Federal standards covering low-speed vehicles apply to those used for "short trips for shopping, social, and recreational purposes primarily within retirement or other planned communities with golf courses." To qualify, a vehicle must have 4 wheels and a top speed of at least 20 mph but not more than 25. States, not NHTSA, are responsible for regulating the operation of motor vehicles on public roads and for handling low-speed vehicle titling and registration.

For information on the roads in each state where low-speed vehicles are legal, go to http://www.iihs.org/laws/LowSpeedVehicles.aspx.