The title compound, N-hydroxy-2-(trimethylammonio)acetamide chloride, C(5)H(13)N(2)O(2)(+).Cl(-), has been synthesized and structurally characterized. The structure consists of betainohydroxamic acid cations and Cl(-) anions linked by N-H.Cl and O-H.Cl hydrogen bonds into chains along [001]. It was found that the positive inductive effect of the charged N atom in close proximity to the hydroxamate carbonyl O atom has a negligible effect on the hydroxamic C-N bond length.