Georgia Golf Cart Laws
Georgia has an interesting mix of rural and urban environments that makes it a great place to live and visit.
Their golf cart laws reflect this unique culture by making it possible to ride safely and easily on roads with these vehicles.
Read on to find out what else you need to know about this facet of life in Georgia if you want to live in or visit there.
Georgia State Laws on Golf Carts
Currently, Georgia requires anybody riding a golf cart as a low-speed vehicle to obtain a driver’s license when driving alone.
They also limit the riding age to 12 years of age or older.
Younger children are not allowed on carts due to the potential danger and the lack of child-safety gear.
If the child is accompanied by an adult over the age of 18 with a license, they can also drive the cart.
Georgia also allows 15-year-old drivers with permits to drive a cart on their own as well.
All golf carts taken out on the road must pass specific regulations, as well.
For example, they must weigh less than 1,300 pounds and have a top speed of no more than 20 miles per hour.
Any faster cart is considered unsafe and may not be licensed as a low-speed vehicle.
Classification as a medium-speed vehicle is unlikely because golf carts don’t have the kind of structural protection necessary for this classification, either.
As a result, keep your speeds reasonable to avoid problems.
Any golf cart operated as a low-speed vehicle also needs headlights, brake lights, turn signals, and windshields if they want to travel outside of the times between sunrise and sunset.
Golf carts may discard these standards if they only want to operate when the sun is out.
This restriction does limit cart usefulness, however, so it is wise to do these upgrades anyway.
Doing so helps to ensure that golf carts are safe and protected when riding on roads at night.
Other Restrictions to Follow
Beyond these restrictions, golf carts and other low-speed vehicles should include seat belts, rearview mirrors, and a vehicle identification number or VIN.
These elements are crucial because they protect riders from injury and ensure that they don’t hurt others while on the road as well.
And registering your vehicle is important for legal purposes and must be taken into account before you try taking one out on a road or a highway near your home or general area.
However, there are some areas where you can never ride golf carts in Georgia.
Local and state officials enforce these restrictions and will fine you if you break these rules.
For example, you cannot drive on Palmetto Road, Tyrone Road, Dogwood Trail, Jenkins Road, Sandy Creek Road, or Peggy Lane in this state.
Make sure to talk to your local authorities about these roads to see if they are near you.
And stay away from them because you may get ticketed if you try to ride them.
Private roads do not have to follow many of these same rules, however.
That’s because they are on private land and are not privy to the same rules and regulations as city and state highways.
As a result, you can ride golf carts on these roads without registration and licensing.
You can even ride on one without a driver’s license.
However, doing so is not a wise decision because you can’t take your cart out of this general area and restrict your enjoyment and transportation possibilities quite a bit.
Important Legal Considerations
Low-speed vehicles have other legal considerations that you must understand before taking one out in Georgia.
First of all, you must be capable of reaching speeds of up to 20 miles per hour when accelerating over a one-mile strip of flat, paved highway.
However, you must be incapable of speeds over 25 miles per hour.
Any faster than that and you are considered an unsafe cart.
You must also stick to roads with a speed of 35 miles per hour or less.
You must also register your cart at a local DMV to ensure that you follow all legal specifications.
At the DMV, a specialist will inspect your cart and ride it to see if it qualifies as a low-speed vehicle.
If it does, you will get a vehicle identification number.
This number lets you register and license your cart.
Expend to pay a few hundred dollars for this process when you are done.
Doing so is worth it if you plan on taking your cart out often.
When you’ve licensed your cart, you must display the license appropriately whenever you are on the road.
Then, you need to purchase Personal Injury Protection and Property Damage Liability insurance options.
Usually, you’ll need around $10,000 of each to make sure your cart operates.
You may have to get insurance for your cart before you license it, though, so talk to your local DMV about this facet of the process before you get started to avoid any confusion.
Federal Golf Cart Laws
Helpful Links
www.dps.georgia.gov
www.municode.com
www.one.nhtsa.gov
Disclaimer
Even though our guides are thorough and researched, it is highly recommended that you perform your own research and check with your local municipality on rules as well.
Leave a Reply