A North Myrtle Beach golf cart parking permit is free for city residents and non-resident property owners, but you have to earn it in two steps: register the cart with the South Carolina DMV, then apply for the city parking registration in person at the Park NMB office at 904 2nd Ave N. If you held a permit last year, you can skip the office visit and renew online. The 2026 paid parking season runs March 1 through October 31, and every registration has to be renewed annually.1City of North Myrtle Beach. Parking Registration Information
Who Can Get One
The city limits golf cart parking registrations to people with a real tie to North Myrtle Beach. Visitors and renters who don’t own property in the city are not eligible under the current system.
- NMB residents with vehicles registered to their North Myrtle Beach address can apply for up to two complimentary parking registrations per property, and buy one additional registration for $200 per year.
- Non-resident property owners get one complimentary registration for a personal vehicle or golf cart, plus the option to buy one more for $200. The golf cart must be registered with the SC DMV at your North Myrtle Beach property address.
- Horry County residents who don’t own property in the city can compete for 500 paid registrations at $200 each, first-come, first-served. Those sold out for the 2026 season.1City of North Myrtle Beach. Parking Registration Information
Register the Cart With the SC DMV First
The city requires proof of SCDMV registration as part of the parking permit process, so this step comes first. State registration costs $5 for a first-time decal and $5 to renew before expiration, and the state permit is valid for five years.2South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles. Golf Cart Permit Decal and Registration Application
You’ll complete form GC-2, which asks for the cart’s VIN, make, and year, your driver’s license number, and a signed certification that you carry liability insurance. The form is mailed to the SCDMV in Blythewood. Once processed, you’ll get a permit decal for the cart and a registration document you have to carry with you whenever you drive it.3South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles. Golf Carts
Apply at Park NMB, or Renew Online
New golf cart registrations have to be done in person at the Park NMB office, 904 2nd Ave N, North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582. Bring your SCDMV registration document.4North Myrtle Beach. Parking Registration Form – 2026
If you already held a golf cart parking registration in a prior year, you can renew through the city’s online parking registration portal instead of going to the office. You’ll still need your current SCDMV registration to renew.1City of North Myrtle Beach. Parking Registration Information
The city has moved to a digital, plate-based permit for regular vehicles, but golf carts are the exception. Physical decals are still issued for carts.5North Myrtle Beach. Parking Registration
Season Dates and Annual Renewal
Paid parking runs March 1 through October 31 each year, and every registration expires with the season. The permit is tied to the property owner, not the cart, so if you sell the property or the cart, the new owner has to apply fresh in their own name.1City of North Myrtle Beach. Parking Registration Information
Where the Permit Lets You Park
A valid registration allows your golf cart to park in city-owned lots and designated beach access areas. Enforcement officers actively patrol those zones during the season. The permit does not authorize parking on private property or in spots not designated for golf carts.
Driving Rules the Permit Doesn’t Override
The parking permit is only about parking. State and city rules govern when and where you can actually drive the cart, and they catch a lot of people out.
Golf carts may only operate between sunrise and sunset, on secondary roads posted at 35 mph or less. You can cross a faster road at an intersection, but you can’t travel along it.6City of North Myrtle Beach. City Council Approves Amendment to Golf Cart Ordinance
Under state law, the cart has to stay within four miles of the address on your registration certificate. The driver must be at least 16 and carry a valid driver’s license.7South Carolina Department of Public Safety. Golf Cart Law Children under 12 must wear a seatbelt when riding in a cart on a public road, a state requirement that took effect in 2025.6City of North Myrtle Beach. City Council Approves Amendment to Golf Cart Ordinance
Insurance is part of the package too. South Carolina requires liability coverage on any golf cart operated on public roads, and you certify to that coverage on the GC-2 when you register with the DMV.2South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles. Golf Cart Permit Decal and Registration Application
What Violations Cost
Violations of the city’s golf cart ordinance carry a fine of up to $100 and, in serious cases, up to 30 days in jail. That covers operating without a permit, driving after sunset, using roads above the 35 mph limit, and parking in unauthorized areas. Carts parked in city lots without a valid registration are subject to citation by the parking enforcement officers working beach access points during the season.