Trailer Rental: Flatbed, Dump, Enclosed & Lowboy Guide

What Is a Trailer?

In the equipment rental context, trailers are unpowered wheeled vehicles towed behind trucks to transport materials, equipment, and supplies to and from job sites. They range from small open utility trailers you can pull behind a pickup to massive lowboy trailers designed to haul 60-ton excavators.

Trailers are one of the most commonly rented equipment categories because the need is often intermittent. You might need a dump trailer for a weekend demolition cleanup, a flatbed to move a skid steer, or an enclosed trailer to secure tools during a multi-week project. Renting avoids the cost of purchase, storage, registration, and maintenance for a piece of equipment you might use a few times per year.

What Types of Trailers Are Available for Rent?

Five main types cover most rental applications: flatbed, dump, enclosed, utility, and lowboy. Each is built for a different combination of load size, material type, and towing setup.

Flatbed Trailers have an open, flat deck with no sides or roof. Available in lengths from 16 to 53 feet with capacities from 7,000 to 48,000+ pounds. They’re the most versatile trailer type. You can load from any side using a forklift, crane, or ramps. Stake sides and tie-down points secure loads. Used for lumber, steel, palletized materials, and oversized items.

Dump Trailers feature a hydraulic lift that tilts the bed to dump loose materials: gravel, dirt, demolition debris, mulch, and asphalt. Sizes range from 6x10 single-axle units (5,000 lb payload) to 7x16 tandem-axle heavyweights (12,000+ lb payload). The hydraulic system is powered by the tow vehicle’s electrical system or an on-board battery/charger.

Enclosed Trailers (also called cargo trailers or box trailers) have walls and a roof, providing weather protection and security for tools, materials, and equipment. Sizes range from 5x8 single-axle units to 8.5x28 tandem-axle models. Rear ramp doors or barn doors allow drive-in loading. Many contractors rent enclosed trailers as mobile tool cribs for the duration of a project.

Utility Trailers are small, open-frame trailers with mesh or solid floors and short sides. Typically 5x8 or 6x12 with 2,000-5,000 lb capacity. They’re the most affordable rental option and perfect for landscaping debris, appliance moves, and light material hauling.

Lowboy Trailers (also called low-bed or drop-deck trailers) have a very low deck height between the gooseneck and rear axles, designed for hauling tall, heavy equipment like excavators, dozers, and cranes. Capacities range from 35,000 to 60,000+ pounds. They require a semi-truck or heavy-duty tractor to pull and typically need a CDL to operate.

What Are Common Uses for Rental Trailers?

Trailers handle a wider range of jobs than most people realize until they need one.

• Equipment transport: Moving excavators, skid steers, mini loaders, and compactors between job sites
• Material delivery: Hauling lumber, steel, roofing materials, drywall, and palletized supplies
• Demolition cleanup: Loading and dumping concrete, drywall, wood, and mixed debris
• Landscaping: Hauling mulch, topsoil, sod, trees, and lawn equipment
• Tool storage: Enclosed trailers serve as lockable, weatherproof tool cribs on job sites
• Event setup: Transporting staging, tents, tables, and equipment for event production
• Agricultural use: Hauling hay, feed, fencing materials, and farm equipment

How Do You Choose the Right Trailer to Rent?

Two numbers matter most: your heaviest load and your tow vehicle’s ratings. Everything else follows from there.

Start with your heaviest load. Weigh or estimate the heaviest single load you’ll carry, add 10-15% for safety margin, and choose a trailer with that much payload capacity (not GVWR; subtract the trailer’s curb weight).

Match the trailer to your tow vehicle. Your truck’s tow rating must exceed the trailer’s GVWR. Also check the truck’s payload rating, since the trailer’s tongue weight (typically 10-15% of GVWR for bumper-pull, 15-25% for gooseneck) counts against your truck’s payload capacity.

Consider loading method. If you’re using a forklift, a flatbed with no sides lets you load from either side. If you’re driving equipment onto the trailer, you need ramps rated for the equipment’s weight. Dump trailers eliminate manual unloading of bulk materials.

Think about access and maneuverability. Longer trailers carry more but are harder to maneuver on tight job sites and residential streets. A 20-foot flatbed might not fit in a driveway that a 14-foot dump trailer handles easily.

Hitch type matters. Bumper-pull trailers use a standard ball hitch and are easier to hook up but have lower capacities (typically under 14,000 lb GVWR). Gooseneck and fifth-wheel trailers connect in the truck bed, handle heavier loads, and are more stable at highway speed, but they require a gooseneck hitch or fifth-wheel plate installed in your truck.

How Much Does It Cost to Rent a Trailer?

Rates scale with payload capacity. Figures below are approximate US averages; actual pricing varies by market, season, and rental duration.

Trailer Type / Capacity	Daily Rate	Weekly Rate	Monthly Rate
Utility Open (5x10)	$55 – $85	$185 – $320	$450 – $750
Enclosed Cargo (6x12)	$85 – $140	$280 – $480	$650 – $1,300
Flatbed (20ft / 10k GVWR)	$110 – $240	$380 – $680	$850 – $1,800
Dump Trailer (7x14 / 14k)	$165 – $320	$550 – $1,100	$1,500 – $3,200
Lowboy (25 Ton)	$350 – $650	$1,300 – $2,400	$3,200 – $6,000

Damage waivers for trailers typically run 10-15% and may cover common tire blowouts and fender dings. Always verify your vehicle’s tow rating against the GVWR of the trailer.

Most trailer rentals are “bare”: you provide the tow vehicle, driver, and any securing hardware. Some companies include ratchet straps and chains; others rent or sell them separately. Delivery and pickup fees (if you need the trailer dropped at your site) typically add $75-$250.

Looking for trailer rental companies near you? Browse independent rental yards in your area through our trailer directory. These are local companies you can call directly.

What Safety Rules Apply to Trailer Rentals?

Most trailer accidents trace back to the same handful of mistakes. Here’s what to avoid.

Weight compliance: Overloading a trailer is the single most common and most dangerous mistake. Exceed the GVWR and you risk tire blowouts, brake failure, and loss of control. Weigh your loaded trailer at a public truck scale if you’re hauling dense materials like concrete, stone, or soil. They’re heavier than they look.

DOT requirements: Trailers operated on public roads must have working lights (brake, turn, running), reflectors, and a valid license plate in most states. Rental companies typically provide a licensed, inspected trailer, but verify lights work before leaving the yard. Trailers over 10,000 lb GVWR may require annual safety inspections depending on your state.

OSHA tie-down requirements: On construction sites, OSHA requires that equipment transported on trailers be properly secured. For over-the-road transport, FMCSA cargo securement rules (49 CFR Part 393) apply: one tie-down for articles 5 feet or less AND 1,100 lbs or less; at least two tie-downs if either threshold is exceeded; and one additional tie-down for every 10 feet of cargo length beyond the first 10 feet.

CDL threshold: If the combined GCVWR of your truck and trailer exceeds 26,000 pounds, you need a Class A CDL in most states. Some states have additional endorsement requirements for certain trailer types.

Brakes: Most states require trailers above a certain GVWR to have their own braking system (electric or surge); thresholds vary widely by state, from 1,000 lbs (e.g. New York) to 3,000 lbs or more. Check your state’s DMV requirements before towing. Your tow vehicle needs a brake controller for electric brakes. Test the brakes before every trip. A loaded trailer without functioning brakes is a catastrophic risk, especially on grades.

Tire condition: Check tire pressure and tread before loading. Trailer tires sit for long periods and are prone to dry rot and underinflation. Most blowouts are caused by underinflation under load.

What Should You Know Before Renting a Trailer?

A few minutes at the rental yard prevents most problems on the road and at the job site.

Inspect the trailer before you leave the rental yard. Walk around it. Check tires (pressure, tread, sidewall cracks), lights (plug in and test all functions), floor condition (rot or damage on wood decks), and the hitch mechanism. Document any pre-existing damage with photos to protect yourself from damage charges on return.

Know your hitch compatibility. Confirm the trailer’s hitch type and ball size before you show up. Bumper-pull trailers require a 2” or 2-5/16” ball. Gooseneck trailers need a gooseneck ball in the truck bed. Showing up with the wrong setup wastes time and delays your project.

Practice backing up. If you don’t regularly tow trailers, spend 10 minutes in an empty parking lot getting comfortable. Backing a trailer is counterintuitive: you steer opposite of where you want the trailer to go. This small investment prevents jackknifing on the job site.

Don’t forget safety chains. Safety chains are required by law and are your last line of defense if the hitch fails. Cross them under the tongue in an X pattern to form a cradle that catches the tongue if it drops.

Load heavy items low and forward. Place the heaviest items over or just forward of the trailer’s axle(s) and as low as possible. Too much weight behind the axle causes trailer sway. Too much weight forward overloads the tongue and your truck’s rear axle.

Return it clean. Most rental agreements require you to return trailers in the condition you received them. Dump trailers caked with concrete or asphalt will incur cleaning fees. Hose it out before returning.