Street Legal Cart

[Coolone6992]

Ok. Questions. =)

1) For a cart to be "street legal", is it different in every county or something, or just every state?

2) How would I go about finding out what I would need to make the cart street legal?


I haven't started the cart, and I don't plan on it anytime soon. Don't have the time, the space, the money, or the tools. Well, I have some money and time, but just no space or tools. >.<
I need to find someone with a welder.

I was thinking about my Auto Body teacher, I could sign up for the class and go use his welder, but then I would need a truck to move my frame when I was done. And I know he wouldn't mind me coming over to use it.

UGH.
Tooo much.
=)

Thanks
-Richard

 

[Coolone6992]

I actually want to get some plans drawn up first, and check out motors and such. I'm such a newb to this, but I wanna do it so bad. I love working with my hands, and my cart will be fun to build and drive.

 

[AutoMX]

ok so you're in cali. theres only 3 ways you can go with this:
1. get a golf cart and use the golf cart chassis (must have a VIN) then register as low speed vehicle or just operate within 1 mile of a golf course
2. make an electric low speed vehicle (like a GEM electric car) thats zero emissions and max of 35mph
3. make a 3 wheeler and register as bike

thats literally the only ways to get what's loosely called a kart to be street legal in CA. a traditional go kart cannot be registered nomatter what, just like a minibike cannot be street legal without all the DOT and VIN # and EPA requirements. you need DOT approved tires, trailer ones are fine, and a motor that passes smog requirements if its not electric (the 3 wheeler thing). don't forget that you need a drivers license for all 3 and you need insurance on all of those.

no it's not easy. i'm building a 3 wheeler and theres so much to keep track of.

 

[Coolone6992]

ok so you're in cali. theres only 3 ways you can go with this:
1. get a golf cart and use the golf cart chassis (must have a VIN) then register as low speed vehicle or just operate within 1 mile of a golf course
2. make an electric low speed vehicle (like a GEM electric car) thats zero emissions and max of 35mph
3. make a 3 wheeler and register as bike

thats literally the only ways to get what's loosely called a kart to be street legal in CA. a traditional go kart cannot be registered nomatter what, just like a minibike cannot be street legal without all the DOT and VIN # and EPA requirements. you need DOT approved tires, trailer ones are fine, and a motor that passes smog requirements if its not electric (the 3 wheeler thing). don't forget that you need a drivers license for all 3 and you need insurance on all of those.

no it's not easy. i'm building a 3 wheeler and theres so much to keep track of.

Aw.
Oh well.
Guess I'll wait til I'm older, more financially situated, and maybe have a house with some land.
Thanks for the help.

 

[Kenny_McCormic]

ok so you're in cali. theres only 3 ways you can go with this:
1. get a golf cart and use the golf cart chassis (must have a VIN) then register as low speed vehicle or just operate within 1 mile of a golf course
2. make an electric low speed vehicle (like a GEM electric car) thats zero emissions and max of 35mph
3. make a 3 wheeler and register as bike

thats literally the only ways to get what's loosely called a kart to be street legal in CA. a traditional go kart cannot be registered nomatter what, just like a minibike cannot be street legal without all the DOT and VIN # and EPA requirements. you need DOT approved tires, trailer ones are fine, and a motor that passes smog requirements if its not electric (the 3 wheeler thing). don't forget that you need a drivers license for all 3 and you need insurance on all of those.

no it's not easy. i'm building a 3 wheeler and theres so much to keep track of.

You dont NEED a vin if its custom,my dad has a titled sandrail, no vin on it anywhere. Go to the local DMV and ask how to register a custom vehicle.

 

[Roy Vanas]

you can plate darn neer anything!

 

[Kenny_McCormic]

you can plate darn neer anything!

Thats freakin NUTS! Is it really plated? I would love to see a vid of the cops inspecting it.

 

[kibble]

Holy freaking crap Roy! That is some creativity!

 

[Roy Vanas]

not mine i work more with metal

 

[AutoMX]

You dont NEED a vin if its custom,my dad has a titled sandrail, no vin on it anywhere. Go to the local DMV and ask how to register a custom vehicle.

for a golf cart you need a real golf cart with an original VIN #, there's no 'specially constructed' (custom) category for golf carts. low speed vehicles can be made with no VIN but need a bill of slae for everything and cannot be gas powered. bikes need a bill of sale for all component parts and a motor that is street legal (no dirt bikes). low speed vehicles and custom bikes will be assigned a new VIN after passing inspections.

specially constructed cars can be made from scratch but you need the bill of sale for everything and a motor that passes emissions as well as a bunch of other requirements. again, if it passes inspections, it gets a new VIN. if the sand rail is legal, it will have a VIN and the appropriate stickers (street legal or offroad only). you only need a valid VIN on the chassis if you wish to keep it registered as the original car (like a VW).

 

[Kenny_McCormic]

for a golf cart you need a real golf cart with an original VIN #, there's no 'specially constructed' (custom) category for golf carts. low speed vehicles can be made with no VIN but need a bill of slae for everything and cannot be gas powered. bikes need a bill of sale for all component parts and a motor that is street legal (no dirt bikes). low speed vehicles and custom bikes will be assigned a new VIN after passing inspections.

specially constructed cars can be made from scratch but you need the bill of sale for everything and a motor that passes emissions as well as a bunch of other requirements. again, if it passes inspections, it gets a new VIN. if the sand rail is legal, it will have a VIN and the appropriate stickers (street legal or offroad only). you only need a valid VIN on the chassis if you wish to keep it registered as the original car (like a VW).

Thats Cali not MI, you wanna register something here you get a paper form the DMV, have a cop fill it out and make sure the car is safe and bam its plate able. No emissions testing, no BOS on anything.

 

[AutoMX]

well he's in CA so i wrote accordingly, it varies by state.

 

[RedKart]

you could always get a green/red sticker and operate in a california ohv park. thats what im going to do w/ mine.

 

[Kenny_McCormic]

If your in a state full of BS, have a friend in a better neighboring state do it and "sell it" to you.

 

[AutoMX]

with CA laws it wouldn't help much. any 'car' still has to deal with smog and motorcycles aren't in much of a better spot. theres also DMV/CHP inspections, and if you try to keep it registered in another state, that only works for 6 months. oh and insurance, yet another PITA.

and yes, building an OHV is way more easy going but you still can't drive it on the street, but it is a way to go. that way you can legally drive a go kart off road. the motor still has to be from an EPA cleared bike or ATV though, so no HF clone or B&S motor.

 

[carbon]

electric would get you past emissions requirements...
dunno if you want to do that though

 

[ed1380]

with CA laws it wouldn't help much. any 'car' still has to deal with smog and motorcycles aren't in much of a better spot. theres also DMV/CHP inspections, and if you try to keep it registered in another state, that only works for 6 months. oh and insurance, yet another PITA.

and yes, building an OHV is way more easy going but you still can't drive it on the street, but it is a way to go. that way you can legally drive a go kart off road. the motor still has to be from an EPA cleared bike or ATV though, so no HF clone or B&S motor.

if its off road why does it matter?

 

[Kenny_McCormic]

if its off road why does it matter?

Because its California, nothing there makes sense.

 

[kibble]

Because its California, nothing there makes sense.

I hate our stupid regulations and crap... but the weather is fabulous most of the time!!!!

 

[tombomb360]

I have a question, please reply. Im 13 and live in kansas, well my dad got me a custom built trike and i need a kind of outline on what needs to be done so i can ride it legally, and, can i at 13? i can post a picture if you would like.