Virginia Golf Cart & Low Speed Vehicle Laws

PLEASE NOTE: Golf Cart Laws may vary from City to City, so please be sure to check with your local municipality in regards to the laws in your area. We are in the process of gathering laws by municipality for you, however, this is a huge undertaking and does take time. Thank you.

This is an in-depth guide to Virginia Golf Cart & Low-Speed Vehicle Laws. We’ve created this guide to help you, the consumer, in determining Virginia’s laws.

Is this state Medium Speed Vehicle friendly? No State Law is Currently in Place.

Is License and Registration a Requirement? For LSVs, Yes. For Golf Carts, No.

General Federal Law for Golf Carts:

Under current NHTSA interpretations and regulations, so long as golf cars and other similar vehicles are incapable of exceeding 20 miles per hour, they are subject to only state and local requirements regarding safety equipment. However, if these vehicles are originally manufactured so that they can go faster than 20 miles per hour, they are treated as motor vehicles under Federal law.

The standard requires low-speed vehicles to be equipped with headlamps, stop lamps, turn signal lamps, taillamps, reflex reflectors, parking brakes, rearview mirrors, windshields, seat belts, and vehicle identification numbers.

For more information on the federal laws pertaining to golf carts, please click here.

Virginia Golf Cart & Low Speed Vehicle Laws

Guidelines for Golf Carts and PTVs (Personal Transportation Vehicles)

EVERY GOLF CART THAT IS OPERATED ON A PUBLIC ROAD MUST DISPLAY A “SLOW MOVING VEHICLE” EMBLEM.

You may only operate a golf cart between sunrise and sunset unless it is equipped with the following equipment:

• Headlights
• Taillights
• Brake Lights

A golf cart may only operate on a secondary highway or street for which the posted speed limit is 25 MPH or less. They may, however, cross an intersection, with a stop light present, where the speed limit is ABOVE 35 MPH.

The driver of the golf cart must be at least 16 years of age and hold a valid driver’s license.

Guidelines for LSV (Low Speed Vehicle)

• Reaches speeds of 20 MPH to 25 MPH.
• Has a vehicle identification number (VIN)
• Must display license plates
• Headlamps
• Front and rear turn signals
• Taillamps
• Stop lamps
• Reflex reflectors, red – one on each side and one on the rear
• Exterior mirror on the driver side and an interior mirror or exterior mirror on passenger side
• Parking brake
• Windshield
• Seatbelt for each designated seat
• Not be operated on any roadway with a speed limit above 35 mph.

Any person operating a low-speed vehicle (LSV) must have in their possession a valid driver license. An LSV must also be registered and insured with Personal Injury Protection and Property Damage Liability.

Operation of low-speed vehicles shall be prohibited on any highway where the Department of Transportation or the local governing body of the locality having control of the highway, as the case may be, has prohibited their operation in the interest of safety and such prohibition is indicated by conspicuously posted signs.

Disclaimer
Although each of these state guides gives a thorough approach to the golf cart laws in your state, it is recommended that you perform the research on your own and reach out to your local municipality.