Street Legal Golf Carts in Texas

Are golf carts street legal in Texas?

Street-legal (LSV) status

Recognized

Allowed on roads up to

35 mph

Driver's license

Required

Registration

Required

Insurance

Required

Texas treats golf carts and low-speed vehicles differently (Transportation Code ch. 551). The TxDMV does not title/register golf carts but issues a golf cart license plate (via the county tax assessor-collector); a golf cart may operate on public roads posted 35 mph or less only in limited situations - within two miles of golf-course parking in daytime, in a qualifying master-planned community (plate waived there), on certain beaches, or to cross an intersection - and must carry headlamps, tail lamps, reflectors, a parking brake, and mirrors. Low-speed/neighborhood electric vehicles (max 35 mph) go through full TxDMV title and registration with proof of insurance and may use roads posted 35 mph or less. Verify with the Texas DMV (TxDMV).

This is a plain-language summary, not legal advice — golf-cart and LSV rules change and vary by city and county. Confirm the current requirements with the Texas DMV before you buy or drive. What makes a golf cart street legal.

Sources: TxDMV - Unique Vehicles (golf carts, NEVs/LSVs) (official)· Texas Transportation Code Chapter 551 (Texas Legislature, official) · Reviewed August 2026