To get a Bay St. Louis golf cart permit, bring the cart to the Bay St. Louis Police Department at 547 Main Street for a safety inspection, pay a $50 registration fee, and present a valid driver’s license, proof of liability insurance meeting Mississippi’s 25/50/25 minimums, a completed registration form, and a signed affidavit.1Bay Saint Louis MS. Golf Carts Once the cart passes inspection and the fee is paid, you receive a registration decal to display on the left rear fender.2Justia. Mississippi Code 63-32-5 – Golf Cart and Low-Speed Vehicle Registration and Operation
What to Bring to the Police Department
Three documents and one properly equipped cart. The forms you need are a registration form and a registration affidavit, both available through the Bay St. Louis Police Department.1Bay Saint Louis MS. Golf Carts They ask for the make, model, color, and serial number or VIN of the cart along with owner contact details.
You also need a valid Mississippi driver’s license or a temporary driver’s permit.2Justia. Mississippi Code 63-32-5 – Golf Cart and Low-Speed Vehicle Registration and Operation And a current insurance card showing liability coverage of at least $25,000 for bodily injury per person, $50,000 per accident, and $25,000 for property damage, the state minimums known as 25/50/25.3Justia. Mississippi Code 63-15-43 – Motor Vehicle Liability Policy Not every auto insurer writes golf cart policies, so start that call early. If you have a homeowner’s rider, confirm the limits match 25/50/25 before you rely on it.
The cart itself has to be road-ready before the inspection. State law and the local ordinance require working headlights, tail lights, brake lights, turn signals, reflectors front and rear, a parking brake, at least one rearview mirror, a windshield, and a working seat belt in every passenger seat. Seat belts are the item that catches most owners by surprise, since factory carts rarely come with them. Install everything and test it before you drive over, or trailer the cart in if it is not yet registered.
The Inspection and Fee
An officer verifies that every required piece of safety equipment is installed and working and that the cart’s details match your paperwork. The registration fee is $50.1Bay Saint Louis MS. Golf Carts After you pass and pay, you get the decal for the left rear fender and a map of the streets where golf carts are authorized.2Justia. Mississippi Code 63-32-5 – Golf Cart and Low-Speed Vehicle Registration and Operation Keep that map. It is the clearest guide to where you can legally drive.
Annual Renewal Starting October 1
Every registered cart in Bay St. Louis needs a renewal sticker beginning October 1 each year. The renewal fee is also $50.1Bay Saint Louis MS. Golf Carts You can handle it in person at the police department between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., or mail in a renewal packet. Either way, submit an updated registration form, a completed affidavit, a valid driver’s license, and current insurance documentation.
The new sticker goes in the lower left corner of your original decal. Last year’s sticker does not carry you forward. Driving on an expired registration earns a traffic citation at the same fine a regular motorist would pay for the same violation.1Bay Saint Louis MS. Golf Carts
Where You Can Legally Drive
Carts can operate only on streets the city has specifically designated by ordinance, and Mississippi law further limits them to roads where bicycles are legally permitted.4Justia. Mississippi Code 63-32-3 – Authorization to Operate Golf Carts and Low-Speed Vehicles on Public Roads Within Municipality Under Certain Circumstances State and federal highways are off-limits for travel. You may cross them, but only at designated intersections, by the shortest route, and perpendicular to traffic. On multilane roads, stay in the outside lane. Highway 90 is a travel-prohibited road with permitted crossings. Sidewalks, walking paths, and bicycle trails are not legal routes for a golf cart.
Who Can Drive and What to Carry
The operator must hold a valid driver’s license or temporary driver’s permit and must carry both the license and proof of insurance any time the cart is on a public road.2Justia. Mississippi Code 63-32-5 – Golf Cart and Low-Speed Vehicle Registration and Operation Unlicensed drivers, including children, cannot legally operate a cart on city streets, supervised or not. Every traffic law that applies to a car applies to you. Stop signs, signals, right of way, all of it.
Penalties for Violations
Bay St. Louis treats golf cart violations the same as standard motor vehicle violations. Driving without a valid registration, without insurance, or on restricted streets draws a ticket at the same fine a car driver would face for the identical offense.1Bay Saint Louis MS. Golf Carts The city can also revoke the registration permit for repeated or serious violations, which puts the cart back to private-property-only use until you re-register. The two mistakes that catch owners most often are letting the October renewal slip and leaving the insurance card at home.