The first decision you will need to make when purchasing a personal watercraft trailer is how many vessels you will be transporting at any time. If you will normally only be transporting one personal watercraft, or PWC, a single trailer may be fine, but if you will be carrying two PWCs at any time, even if it is only occasionally, you may want to consider purchasing a double personal watercraft trailer. Be sure to choose a trailer that is street-legal; this may require doing some research about the laws in your country or region.
In most cases, a trailer is street-legal if it has electrical hook-ups for brake lights, wheels and an axle of a certain size, and a clearly displayed license plate. These requirements can vary, sometimes significantly, according to country or region, so be sure to check local laws before going shopping for a personal watercraft trailer, especially if you are buying a used trailer. Regardless of your local laws, be sure to choose a personal watercraft trailer that is solidly built, in good shape, and inclusive of all appropriate safety features. The trailer's frame should not have any major dents or rust spots, and the frame should also not be cracked anywhere.
The trailer should have tow chains, which are chains that run from the front of the trailer to the back of the vehicle towing the trailer. These chains are an extra safety feature that will prevent the trailer from detaching from the vehicle even if the hitch should fail. The chains may also prevent the trailer from moving too far in either direction. Every trailer should have these chains, or at the very least, holes through which the chains can be installed. It helps to choose a trailer with a jack stand as well so the trailer can stand alone when not attached to a vehicle.
Look for a personal watercraft trailer that features adequate padding and supports for the watercraft. This will largely be determined by the size of your PWC. The pads, sometimes known as bunks, will support the hull of the PWC during transport and prevent the hull from getting scratched or otherwise damaged during transport. The front of the trailer should have a bow post roller, which will help you haul the PWC onto the trailer more easily. Larger trailers should feature more than one roller to help pull a larger craft onto the trailer.