South Carolina Golf Cart & Low Speed Vehicle Laws

Golf Cart Laws may vary from City to City, so please check with your local municipality.

General Federal Law for Golf Carts:

Under current NHTSA interpretations and regulations, so long as golf cars and other similar vehicles are incapable of exceeding 20 miles per hour, they are subject to only state and local requirements regarding safety equipment.

However, if these vehicles are originally manufactured so that they can go faster than 20 miles per hour, they are treated as motor vehicles under Federal law.

The standard requires low-speed vehicles to be equipped with headlamps, stop lamps, turn signal lamps, taillamps, reflex reflectors, parking brakes, rear view mirrors, windshields, seat belts, and vehicle identification numbers.

For more information on the federal laws pertaining to golf carts, please click here.

South Carolina Golf Cart & Low-Speed Vehicle Laws

Guidelines for Golf Carts and PTVs (Personal Transportation Vehicles)

YOU MAY ONLY OPERATE A GOLF CART DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS.

A permitted golf cart may be operated within four miles of the address on the registration certificate and ONLY on a secondary highway or street for which the posted speed limit is 35 MPH or less. They may, however, cross an intersection where the speed limit is ABOVE 35 MPH.

The golf cart driver must be at least 16 years of age and hold a valid driver’s license. Driver must have with them the following:

The registration certificate issued by the department
Proof of liability insurance for the golf cart
Their driver’s license

Guidelines for LSV (Low-Speed Vehicle)

Reaches speeds of 20 MPH to 25 MPH.
Has a vehicle identification number (VIN)
Headlamps
Front and rear turn signals
Taillamps
Stop lamps
Reflex reflectors, red – one on each side and one on the rear
Exterior mirror on the driver's side and an interior mirror or exterior mirror on the passenger side
Parking brake
Windshield
Seatbelt for each designated seat
Not be operated on any roadway with a speed limit above 35 mph.

Any person operating a low-speed vehicle (LSV) must have a valid driver's license in their possession. An LSV must also be registered and insured with Personal Injury Protection and Property Damage Liability.

If the vehicle is owned by a nonresident but is subject to the issuance of a certificate of title in this State, the application must also contain his:

Full legal name, social security number, or, if the primary user does not have a social security number but has a passport, his passport number
Driver’s license number, whether the license was issued by this State or another jurisdiction
Date of birth
Bona fide principal residence address
Address in this State where the low-speed vehicle will be housed and used
The mailing address of the primary user of the vehicle. If the primary user is a firm, association, or corporation, the application must contain the primary user's business address and federal employer identification number.

Is this state Medium Speed Vehicle friendly?

No State Law is Currently in Place.

Are License and Registration a Requirement?

For both LSVs and Golf Carts, Yes. Liability insurance is also required.

For the original South Carolina Code of Laws Page Click Here.

HELPFUL LINKS

www.charlestonlaw.net

www.scstatehouse.gov