Most people would love their golf carts to be street legal because of their popularity on sidewalks, retirement facilities, and beaches. The tremendous use of golf carts is that they are safe, easy to operate, and slow, keeping you out of trouble. They are also budget-friendly and have a low impact on the environment.
What Most State Laws Say About Golf Carts
Most states don’t allow golf carts on any national, international, or state highways. However, the state allows municipalities to create their own rules and regulations that govern golf carts and LSVs. The essential point most municipality laws agree on is that everyone operating an LSV or golf cart must have a valid driver’s license.
Is Your Golf Cart Street Legal?
It gets a little complicated to decide if golf carts are street legal. The federal government recognizes the use of low-speed vehicles, including golf carts. It allows LSVs to use the roads for limited purposes like short trips to shopping or social gatherings. The targeted roads remained self-contained areas like golf courses or recreational facilities.
On the contrary, the national highway safety administration is broader and doesn’t reflect fully on the interpretation. The current definition states a golf cart is a four-wheeled car that:
- It goes at 20 mph and not more than 25 mph
- It is under 2500 pounds
- Must have a cargo capacity of not less than 80 pounds
How To Obtain a Street-legal Golf Cart?
Some federal laws allow you to operate your golf cart on some roads. It is possible to make your golf cart street legal in your area. But there are requirements to follow to avoid bending the law, especially if your golf cart came missing some parts.
To make your off-road street legal vehicle to operate on a public road, you must equip it with DOT and lighting and safety upgrades which include
- Headlamps
- Parking brake
- Reflex reflectors
- Windshield
- Tail and stop lamps
- Seat belts for every seat
- Front turn signals
- Exterior mirrors
- Vehicle identification number
Safety and lighting are mandatory, but the vehicle identification number (VIN) is confusing because golf carts aren’t supposed to have VIN since they are manufactured as off-road vehicles and are not intended to be operated on public roads.
Requirements For Driving a Golf Cart
A driver’s license isn’t the only requirement you need to drive your golf cart; here are more:
- You must have a low-speed specialized driver’s license.
- Must pass all required tests to ensure you can handle a golf cart
- You must be at least 14 years
Conclusion
Golf carts are convenient and safe; most confined communities use them for short trips. It is possible to make it street legal. However, once you make your golf cart street legal, you will pay all the fees and taxes.
To learn more about street legal vehicle registration you should work with a reputable agent like 5 Star Registration or 1 Dollar Montana. They can tell you all there is to know about Montana vehicle registration, including golf carts registration or ATV registration