There will be new rules surrounding who can drive a golf cart on public roads thanks to a new state law that has been passed and will go into effect Oct. 1.
The new law is listed as “operation of a golf cart” and is House Bill 949. The bill was drawn up and proposed by Rep. Cyndi Stevenson.
Once enacted, the bill will prohibit anyone younger than 18 years old from operating a golf cart on certain roadways unless they have a valid driver license or learner’s driver license.
However, being 18 years old does not automatically allow you to drive a golf cart on public roads, as those people must still possess a valid form of government-issued photographic identification to legally get behind the steering wheel.
It will also authorize a water control district to designate certain roads for use by golf carts, but county approval would be needed before making such a designation official.
As a result, beginning in October when the new law takes effect, a golf cart may only be operated on county roads that have been designated for golf carts by the county; municipal streets designated as such by that municipality; two-lane county roads located within the jurisdiction of such a municipality; or roads that are owned and maintained by a water district that has designated for the use of golf carts.
Once a public roadway is deemed open to golf carts, it will then be up to the responsible government entity to post appropriate signage indicating that golf carts are allowed and list the criteria and age restrictions for driving one.
Violations of the new law would be classified as a noncriminal traffic infraction and punishable as such.
The bill did not receive any detractors of legislators who voted on it during its process of getting approved, as it received no nay votes in either the Florida House of Representatives vote on April 28 or in the Florida Senate vote May 1.
The final step was when Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the bill into law on May 11.
