Your insurance requirements will be determined by your state, county, city, or town if you plan to drive your golf cart on public roadways. In Arizona, for example, all golf cart owners must have liability insurance. Furthermore, although several towns need insurance, Texas does not have a statewide requirement.
California
If your golf cart carries no more than two people (including the driver), weighs less than 1,300 pounds, and does not exceed 15 mph, it is exempt from state registration.
Depending on where you reside, you may be required to register and insurance your golf cart if it exceeds these limits. If your golf cart is a NEV or LSV in Malibu, for example, it can only be handled by licensed drivers and must be registered and insured with the DMV.
Florida
In Florida, golf carts are not required to be titled, registered, or insured. Golf carts can be driven on roads with a posted speed limit of 30 mph or less that are designated for golf carts. To operate a golf cart on authorized public highways, you must be at least 14 years old.
Your golf cart must be registered, titled, and insured with both personal injury protection and property damage liability insurance if it is an LSV. A valid driver’s license must be in your possession.
Nevada
In Nevada, golf carts are allowed to be driven in residential developments that have been approved by the city or county government. A DMV permit and insurance are required for certain developments in Clark County.
If your golf cart is an LSV, you can drive it on public roads with speed limits of 35 mph or less. A LSV must be registered, and you must purchase at least the bare minimum of car insurance in Nevada:
South Carolina
To drive on public highways in South Carolina, you’ll need a golf cart permit. For routes with a designated speed limit of 35 mph or less, you can only drive your golf cart within four miles of your home or business. To get a permit, you’ll need the following items:
Texas
You’ll need a golf cart license plate if you wish to drive your golf cart on public roads in Texas. You can drive your golf cart in the following ways:
- During the day, on public highways with a maximum speed restriction of 35 mph, and not more than two miles from the golf cart’s position, the golf cart is normally parked.
- Crossing junctions, such as one on a highway with posted speed limits exceeding 35 mph
To drive on public roads, you’ll need a slow-moving vehicle symbol if your golf cart travels at less than 25 mph.
To drive on public roads, you must have a valid driver’s license. Some cities and towns in Texas may mandate liability insurance that meets the state’s minimal requirements.
How much does it cost to insure a golf cart in Florida?
- You can stop here if your golf cart has been modified and registered with the Florida DMV (as an LSV, or Low Speed Vehicle), since you no longer have a golf cart in terms of insurance, as Florida Law now considers your golf cart (LSV) as a regular automobile. You must have complete auto insurance (including Personal Injury Protection) in this scenario, which is the same as if you were insuring a regular vehicle. You’re not just unprotected if you don’t have the right coverage; you’re also risking your driver’s license because you’re theoretically driving a registered car without property coverage (which can result in a driver’s license suspension).
- If your golf cart isn’t registered with the Florida Department of Motor Vehicles, you should be able to insure it with a simple endorsement to your homeowner’s policy or a separate Golf Cart insurance policy. Both choices are inexpensive (often between $70-$150 per year), but I definitely recommend the stand-alone policy. The rationale for this recommendation is simple: if you need to file a claim for a golf cart accident, theft, or other incident, you’ll be much better suited filing it on a golf cart policy than than your house insurance policy (the last thing you want to do in Florida is make unnecessary claims on your Home Insurance that could have been handled elsewhere).
Regardless of whatever choice you choose, we believed it was necessary to cover this topic because we’ve seen a few cases where a golf cart owner didn’t have a particular endorsement or insurance, and we didn’t want you to find out the hard way.
If you have a golf cart or are thinking about getting one, contact our office and we’ll be pleased to go through your options and provide a quote for golf cart insurance so you can enjoy your new ride with confidence.
Do you have to have insurance on a street legal golf cart in Florida?
The moderate climate of Florida allows for year-round outdoor recreation. Low-speed vehicles (LSVs), golf carts, and off-highway vehicles (OHVs) are all excellent ways to appreciate local towns and natural areas. Consumers should be aware of the differences between LSVs, golf carts, and OHVs, as well as the traffic rules that apply to these vehicles, as well as the registration, titling, and insurance requirements.
Low Speed Vehicles
LSVs are defined as “any four-wheeled vehicle whose top speed is greater than 20 miles per hour but not greater than 25 miles per hour,” according to Florida Statutes Section 320.01(41). Personal injury protection (PIP) and property damage liability (PDL) insurance are required for LSVs to be registered, titled, and insured. Anyone driving an LSV must have a valid driver’s license on them at all times.
LSVs can only be driven on streets having a posted speed restriction of 35 miles per hour or less, and they must be fitted with the following safety features:
- On the driver’s side, there is an exterior mirror and an interior rear-view mirror or an exterior mirror; on the passenger side, there is an exterior mirror and an interior rear-view mirror.
Take the necessary paperwork to a Motor Vehicle Service Center to title and register an LSV:
Golf Carts
Golf carts are defined as “a motor vehicle that is intended and constructed for use on a golf course for sporting or recreational purposes and that is not capable of exceeding speeds of 20 miles per hour,” according to Florida Statutes section 320.01(22). Golf carts may be driven on roads with a posted speed restriction of 30 mph or less that are designed for golf carts. Golf carts are also allowed to cross a section of a county road that intersects a golf cart-only route, or that intersects a golf course or mobile home park. In both cases, signage indicating that golf carts share the road should be posted. The use of golf carts on public highways must adhere to any additional restrictions set by local government, which should be confirmed before using these vehicles.
Golf carts are not required to be titled or registered, and hence are not required to be covered by PIP or PDL insurance. Golf cart operators are not required to have a driver’s license, but they must be 14 years old or older to operate on designated public routes.
Converted Golf Carts
LSVs can be converted from golf carts (see LSV safety equipment requirements above). Buyers should be advised that if a golf cart has been converted to an LSV, the registration and title dates do not correspond to the date of production (age of the vehicle). Instead, it specifies the year in which the vehicle was registered and titled. This indicates that the car may be older than the title’s expiration date.
A converted golf cart must be inspected and assigned a VIN at a Motorist Services Regional Office before it can be titled and registered. Before applying for a title and registration, the modified golf cart must be street legal.
Present the following paperwork and fees for an inspection, VIN assignment, title, and registration at a Motorist Services Regional Office:
- Form HSMV 84490 (Statement of Builder) completed by customer and Compliance Examiner/Inspector; Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin or a bill of sale for the golf cart;
- All parts utilized to convert the golf cart to a low-speed vehicle must have their original bill(s) of sale or receipt(s).
All-Terrain Vehicles
All-terrain vehicles (ATVs) are only allowed to be driven on unpaved roads when the posted speed limit is less than 35 mph and only during daylight hours, according to Florida law. A county, on the other hand, may seek to be excluded from this requirement. Alternatively, a county may designate some dirt routes where an ATV may be operated during the daytime if they have a posted speed limit of less than 35 miles per hour and are suitably signed to indicate acceptable ATV use. Anyone under the age of 16 who rides an ATV on public land must be accompanied by an adult and show proof of completion of a DACS safety course. ATV operators and riders under the age of 16 must wear a safety helmet and eye protection certified by the USDOT. ATVs are titled but not registered, and they are not needed to have PIP and PDL insurance. To title an ATV, take it to a Motor Vehicle Service Center and fill out form HSMV 82040. (Florida Statutes, Sections 261.20, 316.2074, and 316.2123)
Can you drive a golf cart on the road in Florida?
In general, you can only drive a golf cart on a highway that separates a subdivision, trailer park, or golf course in Florida. A golf cart does not require a title or registration with the state. You must still follow the regulations of the road when driving a golf cart in Florida, such as surrendering the right of way.
Golf carts and low-speed vehicles are distinguished in Florida (LSV). Depending on the categorization of the vehicle, different laws and restrictions apply.
Can you drive a golf cart on the sidewalk in Florida?
A golf cart may only be operated on a county road that has been authorized for use by golf carts, or a municipal street that has been designated for use by golf carts by a municipality. When a competent governmental authority determines that golf carts can be safely used on a designated road or street, it must place suitable signs to indicate that such operation is permitted.
F.S. 316.212 authorizes the use of golf carts on public roads and streets in this state, but only under the following conditions:
- Golf cart operators may cross state roadways only at a junction with an official traffic control device if the posted speed limit is 45 mph or less.
- Golf carts are only allowed to be driven on state roads with a posted speed restriction of 30 mph or less.
- All driving laws, both local and state-wide, must be followed. Pedestrians and anyone using an adapted device will always have the right of way in a crosswalk.
- Only if the person driving the cart yields to pedestrians and the sidewalk is at least 5 feet wide can golf carts be driven on the sidewalks close to state or county roads.
A golf cart is only allowed to be driven between the hours of daybreak and dusk. If the local government decides that a golf cart can be driven outside of specified hours, it must be outfitted with the following features:
*While golf carts cannot travel at high speeds, they can be dangerous since they can cause significant injuries when they collide with other motor vehicles on the road. To preserve your own and others’ safety, you should always drive with caution and civility when sharing the road.
What makes a golf cart street legal in Florida?
Stop lamps, turn signal lamps, headlamps, tail lamps, and parking brakes are all essential equipment for LSV and NEV electric cars or street legal golf carts in Florida. Rearview mirrors, reflex reflectors, windshields, seat belts, and vehicle identification numbers (VINs).
How much is a golf cart?
Most golf carts will cost between $8,000 and $9,000 on average. Some golf carts, on the other hand, can be found for as little as $2,500/$3,000, and some luxury golf carts can cost well over $20,000. It depends on whether you’re looking for a new or used golf cart.
Are gas golf carts street legal in Florida?
Personal injury protection (PIP) and property damage liability (PDL) insurance are required for LSVs to be registered, titled, and insured. A valid driver’s license is required for anyone operating an LSV. LSVs are only allowed to operate on roads with a posted speed limit of 35 mph or less.
Are golf carts street legal in Tampa?
Gary Payne owns a car, but he likes to drive a golf cart around Davis Islands.
Payne remarked, “I take it to watch the sunset and the cruise ships come in.” “It’s more convenient than getting into the automobile. Golf carts abound in this area.”
People are using the open, motorized, rubber-tired conveyances in ways that defy the moniker golf cart from Sun City Center to Dunedin.
Is that what they should be? Is it safe, let alone legal, to take them off the golf course and onto highways, where they compete with cars of a different size and speed?
Can you make a Rzr street legal in Florida?
When it comes to mirrors, residents of places like Florida who have legalized UTVs for street use have it easy.
Motor vehicles in Florida are only required to have one mirror. This mirror must show the driver the road 200 feet behind the vehicle. Other states are stricter, requiring the use of two or three mirrors (one inside the cockpit).
There are aftermarket mirrors that attach into the frame of a UTV and provide a side-view mirror for the driver. Because these mirrors create a blind zone directly behind the vehicle, a rear-view mirror should still be installed within the cabin.