Port St. Joe lets registered golf carts use city roads posted 30 mph or less, with short limits on Garrison and Long Avenues. Drivers must be 16 with a driver’s license.
State law: see golf cart laws in Florida.
Do you need a driver’s license to drive a golf cart in Port St. Joe?
Yes, a valid driver’s license at 16 or older. A learner’s permit holder may drive with a licensed driver 18 or older along.
How old do you have to be to drive a golf cart in Port St. Joe?
At least 16 with a license, or a learner’s permit holder with a licensed adult. Nobody under 14 may drive.
Does a golf cart need a permit or registration in Port St. Joe?
Yes. Carts are registered with the city every year for $10, with a decal and a police inspection. Owners 65 and over pay a one-time fee. Bring proof of ownership, your driver’s license and a signed statement that the cart complies.
Where can golf carts go in Port St. Joe?
All city roads posted 30 mph or less, except that on Garrison Avenue and Long Avenue a cart may only drive to the next side street, never more than two blocks.
Not on state highways or county roads, except to cross at designated intersections to reach the next designated road. No sidewalks, bike paths, swales or trails. Carts can’t go faster than 20 mph.
Golf cart or LSV: what’s the difference in Port St. Joe?
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 Port St. Joe? Hours and lights
Sunrise to sunset. Equipped carts may run from sunset to midnight, and the City Commission may permit midnight-to-sunrise use by resolution.
Required equipment: brakes, steering, tires, mirrors, red reflectors front and rear, headlights, brake lights, turn signals and a windshield.
Passengers and fines
Riders are limited to the number of seats, and children ride in child restraints as state law requires. Alcohol laws apply. Fines: a warning, then $100, $200 and $300.
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 Port St. Joe’s 30 mph line, the Garrison and Long Avenue limits, or the hours yet, so a route can use a 35 mph road. Check the rules above before you ride.
Where these rules come from
- Ordinance 550, golf carts (June 4, 2019) — City of Port St. Joe (PDF)
- 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.