North Myrtle Beach Golf Cart Laws (2026)

North Myrtle Beach is a separate city from Myrtle Beach and publishes its own golf cart rules, including a 2025 local ordinance update. The city follows South Carolina's golf cart framework: permitted carts must be registered with SCDMV, insured, driven by a licensed driver, and kept on secondary roads posted 35 mph or less. The local distinction is that North Myrtle Beach limits permitted golf carts to sunrise-to-sunset operation and calls out several primary-road crossings, including Ocean Boulevard, Highway 17, 27th Avenue South, and Sea Mountain Highway.

• Golf carts must display a valid South Carolina golf cart permit sticker
• Operation is allowed only on secondary roads within city limits with posted speed limits of 35 mph or less
• Operation is limited to sunrise to sunset
• A valid driver's license is required; minimum practical age is 16
• Golf carts may cross primary roads at intersections, including Ocean Boulevard, 27th Avenue South, Highway 17, and Sea Mountain Highway
• You must stay within 4 miles of the address on the SCDMV registration certificate
• Liability insurance is required before SCDMV will issue the permit
• Seating capacity cannot be exceeded
• Children under age 12 must wear a fastened seat belt when riding on a public road
• Normal traffic laws apply, including DUI and open-container enforcement

• Secondary neighborhood roads - allowed when posted 35 mph or less and within the registration radius
• Ocean Boulevard - treated as a primary road crossing point, not a normal golf cart travel route
• Highway 17 - may be crossed at intersections, but golf carts cannot travel along it
• Sea Mountain Highway - primary-road crossing rules apply
• 27th Avenue South - specifically listed by the city as a crossing point
• Cherry Grove and Crescent Beach side streets - common low-speed areas, but posted signs and the 4-mile rule still control

• North Myrtle Beach and Myrtle Beach are separate cities. Do not assume the same Ocean Boulevard restrictions apply in both places
• Rental carts should already have the SCDMV permit and liability insurance. Ask the rental company what address is on the registration so you know the 4-mile boundary
• The sunrise-to-sunset rule matters during winter and shoulder season. Headlights do not extend standard golf cart hours
• Keep children buckled. South Carolina's under-12 seat belt rule is now a specific enforcement issue
• Use side streets when possible and treat Highway 17 and Ocean Boulevard as crossing points, not cruising routes