What Florida Vacationers Need To Know Before Driving Golf Carts On Public Roads

Driving, biking, or walking are the usual methods of transportation to get from one place to another. However, Floridians take it a step further. In some areas, you might see your neighbors cruising around town in a golf cart — even on main roads. From million-dollar golf experiences to PGA putting greens, Florida is a popular destination for golfers, which might be the reason why many golf carts end up in these towns. However, just because they're around doesn't mean you can hop in and drive them anywhere you want. Like with any vehicle, there are laws drivers must abide by, and Florida police have only gotten stricter over the years.

For starters, you can only operate them on roads that have speeds of 30 mph or less. The cart can only intersect roadways if there is clear signage that the area permits golf carts. As of October 2023, if you're driving the cart under 18 years of age, you must at least have a valid learner's permit, and if you are over the age of 18, you must have a government-issued ID. There's also an open-ended part of the law that states that drivers must abide by any local government's extra restrictive ordinances, meaning you must pay attention to the laws of the cities you're driving in.

Golf carts are common in some neighborhoods, like The Villages (an hour north of Orlando), which has over 100 miles of golf cart paths and more than 85,000 carts alone. While you might see people driving these bad boys around more frequently than cars, there are still safety risks. In fact, The Villages has an average of 136 golf cart accidents per year, according to a 2020 study published in Traffic Injury Prevention.

The Villages isn't the only place where you'll find this type of transport. Anna Maria Island, Key Biscayne, and Panama City Beach have a laid-back island vibe, where many of the roads have the proper speeds for these golf carts to travel on. So, during peak tourism season, they might encounter similar issues to The Villages. In fact, in June 2025, a 15-year-old girl was ejected from a golf cart in Anna Maria Island, suffering traumatic injuries. These accidents can occur because golf carts have no doors, they don't have the same stability as a car, and their lighting might not be as strong as the headlights of an actual car. Sometimes, it might just be a better idea to ride around golf courses instead of roadways — and, in Florida, there are tons of highly rated golf resorts offering elevated amenities, sunshine, and gorgeous views.

Want to know where else in the U.S. golf carts are popular? Check out our feature on the Georgia city with over 100 miles of golf cart and pedestrian-friendly paths.