Carver, Minnesota adopted a new golf cart permit ordinance on August 17, setting an $80 permit fee for three calendar years and authorizing permitted golf carts on city streets. The rule does not open county, state, or federal highways, except for designated crossings.
Golf Cart Search compared the adopted Carver ordinance packet with Minnesota Statutes section 169.045. The local rule follows Minnesota's permit-based model: the city authorizes the streets under its jurisdiction, the owner applies for a permit, and the cart must carry a city sticker.
The city packet confirms adoption of Ordinance 05-2026 and Resolution 142-26, but the public copy reviewed by Golf Cart Search does not show a final vote split in the resolution text.
Can you drive a golf cart on Carver streets?
Yes, but only with a city golf cart permit and only on eligible Carver city streets. The ordinance requires proof of insurance, a city permit sticker, a valid Minnesota driver's license, a rear-view mirror, a slow-moving vehicle sign, and extra lighting for night use. It does not allow golf carts on county, state, or federal highways except at designated crossings.
What Carver's golf cart permit changes
Before this ordinance, Carver's staff memo said golf carts could not use city streets unless the city specifically permitted them. The adopted ordinance adds a new golf cart section to Chapter 46 of the Carver City Code.
The new section says no golf cart may be operated on a city street or roadway without a city permit. The permit allows operation on streets under Carver's jurisdiction, subject to the operating rules in the ordinance and Minnesota law.
The permit application must include:
- the date;
- the owner's name, address, phone number, and email;
- the golf cart's make, model, and color;
- proof of insurance;
- and the owner's signature.
The permit sticker is tied to one golf cart and may not be transferred to another cart. If a permitted cart is sold, the new owner has 30 days after purchase to ask the city to update the permit record.
How much the Carver golf cart permit costs
Carver set the permit at $80 for three calendar years. The same line in the 2026 fee schedule covers UTV and golf cart permits.
That works out to about $26.67 per calendar year before any insurance cost, equipment cost, or inspection process the city may require through its application materials.
This is a local permit fee, not a normal Minnesota DMV registration renewal. Minnesota's state statute lets a county, city, or town authorize motorized golf carts on designated roadways by ordinance. The local government sets the permit process and may renew permits for periods of up to three years.
For broader cost comparisons, see our golf cart registration cost by state and golf cart registration by state guides.
Where a permitted cart can go in Carver
The ordinance allows a permitted golf cart on city streets and roads. It also says a permitted golf cart may only operate on city streets, not on county, state, or federal highways except to cross at designated intersections.
That limit is central in Carver because the city cannot authorize every public road inside or near its boundaries. Minnesota law gives local governments authority over designated roadways or portions of roadways under their jurisdiction. Carver's July staff memo also flagged county and state road limits while the ordinance was being prepared.
The ordinance bars golf carts from sidewalks and trails used for pedestrian or bicycle travel, unless the cart is operated by authorized city personnel. It also bars operation on private property without the property owner's permission.
What equipment and operating rules apply
Carver's ordinance requires every permitted golf cart operated on city streets to have a rear-view mirror and a slow-moving vehicle sign on the rear.
Daytime operation is allowed between sunrise and sunset for a permitted driver with a valid Minnesota driver's license. Night operation is allowed only when the golf cart has original equipment headlights, taillights, brake lights, and original or aftermarket lighted turn signals. Our driver license guide explains how public-road license rules vary by state and local ordinance.
The ordinance also bars golf cart operation:
- in inclement weather;
- when visibility is impaired by smoke, fog, or other conditions;
- or when visibility is too poor to see people and vehicles on the road from 500 feet away.
Passenger count is limited to the cart's design occupant load. Everyone must follow the traffic rules that apply to vehicle drivers when those rules can reasonably apply to golf carts.
How the city rule matches Minnesota law
Minnesota Statutes section 169.045 says motorized golf cart road use is by permit only when a local government authorizes designated roadways by ordinance. The statute also says the ordinance must require evidence of insurance, may set permit conditions, and may grant permits for up to three years.
Carver's adopted language tracks those points. It requires evidence of insurance, sets a three-year permit term, and keeps the permit tied to city-controlled streets.
The state statute also says motorized golf carts must display a slow-moving vehicle emblem on designated roadways. Carver repeats that requirement in its equipment section.
Drivers should not treat the Carver permit as a street-legal LSV registration. A standard golf cart permit under Minnesota law is a local road-use permission system. A factory low-speed vehicle has a different equipment, title, registration, and insurance path. Our Minnesota golf cart laws page explains the state-level distinction.
What remains to check before driving
Carver has adopted the ordinance and posted the full text in its council packet. Owners still need the city's application process, sticker issuance, and any city instructions that accompany the permit.
The public packet reviewed by Golf Cart Search does not include a finished application form or a map of every eligible street. Until the city posts or provides those materials, owners should confirm the permitted routes, crossing points, and sticker placement before driving on public streets.
This article summarizes public records and is not legal advice. Use Carver's final permit documents and the current Minnesota statute before operating a cart on a public road.
Primary reporting source
City of Carver: August 17 council packet
