Oklahoma Golf Cart Laws (2025)

Not by default. In Oklahoma, a traditional golf cart (top speed 20 mph) is generally not street legal on public highways. The only exceptions are if a municipal ordinance allows cart use on certain low-speed city streets, or if the cart is upgraded, registered, and tagged as a Low-Speed Vehicle (which allows it to be treated as a regular vehicle on roads ≤35 mph).

Yes. If a golf cart is being operated on public roads (where permitted), the driver must be at least 16 years old and hold a valid driver’s license. (Oklahoma even allows 12- to 15-year-olds to drive a cart only if they’ve completed a state-approved golf cart safety course and carry the completion certificate, but this applies only in areas where local law permits cart use.)

For an LSV (street-legal low-speed vehicle) that is registered like a car, yes – Oklahoma requires insurance just as for any other motor vehicle. For a golf cart operating under a local ordinance (with a special permit), liability insurance is typically required by that ordinance (most cities mandate proof of insurance when issuing permits, consistent with state guidelines). It’s unsafe and unlawful to drive any motorized vehicle on public roads without the proper insurance.

If the golf cart is classified and registered as an LSV, it must have seat belts for each seat (federal LSV standards require it). Standard golf carts operating under local permission are not explicitly required by state law to have seat belts, but many local ordinances highly recommend or require them for safety. In practice, any cart that’s been modified to LSV status will have seat belts installed as part of the required safety equipment.

A standard golf cart in Oklahoma is designed to go no more than 20 mph. If it’s converted to an LSV, it will have a top speed of 25 mph (as required by federal definition). Regardless, Oklahoma law limits carts/LSVs to roads with posted speed limits of 35 mph or below, and they cannot legally exceed 25 mph even on those roads.

At least 16 with a valid driver’s license to drive on public roads. However, Oklahoma uniquely allows younger teens (12 to 15) to drive a golf cart if they have completed a state-approved golf cart safety course and are under direct adult supervision when crossing a highway. This is a special provision – without that certification (or outside a permitted area), drivers must be 16 or older.

Most true golf carts cannot be registered through the DMV unless they are upgraded to meet LSV requirements. To make a golf cart street-legal in Oklahoma, it must be equipped to qualify as an LSV (20–25 mph capability, VIN, lights, signals, windshield, mirrors, seat belts, etc.). You would then title and tag it as an LSV at the tag agency. Otherwise, if you’re using a golf cart under a local ordinance (for example, your town allows carts on certain streets), you typically must obtain a local permit or decal from the city rather than register the cart with the state.

To be street-legal statewide, it must be turned into a Low-Speed Vehicle. That involves ensuring it can go 20–25 mph and equipping it with all federally required safety features – headlights, tail/brake lights, turn signals, reflectors, horn, windshield, mirrors, parking brake, seat belts, and a VIN. It then needs to be titled and registered through the Oklahoma Tax Commission. For local-use golf carts (not full LSVs) allowed by city ordinance, requirements usually include a city inspection or permit, a valid driver’s license, liability insurance, and often the display of a safety flag or slow-moving vehicle emblem.