Golf carts can’t use public streets in Destin: the city says golf carts shall not be operated on any public street. Street-legal low-speed vehicles (LSVs) can use streets posted 35 mph or less, but not U.S. Highway 98 or State Road 293.
What we haven’t checked. This page rests on the city’s golf cart and LSV questions page (dated July 2023). We haven’t read the city code behind it.
State law: see golf cart laws in Florida.
Do you need a driver’s license to drive a golf cart in Destin?
Golf carts can’t use the city’s public streets. An LSV driver needs a valid driver’s license.
How old do you have to be to drive a golf cart in Destin?
There’s no city age rule for golf carts, because they can’t use public streets here. An LSV driver needs a valid driver’s license.
Does a golf cart need a permit or registration in Destin?
There’s no city golf cart permit. LSVs are titled, registered and insured (personal injury protection and property damage liability) through the Okaloosa County Tax Collector.
Where can golf carts go in Destin?
Not on public streets. The city’s golf cart and LSV information (July 2023) says golf carts shall not be operated on any public street, citing Florida Statutes § 316.212. Golf carts and LSVs can’t be driven on sidewalks either.
LSVs can use streets posted 35 mph or less and roads designated for LSVs, but not U.S. Highway 98 (Harbor Boulevard and Emerald Coast Parkway) or State Road 293 (Danny Wuerffel Way and Mid-Bay Bridge Road). An LSV can cross U.S. 98 at an intersection only from one approved LSV road to another.
Golf cart or LSV: what’s the difference in Destin?
A low-speed vehicle (LSV) is different from a golf cart: it goes faster than 20 mph (up to 25), meets the federal LSV safety standard, and has to be titled, registered and insured, with a licensed driver. Under Florida law an LSV can use streets posted 35 mph or less, unless the local government has closed a road to them. An LSV can’t travel along roads posted over 35; lawful crossings are separately regulated.
Can you drive a golf cart at night in Destin? Hours and lights
Golf carts can’t use public streets here at any hour. LSVs come with headlights and the other equipment federal safety rules require.
Follow the law and posted signs. Follow applicable law, posted restrictions and lawful directions from officers. If permission is unclear, don’t use that road or path until confirmed. Rules can change after we check them.
Using SlowGo here
SlowGo routes on roads posted 35 mph or under by default; it doesn’t establish cart access here.
Check local rules before you ride. It doesn’t know that golf carts can’t use Destin’s public streets, so it will still plan a route for one. Don’t take that route in a golf cart. A street-legal LSV can use streets posted 35 mph or less, but not U.S. 98 or State Road 293.
Where these rules come from
- Golf Cart and LSV Information (questions and answers, July 2023) — City of Destin
- Florida Statutes § 316.212 — golf carts on roads
- Florida Statutes § 316.2122 — low-speed vehicles
Town staff: see something out of date? Email hello@slowgoapp.com and we’ll fix it quickly.
This page is general information, not legal advice. Always follow posted signs and local rules.