Can you drive a golf cart in Southport, NC, and what insurance do you need?
Southport allows golf carts on its slower streets with an annual city sticker, inspection and liability insurance.
Yes. Southport allows golf carts on city streets posted 35 mph or less if the cart has a current city registration sticker or an NC license plate. To register, you need proof of liability insurance at no less than the state minimum for cars.
The city inspects each cart for required safety equipment before issuing a sticker. A registered low-speed vehicle does not need the city permit but must carry state auto insurance.
Coverage for Southport golf carts
Liability. Required by the city at no less than the state auto minimum. It pays for injuries and damage you cause to others, including legal defense. Forms, limits and exclusions vary by insurance company, and your own policy governs.
Collision and comprehensive. Covers your cart after a crash, theft, vandalism, fire and many weather events. Ask how storm and flood damage to a cart is handled.
Medical payments. Pays medical bills for you and your passengers after an accident, regardless of fault.
Uninsured and underinsured motorist. Protects you when a car driver with no or too little insurance hits your cart.
Accessories. Covers the LED lights, air horn, belts and windshield the city requires, plus upgrades such as lithium batteries and enclosures.
Guest use. Tell us who else drives. Southport bars carts from commercial passenger use, and personal policies often exclude rentals.
What it usually does not cover
- Driving without a current city sticker or NC plate.
- Using the cart as a taxi, shuttle or for hauling freight, which the city prohibits.
- Renting the cart to others on a personal policy.
- Most homeowners policies once the cart is on a city street.
- Wear, tear and battery failure.
Forms, endorsements and availability vary by insurance company. Your own policy governs.
Who needs it in Southport
- Residents and second-home owners who drive to the waterfront, shops and restaurants.
- Owners of registered low-speed vehicles.
- Vacation rental owners who leave a cart for guests.
- Residents of golf and private communities near Southport.
- Businesses that use carts on their own property (commercial coverage).
Southport rules and local facts
Streets and speed. Golf carts may only use streets posted 35 mph or less, must display a valid city sticker, may never go faster than 20 mph, and must stay to the far right and yield to traffic (Sec. 17-80(c)). The city accepts an NC license plate in place of the city sticker (Southport Police).
Annual registration. The annual fee is $50 per cart. Permits run January 1 to December 31, renewals are due January 1 to March 31, and renewals after March 31 carry a $25 late fee. Bring the registration form, proof of insurance and payment to the inspection; mail-in is no longer offered (Southport Police).
Liability insurance at auto levels. The owner must keep liability insurance in an amount not less than state law requires for cars on public streets (Sec. 17-80(b)(2) and (c)(15)).
Required equipment and inspection. Two LED headlights or a light bar and two tail lights with brake lights and turn signals, each visible at 250 feet, plus a rear vision mirror, an air horn, a reflector on each side, a parking brake, federally compliant seat belts at every seat, a windshield, a VIN and no more than three rows of seats. City staff inspect the cart before issuing a permit (Sec. 17-80(b)(3) and (6)).
Size and weight limits. Carts over 160 inches long, 84 inches high, 60 inches wide or 1,600 pounds cannot be registered (Sec. 17-80(b)(5)).
Where carts cannot go. No sidewalks or city parks, no open containers, no towing, and no use as a taxi, bus or for commercial passengers or freight (Sec. 17-80(c)).
LSVs and repeat violations. Low-speed vehicles under state registration are exempt from the city permit and inspection, though the city asks LSV owners to get a free sticker. The city may deny or revoke a permit after three or more violations in three years (Sec. 17-80(b)(1) and (d)(3)).
What drives the cost in Southport
These are the factors insurance companies weigh for Southport carts:
- Golf cart with a city sticker, or a registered LSV
- Value of the cart and its required and added equipment
- Drivers in the household and their records
- Guest or vacation rental use
- Storage and exposure to coastal storms
- Liability limits and deductibles
- Claims history
We do not publish average prices. A licensed advisor quotes your actual situation across more than 100 insurance companies.
Common Questions
Can you drive a golf cart in Southport, NC?
Yes, on city streets posted 35 mph or less, with a current city sticker or an NC plate. The cart must pass a city inspection and carry liability insurance.
How much is a golf cart permit in Southport?
The city lists $50 per cart per year, with a $25 late fee for renewals after March 31. Confirm the current fee with Southport Police before you go.
Where do you register a golf cart in Southport?
At the city's Wednesday inspection, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the APS office on Rhett Street from September to April and at the Summer Market from May to August. Bring the form, proof of insurance and payment.
Do you need insurance on a golf cart in Southport?
Yes. The city requires liability insurance at no less than the state minimum for cars, and you must show proof to register.
What equipment does a golf cart need in Southport?
LED headlights, tail lights with brake lights and turn signals, a mirror, an air horn, side reflectors, a parking brake, seat belts at every seat, a windshield and a VIN. No more than three rows of seats.
How old do you have to be to drive a golf cart in Southport?
State law sets 16 as the minimum on public streets, and the city also requires a driver's license. Confirm the current city age rule with Southport Police before a younger driver gets behind the wheel.
Do LSVs need a Southport golf cart permit?
No. LSVs registered with the state are exempt from the city permit and inspection, though the city asks owners to get a free sticker.
Can you drive a golf cart on the sidewalk in Southport?
No. Southport bars carts from sidewalks and city parks except for official use.
Can I rent out my golf cart to visitors in Southport?
The city prohibits using a cart for commercial carrying of passengers. Talk to us before any rental use, because personal policies often exclude it.
The Bottom Line
- Tell us before you register, so your proof of insurance meets the city requirement.
- Renew between January 1 and March 31 to avoid the late fee.
- Keep required lights, horn and seat belts working so the cart passes inspection.
- Tell us if guests or family members drive the cart.
- Tell us before you convert the cart to an LSV.
- Carry more than minimum liability if you often carry passengers.
Forms, endorsements and availability vary by insurance company. Your own policy governs.
Sizemore Insurance is an independent insurance company founded in North Carolina in 1977. Tell us what you need to protect, and a licensed advisor will compare more than 100 insurance companies to find the coverage that fits. Insurance made just for you.
Sources: Southport Code Sec. 17-80, golf carts; City of Southport Police, golf cart ordinance and registration.
Forms, exclusions, endorsements, and availability vary by insurance company. This page is general information, not a policy or legal advice. Review your own policy or talk to your advisor.