Short answer: In Indiana, a golf cart may be driven on a highway only where a city, county or town has adopted an ordinance allowing it; the state does not register or title golf carts, and the local ordinance sets most of the details. A low-speed vehicle (LSV), which Indiana defines as a four-wheeled electric vehicle with a top design speed of 25 mph or less and federal safety equipment, may not be driven on a highway with a speed limit above 35 mph, and the Bureau of Motor Vehicles requires it to be titled and registered.
Last verified against the Indiana Code (IC 9-13-2-69.7, 9-13-2-94.5, 9-21-1-3.3, 9-21-5-8.5, 9-21-8-57, 9-21-9-0.5, 9-25-4-1, 9-25-4-5) and Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles guidance: . 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 Indiana: side-by-side
| Rule | Golf cart | Low-speed vehicle (LSV) |
|---|---|---|
| Legal definition | Four-wheeled motor vehicle originally designed to carry one or more people and golf clubs for playing golf on a golf course (IC 9-13-2-69.7) | Four-wheeled electric motor vehicle with a maximum design speed of 25 mph or less that meets 49 CFR 571.500 and was not privately assembled; golf carts are excluded (IC 9-13-2-94.5) |
| Where you can drive | Only on highways covered by a city, county or town ordinance (IC 9-21-8-57) | Not on a highway with a speed limit above 35 mph (IC 9-21-5-8.5) |
| Driver | Set by local ordinance, which may not conflict with state driver licensing law (IC 9-21-1-3.3(a)) | Not stated in the LSV sections we reviewed; confirm license requirements with the BMV |
| Title and registration | Not required by the BMV; some cities and counties require local registration | BMV title and registration required, as reported from BMV guidance in June 2026 |
| Insurance | Not confirmed for golf carts; check your local ordinance | Financial responsibility is required to register or drive a motor vehicle on a public highway (IC 9-25-4-1): minimum $25,000 / $50,000 bodily injury and $25,000 property damage (IC 9-25-4-5) |
| Night driving | Not specified in state law; check with your local government | No time-of-day limit in the sections we reviewed |
Where can you drive a golf cart in Indiana?
Under IC 9-21-8-57, a golf cart may not be operated on a highway except under a local ordinance adopted under IC 9-21-1-3(a)(14) and IC 9-21-1-3.3(a). What a local government can do under IC 9-21-1-3.3:
- Adopt an ordinance. A city, county or town may regulate golf carts on highways under its jurisdiction. The ordinance may not conflict with or duplicate state law or conflict with state driver licensing requirements.
- County crossings of state highways. A county ordinance may let a golf cart cross a state highway at right angles to travel between two county highways when it can be done safely.
- Passenger limits. A county ordinance must limit the number of passengers, not counting the driver.
- Emblems and lamps. The ordinance may require a slow moving vehicle emblem or a red or amber flashing lamp (IC 9-21-9-0.5(b)).
A violation of the ordinance on a state highway is treated as an ordinance violation, and fines go to the local general fund. The state sets no speed-limit cap for golf cart roads; that is left to the ordinance.
What equipment does a golf cart need in Indiana?
For golf carts, state law leaves equipment to the local ordinance, which may require a slow moving vehicle emblem or a red or amber flashing lamp (IC 9-21-9-0.5(b)). Anything further: Not specified in state law; check with your local government.
An LSV, by definition, has headlamps; front and rear turn signals, tail lamps and stop lamps; reflex reflectors; exterior or interior mirrors; brakes meeting IC 9-19-3-1; a windshield; a vehicle identification number; and a safety belt at each seating position (IC 9-13-2-94.5).
How old do you have to be to drive a golf cart in Indiana?
The state golf cart sections we reviewed do not state an age. A local golf cart ordinance may not conflict with Indiana's driver licensing requirements (IC 9-21-1-3.3(a)), so read your city, county or town ordinance for its license and age rule. For LSVs, the sections we reviewed do not state the license rule; confirm with the BMV.
Do you need registration and insurance in Indiana?
Golf carts: according to BMV guidance reported on June 29, 2026, the BMV does not require registration or a title for golf carts, though some cities and counties require carts used on local roads to be registered locally. We could not confirm whether state financial responsibility law reaches golf carts driven under an ordinance; check your local ordinance.
LSVs: the same BMV guidance says LSVs need both a BMV registration and a title. Under IC 9-25-4-1 a person may not register or drive a motor vehicle on a public highway without financial responsibility in effect, and IC 9-25-4-5 sets the minimums at $25,000 for one person, $50,000 for two or more people in one accident and $25,000 for property damage.
What makes a golf cart street legal (an LSV) in Indiana?
A vehicle is an LSV in Indiana only if it is four-wheeled, electrically powered, has a maximum design speed of 25 mph or less, meets the federal specifications in 49 CFR 571.500, carries the equipment listed above and was not privately assembled (IC 9-13-2-94.5). An LSV may not be driven on a highway with a speed limit above 35 mph; doing so is a Class C infraction (IC 9-21-5-8.5). See our federal street-legal requirements guide for the national standard.
Can you convert a golf cart to an LSV in Indiana?
We could not confirm a conversion path. Indiana's LSV definition expressly excludes golf carts and vehicles that were privately assembled as described in IC 9-17-4-1, and it covers electric vehicles only. Ask the BMV before buying a conversion kit; a modified cart may still be treated as a golf cart and limited to roads covered by a local ordinance.
Sources
- IC 9-13-2-69.7 (2025): Golf cart definition
- IC 9-13-2-94.5: Low speed vehicle definition
- IC 9-21-1-3.3 (2025): Local ordinances on golf carts and off-road vehicles
- IC 9-21-8-57 (2025): Operation of golf cart on highway
- IC 9-21-5-8.5: Low speed vehicles; violation
- IC 9-21-9-0.5 (2025): Slow moving vehicle chapter applicability
- IC 9-25-4-1: Financial responsibility required
- IC 9-25-4-5: Minimum amounts of financial responsibility
- Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles: Off-Road Vehicles and Snowmobiles
- 95.3 MNC report of Indiana BMV registration guidance for golf carts and LSVs (June 29, 2026)