street legel

[Lone Traveller]

What options do you have to have to make a golf cart street legal?

[Indy-Guy]

I am not certain that I have this totally covered but this is close perhaps someone will correct any errors. Safety approved seat belts, speed of 35 mph, brakes that match a certain criteria and or course lights and turnsignals.

There may be more but I don't own one so perhaps someone who owns one will let us know more.

[livsea2]

License plates, insurance, drivers license. In addition. Plus the cart "stuff". ;)

[Niels]

I am not certain that I have this totally covered but this is close perhaps someone will correct any errors. Safety approved seat belts, speed of 35 mph, brakes that match a certain criteria and or course lights and turnsignals.

There may be more but I don't own one so perhaps someone who owns one will let us know more.


I don't think golf carts have to go 35mph to be street legal. That's really fast. GEM cars are street legal and they are advertized as having a top speed of 25mph.

[livsea2]

You do realize that you do not need a street legal cart to travel with in the villages and most of the surrounding shopping centers, recreation areas, and town centers right? Considering your other posts and it looks like you are more of a "newbie" than I am I thought I should check. ;) You can take a "plain ole regular golf cart" just about anywhere.

[ronsgc]

When I spoke to the Tomberlin representative he stated that "Street Legal" is for any car that goes over 20 mph up to 25 mph. A golf cart can not legally go over 19.9 mph. A street legal cart can be driven on any road posted 35 mph or less as long as the cart is properly tagged. There are many requirements that the car must have including but not limited to headlights, brake lights, turnsignals, windshield, horn, seat belts, braking requirements, etc. Hope this helps!

[bimmertl]

Why would you get a vehicle that can only go 25mph and drive it on Buena Vista, etc. where the speed limit is 35mph and full of SUV's, Crown Vics etc, driven by who knows who, going 40mph? It's just too dangerous!

Get a regular 19.9 mph cart which will get you everywhere you need to go on the golf cart paths and streets with lower speed limits and golf cart lanes. You'll live longer!

[l2ridehd]

The only option you really need is a lack of common sense. The drivers on TV roads are bad enough when your in a tank of a vehicle. Why anyone would want to take an open golf cart and drive on the streets is beyond comprehension. Maybe they have a death wish? There are plenty of cart paths that will take you every where you would ever want to go. Get a motorcycle, even a motor scooter if driving on the roads in an open motorized way is what you want. Adding golf carts to the traffic that have a limited speed and not really as agile as everyone else there, and with little or no surround protection is crazy.

[Lone Traveller]

You're right I'm a newbie here. I thought a golf cart had to be street legal to go anywhere in TV. Since I'll be confining my carting to within TV I guess I don't have to worry. Maybe there not needed but lights. turn sugnals and safey belts still sound like a good idea.

[Mallory]

Traveller - Before opting for seat/safety belts you may want to speak with Lt. Wolfe, who runs the Sumter County Sheriff's Office substation on 466. He does not recommend them unless you have a golf cart with a reinforced roof. Most don't. He'll explain that you don't want to be caught under a collapsing roof should you flip the cart but that you actually want to be thrown clear of it.

If you do buy a street legal cart, it should come with reinforced roof and seat belts.

IMHO, go to Golf Cart Connection and buy a standard remanufactured, electric Club Car.

[JohnN]

Lone Traveller,
Street legal is 20+ mph, and can travel the streets - which I personally have seen carts on the streets with cars and I think it's dangerous. I'd prefer to stick to the golf cart paths and do 19.9 mph (or whatever it is). Street legal also require license plates, insurance, registration, etc.

Some folks throw the term "Villages" ready around, and that merely infers commuting around TV instead of simply golf pahs. They have headlights and go faster (I think it's 15 or 12 mph for golf courses).

You can get anywhere in TV with a standard 19.9 mph cart. Good luck