Special Purpose Vehicles

Golf Carts

Definition: Any motor vehicle that has not less than three wheels in contact with the ground, an unladen weight of not more than 1,800 pounds, is designed to be and is operated at not more than 25 miles per hour and is designed to carry not more than four persons including the driver.

Regulations:

• May not be operated on any interstate highway, federal highway, or state highway unless crossing said highway.
• Must be equipped with both a rear view and at least one side view mirror.
• Must possess a current valid driver's license.
• Must be 18 years or older.
• All persons in vehicles must wear seatbelts if originally equipped by manufacturer.
• Vehicle must be registered with the City of Augusta, including showing proof of insurance and paying an initial registration fee or annual license renewal fee.
• May not be operated on any highway, street, road, or alley with a posted speed limit in excess of 30 mph unless crossing said highway, street, road, or alley.
• May not be operated on Ohio Street in the 30 mph zone except when crossing at an intersection or making a connecting movement between drive entrances and the nearest accessible side street.
• May not be operated on any public street between sunset and sunrise unless equipped with lights as required by motorcycles by Sections 183 through 188 of the Standard Traffic Ordinance and a properly mounted slow-moving vehicle emblem as required by K.S.A 8-1717 and amendments thereto.

Work-Site Utility Vehicles

Definition:

• May not be operated on any interstate highway, federal highway, or state highway unless crossing said highway.
• Must be equipped with both a rear view and at least one side view mirror.
• Must possess a current valid driver's license.
• Must be 18 years or older.
• All persons in vehicles must wear seatbelts if originally equipped by manufacturer.
• Vehicle must be registered with the City of Augusta, including showing proof of insurance and paying an initial registration fee or annual license renewal fee.
• May not be operated on any public street between sunset and sunrise unless equipped with lights as required by motorcycles by Sections 183 through 188 of the Standard Traffic Ordinance.

• May not be operated on any interstate highway, federal highway, or state highway unless crossing said highway.
• Must be equipped with both a rear view and at least one side view mirror.
• Must possess a current valid driver's license.
• Must be 18 years or older.
• All persons in vehicles must wear seatbelts if originally equipped by manufacturer.
• Vehicle must be registered with the City of Augusta, including showing proof of insurance and paying an initial registration fee or annual license renewal fee.
• May not be operated on any public highway, street, road, or alley unless it complies with equipment requirements under Article 17 of Chapter 8 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated, and amendments thereto.

You can apply for registration for a special purpose vehicle at the Augusta Public Safety Department at 2100 N. Ohio, Augusta, KS 67010 Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday 8:00 AM -12:00 PM and 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM.

You will need to bring the follow information and documents with you when you apply to register your special purpose vehicle:

• For initial vehicle registration, you will need to bring the vehicle itself to the Public Safety Department to be inspected. Vehicle inspection will not be required for registration renewal.
• Name of vehicle owner
• Owner's residential address or bona fide place of business
• Description of vehicle to be registered (including color, make, model, and serial number)
• Current valid driver's license
• Proof of liability insurance specifically listing the special purpose vehicle
• Proof that taxes have been paid on the special purpose vehicle by showing verification of assessment from the appraiser of the County where the registrant resides for the most recent year. If taxes have not yet been accessed on a recently purchased special purpose vehicle, then proof that taxes have been paid must be provided at time of registration renewal.
• Initial registration fee of $100 or annual license renewal fee of $50.

Yes, the initial registration of your special purpose vehicle will require an inspection of the vehicle at the time of application for registration. Annual registration renewals will not require an inspection.

The following is required to pass inspection:

• Head Lamp

• Tail Lamp

• Stop Lamp

• Rear Reflectors

• Turn Signals

• Mirror on Left Side

• Mirror on Right Side or Inside Center

• Safety Belt (if vehicle is originally equipped)

• Windshield or eye protection

Every owner of a special purpose vehicle shall provide liability insurance coverage in accordance with the most current adopted Standard Traffic Ordinance and amendments thereto, and the Kansas Automobile Injury Reparations Act, K.S.A. 40-31010, et seq., and amendments thereto.

All provisions of the most current adopted Standard Traffic Ordinance with regards to liability insurance, and amendments thereto, including penalty provisions, shall be applicable to all owners and operators of special purpose vehicles.

No. The registration decal or tag is not transferrable. In the event of sale or other transfer of ownership of a vehicle licensed under the provision of this section, the existing registration decal or tag and the right to use the numbered decal or tag shall expire, and the decal or tag shall be removed by the owner. It is unlawful for any person other than the person to whom the license was originally issued to have it in their possession.

The special purpose vehicle decal or tag is the responsibility of the vehicle owner.  If it is destroyed or stolen, the vehicle must be re-registered with payment of the full license renewal fee of $50 before it can be operated on a public road in Augusta.

Yes, Article 7 of Chapter 14 of the City Code establishes two exemptions for the special purpose vehicle registration requirement:

1. Special purpose vehicles which are owned or leased by golf courses, when used for the purpose of loading and unloading golf equipment on streets immediately adjacent to the golf course, are exempt from the registration requirement.
2. Special purpose vehicles operated in conjunction with a public event involving closed streets (i.e. parades, carnivals, festivals, etc.) can be made exempt from the registration requirements with approval from the City Council.