Street legal Go Kart Requirements
So you want to make a street legal go kart eh? Well let me be the first to tell you that this is a ridiculously hard task and it would likely cost you thousands of dollars…I will explain why. I am not saying it’s not possible to get it street legal, just that it may not be practical.
First thing’s first…if you came here to ask “is a Go Kart Street legal“, the answer is NO!
To make your go kart street legal it needs to abide by all the general automotive requirements across all 50 US states and the provinces of Canada. You must check your own state or provincial laws to make sure your kart is legal. MOST GO KARTS WILL NOT BE STREET LEGAL!
12 Requirements for a Street Legal Go Kart
To make a go kart eligible to driven on public roads, it must meet the minimum criteria for all 50 US states. It needs to meet the regulations set forth by the law for all vehicles. Here is the basic list of criteria for your a street legal go kart…
- Abides by all US state or Canadian Provincial laws and regulations
- Auto insurance coverage
- Side view and rear view mirrors
- A 13 inch diameter steering wheel
- An engine hood
- A windshield and windshield wipers
- Seat belts
- A horn
- Braking system which meets automotive standards
- Speedometer and odometer
- A State issued licence plate
- Head lights, tail lights, and blinkers
Odds are your average kart will never meet any of these standards without a massive overhaul or fresh setup. I didn’t even mention bump heights, safety test, hoods with scoops, and emissions certifications. But lets say you were still curious about converting that ol’buggy or go Kart of yours into street legal machine….how would you do it?
Well for starters I have never done this before, but here would be my approach…
How to Make a Go Kart Street Legal
Well for starters, I would consider doing this to something more like buggy as opposed to a go kart made for track racing. Some of the requirements will already be met on some karts like headlights, seat belts, and a round steering wheel.
Install All Required Parts – Try Looking in a Salvage Yard
You may be wondering, where would you get parts. You can try hitting a salvage yard for either used car parts or possibly even better a four wheeler salvage yard with ATV’s and UTV’s. Since many UTV’s are built to be street legal already and they are similar in size to some karts. You can pull salvage parts cheap and not worry about breaking the bank to do your conversion. Once you have all the parts…
First I would add the required safety gear safety gear that you would have on a normal car. I would Install the steering wheel, windshield, tail lights, headlights, turn signals, safety belts, brakes (including a parking brake), rear and side view mirrors, engine hood, a speedometer, and an odometer. Then thoroughly check everything to make sure its safe and secured to the vehicle.
Speed Test at a DMV
Once all of the modification was complete I would move on to speed testing my kart. In order to be considered safe it must meet certain speed requirements to be drivable on the road. To speed test your go kart you can call your local Department of Motor Vehicles to complete a speed test and have your go kart verified.
An Officer of the Law Must Inspect it First
Before a DMV official allows you to take a speed test he will have a police officer check your vehicle for proper installation and safety equipment. If you pass the initial inspection than the DMV official will perform the speed test with you.
NOTE: Do not drive your Go Kart to the DMV, you will get a ticket and it will be impounded.
How to Pass the Speed Test
You should first fill the gas tank before taking your test to ensure your engine runs smoothly. If your go kart goes faster than 25 miles per hour as its top speed, it will fail. If it does not exceed 25 mph and the go kart meets the required safety standards the DMV inspector will deem street legal. Congratz!
Ready to Take Your Kart on the Road
Now that you have passed there are a few more legal requirements to meet. First you have to place a reflective triangle piece on the back of your go kart. This tells other drivers that you are operating a slow speed vehicle (you’ve probably seen these triangles on the back of tractors). Next you have to get automotive insurance for your kart. Lastly you will need the DMV to issue license plates which you will need to mount according to your states requirements.
Some states or provinces will also require you to meet certain emissions standards and you will need to pass a state required inspection before your plates are issued. These laws vary from state to state.
How To Make a Street legal Go Kart – Conclusion
Making a street legal go kart is not for the faint of heart. It requires some serious automotive engineering to completely makeover the go kart and add functionality. If you were to try doing this is will not only be difficult and time consuming, but also costly. Of course the flip side is you will be one of the coolest people ever and the envy of all who see you!
I think the most cost efficient approach is getting parts from a salvage yard, particularly one with UTV’s. It is probably the closest thing you wlll find to a street legal go kart, so you might as well pull parts from one.
