{"id":154189,"date":"2026-02-13T10:26:11","date_gmt":"2026-02-13T10:26:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/154189\/"},"modified":"2026-02-13T10:26:11","modified_gmt":"2026-02-13T10:26:11","slug":"can-you-drive-a-golf-cart-on-florida-roads-heres-what-the-law-says","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/154189\/","title":{"rendered":"Can you drive a golf cart on Florida roads? Here\u2019s what the law says"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">TALLAHASSEE, Fla. \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.clickorlando.com\/news\/florida\/2026\/02\/11\/this-state-just-beat-florida-as-the-best-place-to-retire-study-claims\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.clickorlando.com\/news\/florida\/2026\/02\/11\/this-state-just-beat-florida-as-the-best-place-to-retire-study-claims\/\">With Florida being a retirement haven<\/a>, it\u2019s not much of a surprise that golf carts are such a common sight in many parts of the state.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">But with them being so prominent, it begs the question: are they street legal?<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">[BELOW: Trooper Steve explains the rules surrounding golf carts on the road]<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">For the most part, it\u2019s forbidden to drive a golf cart on public roads in the state, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leg.state.fl.us\/Statutes\/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&amp;URL=0300-0399\/0316\/Sections\/0316.212.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.leg.state.fl.us\/Statutes\/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&amp;URL=0300-0399\/0316\/Sections\/0316.212.html\">though there are some exceptions<\/a> under state law:<\/p>\n<p>Crossing the Highway: Golf carts can be used to cross portions of the State Highway System if they have been approved by the FDOT.<\/p>\n<p>State Parks: The State Park Road System can be used if the speed limit is 35 mph or less.<\/p>\n<p>Mobile Homes: Residents or guests of a single mobile home park may use golf carts to cross the street if the park is located on both sides of the street (again, with local approval).<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">It\u2019s important to note that any areas approved for golf carts will have signs posted to indicate this. Furthermore, local governments can make even more restrictive rules for golf cart drivers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">[BELOW: Can I drive barefoot in Florida?]<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">That said, state law also prohibits people from driving golf carts after sunset unless a \u201cresponsible governmental entity\u201d finds that a golf cart may be operated during this time.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">A new bill passing through the Legislature could relax these regulations, though \u2014 at least a bit.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">GOLF CART LEGISLATION<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.flhouse.gov\/Sections\/Bills\/billsdetail.aspx?BillId=83136\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.flhouse.gov\/Sections\/Bills\/billsdetail.aspx?BillId=83136\">House Bill 519<\/a>, which was filed back in November by state Rep. Bradford Yeager (R-New Port Richey), would expand when golf carts can be driven on roadways.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">Under this proposal, a person may cross a highway using a golf cart at a signalized intersection so long as the following conditions are met:<\/p>\n<p>The intersection is located entirely within the boundaries of a single local government.<\/p>\n<p>That local government has designated the roadway that intersects with the highway as OK for golf carts.<\/p>\n<p>The local government has approved the operation of golf carts at the crosswalk and has posted appropriate signs at the intersection to indicate as much.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">So far, HB 519 has managed to pass through two committees, meaning it has one more to go before it can get a full House vote.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">If it gets approved by lawmakers and the governor, though, the bill is set to take effect on July 1.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">[BELOW: Here\u2019s how golf carts work at an intersection]<\/p>\n<p>Copyright 2026 by WKMG ClickOrlando &#8211; All rights reserved.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"TALLAHASSEE, Fla. \u2013 With Florida being a retirement haven, it\u2019s not much of a surprise that golf carts&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":154190,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[28,30,100,29,2161,99,2647,1014,232,729],"class_list":{"0":"post-154189","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-florida","8":"tag-florida","9":"tag-florida-headlines","10":"tag-florida-legislature","11":"tag-florida-news","12":"tag-government","13":"tag-politics","14":"tag-sanford","15":"tag-seminole-county","16":"tag-tallahassee","17":"tag-traffic"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/154189","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=154189"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/154189\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/154190"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=154189"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=154189"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=154189"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}