Out of state street legal

[LittleDog]

The other day I saw a cart on Stillwater Trail with a Tenn. license plate and a street legal sign on the back of his cart. The question is is out of state street legal carts allowed on Florida roads?

John

[sirknor]

They allow out of state cars.

[Ooper]

If he is registered and insured in TN., I would think he would be legal here, IMO.

[red tail]

If he is registered and insured in TN., I would think he would be legal here, IMO.

it would be legal as long as he lives in tenn. if he lives here he has to register it here.

[Ooper]

it would be legal as long as he lives in tenn. if he lives here he has to register it here.

But again, in my opinion, are all the out of state automobiles you see here in The Villages registered in FL? Why would street legal carts be different if, say, somebody from another state hauled their street legal cart to TV for a 1 or 2 month stay? Just wondering.

[Mack184]

FL reciprocity is pretty flexible UNLESS you are gainfully employed. Then there's a defined amount of time when you need to get FL driver's licenses & plates. Of course I wonder how that works if you have a home in FL, and one someplace else and you are gainfully employed in both places??

[rhood]

Putting a street legal sign on the back of a cart doesn't necessarily make it so.

[Chazz]

Putting a street legal sign on the back of a cart doesn't necessarily make it so.

Very good point!

[sandybill2]

Putting a street legal sign on the back of a cart doesn't necessarily make it so.

Went to Tenn DMV website. "low speed vehicle is defined as vehicle with 4 wheel capacity to run between 20-25 -- drive on roads with maximum speed limit 35 or less. Must be licensed and registered"--

"Golf Carts DO NOT qualify as low speed vehicles"---

Can't believe he thought his sign made it so!!!

[tzangrilli]

Went to Tenn DMV website. "low speed vehicle is defined as vehicle with 4 wheel capacity to run between 20-25 -- drive on roads with maximum speed limit 35 or less. Must be licensed and registered"--

"Golf Carts DO NOT qualify as low speed vehicles"---

Can't believe he thought his sign made it so!!!

Of coarse golf carts qualify as long as they meet all the saftey requirements of a low speed vehicle (LSV)

[downeaster]

Of coarse golf carts qualify as long as they meet all the saftey requirements of a low speed vehicle (LSV)



(22) “Golf cart” means a motor vehicle that is designed and manufactured for operation on a golf course for sporting or recreational purposes and that is not capable of exceeding speeds of 20 miles per hour.

(42) “Low-speed vehicle” means any four-wheeled vehicle whose top speed is greater than 20 miles per hour but not greater than 25 miles per hour, including, but not limited to, neighborhood electric vehicles. Low-speed vehicles must comply with the safety standards in 49 C.F.R. s. 571.500 and s. 316.2122.

Title XXIII
MOTOR VEHICLES
Chapter 316
STATE UNIFORM TRAFFIC CONTROL
View Entire Chapter
316.2122 Operation of a low-speed vehicle or mini truck on certain roadways.—The operation of a low-speed vehicle as defined in s. 320.01(42) or a mini truck as defined in s. 320.01(45) on any road is authorized with the following restrictions:
(1) A low-speed vehicle or mini truck may be operated only on streets where the posted speed limit is 35 miles per hour or less. This does not prohibit a low-speed vehicle or mini truck from crossing a road or street at an intersection where the road or street has a posted speed limit of more than 35 miles per hour.
(2) A low-speed vehicle must be equipped with headlamps, stop lamps, turn signal lamps, taillamps, reflex reflectors, parking brakes, rearview mirrors, windshields, seat belts, and vehicle identification numbers.
(3) A low-speed vehicle or mini truck must be registered and insured in accordance with s. 320.02 and titled pursuant to chapter 319.
(4) Any person operating a low-speed vehicle or mini truck must have in his or her possession a valid driver’s license.
(5) A county or municipality may prohibit the operation of low-speed vehicles or mini trucks on any road under its jurisdiction if the governing body of the county or municipality determines that such prohibition is necessary in the interest of safety.
(6) The Department of Transportation may prohibit the operation of low-speed vehicles or mini trucks on any road under its jurisdiction if it determines that such prohibition is necessary in the interest of safety.

Above copied from Florida statutes with my emphasizing.

[tzangrilli]

(22) “Golf cart” means a motor vehicle that is designed and manufactured for operation on a golf course for sporting or recreational purposes and that is not capable of exceeding speeds of 20 miles per hour.

(42) “Low-speed vehicle” means any four-wheeled vehicle whose top speed is greater than 20 miles per hour but not greater than 25 miles per hour, including, but not limited to, neighborhood electric vehicles. Low-speed vehicles must comply with the safety standards in 49 C.F.R. s. 571.500 and s. 316.2122.

Title XXIII
MOTOR VEHICLES
Chapter 316
STATE UNIFORM TRAFFIC CONTROL
View Entire Chapter
316.2122 Operation of a low-speed vehicle or mini truck on certain roadways.—The operation of a low-speed vehicle as defined in s. 320.01(42) or a mini truck as defined in s. 320.01(45) on any road is authorized with the following restrictions:
(1) A low-speed vehicle or mini truck may be operated only on streets where the posted speed limit is 35 miles per hour or less. This does not prohibit a low-speed vehicle or mini truck from crossing a road or street at an intersection where the road or street has a posted speed limit of more than 35 miles per hour.
(2) A low-speed vehicle must be equipped with headlamps, stop lamps, turn signal lamps, taillamps, reflex reflectors, parking brakes, rearview mirrors, windshields, seat belts, and vehicle identification numbers.
(3) A low-speed vehicle or mini truck must be registered and insured in accordance with s. 320.02 and titled pursuant to chapter 319.
(4) Any person operating a low-speed vehicle or mini truck must have in his or her possession a valid driver’s license.
(5) A county or municipality may prohibit the operation of low-speed vehicles or mini trucks on any road under its jurisdiction if the governing body of the county or municipality determines that such prohibition is necessary in the interest of safety.
(6) The Department of Transportation may prohibit the operation of low-speed vehicles or mini trucks on any road under its jurisdiction if it determines that such prohibition is necessary in the interest of safety.

Above copied from Florida statutes with my emphasizing.

Sorry, I should have said a golf cart CAN be made street legal as long as you modify it as per the decscription above.
So from now on when I am playing golf I will refer to the vehicle that I am using to carry me and my golf clubs around as my low speed vehicle with a golf club rack in back and not call it my golf cart.

[buggyone]

Sorry, I should have said a golf cart CAN be made street legal as long as you modify it as per the decscription above.
So from now on when I am playing golf I will refer to the vehicle that I am using to carry me and my golf clubs around as my low speed vehicle with a golf club rack in back and not call it my golf cart.

No problem - as long as you have current Florida (or other state) license plates to show proper registration and LSV insurance on the cart - as well as meeting all the safety requirements.

[justjim]

Every street legal that I see in TV is electric. Is there a reason?

[rhood]

The statute says electric.

[Mack184]

Never quite understood why if you're going to go the LSV route why you don't just buy a cheap tin box like a Smart or Scion. They are cheaper than an LSV, have 4 doors, offer a slight bit of protection & don't have to be plugged in. The idea of going down an actual highway in an LSV is sort of like taking a road-ride on your John Deere garden tractor. No, thanks.

[tzangrilli]

Never quite understood why if you're going to go the LSV route why you don't just buy a cheap tin box like a Smart or Scion. They are cheaper than an LSV, have 4 doors, offer a slight bit of protection & don't have to be plugged in. The idea of going down an actual highway in an LSV is sort of like taking a road-ride on your John Deere garden tractor. No, thanks.
Plugged in means I don't have to buy gas.
Smart Cars are not allowed on the golf course or multi mod. trails.
Villages are slow city streets not interstate highways.
Less risk than a motor scooter.
Easier to find parking.
This is just my opinion, some people my Chevys and some people buy Fords!

[buggyone]

"The idea of going down an actual highway in an LSV is sort of like taking a road-ride on your John Deere garden tractor."

You cannot go down an "actual highway" in the LSV. They are only legal on streets with a 35mph or less speed. They can go down Morse, Buena Vista, or El Camino. They CANNOT be on 466 or 441/27.

[Mack184]

"The idea of going down an actual highway in an LSV is sort of like taking a road-ride on your John Deere garden tractor."

You cannot go down an "actual highway" in the LSV. They are only legal on streets with a 35mph or less speed. They can go down Morse, Buena Vista, or El Camino. They CANNOT be on 466 or 441/27.
I would still not want to be on Buena Vista or Morse without being in something with doors and windows and such. But to each their own.

[downeaster]

The statute says electric.

including, but not limited to, neighborhood electric vehicles. Low-speed vehicles must comply with the safety standards in 49 C.F.R. s. 571.500 and s. 316.2122.

[CFrance]

"The idea of going down an actual highway in an LSV is sort of like taking a road-ride on your John Deere garden tractor."

You cannot go down an "actual highway" in the LSV. They are only legal on streets with a 35mph or less speed. They can go down Morse, Buena Vista, or El Camino. They CANNOT be on 466 or 441/27.

I did not know that. I've seen street legal carts on 466A, where the speed limit is 45. Perhaps they did not kknow that either.

[Ooper]

I have also seen LSV's on Rolling Acres many times going to and leaving the driving range near the Villages Woodshop. I don't believe these are The Villages residents, however... but they are still braking the law.

[NotGolfer]

Having an LSV....you can cross highways such as 466a, 441 and so forth "if" you're on a roadway that's posted 35mph or less. Rolling Acres Rd.---they'd be legal too as that's a roadway that's 35mph. That being said...with all the traffic now, they're probably not using their best logic as that road is extremely busy now with high season.

[Bill-n-Brillo]

I believe the parameters are not only the road having a posted 35 mph speed limit but the local entity that governs use of the road also has to approve such roads for LSV use. That's why (last I knew) LSV's on Rolling Acres are not permitted - the local entity has not approved it.

Bill :)