Stanley Personal Injury Lawyers | February 18, 2026 | Golf Cart Accidents
Golf carts are legal on many public roads if you meet specific criteria. If you are thinking about operating a golf cart on South Carolina streets, it is important to understand the rules.
South Carolina passed significant new laws for golf carts in 2025. Whether you live in a beach town like North Myrtle Beach or elsewhere in the state, knowing these rules is essential for safe and legal operation.
Essential Legal Requirements for Golf Carts in South Carolina
If you want to operate a golf cart on South Carolina public roads, you must meet the requirements listed under SC Code Section 56-2-90, which include:
- Registering with the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (SCDMV)
- Displaying a valid permit decal on the golf cart
- Keeping proof of insurance with you while driving
- Maintaining a valid driver’s license (minimum age is 16 years old)
Under the new legislation passed in 2025, children under 12 years old must wear a fastened safety belt when riding in a golf cart on public roads.
Operational Restrictions: Where and When to Drive
South Carolina law imposes clear limits on where and when you can drive a golf cart. As of 2025, it also gives local and county governments some limited authority to mandate the hours, methods, and locations of golf carts within their jurisdiction. General restrictions include:
Where You Can Drive
Golf carts may only be driven on secondary roads with speed limits of 35 mph or less. You may only operate the cart within 4 miles of the address listed on your registration certificate. For gated community residents, this distance is measured from any entry/exit point of the community.
Golf carts cannot be driven on primary highways or roads with speed limits above 35 mph. However, golf carts may cross highways at intersections where the speed limit exceeds 35 mph.
When You Can Drive
Golf carts may typically only be used during daylight hours. Nighttime operation, if permitted by your local or county government, requires working headlights and taillights.
New 2025 Golf Cart Law Changes and Updates
South Carolina passed new golf cart legislation in 2025. These changes significantly expanded local government authority while introducing new safety requirements. Below is a summary of the key changes:
Mandatory Child Seatbelt Requirements
Children under 12 must wear a seatbelt fastened at the lap belt while riding in a golf cart on public roads. This rule applies statewide.
Expanded Local Government Authority
The 2025 law gives municipalities and counties much broader power to create their own golf cart ordinances.
Cities can now:
- Set specific operating hours.
- Designate which roads permit golf cart use.
- Create dedicated golf cart paths with a buffer between them and traffic lanes (appropriate buffers include concrete curbs, parking spaces, or at least 4 feet of separation from traffic).
- Reduce the 4-mile operating radius to a minimum of 2 miles.
North Myrtle Beach was among the first cities to implement local ordinances under the new law.
In June 2025, the North Myrtle Beach City Council approved an amendment to its golf cart ordinance stating:
- Golf carts may only operate on secondary roads with posted speed limits of 35 mph or less.
- Operating hours are from sunrise to sunset (hours vary seasonally).
- Golf carts may cross primary roads only at intersections.
- All seating capacity limits must be respected.
- South Carolina permit stickers are required.
- Drivers must hold a valid license and obey all traffic laws.
- Violations may result in fines of up to $100 and/or up to 30 days in jail.
Golf carts are street-legal in South Carolina, but only when you follow the rules. To stay compliant, remember to follow both state and local laws.
Contact the North Myrtle Beach Golf Cart Accident Attorneys at Stanley Personal Injury Lawyers for a Free Consultation
Golf cart accidents can result in catastrophic injuries and death. If you were injured in a golf cart accident, you could be entitled to substantial compensation for your economic and non-economic damages. Contact our North Myrtle Beach golf cart accident attorney at Stanley Personal Injury Lawyers to learn more in a free consultation.
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