or two machines secured as one article |
Federal regulation sets these figures, so they do not vary by state, by trailer or by machine type. What varies is enforcement against private haulers, and the rule is the only place the question has a defined numerical answer.
Test two: the aggregate working load limit
The aggregate working load limit of all the tie-downs on an article must be at least half the weight of that article. Working load limit is the figure stamped on the strap's own tag. Breaking strength is not.
Use the tag’s working load limit. Breaking strength is a different figure and does not establish WLL through an assumed multiplier. Using breaking strength here produces a number that looks like compliance and is not.
How much of a strap's rating counts depends on how it is attached. A tie-down that is attached and secured at one end, anchored to the trailer and hooked to the machine, contributes half its working load limit. One that is attached at both ends and passes over, through or around the machine contributes the whole of it.
Attachment routing changes the aggregate WLL contribution. The independent minimum strap-count requirement still applies.
Working through an example
A 700 lb utility ATV that measures seven feet along the deck, with 1,100 lb rated straps hooked to the machine at one end. The count test: over five feet and up to ten feet, so the minimum is two. The rating test: half of 700 is 350 lb required.
Each one-end strap contributes 550 lb, so a single strap already clears the rating.
The answer is two straps, and the count rule, not the rating rule is what sets it. For the worked 700 lb, 7 ft ATV with 1,100 lb WLL one-end straps, two straps are required by length.
Their combined counted WLL is 1,100 lb, above the 350 lb aggregate requirement. The count test exists for exactly that reason.
Satisfying the rating alone is not enough. The tie-down calculator runs both tests on your own numbers.
Practice the rule does not cover
Meeting the federal minimum is not the same as loading well. Four points, two pulling forward and two pulling rearward, is what stops a machine walking sideways on a road crown or in a crosswind, and the rule does not require it. Compressing the suspension so the straps stay in tension over bumps is what stops them going slack.
The rule does not mention it either.
Anchor points matter as much as strap count. A strap hooked to a handlebar, a brake line, a plastic fender or a fork tube is anchored to something that was not designed for the load, and the failure mode is expensive at best. Use frame points, rated tie-down loops, or a proper handlebar harness that spreads the load.
A cut, frayed, chemically burned or heat-damaged strap has no rating at all, and a damaged ratchet mechanism has none either; neither can be compensated for by adding another strap, because the rule counts rated capacity and a damaged strap does not have any. Replace and not supplement.
References
- Federal rule Protection Against Shifting and Falling Cargo: general securement rules: U.S. Government Publishing Office (eCFR), 49 CFR §§ 393.100–393.114.
- Federal rule What are the general requirements for securing articles of cargo?: U.S. Government Publishing Office (eCFR), 49 CFR § 393.106.
- Federal rule How is the working load limit of a tiedown determined?: U.S. Government Publishing Office (eCFR), 49 CFR § 393.108.
- Federal rule Cargo Securement Rules: driver and carrier guidance: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
Tie-down requirements questions
How many straps does a motorcycle need on a trailer?
At least two under the federal count rule, because almost every motorcycle is over five feet long, and the count applies whatever the machine weighs. The aggregate rating test also applies and is usually satisfied easily at that weight. In practice four points, two forward, two rearward, is what keeps a bike from moving sideways.
What is a working load limit?
The rated capacity marked on the tie-down’s own tag, and it is the only figure the securement rules count. Breaking strength is roughly three times higher and appears on a lot of packaging. Using it in the arithmetic produces a number that looks like compliance and is not. If a strap has no legible tag, it has no rating you can count.
Does attaching a strap at both ends double what it counts?
Effectively yes. A tie-down anchored at one end and hooked to the machine contributes half its working load limit. One anchored at both ends and passing over, through or around the machine contributes the full amount. Changing how you route the straps you already own is usually cheaper than buying heavier ones.
How much aggregate rating do I need?
At least half the weight of the article you are securing. A 700 lb machine needs 350 lb of aggregate working load limit across all its tie-downs, counted according to how each one is attached. The rating test is separate from the minimum count requirement, and both tests must pass.
Do I need to compress the suspension when strapping a bike down?
Compressing the suspension is standard practice. It keeps the straps in tension when the trailer goes over bumps. A machine strapped without compressing the suspension can go momentarily light. The straps slacken and the machine can shift. The rule does not mention it; the physics does.
Where should I hook the straps on a motorcycle?
To frame points, rated tie-down loops, or through a proper handlebar harness that spreads the load across the bars. Never to a brake line, a plastic fender, a fork tube, a mirror or a bar-end; fork tubes in particular are frequently used and are a poor idea, because the load path runs through the seals and the sliders.
How many straps for two machines on one trailer?
Each machine is a separate article of cargo and each needs its own securement meeting both tests. Two machines that are each over five feet need at least two tie-downs each. Each machine’s aggregate rating is measured against its own weight, not the combined total.
Are ratchet straps better than cam buckles?
Ratchets apply far more tension and hold it, ideal for a heavy machine. Keep cranking and they can over-tension enough to damage suspension or bodywork. Cam buckles are gentler and are fine for lighter machines. Either way, the working load limit on the tag is what the rule counts, not the mechanism.
Do the federal rules apply to a private trailer?
The rules are written for commercial motor carriers. Most states impose a general requirement that private loads be secured against shifting or falling, with the detailed numerical rules enforced variably, and using the federal standard anyway is sensible because it is the only published source with a defined answer to how many and rated for what.
Can I use rope instead of straps?
Rope has no marked working load limit, so it contributes nothing to the aggregate rating the rule requires, whatever its actual strength. It also stretches under load and loosens with vibration in a way that webbing does not. For anything that matters, rated webbing tie-downs are the only sensible choice.
What about a wheel chock instead of straps?
A chock holds the front wheel upright and makes loading and strapping far easier. On its own it is not securement. All a chock does is prevent the machine falling over, not restrain it against forward, rearward and lateral forces. Chocks and straps work together; a chock does not reduce the number of tie-downs the rule requires.
How often should I check straps on a long trip?
After the first few miles and at every stop. Straps settle as the load beds in and as the suspension works, and the first check almost always finds one that needs re-tensioning. A strap that has gone visibly slack on a long haul is evidence that something moved. Investigate it instead of just re-tightening.
- Tie-down calculator: run both tests on your load
- Enter the weight, length, strap rating and attachment method.
- GVWR, GCWR, payload and tongue weight first
- Securement only matters once the load is inside every rating.
- Ramp angle, breakover and getting it aboard
- Capacity ratings and the practices that prevent injuries.
- Hauling a machine: the whole order
- Weights first, straps second, and why that order is not arbitrary.