How to Transport or Tow a Golf Cart: Costs & Trailer Tips

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Transport a golf cart as cargo only after confirming fit, actual weight, loading equipment and securement. Choose a trailer, pickup bed or carrier around the exact cart and vehicle. Nominal trailer dimensions, advertised truck towing capacity and a strap's breaking strength don't add up to a safe setup on their own.

Choose the method around the limiting parts

Method	Check before arranging it
Utility or enclosed trailer	Usable deck/door/ramp dimensions; empty weight, payload and GVWR; axle/tire, ramp and anchor ratings; tow vehicle and hitch limits
Pickup bed	Usable floor and wheel-well clearance; wheel contact positions; tailgate/ramp limits; payload after occupants and gear; axle distribution and rated anchors
Toy hauler or cargo vehicle	Door height, floor/ramp limits, vehicle payload and maker-approved securement
Professional carrier	Exact vehicle/battery acceptance, pickup access, loading method, preparation requirements, written total price and actual cargo coverage

Do not pull the cart on its own wheels behind a road vehicle without explicit approval for that exact vehicle and method. A recovery-towing procedure is not permission for highway flat towing. The 2026 GEM manual expressly requires a trailer rather than towing behind another vehicle and warns about dolly towing.

Trailer dimensions and ratings: a worked example

U-Haul's 5×9 utility trailer with ramp, checked October 10, 2026, lists:

Specification	Published value
Inside deck	8 ft 11 in × 4 ft 8 in, or 107 × 56 in
Ramp opening	4 ft 8 in
Empty trailer	1,240 lb
Maximum load	1,650 lb
Maximum trailer plus load	2,890 lb
Ramp capacity	1,810 lb

The same page gives a 55 mph maximum recommended towing speed. That is U-Haul's recommendation, not a legal limit or a speed every condition allows. Follow all rental conditions and the actual assigned unit's specifications.

For dimensional comparison, Club Car currently lists the Onward 2 at 91.5 × 48.75 inches and its six-8V-battery electric version at 975 lb curb weight. Subtracting gives 15.5 inches of nominal length clearance and 7.25 inches total width clearance in that deck. Mirrors, aftermarket equipment, approach angle and loading position can change the practical fit.

For an illustrative load using those published values plus an assumed 100 lb of trailer-carried gear:

1,240 + 975 + 100 = 2,315 lb loaded trailer.

Both 2,890 − 2,315 and 1,650 − (975 + 100) leave 575 lb under the respective gross and payload limits. Ramp loading may include an operator, axle loading and approved tie-down points still need checking, and the rental company must approve the actual tow vehicle and load.

Loading and securement need the cart's instructions

Get the cart's transport section and the trailer/truck/ramp instructions before moving it. Verify whether a ramp rating is per ramp or per pair, the permitted loading height, attachment method, wheel width/track, and the full load present during loading. Keep people clear of the rollback and crush paths. If you cannot establish a compatible method, use a qualified transporter rather than improvising.

Use the cart maker's designated anchors and the corresponding approved strap arrangement. Working load limit (WLL) is the service-load rating; breaking strength is a different number. The strap, hook, anchor and attachment path all need to support the specified arrangement. Do not attach to an arbitrary axle, roof support, plastic panel or convenient tow hook.

For the vehicles it covers, GEM's manual identifies front/rear tie-down points, requires at least four straps and lists a 3,300 lb tie-down minimum WLL. Its transport section requires facing forward on an open trailer, suitable tension at the designated anchors, and periodic inspection. Follow its diagrams and complete instructions; do not transplant that arrangement to another brand.

The E-Z-GO RXV ELiTE manual 10036459-C gives a different hauling checklist: remove the windshield, remove the canopy for highway hauling, and use hauling capacity exceeding vehicle-plus-load weight by 1,000 lb. Identify whether this manual applies to your cart before using those requirements. Folding a windshield alone does not satisfy an instruction to remove it.

Check tire pressure cold against the vehicle's approved tire specification, not the maximum on the tire sidewall. NHTSA explains that distinction. Secure or remove loose equipment as directed, and use only a cover that is explicitly approved for the transport conditions; a storage tarp can become loose cargo.

An actual portable-cart loading report

In his July 28, 2024 Kandi Mini review, Micah Toll reported loading the compact cart into a minivan. He found folding the footrest was enough for that loading situation without telescoping the cart fully.

That applies to the Kandi Mini, not a standard cart. Its useful lesson is to check the specific folding configuration as well as the published dimensions; do not assume portability eliminates ramps or handling equipment.

Pickup payload: include people and gear

Ford's towing guidance distinguishes payload, loaded-trailer weight, GVWR, axle ratings and combined rating. Read the labels and manual for your exact vehicle and hitch. Passengers, carried gear, added equipment and trailer tongue load consume payload.

A pickup with an assumed 1,500 lb payload allowance, 350 lb occupants and 100 lb gear has 1,050 lb remaining before a cart or trailer tongue load. An assumed 975 lb cart in the bed leaves only 75 lb under that one allowance. The tailgate, ramps, wheel positions, axle load and anchors still need checking; an eight-foot bed or a bed extender is not an automatic approval.

Hiring a carrier and preparing the cart

Request a dated written quote identifying pickup/delivery locations, cart dimensions and weight, whether it runs, battery chemistry, open/enclosed transport, loading access, included fees and delivery window. Ask whether the business is the carrier or a broker and who will physically carry the cart. Check the actual company's identity and safety information through FMCSA's Company Snapshot, and confirm applicable operating authority and cargo coverage separately.

Obtain written acceptance and preparation instructions for the exact fuel system and battery. Follow those together with the OEM transport procedure. Do not apply a universal full-tank, quarter-tank, full-charge, trip-distance disconnection or battery-removal rule. Do not remove and separately ship a lithium pack to work around acceptance requirements; that is a different shipment needing its own classification, packaging and carrier approval.

Photograph condition and installed equipment before handover and at delivery, and retain the receipt/condition report. Confirm insurance limits, deductibles, exclusions and claims procedure directly; get coverage for your cart confirmed rather than relying on a carrier listing or broker statement.

Compare actual costs instead of assuming trailer payback

Compare rental and ownership over the number of trips you actually expect. For an illustrative four-trip period, assume rental is $75 per trip, while purchase is $1,200, resale at the end is $800 and ownership adds $200 in storage/registration/maintenance:

• Rental: 4 × $75 = $300.
• Ownership: $1,200 − $800 + $200 = $600, or $150 per trip.
• With those assumptions unchanged, $600 ÷ $75 = eight trips to match rental cost.

Fuel, tolls, extra equipment, vehicle wear, time and insurance must be added where they differ. Compare the resulting self-haul total with a real carrier quote for the same route and service.

Check trailer licensing, registration, speed and any RV double-towing restrictions with the authorities for every jurisdiction on the route. If ratings, loading instructions or securement remain unresolved, arrange dealer delivery or a qualified transporter. See our weight guide, dimensions guide and portable cart guide for the related decisions.