Colorado Golf Cart & LSV Laws (2026): What's Street Legal

Short answer: In Colorado, a golf car (the statute's term for a golf cart; design speed under 20 mph) may be driven on public roads only where a city or county has authorized it by ordinance or resolution, never along a state highway, and never by anyone under 16; the state DMV will not title or register one. Colorado's street-legal class is the low-speed electric vehicle (LSEV): an electric vehicle with a 17-character VIN that the DMV titles and registers only if it tops out at 25 mph or less, and that may be driven on roads posted 35 mph or less.

Last verified against the Colorado Revised Statutes (Title 42) and Colorado DMV guidance: . Reviewed by Mike Burdman and Joe Magaro, Low Speed Living / Cart Life TV (20 years combined golf cart experience). This page is general information, not legal advice; cities, counties and HOAs can add stricter rules.

Golf cart vs. LSV in Colorado: side-by-side

Colorado requirements for golf cars and low-speed electric vehicles
Rule Golf car (golf cart) Low-speed electric vehicle (LSEV)
Legal definition Self-propelled vehicle not designed primarily for roadways, with a design speed under 20 mph, at least three wheels, an empty weight of 1,300 lb or less and room for no more than four people (C.R.S. 42-1-102(39.5)) Self-propelled vehicle powered primarily by electricity, with at least three wheels, no handlebar steering, and a 17-character VIN or manufacturer compliance with 49 CFR 565 (C.R.S. 42-1-102(48.6)). The DMV will not title or register one that can exceed 25 mph
Where you can drive Only on roadways where the local government has authorized golf cars by ordinance or resolution. Not on state highways, although the ordinance may allow a direct crossing at an at-grade intersection (C.R.S. 42-4-111(1)(bb)) Roadways posted 35 mph or less; may cross a faster road at an at-grade crossing. Some 40 mph state highways qualify if specific conditions are met. Never on limited-access highways (C.R.S. 42-4-109.5)
Driver No one under 16. An unlicensed driver may not carry a passenger under 21 (C.R.S. 42-4-111(1)(bb)). Local ordinances may be stricter The LSEV sources we reviewed do not state a license rule. An LSEV is a "motor vehicle" under C.R.S. 42-1-102(58), so confirm driver license requirements with your county motor vehicle office
Title and registration Not available. The Department of Revenue does not title or register golf cars for on-highway or off-highway use (1 CCR 204-10, Rule 3) Required. Titled and registered as a Tax Class C vehicle with standard passenger plates and current tabs (Colorado DMV)
Insurance Not specified in the state sources we reviewed; check your local ordinance Not addressed on the DMV's LSEV page. An LSEV is a motor vehicle under state law, so confirm the insurance requirement with your county motor vehicle office and insurer
Night driving Not specified in state law; check your local ordinance No night restriction appears in C.R.S. 42-4-109.5

Where can you drive a golf cart in Colorado?

Colorado has no statewide right to drive a golf car on public roads. Instead, C.R.S. 42-4-111(1)(bb) lets each local authority authorize and regulate golf cars on its own roadways by ordinance or resolution. That local authorization has three limits set by the state:

  • No state highways. A local ordinance cannot allow golf cars to travel along a state highway. It may allow a driver to go directly across one at an at-grade crossing to keep travelling on a road that is not a state highway.
  • No drivers under 16.
  • Passenger limit for unlicensed drivers. A driver without a license may not carry a passenger under 21.

If your town or county has not passed a golf car ordinance, state law gives you no authorization to drive one on its streets. Speed-limit caps, permitted hours and local permits are set by each ordinance, not by the state.

LSEVs have a statewide rule. Under C.R.S. 42-4-109.5 they may use roadways posted 35 mph or less and may cross a faster road at an at-grade crossing. They may also use, or cross, a state highway posted 40 mph if the lanes are at least 11 feet wide, there are two or more lanes in each direction, and the Department of Transportation has determined (with local government and law enforcement) that it poses no substantial safety risk. LSEVs are banned from limited-access highways. Breaking these rules is a class B traffic infraction. Local authorities may regulate LSEVs on their streets, and the Department of Transportation may regulate them on state highways outside municipalities by posting signs.

What equipment does a golf cart need in Colorado?

State law does not list equipment for golf cars driven under a local ordinance. Equipment (lights, mirrors, slow-moving-vehicle emblems and so on) is not specified in state law; check your local ordinance.

For LSEVs, the Colorado DMV states that operating an LSEV that does not conform to the applicable federal manufacturing equipment standards is a class B traffic infraction. The DMV also requires a distance-reading odometer before it will title an LSEV (1 CCR 204-10, Rule 3). Local authorities may set up an LSEV safety inspection program (C.R.S. 42-4-111(1)(aa)).

How old do you have to be to drive a golf cart in Colorado?

At least 16. State law bars any local ordinance from allowing a person under 16 to operate a golf car on a roadway, and bars an unlicensed driver from carrying a passenger under 21 (C.R.S. 42-4-111(1)(bb)). Your city or county can require more, such as a driver license for every operator.

For LSEVs, the sources we reviewed do not state a separate age or license rule. Because an LSEV falls within the statutory definition of a motor vehicle, confirm the license requirement with your county motor vehicle office.

Do golf carts need registration or insurance in Colorado?

Golf cars: The Department of Revenue treats golf cars as neither motor vehicles nor off-highway vehicles and will not title or register them (1 CCR 204-10, Rule 3). A state insurance requirement for golf cars is not specified in the sources we reviewed; check your local ordinance.

LSEVs: Most are titled and registered as Tax Class C vehicles and receive standard passenger plates with month and year tabs (Colorado DMV). The DMV's LSEV page does not spell out insurance requirements or amounts; ask your county motor vehicle office.

What makes a golf cart street legal (an LSEV) in Colorado?

Colorado's street-legal category is narrower than in most states because it covers electric vehicles only. According to the state's title and registration manual, a vehicle qualifies for LSEV title and registration when:

  • Electricity is its primary means of propulsion
  • It has at least three wheels on the ground and no handlebar steering
  • It has a 17-character VIN that decodes as a low-speed vehicle in the NHTSA VIN decoder
  • Its maximum speed is 25 mph or less
  • It has an odometer that reads distance, not hours

A vehicle that can exceed 25 mph but not 45 mph is a "Class B" LSEV, which the state cannot title or register until a federal safety standard for that speed range exists (C.R.S. 42-4-109.6). See our federal street-legal requirements guide for the national standard.

Can you convert a golf cart to an LSEV in Colorado?

State sources do not describe a golf-cart-to-LSEV conversion process. What they do say points against it for most carts: the Department will not title or register a golf car, and an LSEV must carry a 17-character VIN that decodes as a low-speed vehicle and must be electric. A gas cart cannot meet the LSEV definition.

For a vehicle that does not pass the standard LSEV checklist, the title manual describes an Unconventional Vehicle Process in which the Department reviews the manufacturer's statement of origin and photos of the odometer, VIN plate and vehicle. Whether a particular upgraded cart would be approved is not stated; contact your county motor vehicle office before buying parts.

Sources

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