Short answer: In West Virginia, a low-speed vehicle (LSV, top speed over 20 but not over 25 mph) can be titled and registered only if the manufacturer's certificate of origin identifies it as an LSV, and it may be driven only on private roads and on public streets inside a municipality where the speed limit is 25 mph or less, by a licensed driver. The state will not title or register a retrofitted golf cart or a homemade LSV, and we found no state statute that opens public roads to ordinary golf carts, so check with your city or county before driving one on a street.
Last verified against the West Virginia Code (Chapter 17A) and West Virginia 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 West Virginia: side-by-side
| Rule | Golf cart | Low-speed vehicle (LSV) |
|---|---|---|
| Legal definition | No definition of golf cart found in the state sources we reviewed | Four-wheeled vehicle with an attainable speed of more than 20 mph but not more than 25 mph on a paved level surface (§ 17A-1-1, as printed in a 2020 enrolled bill) |
| Where you can drive | Not specified in the state sources we reviewed; check with your local government | Private roads, and public roads and streets within a municipality's corporate limits where the speed limit is 25 mph or less (§ 17A-3-2(c)(1)) |
| Driver | Not specified in the state sources we reviewed | Valid driver's license; an instruction permit is not enough (§ 17A-3-2(c)(4)) |
| Title and registration | A retrofitted golf cart cannot be titled or registered as an LSV (§ 17A-3-2(c)) | Titled and registered when the manufacturer's certificate of origin clearly identifies it as an LSV (§ 17A-3-2(c)); DMV issues a low-speed vehicle plate |
| Insurance | Not specified in the state sources we reviewed | Not stated in § 17A-3-2(c) or on the DMV low-speed vehicle page; confirm with DMV |
| Night driving | Not specified in the state sources we reviewed | No night restriction stated in § 17A-3-2(c) |
Where can you drive a golf cart in West Virginia?
We could not find a West Virginia statute that authorizes ordinary golf carts on public roads or that defines a golf cart. What the state code does say, in § 17A-3-2(c), is that the Division of Motor Vehicles may not title or register a retrofitted golf cart and that such a cart does not qualify as a low-speed vehicle in the state. The street-legal special purpose vehicle law (§ 17A-13-1) covers all-terrain vehicles, utility terrain vehicles, minitrucks and similar vehicles; its text does not mention golf carts.
Whether a golf cart may be used on a particular street is therefore not specified in state law as far as we could confirm; check with your local government before driving one on any public road.
Where can you drive an LSV in West Virginia?
An LSV may be operated only on private roads and on public roads and streets inside the corporate limits of a municipality where the speed limit is not more than 25 mph (§ 17A-3-2(c)(1)). In addition, § 17A-13-1 and the DMV's low-speed vehicle page both state that an LSV may cross a state route at a traffic light when the state route's posted speed limit is 40 mph or less. Note that the 25 mph road cap is lower than the 35 mph cap used in many other states.
What equipment does a golf cart or LSV need in West Virginia?
An LSV must meet the federal low-speed vehicle standard at 49 CFR 571.500 (§ 17A-3-2(c)(2)). See our federal street-legal requirements guide for the national standard. Instead of a periodic safety inspection, the owner certifies at first registration and at each renewal, under penalty of false swearing, that the lights, brakes, tires and seat belts are in good working condition (§ 17A-3-2(c)(3)).
Equipment for ordinary golf carts is not specified in the state sources we reviewed; check with your local government.
How old do you have to be to drive a golf cart or LSV in West Virginia?
The statute does not state an age for LSVs. It requires anyone operating an LSV to hold a valid driver's license, and it specifically says an instruction permit does not qualify (§ 17A-3-2(c)(4)). Age and license rules for ordinary golf carts are not specified in the state sources we reviewed; check with your local government.
Do you need to register or insure an LSV in West Virginia?
Yes, an LSV must be titled and registered. The Division of Motor Vehicles titles and registers an LSV when the manufacturer's certificate of origin clearly identifies the vehicle as a low-speed vehicle (§ 17A-3-2(c)). The DMV low-speed vehicle page says the certificate of origin or previous title must show "Low Speed Vehicle" or "LS", and that owners apply with the Low-Speed Vehicle Plate Application (form DMV-LSV1-TR).
Insurance for LSVs is not stated in § 17A-3-2(c) or on that DMV page, and we did not confirm fee amounts; confirm both with the DMV.
Can you convert a golf cart to an LSV in West Virginia?
No. The statute says the Division may not title or register homemade low-speed vehicles or retrofitted golf carts, and that those vehicles do not qualify as low-speed vehicles in West Virginia (§ 17A-3-2(c)). To be registered, the vehicle has to be identified as an LSV on the manufacturer's certificate of origin.
Sources
- West Virginia Code § 17A-3-2: registration requirements and low-speed vehicles (subsection (c))
- West Virginia Code § 17A-13-1: street-legal special purpose vehicles (includes the LSV state route crossing rule)
- West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles: Low-Speed Vehicles
- West Virginia Legislature: Enrolled Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 660 (2020), reprinting the § 17A-1-1 definitions