Driving a golf cart in Flagler Beach comes with specific local rules. The city requires registration, liability insurance, safety equipment, and a valid driver's license for operation on designated streets. Golf carts are not permitted to travel along State Road A1A or State Road 100. Here is what residents and visitors should know before getting behind the wheel.
Golf carts are a familiar sight around Flagler Beach, but that does not mean they can be driven anywhere a regular vehicle can travel. The City of Flagler Beach has adopted an ordinance governing golf cart operation on designated city streets, including registration, insurance, driver qualifications, equipment, and roadway restrictions.
The governing local provisions are found in Flagler Beach Code of Ordinances, Sections 19-57 through 19-64 . Florida Statutes Section 316.212 also establishes statewide requirements for golf cart operation.
Yes. Flagler Beach's local ordinance requires a valid driver's license to operate a golf cart on its designated city streets.
No. Ordinary golf carts are prohibited from traveling along either road. The ordinance permits crossing SR 100 at the controlled Flagler Avenue intersection, subject to traffic laws and right-of-way requirements.
Golf carts may operate only on city streets that have been designated and approved for golf cart use.
Under Section 19-58, the city commission has authority to approve or revoke designated golf cart streets. The city is responsible for installing appropriate signage identifying approved streets.
Drivers should never assume that a road is approved simply because it is residential, has a low speed limit, or is commonly used by other golf carts.
Flagler Beach requires anyone operating a golf cart on its designated city streets to possess a valid driver's license.
Florida's general golf cart statute establishes statewide age and identification requirements, but Flagler Beach has additional local restrictions.
The police department's public safety guidance identifies age 16 as the minimum age to operate a golf cart locally, consistent with the city's valid driver's license requirement for operation on designated streets.
Drivers must obey applicable traffic laws, signs, signals, and right-of-way requirements. Golf cart operators may receive traffic citations.
All occupants must have a proper seat, and the ordinance requires Florida Department of Transportation-approved lap safety belts for the driver and all passengers.
Passengers should remain seated while the golf cart is moving. Riding on the exterior of a cart or allowing passengers to stand creates serious safety risks.
Owners must register golf carts with the City of Flagler Beach before operating them on designated city streets.
The owner registering the cart must be at least 18 years old. A registration decal must be displayed on the driver's-side rear fender.
These amounts come from the city's 2026 registration packet. The ordinance text contains older fee amounts, so owners should verify current fees with City Hall before paying.
According to the city's 2026 instructions, newly purchased golf carts and carts being registered in Flagler Beach for the first time require an inspection.
Owners should bring the golf cart, driver's license, registration form, and proof of insurance to:
Flagler Beach Police Department
204 S. Flagler Avenue
Flagler Beach, FL
The city's 2026 packet lists inspection hours as Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., without an appointment.
Registration is processed at City Hall, 116 S. 3rd Street, at the rear of the building, according to the same packet.
View the Official 2026 Golf Cart Registration and Inspection Packet
Yes. Section 19-62 requires liability insurance for golf carts operated on designated city streets.
The ordinance establishes these minimum liability limits:
Proof of insurance is required during the city's registration process. Owners should confirm with their insurance provider that their coverage applies to golf cart use on public streets.
Flagler Beach requires golf carts operated on designated streets to have functioning safety equipment.
Under Section 19-61, additional equipment is required when operating in fog, smoke, rain, or during the specified early-morning and evening periods.
The city's 2026 inspection checklist also identifies a full front windshield, turn signals, and a horn among inspection items.
Not every small electric vehicle is classified as a golf cart.
Flagler Beach's ordinance defines a golf cart as an electrically powered vehicle designed for golf course use that is not capable of exceeding 20 mph.
The city's golf cart ordinance applies to qualifying electric golf carts on designated streets.
A low-speed vehicle, often called an LSV, is a separate vehicle classification. These vehicles generally have a top speed greater than 20 mph but not greater than 25 mph.
Florida law establishes different registration, licensing, equipment, and roadway requirements for LSVs.
Flagler Beach's golf cart ordinance specifically excludes speed-modified golf carts, hybrid golf carts, neighborhood electric vehicles, and other LSVs from authorization under its designated-street golf cart program.
Owners should determine the vehicle's legal classification before assuming that the city's ordinary golf cart registration rules apply.
Flagler Beach may enforce its golf cart rules through applicable traffic laws and local code enforcement procedures.
Section 19-64 identifies several violations that can also lead to revocation of a golf cart registration following the applicable adjudication process.
The Flagler Beach Police Department also warns that driving an ordinary golf cart along A1A or SR 100 can result in a traffic ticket.
Golf carts can be a convenient way to travel within approved areas of Flagler Beach, but drivers must follow the same basic principles of responsible roadway use as other motorists.
Make sure the cart is registered and insured, the driver is properly licensed, passengers are safely seated and belted, and the intended route uses approved streets.
For the most accurate information, consult the Flagler Beach Golf Cart Ordinance and the city's official permits and forms page .
Flagler Beach's police guidance identifies 16 as the minimum age, and the city's ordinance requires operators on designated streets to have a valid driver's license. A learner's permit alone should not be assumed sufficient under the local ordinance.
No. Ordinary golf carts may not travel along State Road A1A or State Road 100 under the city's golf cart ordinance. The ordinance allows crossing SR 100 only at the controlled Flagler Avenue intersection.
The city's published 2026 packet lists a $40 initial registration fee and a $30 annual renewal fee. Check with City Hall for current fees and deadlines.
Yes. The local ordinance requires liability insurance for golf carts operated on designated city streets, with minimum coverage of $10,000 per person, $20,000 per crash for bodily injury, and $10,000 for property damage.
The city's ordinance specifies additional equipment for operation during certain early-morning and evening periods and in reduced visibility, including headlights, turn signals, a horn, windshield, and side reflectors. Drivers must also follow any applicable state-law time restrictions and local street designations.
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