Short answer: Arizona treats a golf cart as a motor vehicle: a cart driven on public streets must be registered and insured unless it is used in the operation of a golf course or only incidentally on a highway (A.R.S. §§ 28-2153, 28-4132). A neighborhood electric vehicle (NEV), Arizona's term for a federally compliant low-speed vehicle, may go no faster than 25 mph and may not use roads posted above 35 mph except to cross them at an intersection (A.R.S. § 28-966).
Last verified against the Arizona Revised Statutes on azleg.gov, ADOT Motor Vehicle Division guidance and the local sources listed below: . Reviewed by Mike Burdman and Joe Magaro, Low Speed Living / Cart Life TV (20 years combined golf cart experience). This page is general information, not legal advice; cities, counties and HOAs can add stricter rules.
Golf cart vs. LSV in Arizona: side-by-side
| Rule | Golf cart | Low-speed vehicle (LSV) |
|---|---|---|
| Legal definition | Motor vehicle with at least three wheels on the ground, under 1,800 lb unladen, designed to be and operated at not more than 25 mph, carrying no more than four people including the driver (A.R.S. § 28-101) | "Neighborhood electric vehicle": electric, emission-free, at least four wheels, and meeting the federal low-speed vehicle definition and standards in 49 C.F.R. 571.3(b) and 571.500 (A.R.S. § 28-101) |
| Where you can drive | No road speed cap for golf carts in the statutes we read. Town of Gilbert and Marana police guidance describe streets posted 35 mph or less | Not on roads posted above 35 mph; may cross them at intersections; vehicle speed capped at 25 mph (A.R.S. § 28-966) |
| Driver | Valid driver license, per Gilbert and Marana guidance (statute section not confirmed) | Valid driver license, per Gilbert guidance (statute section not confirmed) |
| Title and registration | Registration required on highways unless the cart is used in the operation of a golf course or only incidentally on a highway (A.R.S. § 28-2153) | Registration required (A.R.S. § 28-2153 has no NEV exemption; Gilbert guidance) |
| Insurance | Required. ADOT lists minimums of $25,000/$50,000 bodily injury and $15,000 property damage. Same golf-course and incidental-use exemption (A.R.S. § 28-4132) | Required; same ADOT minimums |
| Night driving | Not specified in the state sources we read | Not specified in the state sources we read |
Where can you drive a golf cart in Arizona?
Arizona does not use a "designated golf cart road" system in the statutes we read. Because a golf cart is defined as a motor vehicle, a registered and insured cart is generally handled like other vehicles, and local guidance from the Town of Gilbert and the Marana Police Department describes use on streets posted 35 mph or less and bars carts from sidewalks and multi-use paths in Marana. We did not find the 35 mph limit for golf carts in a statute; the statutory 35 mph rule in A.R.S. § 28-966 is written for neighborhood electric vehicles.
- NEVs and roads over 35 mph. An NEV may not be driven on a road posted above 35 mph but may cross one at an intersection, and may not be driven faster than 25 mph (§ 28-966).
- Age-restricted communities. In an age-restricted community in an unincorporated area of a county with more than three million residents, a golf cart or NEV may be driven on a paved shoulder next to the roadway or, if there is no marked shoulder, as close as practical to the right-hand edge (A.R.S. § 28-721(C)).
- Golf course use. A cart used in operating a golf course, or only incidentally moved on a highway, is exempt from registration and insurance (§§ 28-2153, 28-4132). Gilbert describes this as use on the course or across a street that divides it.
City and town rules vary, so check with your local government before driving on a particular street.
What equipment does a golf cart need in Arizona?
We could not confirm a golf cart equipment list in a statute we read. Gilbert's guidance says golf carts are exempt from some Title 28 equipment laws, such as windshields and windshield wipers, and Marana police say only that a cart must be properly equipped for road use. Ask the Motor Vehicle Division or your local police for the current list before registering.
An NEV must meet the federal low-speed vehicle standard, and § 28-966 requires its operating restrictions to be permanently displayed where the driver can see them.
How old do you have to be to drive a golf cart in Arizona?
The statutes we read do not set a golf-cart-specific age. Gilbert and Marana guidance both say the driver needs a valid driver license to operate a golf cart on public streets, so the practical minimum is the age at which you can hold a license. We did not confirm the statute section behind that requirement.
Do you need registration and insurance in Arizona?
Registration: A.R.S. § 28-2153 requires any motor vehicle operated on a highway to be registered, with an exemption for golf carts used in the operation of a golf course or only incidentally operated or moved on a highway. Gilbert's guidance says the Motor Vehicle Division typically issues a motorcycle-size plate to a golf cart. Fees are not listed in the sources we read.
Insurance: ADOT says every vehicle driven on Arizona roads, specifically including golf carts, needs liability insurance of at least $25,000 for injury to one person, $50,000 for two or more, and $15,000 for property damage. The golf-course and incidental-use exemption is in A.R.S. § 28-4132. ADOT says driving without coverage can lead to suspension of your registration or license, and a $50 fee plus proof of insurance to reinstate.
What makes a golf cart street legal (an LSV) in Arizona?
There are two routes in the sources we read:
- As a golf cart: it fits the § 28-101 definition (at least three wheels, under 1,800 lb, 25 mph or less, no more than four people), and it is registered, plated and insured, with a licensed driver.
- As a neighborhood electric vehicle: it is electric, emission-free, has at least four wheels and meets the federal low-speed vehicle standard, with its operating restrictions permanently displayed; it is limited to 25 mph and roads posted 35 mph or less.
See our federal street-legal requirements guide for what the federal standard requires.
Can you convert a golf cart to an LSV in Arizona?
Not specified in the state sources we read. Arizona's NEV definition depends on meeting the federal low-speed vehicle standard, and we did not find Motor Vehicle Division instructions for re-classifying a golf cart as an NEV. Because a golf cart can already be registered and insured as a golf cart, ask the Motor Vehicle Division which classification applies to your vehicle.
Sources
- A.R.S. § 28-101: Definitions, as amended by Laws 2025, chapter 19 (golf cart; neighborhood electric vehicle)
- A.R.S. § 28-966: Neighborhood electric vehicles; speed and road restrictions
- A.R.S. § 28-2153: Registration requirement; exceptions
- A.R.S. § 28-4132: Financial responsibility requirement exemptions
- A.R.S. § 28-721: Driving on right side of roadway; driving on shoulder
- ADOT Motor Vehicle Division: Vehicle insurance information
- Town of Gilbert: guide to golf carts, NEVs and other vehicles
- Marana Police Department: Is Your Golf Cart Street Legal? (December 17, 2025)