Arizona Golf Cart Laws

Golf carts have become popular forms of transportation for many Arizona residents. Many people use golf carts to get around their neighborhoods or for quick trips to the local store or park. As a result, Arizona law has established rules and regulations for operating golf carts on public roads. These rules ensure that drivers operate their golf carts safely and do not affect the flow of other vehicular traffic.

Failing to follow Arizona golf cart laws when driving on public roads can put a person at risk of civil and criminal penalties. Violating Arizona golf cart driving laws may also increase the chances of getting into an accident. Because golf carts do not have many of the same safety features as traditional passenger vehicles, such as seat belts or airbags, a golf cart accident can cause devastating, potentially life-threatening injuries. Golf cart owners should familiarize themselves with Arizona laws to protect themselves, their passengers, and other road users from a potentially catastrophic accident.

How Does Arizona Law Define Golf Carts?

Arizona defines a golf cart as a vehicle weighing less than 1,800 pounds with at least three wheels on the ground, a top speed of 25 miles per hour, and a maximum occupancy of four people (including the driver). Arizona does not require golf carts to have many of the same safety equipment or features as traditional motor vehicles, like headlights, turn signals, or mirrors, for use on private property. Arizona allows people to operate golf carts on private property. However, if you want to drive a golf cart on a public road in Arizona, the cart must meet specific requirements to be street legal.

Does Arizona Set Speed Limits for Golf Carts?

Arizona typically limits golf carts to a maximum speed of 25 miles per hour. However, many golf cart manufacturers impose top speeds of around 20 miles per hour. Vehicles with a top speed of 25 mph fall exclusively under state law, while vehicles that can travel faster than 25 mph must meet federal regulations governing traditional motor vehicles.

Can Golf Carts Be Driven on Public Roads?

People can operate golf carts on public roads in Arizona if the driver has a valid driver’s license and auto insurance coverage required by state law. Arizona requires drivers to carry bodily injury and property damage liability coverage. Drivers must also register their golf carts with the Arizona Department of Transportation’s Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) before driving on public roads.

Golf carts must have various safety equipment to operate on public roads, including:

• Headlights
• Taillights
• Brakes
• Brake lights
• A horn

Arizona exempts golf carts from the requirement to have a windshield. Golf cart drivers must stay on roads with a posted speed limit of 35 miles per hour or less. Drivers may not operate golf carts on sidewalks. Golf carts also may not ride on the side of the road unless permitted by local ordinance.

Golf cart drivers must follow all the rules of the road when driving on public streets. This includes obeying all traffic signs and signals and yielding the right-of-way as required.

Are License Plates Required for Golf Carts in Arizona?

When a golf cart owner wants to drive their cart on a public road, they must register the car with the Motor Vehicle Division. Upon registering a golf cart, an owner will receive a license plate from the MVD that they must put on their cart. The golf cart owner will also receive a title from the MVD indicating their ownership of the golf cart.

Does Arizona Require Liability Insurance for Golf Carts on Public Roads?

To drive on a public road, Arizona requires all golf cart drivers to carry the same minimum liability insurance as drivers of private passenger vehicles. The required coverage is $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident of bodily injury liability coverage and $15,000 per accident of property damage liability coverage. However, golf cart drivers can purchase higher policy limits and optional coverages, such as comprehensive/collision coverage or uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.

What Is the Difference Between a Golf Cart and a Low-Speed Vehicle (LSV)?

Golf carts and low-speed vehicles have various differences. Low-speed vehicles must meet requirements established by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, including:

• Seat belts
• Safety glass windshields
• Windshield wipers
• Headlights, taillights, and brake lights
• Turn signals
• Side and rearview mirrors
• Rear red reflectors
• Parking brakes
• Horns

Low-speed vehicles also come with a manufacturer-supplied vehicle identification number.

Golf carts do not need any of the safety equipment or features required of low-speed vehicles so long as operators keep them on private property. Unlike golf carts, low-speed vehicles automatically qualify as street-legal vehicles. However, golf carts must have the same equipment required for low-speed vehicles before a driver can take them onto a public road.

Are Golf Cart Drivers Required to Obey the Same Traffic Laws as Motorists?

Golf cart drivers must obey all applicable traffic laws when driving on public roads. Traffic laws that golf cart drivers must follow when on Arizona public roads include:

• Having a valid driver’s license
• Meeting state-imposed minimum liability insurance requirements
• Stopping at all stop signs and red lights
• Yielding the right-of-way as required, including to pedestrians in marked crosswalks or intersections
• Indicating before turning or changing lanes
• Driving within a marked traffic lane or on the right side of an unmarked street
• Not operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• Not engaging in reckless driving, such as excessive speeding or swerving through traffic
• Wearing seat belts, if available
• Keeping a safe following distance from traffic ahead

Contact an Arizona Golf Cart Accident Lawyer

A golf cart accident in Arizona can cause severe injuries that may prevent you from doing your job, performing daily tasks, and enjoying the activities you love. An Arizona golf cart accident attorney can help you pursue compensation for these expenses and losses. Contact Mushkatel, Gobbato, & Kile, P.L.L.C. today for a consultation with an experienced lawyer to learn more about your legal rights and options.

Visit Our Arizona Golf Cart Accident Law Offices