| Alaska | Yes | Any load must be contained so it cannot drop, leak or escape, and loads of sand, gravel, dirt or rock need 6 inches of freeboard or a fastened cover. Fines run up to $300 for a first offense and up to $2,500 after three prior convictions. Source: Alaska Stat. § 28.35.251 (Alaska Legislature), read October 5, 2026 |
| Alabama | Yes | No vehicle may be driven unless it is built or loaded to keep its load from dropping, sifting, leaking or escaping. Willfully letting rock, gravel, bricks or litter spill onto a road is a Class B misdemeanor under the criminal littering law. Source: Ala. Code § 32-5-76 (Alabama Legislature), read October 5, 2026 |
| Arkansas | Yes | No vehicle may be driven unless it is loaded so nothing drops, sifts, leaks or escapes. Open beds hauling sand, gravel or rock on paved roads must be covered with a fastened cover; beds built on or before Sept. 30, 2001 may keep 6 inches of freeboard instead. Source: Ark. Code § 27-35-110 (via FindLaw), read October 5, 2026 |
| Arizona | Yes | Loads and any covering must be fastened so nothing drops, sifts, leaks or comes loose. Civil penalties run up to $250 for a first violation, $350 for a repeat within 60 months, $500 if it causes serious injury and $1,000 if it causes a death. Source: Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 28-1098 (Arizona Legislature), read October 5, 2026 |
| California | Yes | No vehicle may be driven unless it is built, covered or loaded so none of its load drops, sifts, leaks, blows, spills or otherwise escapes. Only clear water and feathers from live birds are excepted. Source: Cal. Vehicle Code § 23114 (California Legislative Information), read October 5, 2026 |
| Colorado | Yes | Every load must be built, loaded or securely covered so nothing blows, drops, sifts, leaks or escapes. In a car or pickup it is a class A traffic infraction, or a class 2 misdemeanor traffic offense if it causes bodily injury. Source: C.R.S. § 42-4-1407 (via Colorado.Public.Law), read October 5, 2026 |
| Connecticut | Yes | Vehicles must be loaded so nothing drops, sifts or leaks in a way that is a hazard or nuisance, and every load and covering must be securely fastened. Each violation is an infraction. Source: Conn. Gen. Stat. § 14-271 (via FindLaw), read October 5, 2026 |
| District of Columbia | Yes | Loose debris or cargo that could be dislodged must be covered and restrained so it cannot move, unless it sits at least 6 inches below the top of the container. The civil fine is up to $500. Source: D.C. Code § 50-2101 (D.C. Law Library), read October 5, 2026 |
| Delaware | Yes | No vehicle may be driven unless it is built or loaded to keep its contents from dropping, sifting, leaking or escaping. Fines are $10 to $28.75 for a first offense and $28.75 to $100 for each later offense. Source: Del. Code tit. 21, § 4371 (via FindLaw), read October 5, 2026 |
| Florida | Yes | Loads may not drop, shift, leak or blow off. Dirt, gravel, trash or any object that could fall must be covered with a close-fitting tarp or held by a proper securing device. A violation is a noncriminal traffic infraction. Source: Fla. Stat. § 316.520 (via FindLaw), read October 5, 2026 |
| Georgia | Yes | Loads must be built, loaded or covered so nothing drops, escapes or shifts into a hazard or leaves litter, and any cover must be fastened. Driving with a load that is not adequately secured is a misdemeanor under § 40-6-254. Source: Ga. Code § 40-6-248.1 (via FindLaw), read October 5, 2026 |
| Hawaii | Yes | Loads must be covered or loaded so nothing drops, blows or spills. Loads of loose paper, rubbish, empty cartons, dirt, sand or gravel must be fully covered by a net or tarp. A first violation is fined $250 to $500. Source: Haw. Rev. Stat. § 291C-131 (via FindLaw), read October 5, 2026 |
| Iowa | Yes | No vehicle may be driven unless it is built or loaded, or its load securely covered, so nothing drops, sifts, leaks or escapes and the cover stays on. The scheduled fine is $260. Source: Iowa Code § 321.460 (Iowa Legislature), read October 5, 2026 |
| Idaho | Yes | Every load must be secured so it cannot come loose or become a hazard, and any cover must be fastened. Loads of dirt, sand or gravel on paved highways must be covered unless 6 inches of freeboard is kept. Source: Idaho Code § 49-613 (via FindLaw), read October 5, 2026 |
| Illinois | Yes | No vehicle may be driven with a load that can drop, shift, leak or escape, and loads and covers must be securely fastened. Trucks and other second-division vehicles that let dirt, aggregate, garbage or refuse escape commit a petty offense with a fine of up to $150. Source: 625 ILCS 5/15-109 (via FindLaw), read October 5, 2026 |
| Indiana | Yes | No vehicle may be driven if its contents are dripping, sifting, leaking or otherwise escaping. A violation is a Class C infraction, or a Class A infraction if it causes bodily injury. Source: Ind. Code § 9-21-8-48 (via FindLaw), read October 5, 2026 |
| Kansas | Yes | No vehicle may be driven unless it is built or loaded so its load cannot drop, sift, leak or escape, and every load and covering must be securely fastened so it cannot come loose or become a hazard. Source: K.S.A. 8-1906 (Kansas Revisor of Statutes), read October 5, 2026 |
| Kentucky | Yes | Vehicles must keep their contents from escaping, and a load that can shift or spill must be covered for any trip of more than one mile on a public highway. Fines run $20 to $100 per offense. Source: Ky. Rev. Stat. § 189.150 (via FindLaw), read October 5, 2026 |
| Louisiana | Yes | A load may not drop, sift, leak or escape, and every load and covering must be securely fastened. Commercial haulers of garbage, refuse or other discarded material must also cover their loads. Source: La. R.S. 32:383 (via FindLaw), read October 5, 2026 |
| Massachusetts | Yes | Vehicles must be built or loaded so nothing drops, sifts, leaks or escapes, and loads of sand, gravel, loam, dirt, stone, rubbish or debris must be fully and adequately covered. Fines run $50 to $200. Source: Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 85, § 36 (via FindLaw), read October 5, 2026 |
| Maryland | Yes | A loaded vehicle may not be driven unless it is built or loaded so nothing drops, sifts, leaks or escapes, and the load and any cover are fastened securely. The owner must remove dirt or debris that falls on a highway within a reasonable time. Source: Md. Transp. Code § 24-106 (Maryland General Assembly), read October 5, 2026 |
| Maine | Yes | Loads must be fastened, secured, confined or loaded so no part can fall off, and loads of gravel, sand, crushed stone, rubbish, building debris or trash must be covered or confined. It is a traffic infraction with a $150 to $500 fine. Source: 29-A M.R.S. § 2396 (Maine Legislature), read October 5, 2026 |
| Michigan | Yes | Contents may not drop, sift, leak, blow off or escape, and an open load must be covered with a secured tarp or fastened with binders. A violation is a misdemeanor punishable by up to $500, up to 90 days in jail, or both. Source: Mich. Comp. Laws § 257.720 (via FindLaw), read October 5, 2026 |
| Minnesota | Yes | No vehicle may be driven unless it is built, loaded or its load securely covered so nothing drops, sifts, leaks, blows or otherwise escapes. Source: Minn. Stat. § 169.81, subd. 5 (Minnesota Revisor of Statutes), read October 5, 2026 |
| Missouri | Yes | Vehicles carrying goods or material that could be blown loose or fall off must have a protective cover or secure the load so nothing can fall. A violation is a class C misdemeanor. Source: Mo. Rev. Stat. § 307.010 (via FindLaw), read October 5, 2026 |
| Mississippi | Yes | No vehicle may be driven unless it is built or loaded so none of its load can drop, sift, leak or otherwise escape. Source: Miss. Code § 63-5-55 (via FindLaw), read October 5, 2026 |
| Montana | Yes | A loaded vehicle must be loaded or secured well enough to prevent littering or a dangerous obstruction. If an object such as furniture or an appliance escapes, the driver must remove it when safe and may owe the removal cost. A violation is a misdemeanor. Source: Mont. Code § 61-8-370 (Montana Legislature), read October 5, 2026 |
| North Carolina | Yes | Vehicles must be built and loaded so nothing falls, blows, drops, sifts or leaks, with no holes or cracks it could escape through. Rock, gravel, stone or sand loads must stay 6 inches below the walls, be covered, or both, depending on vehicle weight. Source: N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-116(g) (via FindLaw), read October 5, 2026 |
| North Dakota | Yes | No vehicle may be driven unless it is built or loaded so its contents cannot drop, sift, leak or escape, and every load and covering must be securely fastened. Source: N.D. Cent. Code § 39-21-44.1 (via FindLaw), read October 5, 2026 |
| Nebraska | Yes | Cargo must be distributed and secured so it cannot fall, with tailgates, doors and tarps fastened. Sand, gravel, small rock or refuse piled above the sides must be covered on hard-surfaced state highways. A violation is a Class IV misdemeanor. Source: Neb. Rev. Stat. § 60-6,304 (via FindLaw), read October 5, 2026 |
| New Hampshire | Yes | New Hampshire's unsecured-load statute is RSA 266:72. In its 2012 survey of state laws, the U.S. Government Accountability Office reported that New Hampshire fines are set by individual courts. Source: U.S. GAO, GAO-13-24 (2012), Appendix IV, read October 5, 2026 |
| New Jersey | Yes | A vehicle may not be loaded or driven so its contents can scatter on a street. A load of anything other than farm products that rises above the sides or tailgate must be covered with a secured tarp or other cover. Source: N.J. Stat. § 39:4-77 (via FindLaw), read October 5, 2026 |
| New Mexico | Yes | No vehicle may be driven unless it is built, loaded, secured or covered so nothing drops, sifts, leaks or escapes, and the load and any cover must be securely fastened. Source: N.M. Stat. § 66-7-407 (via FindLaw), read October 5, 2026 |
| Nevada | Yes | No vehicle may be driven unless it is built or loaded so its load cannot drop, sift, leak or escape, and every load and covering must be securely fastened. Source: Nev. Rev. Stat. § 484D.850 (via FindLaw), read October 5, 2026 |
| New York | Yes | Open trucks and trailers hauling loose material must be covered unless nothing can fall or blow out. Loads that can shift or roll must be chained or strapped; violating that is a misdemeanor with fines up to $750 and up to 30 days in jail. Source: N.Y. Veh. & Traf. Law § 380-a (via FindLaw), read October 5, 2026 |
| Ohio | Yes | No vehicle may be driven unless it is built, loaded or covered so nothing drops, sifts, leaks or escapes. Loads of trash, refuse, rubbish, boxes or other material that can blow or bounce out must be covered. A violation is a minor misdemeanor. Source: Ohio Rev. Code § 4513.31 (via FindLaw), read October 5, 2026 |
| Oklahoma | Yes | No vehicle may be driven unless it is built or loaded so nothing drops, sifts, leaks, blows or escapes, and loads and covers must be securely fastened. Loads of sand, cinders or other loose material that can blow must be covered. Source: 47 O.S. § 14-105, as quoted in 2024 HB 3946 (Oklahoma Legislature), read October 5, 2026 |
| Oregon | Yes | It is an offense to drive, or as owner to allow driving, a vehicle loaded so its contents can drop, sift, leak or escape. It is a Class B traffic violation, and violators can also face civil liability for damages. Source: Or. Rev. Stat. § 818.300 (via FindLaw), read October 5, 2026 |
| Pennsylvania | Yes | Loads must be fastened so nothing drops, sifts, leaks or comes loose, and loose garbage going to a disposal site needs a vehicle with four solid sides and a tight cover. Fines are $100 to $300, or $300 to $1,000 if it causes injury or damage. Source: 75 Pa.C.S. § 4903 (via FindLaw), read October 5, 2026 |
| Rhode Island | Yes | No vehicle may be driven unless it is built or loaded so nothing drops, sifts, leaks or escapes. The violations schedule sets a $100 fine for a leaking load. Source: R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-25-9 (via FindLaw), read October 5, 2026 |
| South Carolina | Yes | Loads may not drop, sift, leak or escape. Loads of rock, gravel or stone, and garbage or waste headed to a disposal site, must stay 6 inches below the walls or be covered. Breaking those load rules is a misdemeanor with a $100 fine. Source: S.C. Code § 56-5-4100 (South Carolina Legislature), read October 5, 2026 |
| South Dakota | Yes | No vehicle may be driven unless it is built or loaded so its contents cannot drop, sift, leak or escape. A violation is a Class 2 misdemeanor. Source: S.D. Codified Laws § 32-15-18 (South Dakota Legislature), read October 5, 2026 |
| Tennessee | Yes | Open-bed trucks hauling loose material must keep it at least 4 inches below the bed walls at the front, back and sides, though it may be piled higher in the center. A violation is a Class C misdemeanor charged to the hauler. Source: Tenn. Code § 55-7-109 (via FindLaw), read October 5, 2026 |
| Texas | Yes | Vehicles hauling loose material such as dirt, sand, gravel, refuse or wood chips need a bed with no holes, side panels and a closed tailgate, and must cover the load unless it cannot blow or spill over the top. Fines run $25 to $500. Sources: Tex. Transp. Code § 725.021 (via FindLaw); Tex. Transp. Code § 725.003 (offense; penalty), via FindLaw, read October 5, 2026 |
| Utah | Yes | Driving with an unsecured load is illegal, and trash or garbage must be fully covered. Dirt, sand, gravel or scrap loads must be covered unless kept 6 inches below the sides. Minimum fines are $200, or $500 for a repeat within six years. Source: Utah Code § 72-7-409 (via FindLaw), read October 5, 2026 |
| Virginia | Yes | Vehicles must be built, maintained and loaded so contents cannot drop, sift, leak or escape. Trucks and trailers hauling gravel, sand, coal and similar loads must secure or cover them (pickups are exempt from that cover rule). Letting a load escape is a Class 1 misdemeanor under § 10.1-1424. Source: Va. Code § 46.2-1156 (Virginia Law), read October 5, 2026 |
| Vermont | Yes | No one may drive a motor vehicle or tow a trailer unless it is built and loaded so it creates no hazard to other highway users. Source: 23 V.S.A. § 1454 (Vermont Legislature), read October 5, 2026 |
| Washington | Yes | Loads must be built or fastened so nothing drops, sifts or leaks, and dirt, sand or gravel loads on paved roads must be covered unless 6 inches of freeboard is kept. An unsecured load is an infraction. Source: Rev. Code Wash. § 46.61.655 (via FindLaw), read October 5, 2026 |
| Wisconsin | Yes | No vehicle may be driven unless it is built and loaded so its contents cannot drop, sift, leak or escape. Items carried on a trailer must be secured so the load cannot shift. Source: Wis. Stat. § 348.10 (via FindLaw), read October 5, 2026 |
| West Virginia | Yes | No vehicle or combination may be driven unless it is built or loaded so nothing drops, sifts, leaks or escapes, and driving with a load or cover that is not securely fastened is unlawful. Source: W. Va. Code § 17C-17-6 (via FindLaw), read October 5, 2026 |
| Wyoming | Yes | No vehicle may be driven unless it is built or loaded so its load cannot drop, sift, leak or otherwise escape. Source: Wyo. Stat. § 31-5-228 (via FindLaw), read October 5, 2026 |