Golf carts on streets | Photo: WCNC screenshot

April 21. Have you noticed more golf carts cruising on public streets? Cornelius Police have as well, along with a rise in complaints about people illegally operating golf carts.

Warning: An illegal golf cart can be impounded.

Golf carts may be a convenient mode of transportation to neighborhood amenities, but it is illegal if the vehicle is not properly registered, according to Police Chief David Baucom.

Cornelius Police Chief David R. Baucom

To legally operate a golf cart or “low speed” vehicle on a public street in North Carolina, the vehicle must be registered with the North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV) or there must be a local ordinance regulating their use—and there isn’t one in Cornelius.

Modifications needed

A low speed vehicle must be equipped with headlamps, stop lamps, turn signal lamps, tail lamps, reflex reflectors, a parking brake, rearview mirrors, a windshield, windshield wipers, speedometer, seat belts and vehicle identification number (VIN).

Once the vehicle has been modified with all of the required equipment the vehicle will have to be inspected by a NCDMV Inspector. The Inspector will complete a report confirming the vehicle is equipped for road use and meets the federal DOT safety standards for a “low speed” vehicle. The owner may then visit a local NCDMV office, submit the inspection report, submit proof of liability insurance and apply for a title and registration plate.

Details 

—A properly registered golf cart or “low speed vehicle” may only be operated on streets and highways where the posted speed limit is 35 miles per hour or less.

—You safely cross a road or street at an intersection with a posted speed higher than 35 mph.

—The operator must be at least 16 years of age and in possession of a valid driver’s license issued by North Carolina or any other state.

—The operator must comply with all traffic rules and regulations adopted by the State of North Carolina, Mecklenburg County and Town of Cornelius governing the operation of motor vehicles.

—The operator of a golf cart or “low speed vehicle” must have a valid driver’s license and abide by all traffic laws and regulations, including passenger safety restraint laws.

—Any person found illegally operating a golf cart on the streets of Cornelius risks having the vehicle impounded and being charged for failing to register a vehicle, failing to carry liability insurance, expired/no inspection and improper equipment.

In cases where the driver is not the owner, both the driver and owner may be charged.