Are Golf Carts Street Legal in Virginia?

In Virginia, a regular golf cart is only street legal on public roads that your city, county, or town has specifically designated for golf carts, and only where the speed limit is 25 mph or less. A low-speed vehicle (LSV) is different: it's titled, registered, and insured through the DMV and can drive on roads posted at 35 mph or less. Here's how the rules work, explained by Virginia Golf Cars in Newport News.

Golf Carts vs. Low-Speed Vehicles (LSVs)

Virginia law treats golf carts and LSVs as two separate kinds of vehicles, with different rules for where they can go.

• Golf cart: not titled or registered by the Virginia DMV. It can only use public roads that your locality has approved for golf carts, where the posted speed limit is 25 mph or less.
• Low-speed vehicle (LSV): a four-wheeled vehicle built to federal LSV safety standards with a top speed of 20 to 25 mph. It's titled and registered with the DMV, carries license plates, and must be insured like any other car. It can drive on public roads posted at 35 mph or less and can cross faster roads at intersections.

Rules for Driving a Golf Cart on Virginia Roads

Where a locality has approved golf carts on certain roads, Virginia law requires:

• The road must be designated for golf carts by your city, county, or town.
• The posted speed limit must be 25 mph or less.
• The driver must have a valid driver's license with them.
• The cart must display a slow-moving vehicle emblem.
• Driving is limited to sunrise to sunset, unless the cart has the lights required by law.

Localities can add stricter rules of their own, and some require proof of insurance. Always check your city or county's golf cart ordinance before driving on the street.

Rules for Driving an LSV in Virginia

• Allowed on public roads with a speed limit of 35 mph or less.
• Can cross roads with higher speed limits at intersections.
• Must be titled and registered with the Virginia DMV and display license plates.
• Must carry the same minimum insurance as other motor vehicles.
• The driver needs a driver's license or learner's permit.
• Not allowed on roads where VDOT or the locality has posted signs banning them.

Can I Make My Golf Cart Street Legal?

Adding lights, mirrors, and turn signals makes a golf cart safer and may be required by your local ordinance, but it doesn't by itself turn a golf cart into an LSV in the eyes of the DMV. LSVs generally need to meet federal LSV safety standards and have a 17-digit VIN to be titled and registered. If you want full street access, buying a factory-built LSV is usually the simplest path. Talk to us about your cart and what you want to do with it, and we'll point you in the right direction.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you drive a golf cart on the road in Virginia?

Only on public roads your city, county, or town has designated for golf carts, where the speed limit is 25 mph or less, and with a licensed driver.

Do you need a license to drive a golf cart on the street in Virginia?

Yes. Virginia requires anyone driving a golf cart on a public road to have a valid driver's license with them.

Does a golf cart need to be registered in Virginia?

No. The Virginia DMV does not title or register golf carts. Low-speed vehicles (LSVs), however, must be titled, registered, and insured.

What roads can an LSV drive on in Virginia?

LSVs can drive on public roads with a speed limit of 35 mph or less, and can cross faster roads at intersections, unless signs prohibit them.

Can I drive my golf cart at night in Virginia?

Only if it's equipped with the lights required by Virginia law. Otherwise, golf carts on public roads are limited to sunrise to sunset.

This page is a general overview of Virginia law, not legal advice. Laws and local ordinances change, so check with the Virginia DMV and your locality for the latest rules.