Can I Really Register & Tag a Go-Kart For Street Legal Use?
It almost sounds too good to be true. There have to be strings attached or something you’re missing, right? Wrong… There’s a simple process that takes your kart from sitting in the garage to being the only street-legal go-kart for miles. The best part of it all? You don’t have to have any street legal parts installed to begin the legalization process!
Of course, you’ll want to have the parts installed before going for an afternoon shred session, but they aren’t a necessity yet. You can obtain a street-legal title and registration for almost anything with wheels and an engine – go-karts included. Does this sound too good to be true? Let me show you how it’s more than possible.
How Can I Street Legalize a Go-Kart?
Personal documents needed to legalize
When you have a close relationship with state DMVs like we do, it allows you to know the exact qualifications necessary to legalize your kart. The standard documents required to prove ownership include:
A Copy of Your ID, Drivers License, or Passport
A Picture of Your Social Security Number (to verify you are yourself)
Proof of ownership
Sales Tax or Proof of Sales Tax Paid
The requirements are much more lenient than one would expect, especially for a machine that is believed to be impossible to register.
The problem is that most states don’t have a clear way to make a go kart street legal, and many don’t let you do it at all. The solution is to register somewhere else, in a state where go karts can be made street legal and registered for road use.
How can I operate legally if it’s registered out of state?
When your go-kart is registered out of state, the first question that comes to mind is “How does this make it legal in my state?” Surprisingly enough, many law enforcement agencies don’t care if the vehicle is registered out of state, and even if they do… having a different license plate doesn’t give them a legal reason to pull you over. Especially if you have all the necessary parts to make your machine roadworthy.
In the instance they do tell you the kart has to be registered in their state, there is a solution. As long as the vehicle is paid off, you can use our LLC Add-On Service to transfer ownership out of state and into a company we open for you.
Proof of Ownership Needed to Register a Go-Kart
Where you live and who you purchased from determines what proof of ownership came with your go-kart. Fortunately, you won’t need to have all of the listed documents – only one or two will be mandatory to ensure the street legal titling and registration process go smoothly.
Without at least one of the following, there’s no guarantee even the most lenient state will be able to assist in legalizing your go kart.
Title/Transferable Registration
Bill of Sale
MCO
Proof of existing financing
Title
Buying a vehicle from the titled owner with a clean title document is the ideal situation. Filling out the buyer and seller information, then signing is all that’s required to use this as your proof of ownership.
If the title has been signed by multiple buyers and sellers over multiple selling transactions, you’ll need to make sure and obtain a bill of sale for the purchase as well. When a title has passed through several hands without ever being processed, that is considered title jumping. Title jumping is an illegal way of selling a vehicle without having to pay sales tax. We cover this in-depth explaining how Title Jumping Is More Illegal Than Jumping A Car.
Transferable Registration
This document is considered the same as a title, and can be used to register your go-kart without a bill of sale required. Whether it’s signed over to you or already in your name, most DMVs will accept this without any other proof of ownership required.
When you have the transferable registration in your name, this usually means that sales tax has already been paid. By paying sales tax in advance, you can avoid forking out the cash a second time as long as you have proof that it’s already been paid.
Bill of Sale
If you’ve bought a car, truck, motorcycle, or off-road vehicle, there’s a good chance it came with a bill of sale upon completion of the sale. This document comes in many forms. Handwritten, typed & printed off, or emailed to be signed electronically. The same is able to be used as valid proof of ownership for go-karts.
Whether you bought it from an individual or fresh off the showroom floor, you can use a bill of sale to register and title the kart into your name. The only requirement is that you sign as the buyer of the vehicle with a signed seller. Once you have this in hand, you will be able to send it off, and in a few weeks receive the new title and registration in your name.
Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin
Some states only provide the MCO when buying an off-highway vehicle. This is due to local regulations preventing off-road vehicles from being titled, or if you’re buying from a dealer in another state than where you plan to pay taxes. When you are the original buyer of the machine, you can use the MCO to title the kart.
When you buy from a private party who hasn’t yet titled the vehicle and receive the MCO as proof of ownership, it’s vital they provide you with a bill of sale as well. Since the MCO is only valid by itself when you are the original buyer, a bill of sale must be used in conjunction with the MCO when buying from a private party. Using these together will allow you to save money and time in the process of titling your go-kart for street use.
Proof of Financing
In most cases, it’s automatically assumed the process is impossible to complete if your go-kart is financed. While there are two financial institutions that don’t comply, the vast majority of lienholders are more than happy to assist in legalizing your go-kart. The noncompliant institutions are Synchrony Bank and Yamaha Financial. Almost any other credit union, bank, or lending institution will send off the ownership documents to be titled and registered out of state.
When you buy a go-kart, make sure there’s no lien attached to it in someone else's name. This can lead to problems as it will be unable to be registered until the lien is resolved. Not to mention, the difficulty in finding who took the line of credit out in the first place.
What if My Go-Kart Is Homemade?
Building a kart is a blast, but how do you know that it holds up to the required operating standards for street use? Also, what if you don’t have any of those required ownership documents since you built the kart yourself?
Each state has a different set of requirements. This can be tedious to check off every tick on their list, but there’s a hack to this system where the only requirement is a VIN or serial number on the frame.
This trick allows you to register and plate your fabricated kart without
Ridiculous state inspections that only waste your time
Emissions standards that are unrealistic for a home-crafted machine
Yearly inspections to maintain required state standards
You’re probably questioning reality right now, and for valid reason. In many cases, the only true requirement to operate safely on roadways (besides a registration and license plate) is a current insurance policy to protect you, and other drivers, on the off chance you end up in a fender bender. Of course, street legal parts are necessary, but your kart can be registered without proof of these parts being installed. Technically you can operate on the streets without these parts in some cases, but it’s always recommended to install them to ensure your safety, and to prevent law enforcement from harassing you.
What Street Legal Parts Does a Go-Kart Need?
Making a go-kart street legal means ensuring that all necessary equipment is added to your build before you grace roadways. While each state’s requirements are different, the basics necessary to operate without hassle from law enforcement come into play no matter where you live. Taking this into consideration while you’re working on the kart initially will save you time and headaches down the road.
We compiled a list of what’s necessary to meet minimum requirements so you can begin your project now. All the parts listed must be functional and securely attached so as to not fall off, causing a traffic hazard.
Headlights
This is probably the most obvious on the entire list, but also the most commonly overlooked. It’s easy to throw a set of lights on and call it a day, but there are certain criteria you must adhere to so it meets the required standards.
Your headlights must have a high and low beam. If your lights are too dim, you may not be able to see in certain weather conditions – at the same time, you have to be able to lower the brightness so oncoming traffic isn’t blinded by the spotlight shining at them. You should install two headlights - no more, no less. Whatever lighting you choose, make sure it is up to standard for operating requirements in your state.
Red Taillights
The correct lighting is, by far, the most important piece to check off your list of street legal parts. Taillights can be tricky because your rear lights must run simultaneously with your headlights. In addition, they also need to have integrated or separate brake lights to alert other motorists of your next move on the road.
When you have the correct rear lights, you can relax a bit knowing you are more visible to other drivers. However, it’s always smart to be aware of your surroundings, no matter how visible your vehicle is. This allows you to be proactive in avoiding potential hazards and bad drivers. Be sure to install two tail lights and a total of two or three brake lights.
Mirrors
Would you drive a car without mirrors? Of course not. They may seem small and insignificant, but when you remove them it turns a normal commute into the challenge of a lifetime. Your go-kart is no different. You may have less machine to account for compared to a car, but that also increases your chances of someone not seeing you.
Installing side view and rearview mirrors gives you the ability to be proactive in avoiding oncoming danger from the rear. These also grant you the ability to avoid unnecessary stops by police so you can spend more time shredding your kart.
Windshield
All these requirements may seem trivial, or like an unnecessary use of funds, but they will help prevent you from a potential life-ending accident. The windshield especially. On a motorcycle you’re more agile which aids in avoiding hazards quickly, so a helmet with a visor suffices. However, when you’re in a four-wheeled machine, the task of skirting away from oncoming objects can be more daunting.
That’s why installing a windshield is a MUST to ensure your safety. Just imagine if the car in front of you blows a tire and sends shrapnel flying into the oncoming traffic behind. You would much rather a sheet of glass take the brunt of the force as opposed to your unprotected head and chest. The windshield will become a lifesaver, and to think you almost skipped this one.
In some states, you can even get away with a polycarbonate windshield that’s lighter and less expensive.
DOT Tires
Whether you’re converting your go-kart from a track monster or an off-road toy, it’s vital to make sure you have the proper tires for ever-changing road conditions. Track slicks hook up wonderfully in perfect conditions, but what happens when it turns rainy or you hit an oil patch on the road? Your radials quickly turn into a rolling sketch ball.
The same goes for off-road knobbies. You can climb nearly every obstacle or face any terrain, but when you take them on the street it’s a different ballgame. Not only does the tread wear down very quickly, but you also miss out on a massive amount of rubber contacting the pavement. This increases your likelihood of losing control and gives the police one more reason to mess with you. If nothing else, get yourself some DOT tires so the police won’t tell you to.
Horn
You don’t have to rig up an extravagant train horn or Dukes of Hazzard jingle to be compliant, but it is in your best interest to have the option of alerting other drivers to your presence. Imagine a car doesn’t see you and begins changing lanes… if your kart isn’t equipped with a horn, the chances of a minor incident turning into a deadly situation increase exponentially.
Seatbelts
I know what you’re thinking… My go-kart has a harness, I don’t need to install seatbelts. Harnesses are way safer. While this may be the case, according to law enforcement, in most places, harnesses signify your vehicle is for offroad use. Whether racing at a track or sending it up a vertical hill that is one false move from tumbling back down, harnesses are meant to lock you into the vehicle, whereas seatbelts give some leeway in movement. Belts also ensure you have contact on your chest and waist, as many people run only the bottom half of the harness when not full sending.
As you’ve probably realized by now, one of the main ideas here is to make your go kart look like a street legal vehicle. Seatbelts are a staple of on-road use, and you could be pulled over if you don’t have them while operating on your local roads. Always check with your local jurisdiction to see what regulations they have in place regarding seatbelts and any other street-legal requirements.
Signal Lights
This is listed last because it’s so simple, yet so easy to overlook. Remember, your go-kart is essentially a miniature car (obviously way cooler) so you have to abide by the same restrictions a car would, including blinkers.
You’ll need one on each corner of your kart so oncoming and passing traffic can be alerted to your movements on the road. These can be integrated into your brake and headlights, but ensure they all 4 work properly so you can stay as safe as possible.
What’s the Total Price to Street Legalize My Kart?
This is a very broad question, and if you’re looking to legalize your kart in the cheapest way possible, then it’s probably best to skip out on the project entirely. When you cut corners, safety and build integrity fly out the window. You wouldn’t buy the cheapest car or truck on the market, if you did, you’d spend more time fixing problems than using it for the intended purpose – not to mention, the plethora of potential hazards that come with subpar safety equipment.
By no means do you have to drop thousands of dollars on safety for a quality mob machine, but you do need to choose between quality or cost-effectiveness to a degree. Specific parts like the horn, mirrors, and lighting components can be found for a fair price while maintaining the tier desired to ensure they aren’t going to malfunction driving down the road.
Safety accessories are where you’ll benefit most from not holding punches in the cash department. You truly do get what you pay for. It’s better to spend a seemingly large amount of cash now to ensure you’re protected, than to break the bank on hospital bills while being unable to work when your budget protection fails.
The Most Wallet Friendly and Time Effective Way to Get Legal
You already have so much time invested into your kart build, but how do you get it documented to operate within the law on roadways? Of course, you can reach out to your local DMV and try to work through their process. This can be cost effective, but surely will steal a massive amount of your time.
Is driving back and forth each week for failed inspections and emissions checks, paying unreasonable fees for each visit, and forking out unnecessary costs for additional parts worth your time and effort?
Or do you long for a simpler and more assured process that guarantees you only spend a set amount of cash while eliminating the time you spend at the DMV?
If you’re like most people, time is your most valuable asset, so why would you spend it at the place we all hate most when there’s a faster option?
Dirt Legal is the industry standard for titling, registering and street legalizing almost any off-road vehicle – including your go-kart. When you join the thousands of other individuals who trust our service, you are guaranteed to receive street legal documents without the hassle of wasting precious hours wondering “Will I actually get a license plate, or am I wasting my time?”
With Dirt Legal, you’ll get a title, registration, and license plate for your street legal go kart without any inspections or emissions tests required. Even if it’s a kart you built yourself, or even if you bought it from someone with just a bill of sale or MCO, and even if you have been told before that it’s impossible to make a go kart street legal.
You want a license plate. We can make that happen. Click to learn more.
We are not attorneys. This article is not legal advice.
Caleb Hysell has been around dirt bikes, 4 wheelers, side x sides, drift cars, and diesel trucks from a young age. He began stunting and racing moto at 14 which created a lifelong passion for motorcycles. When he's not writing he can be found bringing positivity to the community by riding his supermoto.