Louisiana Golf Cart Laws (2025)

Not by default. In Louisiana, you can only drive a golf cart on public roads if a parish or city has passed an ordinance allowing it on designated streets. Even then, the golf cart must meet specific requirements (equipment, registration, etc.). If there’s no local ordinance permitting it, then it’s not street-legal except to perhaps cross a road at a golf course.

Yes. Louisiana law requires the operator to have a valid driver’s license when driving a golf cart on public roads authorized for such use. Essentially, you must be a licensed driver (typically at least 16 years old). Driving a golf cart without a license is only legal on private property – not on public streets.

Yes. If you’re driving on public roads in Louisiana, the golf cart must carry liability insurance like any other vehicle. The law specifically says a golf cart used on public streets must have insurance meeting the same minimum requirements as a car. You’ll need to show proof of insurance when registering the cart with the city or parish as well.

Louisiana’s golf cart law (for local road use) does not explicitly mention seat belts in the list of required equipment. It focuses on lights, mirror, brakes, etc. Many golf carts don’t have seat belts since they’re considered off-road vehicles. However, if the cart is upgraded to a Low-Speed Vehicle (which is a different category), it would need to meet federal LSV standards – which include seat belts. So, for a regular golf cart on designated roads, seat belts aren’t specifically required by state law (though local ordinances could add such a requirement).

Louisiana defines a “golf cart” in law as having a maximum speed of 25 mph. So by definition, it should top out around 25 mph or less. Additionally, when driving on public roads, you’re only allowed on streets that a local government has approved – typically those are low-speed neighborhood streets. Louisiana also defines “low-speed vehicles” similarly (20–25 mph top speed), and those can be used on 35 mph roads. But a true golf cart, as an off-road vehicle, won’t go much faster than 20–25 mph, and it’s not allowed on any road where the speed limit is above 35 mph in any case.

You must be old enough to have a driver’s license. The law requires a licensed driver at the wheel on public roads, which in Louisiana generally means at least 16 years old. There’s no specific mention of a different age threshold for golf carts, so the standard licensing age applies. (On private property or within private communities, younger individuals might drive golf carts with permission, but that’s outside the scope of public road use.)

Louisiana does not issue standard license plates for golf carts, but you do have to register the cart with the state as an off-road vehicle. To do this, you go through the Office of Motor Vehicles (OMV) and register the golf cart similarly to an ATV – you’ll get an off-road decal to put on the cart. Additionally, if your city or town allows golf carts on its streets, you may need to register with the local government as well (some cities require a city permit or sticker). You’ll need to show proof of insurance and your driver’s license during registration. Once registered and decal’ed, and assuming your local area permits it, you can operate the cart on the approved roads.

To legally drive a golf cart on public roads in Louisiana (where a local ordinance allows it), the cart must have certain safety equipment: efficient brakes, a reliable steering system, safe tires, a rearview mirror, and front and rear reflective warning devices. It also must be equipped with headlights, turn signals, tail lights, and brake lights. The cart has to be registered through the OMV as an off-road vehicle and display the OMV-issued decal. The driver needs a valid driver’s license and must carry insurance on the cart. Local governments can add more requirements too – for example, they could require additional equipment or enforce time-of-day restrictions. It’s also important to remember that these carts can only be driven on roads the local government has designated (and never on state highways except to cross at permitted crossings).