What Makes a Golf Cart Street Legal?
Street Legal Golf Carts (LSV)
Welcome to our blog! Today we are here to answer for you one of the most common questions we get: What makes a golf cart street legal? If you need more information after reading this, drop a line! This is a lengthy blog post, and there is certainly more to learn, but here are fundamental basics.
Florida Department of Highway and Safety Motor Vehicle Released this Rack Card
"Guide to Owning Low Speed Vehicles"
So we'll break it down for you.
Florida allows LSVs (low speed vehicles) to be used on public roads 35 MPH and under unless that road specifically states that LSVs are not allowed to travel on it regardless of its speed limit. (Yes! We have found these roads, but very rarely - one specifically in central Florida that was 30 MPH but had a DOT sign that stated NO LSVs ALLOWED!).
A 'road ready' golf cart, is not an LSV. Some people use the term road ready and street legal interchangeably - this is wrong. Why? We'll use an HOA in Flagler County as an example. This particular HOA requires a 'road ready' golf cart if you would like to drive it in their community. They want head lights, tail lights, turn signals, brake lights, and a rear view mirror. They require it to be registered with their HOA and added to the driver and owner's home owner's insurance.
So from this point forward, we will refer to what you likely call a street legal vehicle (ready for a license plate) as an LSV, not road ready or street legal to avoid confusion.
The Dreaded Speed Answer
Golf carts at their original state (from the factory, unchanged) are not an LSV. To begin, golf carts in their original state will drive about 13-19 miles per hour (mph) depending on the manufacturer, lift, tire size, motor, and a multitude of other things. LSVs, on the other hand, must legally go a minimum of 20 mph and NO FASTER THAN 25 MPH to be titled as an LSV. You may hear a friend say "my LSV goes 40 MPH" or "I want my LSV to go at LEAST 35 MPH to avoid holding up traffic". This is illegal.
*Side note* We love our customers. We love what we do, we love our product. We love educating people on the laws, rules, and safety regulations for LSVs. But, we've heard this a few times so we just need to address it real quick. Sometimes, after the delivery of a customer's brand new LSV, we get a call a couple days later stating "My LSV is wonderful and beautiful, BUT IT IS SO SLOW! It only goes 23 MPH. I thought I would go 35." ------We are so happy you love your LSV, but please keep in mind, that is exactly what it is, a LOW SPEED VEHICLE. For your safety, and because its the LAW, we will only be able to let your golf cart go 20-25 mph and you can only legally travel on roads 35 mph or less. Sometimes people hear 35 MPH or less and get this slightly confused with the speed of the golf cart. Sit back, relax, slow your pace, take the extra time to enjoy gift of beauty we have all around us in everything that is FLORIDA! *Side Note Over*
What Parts Need To Be Added?
Can we just list them?
- A DOT approved windshield (this is specifically designed for LSVs, is a requirement, and is a very expensive windshield, sometimes over $450!) it is NOT the original windshield you got on your golf cart and will be engraved with DOT, AS4, or AS5
- At least 2 mirrors
- Head lights
- A Parking Brake
- Front Turn Signals
- Rear Turn Signals
- Hazard Lights
- Reflectors
- Tail Lights
- Brake Lights
- Seat Belts for EVERY SEAT (no you cannot flip your rear seat out during inspection to be a dump bed and have no seat belts in that row and pass, if a person can sit there once closed, it requires a seat belt!) 2 Seat belts per row, no more, no less.
- An LSV reflective triangle
- A Wired LED license plate light so that your license plate can be seen at night
- A Windshield Wiping Device
- DOT Approved Tires for On Road
- All Components must be mechanically sound and safe for the road (i.e. brakes, leaf springs, lift kit, tires. EVERYTHING!)
- A VIN Number approved by the State of Florida
- A License Plate
- Registration
- Florida Title for LSV
Many GOLF CARTS come with head lights, tail lights, and a parking brake. Some come with turn signals. Some come with seat belts. Sometimes, its not as simple as just just attaching a turn signal module, bolting on some seat belts to make your golf cart street legal. Many carts require different wiring harnesses to allow all of these components to work together correctly. Many carts require changes in struts (the things that hold up your roof) to make your DOT windshield work. Many carts (primarily electric) require modifications to allow your golf cart to go the minimum LSV speed.
It is an expensive conversion to make a a golf cart an LSV. It takes a good amount of time, and an expensive bundle of parts!
I bought an LSV, how much is my license plate?
When we sell golf carts here, we always give the price as $__________ out the door with the exception of your license plate, registration, and title. We do not include this in the out the door price. Why? We don't know the exact dollar amount your plate will cost. We do not charge an up charge on this service. We go to the tag office, provide your documentation for you, get receipts from the tag office, and charge you exactly what we are charged by them. We always estimate this fee at about $400.
FOUR HUNDRED DOLLARS?! Yes. $400.
Your LSV is getting the same tag as your car. We'll put a picture of the last one we did here so that you can see an example of what your charges will look like.
So the first image includes the license plate and registration totaling $281.10.
The second image shows the title fee totaling $85.75.
Grand Total: $366.85
Yours will look pretty similar to this, but depending on your birthday, if you have a tag to transfer (save $225!) , and a couple other things -- the price will be different.
I bought an LSV, do I need insurance?
YES. If you have an LSV, and you don't have insurance, you are breaking the law and you run of the risk of having your license suspended.. You MUST HAVE Proof of Florida insurance (minimum $10,000 PDL and $10,000 PIP). Adding your LSV to your home owner's insurance is not the right way to add insurance and is not the correct insurance. Appropriate insurance on an LSV will be very similar in price to the insurance on your car, depending on the amount of coverage you choose to add.
This sounds expensive, I am just driving my golf cart over to the beach, less than a mile, I'll pass on making it an LSV.
To begin, if you are traveling on public roads, your golf cart legally needs to be an LSV. If you are taking your golf cart on the drive beach, you will not be granted access without a license plate and registration, just like a car. Please don't break the rules and laws. It ruins it for the rest of us. Plus, we want your squeaky clean criminal record to remain, well, squeaky clean! Driving an unregistered motor vehicle isn't pretty on you!
I live in an HOA, do I need an LSV or can I use my golf cart?
The short answer: We don't know. You need to go directly to your HOA. You need to ask them what their requirements are. Some HOAs require 'road ready'. Some HOAs require "LSV". Some HOAs don't allow golf carts at all. Some HOAs require electric only. In fact, its safe to say every HOA varies their rules slightly.
"Okay, I am officially lost."
Are you trying to make your golf cart an LSV? Call us at (386)402-8991 and we would be happy to guide you through the process. Want to make it even easier? Pop on down to Paradise Power Sports at 920 E 3rd Avenue and buy one of our street legal golf carts.
For More Information on LSVs:
https://www.flhsmv.gov/safety-center/consumer-education/low-speed-vehicles/