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How Old Do You Have to Be to Drive a Golf Cart? (Here's the Legal Age in All 50 States)
There are rules and regulations regarding the appropriate age to drive a golf cart in the United States. The requirement changes from state to state. The majority of American states require that a child be at least 14 years old to drive a golf cart.
Below is some information about the legal golf cart driving age in all 50 states of the US.
Alabama
- Legal age of the driver is 18 years.
- Alabama does not allow driving golf carts on public roads unless it's a low-speed vehicle upgrade.
- Nobody less than 18 years old and without a license can drive a golf cart on a public highway.
Alaska
- Legal age of the driver is 16 years.
- Anyone driving a golf cart needs to have a driver's license. If the person does not have a driver's license, they can use a learner's permit. But, they will need to have an adult accompany them.
Arizona
- As Arizona requires a person to make their golf cart street legal when driving on public roads, drivers must follow the standard driving laws.
- Privately, The driver is under no obligation to obtain a driver's license to operate a golf cart. Many golf clubs will not rent out carts to anyone under the age of 14 years.
- We cannot track the official information about the legal age of driving a golf cart in this state. We advise you to check with your local government.
Arkansas
- Legal age of the driver is above 14 years
- No driver's license is required to drive a golf cart.
- A person under the age of 14 years will be held responsible in the event of an accident and the responsibility will be transferred to the child’s parents.
California
- Legal age of the driver is 13 years.
- The golf carts must not weigh more than 1,300 pounds, and it should not carry more than two people, including the driver.
Colorado
- Legal age of the driver is 14 years.
- Anyone who is 14 or older can drive a golf cart in Colorado. You are allowed to drive a golf cart without owning a driving license.
- It is required to have a triangular slow-moving vehicle sign on the back of the cart.
Connecticut
- Legal age of the driver is 16 years
- A driver’s license is required to drive a golf cart. All the drivers need to carry their driver’s licenses and put a flag on top of the golf cart to keep other road users alerted of your presence.
Delaware
- Legal age of the driver is 14 years.
- In Delaware, it is considered illegal to drive a golf cart on a public road. Golf carts can only be driven on personal property. As golf carts are only driven on private property, the age to operate the cart would be the property owner's decision.
Florida
- Legal age of the driver is 14 years
- In Florida, a golf cart can be driven on public roads at a speed limit under 25 miles per hour as the driver is at least 14 years old.
- If the cart is driven over 20 miles per hour, the driver will need to have a special license.
Georgia
- Legal age of the driver is above 12 years.
- Anyone who is above 12 years of age can operate a golf cart as long as they are accompanied by a licensed driver who is an adult.
- You need to have a valid driver's license or permit to drive a golf cart alone.
Hawaii
- Legal age of the driver is 16 years
- Golf carts in Hawaii cannot be issued a 17 character VIN. This means they cannot meet the federal demands for making a golf cart street legal.
Idaho
- The cart must have a valid restricted vehicle license plate and must be insured.
- We cannot track the official information about the legal age of driving a golf cart in this state. We advise you to check with your local government.
- The horn must be audible at 200 feet. The mirror must show the roadway 200 feet behind the golf cart.
Illinois
- Legal age of the driver is 18 years.
- If a municipality explicitly allows it, golf carts can be driven on roads that are safe and have a speed limit of 35 miles per hour or less.
Indiana
- Legal age of the driver is 16 years.
- Golf carts are limited to cities and towns that passed local laws to allow carts to be driven on the road.
- A valid driver's license is necessary for every golf cart driver.
Iowa
- Legal age of the driver is 18 years.
- Golf carts can be driven on roads if the town allows it. The carts must display a slow-moving vehicle sign and a safety flag on it.
Kansas
- Legal age of the driver is 13 years
- Kansas law states that a golf cart must weigh no more than 1,800 pounds without a load.
Kentucky
- Legal age of the driver is 16 years.
- Driving requires a permit from the local government, a sticker saying that the cart has been approved for use on local streets.
- The carts can only travel on roads with a posted limit of 35 mph and only during daylight hours.
- The driver needs to have a driver’s license and insurance.
Louisiana
- Children over the age of 12 years can ride on a cart driven by a licensed individual.
- A license is a must for every golf cart driver.
- Local towns may designate some roads to be used by golf carts.
Maine
- Legal age of the driver is 14 years.
- Golf carts are legal for use in low-speed areas around golf courses and on islands that are habitable.
Maryland
- Legal age of the driver is 12 years (must accompanied by an adult)
- Golf carts are not street legal and can only be driven on private property.
- Generally, you do not need to register a golf cart in Maryland or need an endorsement or license to use them on Maryland's roads.
Massachusetts
- Legal age of the driver is 16 years.
- In Massachusetts, golf carts need to be registered, inspected, and titled.
- The driver must have a license, and golf carts must have plates.
Michigan
- Legal Age of the driver is 16 years.
- In Michigan, drivers need to be a minimum of 16 years old, with a valid driver's license to drive a golf cart.
Minnesota
- Legal age of the driver is 16 years.
- In Minnesota, it's up to the local government to permit or not permit golf cart use on public roadways and highways under their jurisdiction. If they do not allow golf cart use on public roads and highways, then a special permit and insurance are required.
Mississippi
- Legal age of the driver is 15 years.
- You must need to be of legal driving age to operate a golf cart in Mississippi. If you are not at level driving age, you can only drive under the direction of your parent or legal guardian.
- It is not allowed to drive a golf cart on federal highways, state highways, and interstate highways.
Missouri
- Legal age of the driver is 16 years.
- In Missouri, golf cart drivers must be at least 16 years old and need a valid driver's license.
- Driving a golf cart by a child age 15 or younger is strictly prohibited.
- Golf carts are restricted from being driven on roads in some Missouri cities. Each municipality has its own set of rules for this.
Montana
- Legal age of the driver is 14 years.
- In Montana, Golf carts are limited to local streets, although there are a growing number of cities that allow them on some roads.
- A driver that drives a golf cart on a public road needs to have a valid driver's license.
Nebraska
- Nebraska defines a golf cart as a four-wheeled vehicle with a maximum ground speed of less than 20 miles per hour.
- We cannot track the official information about the legal age of driving a golf cart in this state. We advise you to check with your local government.
- According to the state, golf carts may not be operated on state or federal highways but can cross a road that intersects with a street.
Nevada
- Before driving a golf cart in Nevada, you need to check with local authorities before assuming you are okay.
- We cannot track the official information about the legal age of driving a golf cart in this state. We advise you to check with your local government.
- In Nevada, golf carts are expected to have some equipment installed, including headlights, tail lamps, stop lamps, reflectors, and emblems for slow-moving vehicles. Golf carts also need to have mirrors and brakes for safety.
New Hampshire
- Legal age of the driver is 13 years.
- New Hampshire does not allow golf carts on public roads. If you wish to drive a golf cart outside the golf course, then you must meet the specifications laid down by the state.
- Golf carts must be registered and insured.
- Drivers must need to have a driving license.
- In New Hampshire, minors over 13 years who have a safety certificate can drive a golf cart. A licensed adult must accompany the minor driver.
New Jersey
- Legal age of the driver is 18 years.
- A valid driver's license is a must for every golf cart driver.
- New Jersey also has a few sticker regulations for golf carts. For example, you need to make sure that your brakes are working fine, and you have an odometer and speedometer to make sure your cart's speed and mileage are appropriately matched.
New Mexico
- Legal age of the driver is 15 years.
- In New Mexico, a golf cart may be permitted to use on local roads but not state or federal.
- Golf carts can only be driven during the time between sunrise and sunset. Night driving is not allowed.
New York
- Legal age of the driver is 14 years.
- Golf carts are not allowed on public roads, sidewalks, or even parking lots, except in some special cases.
North Carolina
- Legal age of the driver is 16 years.
- In North Carolina, golf carts cannot be driven on roads with speed limits greater than 35 miles per hour
- All drivers must need to be over the age of 16 years.
North Dakota
- Legal age of the driver is 16 years.
- In North Dakota, towns choose to allow or not allow golf carts on their streets as they see fit.
- Driving a golf cart on state highways is strictly prohibited.
Ohio
- Legal age of the driver is 16 years.
- Here local governments have the authority to allow people to drive golf carts on low-speed roads not owned by the state or federal government.
- All golf cart drivers need to be licensed to operate a motor vehicle.
Oklahoma
- Legal age of the driver is 16 years.
- The use of golf carts on public streets and highways is allowed within state parks and municipalities that have qualified for their use.
- These roads will always have speed limits under 25 miles per hour, and they'll have signs posted saying that there is golf cart traffic.
Oregon
- Legal age of the driver is 16 years.
- Golf carts can be allowed by the city or country government for areas within the proximity golf course.
- As per Oregon Golf Cart Laws, a golf cart driver should have a valid Oregon driver's license or Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles Golf Cart Permit.
Pennsylvania
- Legal age of the driver is 12 years.
- Golf carts are allowed to drive up to one mile on low-speed public roads.
- Golf cart driver must need to be at least 12 years old to drive a golf cart. However, to cross a highway, you must be at least 16 years old.
Rhode Island
- Legal age of the driver is 13 years.
- It is strictly prohibited to drive a golf cart on city streets in Rhode Island.
South Carolina
- Legal age of the driver is 16 years.
- Your golf cart must have a legit permit before driving on any public street or secondary street.
- The maximum speed limit is 35mph.
South Dakota
- Legal age of the driver is 14 years.
- The driver and the golf cart must be licensed, and the vehicle must be insured.
- Golf carts can be driven after dark, but you must have lights installed on the golf cart.
Tennessee
- Legal age of the driver is 16 years.
- Golf carts are allowed to be driven on low-speed roads, but the golf cart must be registered as a low-speed vehicle first.
- The golf cart needs to be registered and titled.
Texas
- Legal age of the driver is 16 years.
- In Texas, golf carts can be driven on local roads when permitted by the local or country government.
Utah
- Legal age of the driver is 18 years
- Golf carts are allowed on roads as low-speed vehicles, but they need to have a VIN and a title.
- The carts do not require registration but must have a permit and a sticker on the windshield that indicates you possess the license.
Vermont
- Legal age of the driver is 13 years.
- Electric golf carts designed as low-speed vehicles may be driven on roads that have posted speed limits lower than 35 miles per hour.
Virginia
- Legal age of the driver is 16 years.
- In Virginia, golf carts can only be driven on roads with a speed limit of less than 25 miles per hour.
- License is compulsory, and one cannot drive a golf cart between sunset and sunrise.
Washington
- Legal age of the driver is 16 years.
- License is compulsory for golf cart drivers.
- Here, the local town can make golf cart zones on roads that do not cross 25 miles per hour. These zones need to be properly marked with signs.
West Virginia
- Legal age of the driver is 16 years.
- Golf carts are allowed to be driven on local roads if they qualify as low-speed vehicles, and the city allows for it.
Wisconsin
- Legal age of the driver is 16 years.
- In Wisconsin, golf carts are not allowed on public roads unless they qualify as an LSV.
Wyoming
- Golf carts are allowed to be driven on local roads as long as they have safety requirements and VIN.
- We cannot track the official information about the legal age of driving a golf cart in this state. We advise you to check it with the local government.
- Golf carts must need to have a license plate and insurance.
We hope this information helps you find the answer to how old you have to drive a golf cart in different states of the United States. Ask us any questions, and we will try our best to answer.
In case of any query regarding golf cart parts or accessories, get in touch with us.
Please Note - It is always recommended that you perform your own research and check with your local municipality regarding golf cart driving rules and safety before heading out on the road.
For any additional help with street legal golf cart parts, accessories or tires, visit Golfcartgarage.com
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