In South Carolina, you have to be at least 16 years old and hold a valid driver’s license to drive a golf cart on a public road. A beginner’s permit does not count. The rule comes from South Carolina Code Section 56-2-90, and it applies to every public street or highway in the state, no matter how short the trip or how quiet the neighborhood.1South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code 56-2-90 – Operating a Golf Cart on a Public Highway
The Age and License Rule
Two things have to be true before you can legally get behind the wheel of a golf cart on a public road in South Carolina. You have to be 16 or older, and you have to hold a valid driver’s license. A learner’s permit or restricted license does not satisfy the statute. If you are 15 with a beginner’s permit that lets you drive a car with a supervising adult, that permit does not extend to golf carts on public roads.
The driver also has to carry three items whenever the cart is on a public road: the driver’s license, the golf cart’s registration certificate, and proof of liability insurance.2South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles. Golf Carts Law enforcement can ask to see all three during a stop.
When the Age Rule Doesn’t Apply
The 16-and-licensed requirement is a public-road rule. On private property such as a golf course, a farm, or the private internal streets of a gated community, the state statute does not impose an age floor. The moment the cart leaves that private property and enters a public street or highway, the age and license rule kicks in.
What Else the Cart Needs
Being old enough and licensed is only part of what makes a golf cart legal to drive on the road. The cart itself has to be permitted through the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles before it touches a public street. To get the permit, the owner has to provide proof of ownership, proof of liability insurance for the cart, and pay a five-dollar fee.1South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code 56-2-90 – Operating a Golf Cart on a Public Highway
The SCDMV issues a permit decal and a registration certificate. The decal is affixed to the cart, and the registration certificate stays inside the cart whenever it is being driven.2South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles. Golf Carts The decal has to be replaced every five years, or sooner if the owner changes address.3South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code 56-2-105 – Golf Cart Permit and Registration
Where a 16-Year-Old Can Actually Drive the Cart
Meeting the age and license requirement gets you on the road, but state law still restricts where and when. Under the default rules in Section 56-2-90(D):1South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code 56-2-90 – Operating a Golf Cart on a Public Highway
- Driving is limited to daylight hours. South Carolina treats this as 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. during standard time, extending to 8:00 p.m. when daylight saving time is in effect.4City of Myrtle Beach. South Carolina Golf Cart Laws
- Golf carts can only travel on secondary highways or streets with a posted speed limit of 35 mph or less. Primary highways are off limits.
- The cart has to stay within a four-mile radius of the address on the registration. For gated communities, the radius is measured from the community’s entrance.
- A highway with a speed limit above 35 mph can be crossed at an intersection, but not driven along.
Local Governments Can Change the Rules
Cities and counties have authority under Section 56-2-90(C) to modify the default state rules inside their own borders.5South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code 56-2-90 – Operating a Golf Cart on a Public Highway Local ordinances can set different operating hours, designate specific roads where carts are allowed, permit nighttime driving on carts equipped with working headlights and taillights, and create separated cart paths along the shoulders of highways.
What local governments cannot do is lower the age or lift the license requirement. Those come from state statute and apply everywhere in South Carolina. Coastal and resort towns like Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head, and Folly Beach often have their own golf cart ordinances that differ from the state defaults on hours and routes, so it is worth checking with city or county officials before assuming any particular rule applies where you live.
What Happens If an Underage or Unlicensed Person Drives
Violating South Carolina’s golf cart laws is a misdemeanor. For traffic violations under the golf cart statute where no specific penalty is listed, the general traffic misdemeanor penalty is a fine of up to $100 or up to 30 days in jail. Local ordinances can add their own penalties on top of that.
Beyond the fine, a misdemeanor conviction creates a criminal record. That is a consequence most families do not associate with letting a younger teenager take a golf cart down the block, but the statute does not carve out short trips, quiet streets, or neighborhood errands. If the driver is under 16 or does not hold a valid license, the cart should not be on a public road.