How Old Do You Have to Be to Drive a Golf Cart? | Guide

The United States has specific guidelines and regulations concerning the permissible age for golf cart operation. These requirements vary across different states. In most American states, individuals must be at least 14 years old to drive a golf cart. Below is a comprehensive list of the legal driving age for golf carts in all 50 states.

How old do you have to be to drive a golf cart?

Golf carts are popular vehicles used for various purposes, including transportation on golf courses, in gated communities, and at recreational events. If you’re wondering about the age requirements for driving a golf cart, this article will provide a thorough understanding of the regulations and considerations involved.

Local Laws of States for Driving a Golf Carts

Alabama

• The legal driving age is 18 years.
• Driving golf carts on public roads in Alabama is prohibited unless it is a low-speed vehicle upgrade.
• Nobody under 18 and without a license may operate a golf cart on a public highway.

Alaska

• The legal driving age is 16 years.
• Anyone operating a golf cart must have a valid driver’s license. A learner’s permit can be used if the person does not have a driver’s license. They will, however, need to be accompanied by an adult.

Arizona

• Drivers must follow standard driving laws because Arizona requires them to make their golf carts street-legal when driving on public roads.
• Privately, the driver is not required to obtain a driver’s license to operate a golf cart. Many golf courses do not rent carts to anyone under 14.
• We cannot locate official information regarding the legal age for driving a golf cart in this state. We recommend that you check with your local government.

California

• The legal driving age is 13 years.
• Golf carts must weigh no more than 1,300 pounds and carry no more than two people, including the driver.

Colorado

• The legal driving age is 14 years.
• In Colorado, anyone aged 14 and up can operate a golf cart. You are permitted to use a golf cart without a driver’s license.
• On the back of the cart, a triangular slow-moving vehicle sign is required.

Connecticut

• The legal driving age is 16 years.
• Driving a golf cart necessitates the possession of a driver’s license. All drivers must carry their driver’s licenses and place a flag on the top of the golf cart to alert other road users to their presence.

New Hampshire

• The legal driving age is 13 years.
• Golf carts are not permitted on public roads in New Hampshire. If you want to drive a golf cart outside the golf course, you must meet the state’s requirements.
• Golf carts are required to be registered and insured.
• Drivers must have a valid driver’s license.
• Minors over 13 with a safety certificate can drive a golf cart in New Hampshire. A licensed adult must accompany the minor driver.

New Jersey

• The legal driving age is 18 years.
• Every golf cart driver must have a valid driver’s license.
• In addition, there are a few sticker requirements for golf carts in New Jersey. For example, you must ensure that your brakes are in good working order and have an odometer and speedometer to ensure that your cart’s speed and mileage are properly matched.

New Mexico

• The legal driving age is 15 years.
• A golf cart may be used on local roads in New Mexico but not on state or federal roads.
• Golf carts can only be driven between the hours of sunrise and sunset. Driving at night is prohibited.

New York

• The legal driving age is 14 years.
• Except in rare circumstances, golf carts are not permitted on public roads, sidewalks, or even parking lots.

North Carolina

• The legal driving age is 16 years.
• Golf carts cannot be driven on roads with speed limits greater than 35 miles per hour in North Carolina.
• Every driver must be at least 16 years old.

North Dakota

• The legal driving age is 16 years.
• In North Dakota, towns can choose whether or not to allow golf carts on their streets.
• It is illegal to drive a golf cart on state highways.

Delaware

• The legal driving age is 14 years.
• Driving a golf cart on a public road is considered illegal in Delaware. Golf carts are only permitted to be driven on private property. Because golf carts are only driven on personal property, the age to operate the cart is entirely up to the property owner.

Ohio

• The legal driving age is 16 years.
• Local governments in this state have the authority to allow people to drive golf carts on low-speed roads not owned by the state or federal governments.
• To operate a motor vehicle, all golf cart drivers must be licensed.

Oklahoma

• The legal driving age is 16 years.
• Golf carts are permitted on public streets and highways in state parks and municipalities that have qualified for their use.
• These roads will always have speed limits of less than 25 miles per hour and signs indicating golf cart traffic.

Florida

• The legal driving age is 14 years.
• A golf cart can be driven on public roads in Florida at speeds less than 25 miles per hour if the driver is 14 years old.
• If the cart is driven faster than 20 miles per hour, the driver must have a special license.

Georgia

• The driver must be at least 12 years old.
• Anyone over 12 can operate a golf cart if a licensed adult driver accompanies them.
• To drive a golf cart alone, you must have a valid driver’s license or permit.

Oregon

• The legal driving age is 16 years.
• The city or county government may permit golf carts near a golf course.
• A golf cart driver must have a valid Oregon driver’s license or an Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles Golf Cart Permit, according to Oregon Golf Cart Laws.

Pennsylvania

• The driver is twelve years old legally.
• Golf carts can travel on low-speed public roads for up to a mile.
• To operate a golf cart, a person must be at least 12 years old. However, you have to be at least 16 years old to cross a highway.

Island Republic

• The driver is 13 years old legally.
• In Rhode Island, driving a golf cart on a city street is strictly forbidden.

South Carolina

• The minimum age to drive is sixteen.
• Before using your golf cart on any public or secondary street, it is required to have a valid permit.
• 35 mph is the maximum speed allowed.

South Dakota

• The driver must be at least 14 years old.
• In addition to requiring a driver’s license, the golf cart also needs insurance.
• Golf carts can be driven after dark, but they need to have lights fitted.

Tennesse

• The minimum age to drive is sixteen.
• Golf carts can be driven on low-speed roads, but first, they need to be registered as such.
• Title and registration are required for the golf cart.

Hawaii

• The legal driving age is 16 years.
• In Hawaii, golf carts are not permitted to have a 17-character VIN. This means they will need help to meet the federal requirements for making a golf cart street-legal.

Idaho

• The cart must be insured and have a valid restricted vehicle license plate.
• We cannot locate official information regarding the legal age for driving a golf cart in this state. We recommend that you check with your local government.
• The horn must be audible from 200 feet away. The mirror must see the road 200 feet behind the golf cart.

Texas

• The minimum age to drive is sixteen.
• Golf carts are legal to drive on Texas municipal roads if approved by the national or local government.

Utah

• The legal driving age is eighteen.
• Golf carts must have a title and a VIN to be driven on public roads as low-speed vehicles.
• Although the carts don’t need to be registered, they do need to have a permit and a license sticker that is placed on the windshield.

Illinois

• The legal driving age is 18 years.
• Golf carts can be driven on roads that are safe and have a speed limit of 35 miles per hour or less if a municipality explicitly allows it.

Indiana

• The legal driving age is 16 years.
• Golf carts are only legal in cities and towns that have passed local laws allowing them to be driven on the road.
• Every golf cart driver must have a valid driver’s license.

Iowa

• The legal driving age is 18 years.
• If the town allows it, golf carts can be driven on public roads. A slow-moving vehicle sign and a safety flag must be displayed on the carts.

Vermont

• The driver is 13 years old legally.
• On roads with posted speed limits of less than 35 mph, electric golf carts intended for low-speed driving are permitted.

Virgin

• The minimum age to drive is sixteen.
• Golf carts are only permitted to be driven on Virginian roads where the posted speed limit is less than 25 mph.
• A golf cart cannot be driven between dusk and dawn without a license.

Washington

• The minimum age to drive is sixteen.
• Drivers of golf carts must possess a license.
• Golf cart zones may be established here by the nearby town on any roads that do not exceed 25 miles per hour. Signs must be used to designate these areas appropriately.

West Virginia

• The minimum age to drive is sixteen.
• If a golf cart meets the requirements to be classified as a low-speed vehicle and the city permits it, it may be driven on local roads.

Wisconsin

• The legal age of the driver is 16 years.
• In Wisconsin, golf carts are not allowed on public roads unless they qualify as an LSV.

Kansas

• The legal driving age is 13 years.
• A golf cart in Kansas must weigh at most 1,800 pounds with a load.

Kentucky

• The legal driving age is 16 years.
• Driving requires local government authorization, as well as a sticker indicating that the cart has been permitted for usage on local roadways.
• The carts can only go on roads with a designated speed restriction of 35 mph during the day.
• The driver must have a valid driver’s license as well as insurance.

Louisiana

• Children over 12 can ride in a licensed individual’s cart.
• Every golf cart driver must have a license.
• Local municipalities may designate certain roads for golf cart use.

Maine

• The legal driving age is 14 years.
• Golf carts are legal in low-speed zones around golf courses and inhabited islands.

Maryland

• The driver’s legal age is 12 years (must be accompanied by an adult).
• Golf carts are prohibited on public roads and must be driven on private property.
• To use a golf cart on Maryland roads, you do not need to register it or obtain an endorsement or license.

Massachusetts

• The legal driving age is 16 years.
• Golf carts in Massachusetts must be registered, inspected, and titled.
• A driver’s license is required, and golf carts must have license plates.

Michigan

• The legal driving age is 16 years.
• To drive a golf cart in Michigan, drivers must be at least 16 years old and have a valid driver’s license.

Minnesota

• The legal driving age is 16 years.
• In Minnesota, it is up to the local government to allow or prohibit the use of golf carts on public roads and highways under their jurisdiction. If they do not permit the use of golf carts on public roads and highways, a special permit and insurance are required.

Mississippi

• The legal driving age is 15 years.
• To operate a golf cart in Mississippi, you must be of legal driving age. If you are under 18, you can only drive with the permission of your parent or legal guardian.
• A golf cart cannot be driven on federal, state, or interstate highways.

Missouri

• The legal driving age is 16 years.
• Golf cart drivers in Missouri must be at least 16 years old and have a valid driver’s license.
• Driving a golf cart by a minor under 15 is strictly prohibited.
• Some Missouri localities prohibit the use of golf carts on public highways. For this, each municipality has its own set of rules.

Montana

• The legal driving age is 14 years.
• Golf carts are restricted to small streets in Montana, while many localities allow them on some roadways.
• A valid driver’s license is required for anyone operating a golf cart on a public road.

Nebraska

• A golf cart is defined in Nebraska as a four-wheeled vehicle with a top speed of less than 20 miles per hour.
• We need help locating official information regarding the legal age for driving a golf cart in this state. We recommend that you check with your local government.
• Golf carts may not be operated on state or federal highways, but they may cross a road that intersects with a street, according to the state.

Nevada

• Before driving a golf cart in Nevada, check with local authorities to ensure you’re not breaking any laws.
• We cannot locate official information regarding the legal age for driving a golf cart in this state. We recommend that you check with your local government.
• In Nevada, golf carts must have certain equipment installed, such as headlights, tail lamps, stop lamps, reflectors, and slow-moving vehicle emblems. For safety, golf carts must also have mirrors and brakes.

Wyoming

• As long as they meet safety regulations and have a VIN, golf carts are legal to operate on neighbourhood roadways.
• The state’s official records regarding the minimum age to operate a golf cart are unavailable. We suggest that you inquire with the local government about it.
• Golf carts are required to have insurance and a license plate.

What did the new law change?

According to Senator Erin Grall, the current Florida law allows 14-year-olds to drive golf carts, but children under 14 still drive them. Additionally, the state law made it challenging for local governments to pass laws increasing the age requirement. Senator Grall emphasized the importance of proper training for operating vehicles on public roads.

Who can drive a golf cart in Florida?

If you’re under 18, you must be at least 15 with a learner’s permit or 16 with a driver’s license. If you’re 18 and older, you must have valid government-issued identification.

What is considered a golf cart?

Per the regulations in Florida, a golf cart is classified as a motorized vehicle specifically created and produced for use on golf courses for sporting or recreational activities, with a maximum speed limit of 20 miles per hour.

What happens if you break the law?

A moving violation is one type of noncriminal traffic infraction that drivers may encounter. The bill is supported by state law enforcement agencies, who point to the state’s growing number of golf cart communities.

Scott Beaver, the director of patrol for the St. John’s County Sheriff’s Office, stated, “We don’t need 14-year-olds driving golf carts on a highway.”

FAQ’s

We hope to help you determine the legal age to operate a golf cart in each state in the union. We are happy to answer any questions you may have.

Please get in touch with us with any questions about golf cart accessories or parts.

Please Note: Before driving a golf cart, it is always advised that you do your research and confirm the safety regulations with your local municipality.