New Teton Pass Certification Requirement Takes Effect Oct. 1

Wyoming’s new WY 22 Safe Pass certification requirement takes effect Oct. 1 for qualifying vehicles using Teton Pass. Here’s what truck drivers need to know.

Truck drivers planning to use Wyoming’s Teton Pass will need to complete a new annual self-certification program beginning Oct. 1, 2026, under travel restrictions announced by the Wyoming Department of Transportation.

The WY 22 Safe Pass program applies to vehicles with a gross vehicle weight, gross vehicle weight rating, or gross combined weight rating of 10,000 pounds or more, along with recreational vehicles and any vehicle towing a trailer. Drivers covered by the requirement will not be permitted to travel Wyoming Highway 22 over Teton Pass without an active certification.

WYDOT opened the certification process Sept. 21, giving those who regularly travel the route time to complete it before enforcement begins.

Certification Is Required Annually

Drivers can complete the free certification through WYDOT’s WY 22 Safe Pass portal, where applicants create an account and work through educational materials covering the conditions and restrictions specific to Teton Pass.

The program addresses proper gear selection, brake fade, pre-trip inspections, and trailer and weight restrictions. Teton Pass includes 10% grades, compared with the 5% to 6% grades WYDOT describes as typical for steep highways, increasing the potential for brake problems when equipment is not operated appropriately for the descent.

After completing the materials and required safety acknowledgments, applicants receive a certification that remains active for one year. Certification belongs to the individual rather than a specific vehicle, so one active certification can cover all qualifying vehicles that person operates.

Proof can be presented electronically or as a printed copy if requested by law enforcement. WYDOT recommends downloading the certification after completing the program and keeping a copy available in any qualifying vehicle.

Teton Pass Weight Restrictions Still Apply

Completing Safe Pass certification does not change the existing restrictions governing which trucks can use the route.

WY 22 currently has a permanent 60,000-pound GVW restriction between Jackson and the Idaho state line from mileposts 7 to 17. That limit remains in place after Safe Pass takes effect, along with seasonal closures and any other restrictions imposed on the highway.

As a result, certification does not authorize a vehicle weighing more than 60,000 pounds to cross Teton Pass. Drivers subject to Safe Pass must meet both the certification requirement and the existing restrictions before using the route.

WYDOT’s live 511 information currently lists the 60,000-pound restriction and advises motorists that the additional Safe Pass travel restrictions begin Oct. 1.

An Alternate Route Is Available

Drivers operating a qualifying vehicle who do not complete Safe Pass certification will need to avoid Teton Pass. WYDOT identifies U.S. 26 through Swan Valley and Alpine as the alternate route between Idaho and the Jackson area.

The agency has encouraged regular Teton Pass users to complete certification online before Oct. 1 rather than waiting until they reach the area. Offline applications will also be available at the WYDOT Jackson office, the Wyoming Highway Patrol Port of Entry in Alpine and designated pullouts near the Idaho-Wyoming state line.

WYDOT said the requirement was created in response to the particular conditions on Teton Pass, where the steep grades are combined with commuter, commercial, and tourist traffic. The agency also maintains brake-check areas and runaway vehicle systems along the route, with their locations available through Wyoming’s 511 map.

Drivers planning to cross Teton Pass after Oct. 1 can complete the certification in advance through the WY 22 Safe Pass portal and should continue checking WYDOT travel information for current closures and restrictions before using the pass.