Street legal
Encyclopedia
Street legal or road legal refers to a vehicle such as an automobile
, motorcycle
, or light truck
that is equipped and licensed for use on public roads. This will require specific configurations of lighting, signal lights, and safety equipment that need not be included in a vehicle used only off-road (such as a sandrail
) that is trailered
to its off-road operating area, or in race cars that are used only on closed race tracks and therefore do not need all the features of a street-legal vehicle.
, the individual states
have the authority to determine, by means of statute
s and regulation
s, which types of vehicles are permitted on public streets, as a function of the police power
.
, vehicles must pass the Single Vehicle Approval (SVA) scheme, a pre-registration inspection for cars and light goods vehicles that have not been type-approved to British or European standards. Since August 2001, there have been two levels of SVA, those being standard and enhanced.
Some of the types of vehicles standard SVA is applied to include, but not limited to, a left-hand drive vehicle, personally imported vehicles, amateur built vehicles and armoured vehicle
s, to name a few. Vehicles which don't fall into one of the standard SVA categories, such as a vehicle of right-hand drive, will require enhanced SVA in addition to standard SVA inspections.
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
, motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
, or light truck
Light truck
Light truck or light duty truck is a U.S. classification for trucks or truck-based vehicles with a payload capacity of less than 4,000 pounds...
that is equipped and licensed for use on public roads. This will require specific configurations of lighting, signal lights, and safety equipment that need not be included in a vehicle used only off-road (such as a sandrail
Sandrail
A sandrail, or sand rail, or sandcar, or "rail" is a lightweight motor vehicle specifically built for traveling across a wide variety of off-road terrain. Sandrails are popularly operated on actual sand dunes, such as Glamis, Pismo and Rasor in California, St...
) that is trailered
Trailer (vehicle)
A trailer is generally an unpowered vehicle pulled by a powered vehicle. Commonly, the term trailer refers to such vehicles used for transport of goods and materials....
to its off-road operating area, or in race cars that are used only on closed race tracks and therefore do not need all the features of a street-legal vehicle.
United States
In the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the individual states
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
have the authority to determine, by means of statute
Statute
A statute is a formal written enactment of a legislative authority that governs a state, city, or county. Typically, statutes command or prohibit something, or declare policy. The word is often used to distinguish law made by legislative bodies from case law, decided by courts, and regulations...
s and regulation
Regulation
Regulation is administrative legislation that constitutes or constrains rights and allocates responsibilities. It can be distinguished from primary legislation on the one hand and judge-made law on the other...
s, which types of vehicles are permitted on public streets, as a function of the police power
Police power
In United States constitutional law, police power is the capacity of the states to regulate behavior and enforce order within their territory for the betterment of the general welfare, morals, health, and safety of their inhabitants...
.
United Kingdom
In the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, vehicles must pass the Single Vehicle Approval (SVA) scheme, a pre-registration inspection for cars and light goods vehicles that have not been type-approved to British or European standards. Since August 2001, there have been two levels of SVA, those being standard and enhanced.
Some of the types of vehicles standard SVA is applied to include, but not limited to, a left-hand drive vehicle, personally imported vehicles, amateur built vehicles and armoured vehicle
Armored car (VIP)
A civilian armored car is a security vehicle which made by replacing the windows of a standard vehicle with bulletproof glass and inserting layers of armor plate into the body panels...
s, to name a few. Vehicles which don't fall into one of the standard SVA categories, such as a vehicle of right-hand drive, will require enhanced SVA in addition to standard SVA inspections.