Missouri Golf Cart Laws (2025)

Not by default – it depends on local law. Missouri state statute allows municipalities to authorize golf carts on their streets by local ordinance. If a town or city has passed such an ordinance, then golf carts can be street legal within that community under the ordinance’s conditions. However, there is no statewide permission for golf carts; without a local ordinance, you cannot legally drive a golf cart on public roads in Missouri.

Missouri’s state law doesn’t explicitly say “license required” in the golf cart statute, but in practice yes – if a city allows golf carts, they virtually always require the operator to have a valid driver’s license (for liability and safety). Golf carts are treated like motor vehicles when on the road in terms of traffic law compliance, so a licensed driver should be at the wheel. Many municipal ordinances make this a formal requirement.

State law doesn’t require registration or insurance for a golf cart used under a municipal ordinance. Golf carts are expressly exempt from Missouri’s vehicle registration provisions and by extension the mandatory insurance law tied to registration. That said, some municipalities might require proof of insurance to get a local permit. Even if not required, it’s wise to have liability insurance if you’re driving a golf cart on public roads in case of an accident.

No, seat belts are generally not required on golf carts in Missouri. A golf cart as defined by Missouri law is not expected to have the full complement of car safety equipment. The statute focuses on having adequate brakes and whatever safety features the city ordinance might impose. Since golf carts are open and low-speed (max 20 mph) vehicles, most local rules don’t mandate seat belts on true golf carts. (If you somehow modified and registered a golf cart as a regular motor vehicle or LSV, then seat belt requirements would apply, but standard golf carts operating under local ordinances are not so equipped.)

By definition, a golf cart in Missouri is not capable of exceeding 20 mph. So a street-legal golf cart’s top speed is around 20 mph. They’re limited to crossing or using roads with relatively low speed limits as well. If it can go faster than 20 mph, Missouri would no longer consider it just a “golf cart” – it would fall into another vehicle category (like a low-speed vehicle or regular vehicle) and need to meet more requirements.

Missouri state law doesn’t set a specific age, but since a golf cart is a vehicle on public roadways only by local permission, cities almost always require a licensed driver – effectively making the minimum age 16. There’s no scenario in which an under-16, unlicensed person can legally drive a golf cart on a public street in Missouri.

You typically don’t register a golf cart through the state DMV in Missouri. Golf carts are exempt from state registration. If your city allows them, you may need to get a local permit or obey local rules (some towns issue a sticker or permit for golf carts). But you won’t have a Missouri license plate for a golf cart. If you decide to modify the cart to exceed 20 mph and add all highway equipment, you’d actually be trying to register it as a regular motor vehicle or an LSV, but that goes beyond the normal golf cart provisions. For the vast majority of cases, no state registration is done – just follow your municipal process.

If allowed by a local ordinance, the golf cart must at least have adequate brakes and any other safety equipment the city requires. Most towns require basic things like a slow-moving vehicle emblem or a safety flag, perhaps headlights or taillights for visibility if used at dawn/dusk, and of course functioning steering and brakes. The cart must not be capable of speeds over 20 mph. The driver should have a valid driver’s license, and the cart should be insured if the city mandates it. Also, you can only drive it on roads that the city has designated (generally low-speed local streets). State law prohibits golf carts from being on highways or crossing intersections over 45 mph speed limit roads. Essentially, make sure your cart is in good working order, has any required safety markings, and that you only drive it in the permitted areas at the permitted times as outlined by your local government.