A street legal golf cart, referred to as a low speed vehicle (LSV), can reach a maximum speed of 24mph, meaning it is allowed to be driven on roads with a posted speed limit of 35mph or less. There are several roads in Fort Lauderdale – where one of our store locations is – that are 35mph or less, and many that increase to 45mph, or are 35mph but just too crowded. If you’re coming to Fort Lauderdale for vacation and are interested in a street legal cart rental, especially if you’re from out of state, this guide is here to give recommendations for the safest, most effective, and street legal roads to drive a golf cart.

If you’re in any other south Florida city and are interested in renting a golf cart with us, use our rental application for a quote! We deliver and pick up!

Las Olas Boulevard: Allowed (and highly recommended!)

If you’ve been following the Bal Harbor Golf Cart blogs, you’ll have seen our destination recommendation blog on Las Olas. Las Olas Boulevard is one of Fort Lauderdale’s most popular areas, filled with all kinds of shops, galleries, restaurants, and more. You’ll see quite a few golf carts here as well, since the speed limit in the main area goes between 25mph and 30mph, depending on where you are, and once across the drawbridge over the Middle River, it goes up to 35mph.

State Road A1A: Allowed

Also called 17th Street, State Road A1A goes all the way up the coast right next to the beach, and most areas are 30mph. You can park a street legal cart rental just like a car, and the parallel parking at the beach is made easier by the golf cart’s smaller size. You can travel quite the distance with a golf cart along the beach road – approximately 20 to 25 miles on a single charge. When your golf cart starts getting down to around 50% charged, you’ll want to take it back to your home or hotel and charge it, since the lower it gets, the longer it takes to fully recharge. We recommend charging it overnight.

7th Avenue/Avenue of the Arts: Allowed

Right off 7th Avenue and Broward Boulevard is where our Fort Lauderdale location is – you can find our address and other contact information here. This takes you right through the heart and soul of the city, and past various murals and street art from local artists. You can also find a lot of car repair shops in the more industrial area of 7th Avenue. Check out restaurants such as Miami Grill, and come down 1st street (our street) to eat at Vegan Junkie or Orchestrated Minds Brewing. Enjoy the murals on our store’s building and on nearby businesses as well.

Additional roads for a street legal cart rental:

• Andrews Avenue
• Bayview Drive
• State Road 811/3rd Avenue (Turns into 4th Avenue/Wilton Drive once north of Sunrise Boulevard)

Broward Boulevard: Not Recommended

Technically, a golf cart is allowed to be driven on Broward Boulevard, as it is a 35mph road, but it’s also a very crowded road. Lanes merge and split in various areas, and the road also crosses US Highway 1 (US-1), where the speed limit is 45mph. Cars speeding through this area, as well as through different parts of Broward Boulevard, combined with the suddenly merging lanes, can be difficult to navigate for even the locals.

Recommendation: Try taking 6th street, Sistrunk Boulevard, instead. If you’re heading to the beach, take 4th or 6th street east to 3rd Avenue, then go south until you can turn left onto Las Olas Boulevard.

Sunrise Boulevard: Not Recommended

Some parts of Sunrise Boulevard are 35mph, but there are also some areas that increase to 40mph. There’s also an area where it splits into US-1, and this can be confusing or difficult to navigate for those unfamiliar with the area. As a road that goes through industrial areas, Sunrise Boulevard is surrounded by car shops, meaning that there could be cars parked in the road outside of shops. It is also just a big, crowded main road, with a lot of cars, many of them speeding.

Recommendation: If you’re going east of US-1, towards the beach, take Las Olas Boulevard. If you’re going west of US-1, use Sistrunk Boulevard (6th street).

Oakland Park Boulevard: Not Recommended

Oakland Park Boulevard is another crowded road, especially as it gets close to US-1. There are a lot of big stores and plazas along the way, as well as speeding cars. It is a 35mph road, but it’s not recommended due to the many lanes and fast crossroads.

Recommendation: Take 26th street instead – however, remember that there is no beach access from there. If you’re trying to get to the beach, it’s best to take Las Olas Boulevard to State Road A1A, as A1A will take you right along the side of the beach.

US-1: Not Allowed

US Highway 1, or Federal Highway, is 45mph in most areas. Golf carts are not allowed on US-1. Streets close to US-1 or roads that cross over US-1 can be used instead.

Recommendation: State Road 811/3rd Avenue (turns into 4th Avenue later). Make sure to turn onto a different street before Dixie Highway, as this is another road that is not 35mph. Andrews Avenue and State Road A1A also work, even though they aren’t as close to US-1 as 3rd Avenue.

Powerline Road: Not Allowed

As with US-1, most of Powerline Road, or 9th Avenue, is 45mph. As with US-1, nearby streets that are 35mph or less can be used instead, such as residential side streets.

Recommendation: If using main roads instead of residential, use Andrews Avenue for North-South and 26th Street for East-West, or any of the other recommended alternate streets.

Street Legal Cart Rental

If you’re interested in renting a street legal golf cart in Fort Lauderdale, use our Fort Lauderdale golf cart rental application form. If you’re staying in a different city, use our rental form for booking – we offer delivery and pickup for an additional fee as well!

The Kodiak golf cart, now available for sale at Bal Harbour Golf Cart and all related locations, immediately stands out with its multitude of premium and unique features, including the largest golf car cabin in its class! The wide open space in the cabin makes for a lot of extra legroom, making it ideal for drivers and passengers who are tall. Available as 4 and 6 passenger models, either lifted or nonlifted, the Kodiak can reach a maximum speed of 25mph, and comes with all features necessary for street legal registration. Golf carts registered as low speed vehicles (LSVs) can be driven on roads 35mph or less, and need features such as turn signals, headlights and tail lights, brake lights, a horn, and side view mirrors. Kodiak carts are not yet registered until the buyer decides, making them street ready rather than immediately street legal.

The Kodiak’s side view mirrors also have LED lights linked to the turn signals.

Two types of Kodiak golf cart are available – the Apex and the Defender. Both have the same features, and differ in the shape of their bodies. The Kodiak Apex has a more sharp shape to its front end, with some having a hexagon pattern across the triangular grill structure between the LED headlights, while the Defender has a long, rectangular chrome grill in the front and a more squared appearance overall. As with many other lifted golf carts, the lifted Kodiak has a front brush guard.

All Kodiak carts have custom three-tone seats (for example, a red cart will likely have black, white, and red seats – most other custom golf cart seats are two-tone instead), a thick tinted folding windshield, hydraulic disc brakes, and a high/low switch next to the state of charge meter. This switch is for climbing and can be flipped between a higher speed for travelling along roads with a less than 26 degree incline, and a slower speed for climbing a higher than 26 degree incline.

Another feature of the Kodiak golf cart is its folding back foot rest – the foot rest on the back of the cart can be folded up for extra storage space by pushing it in and using the rear seatbelts to hold it in place.

Kodiak golf carts also come with an Eco lithium battery, a 48 volt 105AH lithium battery that is not only 80% lighter than a standard lead-acid battery system, but 30% lighter than other golf cart lithium batteries on the market! This allows the cart to maintain its speed, and also has more torque and more amp hours. Eco lithium batteries also have a higher battery management system (BMS) than most other lithium batteries, and are not only zero maintenance (as with other lithium batteries), but have a 2.5 hour charging time as well! Eco lithium batteries have an 8 year warranty and are guaranteed to work with any motor and controller upgrades that may be performed.

If you’re interested in purchasing a Kodiak golf cart, check out our Google Places store to see what we have available, and use our contact form to get in touch with us. Our Google Places store also shows many of our other golf carts and golf cart accessories, including golf cart brands such as Advanced EV, and accessories like universal Bluetooth soundbars, brand-specific enclosures and storage covers, and various types of batteries. Find more about the accessories we offer on our Prime Cart Parts golf cart accessories website!

A few weeks ago, Bal Harbour Golf Cart released a blog answering several common golf cart related questions – by beginning to type in a question related to golf carts, Google autocompletes it with what people are searching most about golf carts. This week, instead of only using autofilled golf cart questions, we searched for more specific questions so we can provide more specific golf cart answers. Here are some common golf cart questions, and the golf cart answers written by us in our own words.

What’s the difference between a golf cart and an LSV?

Often times, we use the terms interchangeably, but a golf cart and an LSV are actually two separate vehicles. Low speed vehicles (LSVs) and golf carts can look the same, but the main difference is that LSVs are street legal and have a VIN number. An LSV must have a maximum speed of 24mph in order to be registered as a street legal vehicle, and can be driven on roads with a speed limit of 35mph or less. LSVs also need a variety of safety features in place in order to be street legal, including headlights, tail lights, brake lights, turn signals, a horn, seat belts, a windshield, and side view mirrors.

Some of our golf carts, such as our Advanced EV 2 passenger non street legal carts, can reach 24mph, but are not made to be street legal. This is the same with our EZGO, Club Car, and Yamaha carts – although some of them can reach up to 20-22mph, they lack the safety features that LSVs come with. However, these carts can be upgraded to include these features, and can even be made to go faster with a speed upgrade. Another requirement for a cart to be an LSV is that it must be electric – gas golf carts are not street legal, which we explain further in our previous golf cart answers blog.

How long do golf cart batteries last?

Depending on the weight on the golf cart and the speed being maintained, generally, lead-acid golf cart batteries can last about 20-25 miles before needing to be charged. Example: 6 adults using a 6 passenger golf cart at its maximum speed of 24mph will need to recharge their golf cart sooner than 2 adults using a 4 passenger golf cart at the same speed. Lithium golf cart batteries, on the other hand, can last up to 60 miles before needing to be recharged, and their recharge time is a lot faster than lead-acid batteries. For more information, read our blog about the benefits of lithium batteries, or visit our golf cart lithium battery website.

In terms of longevity, generally, lead-acid batteries will need to be replaced every few years, while lithium batteries can last up to 10 years.

When and how do you charge a golf cart?

For a standard lead-acid battery system – the most common golf cart battery system -, you’ll want to charge your golf cart once it starts to get down to the 50% area. Advice we give to a lot of our customers is to use the golf cart for the day and plug it in at night and let it recharge overnight. The lower the charge, the longer it takes for the golf cart to fully recharge, and if a lead-acid battery’s charge gets too low, it can take over 12 hours to get back up to 100% charged. In some cases, if the battery becomes too depleted, a regular recharge won’t work, and the battery will have to be supercharged – a service we provide when necessary. When renting a golf cart from Bal Harbour Golf Cart, your golf cart will come with a charging cable. One end plugs into the cart, while the plug can be connected to any standard 110 household outlet. Plug the cart into an outside outlet, an outlet in the garage, or run an extension cord out your door from an outlet inside – all methods are sufficient.

Do golf carts have a warranty?

Our Advanced EV golf carts come with a 2 year warranty, while our Evolution golf carts carry a 2 year warranty on the cart itself and a lifetime warranty on the chassis. Our America EV carts also come with a 1 year warranty. Used golf carts do not have a warranty.

What should I look for when buying a golf cart?

When buying a golf cart, no matter if it’s new or used, you’ll want to check the condition first. Make sure that a new cart’s batteries are also new and that the range is sufficient, and for used carts, keep the age of the (lead-acid) batteries in mind. It’s okay if the batteries are one or two years old, but if they’re older than that, keep in mind that you’ll need to replace them a lot sooner than you would with new or slightly used batteries. If you want a street legal golf cart, the price will increase, and it’ll be much easier to find a new street legal golf cart instead of a used street legal golf cart; used street legal golf carts are very hard to come by. Check for any damages, even on new carts – damage during shipping is rare, but not impossible. Keep the price in mind too – a brand new street legal cart with multiple accessories will have a much higher price than a 10 year old non street legal golf cart. Make sure everything works, especially when buying a used golf cart – just like a car, keep in mind that you may be paying a lower price now, but may have to spend more for future maintenance, whereas a brand new golf cart may be more expensive now, but will last much longer before needing major service.

In the end, it really depends on what you’re using the golf cart for – for transporting heavy materials for construction sites, a used utility cart will be just fine, while you’ll want a new street legal LSV if you plan on driving it daily on the road.

Where else can you use a golf cart?

Most of the golf carts we rent out are used for street use rather than on the golf course, though they can be used on both, and in many more places! A lot of people who come down to Florida on vacation rent a golf cart from us because it’s more affordable than a standard car rental. Golf carts can also be used for event transportation – for example, we provide a lot of rentals for weddings, where a host may need to transport guests around the venue -, utility carts can be used for construction sites to carry loads of heavy building materials, and golf carts are also used for campground and resort transportation.

If you have any other questions, we may be able to provide the golf cart answers you need – use our contact form or call to get in touch with us!

At Bal Harbour Golf Cart, not only do we rent and deliver dozens of golf carts every week, we are also in the business of selling new and used golf carts – more information can be found on our sales page. We’re proud to announce that we have recently become a local dealer of the American Landmaster UTV, one of the best, most reliable and durable utility vehicles in the industry!

The American Landmaster is a gas-powered utility terrain vehicle (UTV) able to reach a maximum speed of 24mph, fully American made and built from the ground up in Columbia City, Indiana. Each vehicle is four-wheel drive with four-wheel hydraulic disk brakes, built with more than 30 new features in safety, reliability, performance, and design. Along with its own suspension system – the Landmaster ride optimization suspension system (LROSS) -, the Landmaster also features dual rate shocks. This system helps keep the ride smooth even when the bed in the back is fully loaded – also capable of being dumped. Included as well is a caliper-mounted parking brake system, allowing the vehicle to be parked on an incline and locked in place, and when it’s time to disembark, an indicator light reminds the driver to release the parking brake. These vehicles provide over 8 inches of front and rear suspension travel, and stand with an 11 inch ground clearance.

What’s great about the American Landmaster is its affordability and serviceability – the base model, the L3, runs under $10,000, and tasks such as oil changes and fuse box maintenance can be completed easily at home, or done in a service center for a low cost.

This vehicle can perform various tasks such as hauling timber, dumping stone, and towing trailers. It is capable of hauling up to 800lbs, and towing up to 1,500 lbs. With its plug ‘n’ play electrical system, it can also have a front attachment installed that allows it to plow snow – a variety of other upgrades are available as well. Accessory packages are offered by the company and include easy-to-install upgrades such as turn signals, bed lifts, dome lights, strobe lights, rear flood lights, LED lights, and horns.

This cart has an all-steel frame – part of what makes it so durable and tough. With this, it’s protected from the inside out from rollover damage, and side skirts and fenders dampen motor and road noise, making the vehicle surprisingly quiet for a gas-powered utility vehicle. The LROSS and super-sport trailing arm also lessen the roughness of uneven terrain, such as railroad tracks, rumble strips, and off-road trails. A winch mount behind the bumper protects the winch from debris, and an in-dash connector for remote access.

Its seats are made from high density foam, with marine-grade vinyl covering and contoured for maximum all-day comfort. Not only does the marine-grade vinyl protect the seats from weather, the switches are waterproof as well, and even backlit for visibility in low light. The grip ‘n’ lock levels are contoured for easy maneuvering, and for utility work that requires gloves, the shape of the levers does not make it any more difficult to use with gloves.

We carry the L3, L4, L5W, L7, and L7X. If you’re interested in purchasing one of our American Landmaster UTVs, or simply want more information and pictures, you can also visit our American Landmaster UTV page on our main company website, Prime Golf Cars. Most American Landmasters are 2 passenger, with only the L7X being a 4 passenger.

Today we look at some of the most common golf cart questions asked to Google, meaning that when you begin typing a question about golf carts, how does Google autocomplete the question? We’ve taken some of those autofilled golf cart questions and answered them here! As always, if you have a question that is not answered here, you can always use our contact form to get in touch with us.

Are golf carts…

…street legal?

It depends on the golf cart! We sell a lot of street legal low speed vehicles (LSVs), such as our Evolution carts. In order for a golf cart to be street legal, it must be registered as an LSV. To become certified, the cart must be able to reach and maintain a speed of 24mph, in order to be allowed on streets with a posted speed limit of 35mph or less. It also must have several safety requirements, such as seat belts, headlights, taillights, brake lights, turn signals, horn, windshield, and most recently, a backup camera and an audio indicator for moving forward.

Something to note is that golf carts and LSVs are technically different. What we have named as golf carts are technically considered LSVs, because they’re street legal, and can reach 24mph and have all the required safety features. This golf cart on the left is an LSV, meaning that in a more literal sense, it’s not a golf cart at all! However, because they have the appearance of golf carts and most people don’t know the term LSV, we call them golf carts for easier understanding. While we also sell regular golf carts, which are not street legal, a good selection of our fleet are street legal LSVs.

Once registered as an LSV, a golf cart can be driven and parked just like a car – remember that they are only allowed on public roads that are 35mph or less.

…titled?

If they have a VIN number, yes. When purchasing a street legal golf cart from us, it comes with a tag and title already.

…expensive to maintain?

It depends on the condition of the golf cart. Most maintenance is not too complicated, and simple repairs such as battery replacements and tire changes can be done at home. The most important part of the golf cart to maintain and check regularly is the batteries. Standard lead-acid batteries can last around 3-6 years, depending on the type. Eventually, they will need to be replaced, but you can extend the life of the batteries by maintaining them regularly. Always make sure they have the right level of water – generally, they need to be refilled once a month, and you must use distilled water. You’ll also want to check for corrosion and loose terminals, and make sure the condition of the cables stays good. If you need to swap out a battery cable, they are generally inexpensive. Make sure to keep them charged. Other things to look out for include:

Tires: Make sure tread is good, and tires have plenty of air and nothing embedded in the rubber. Check the tire pressure from time to time, and make sure your rims are on tight.

Brakes: Clean and adjust the brakes and make sure the brake cable is in good shape. You don’t have to do this very often – once a year is sufficient. It can be expensive to replace the brakes if they fail.

Suspension and Rear Axle: Take care of your cart and maintain it regularly and the suspension will stay in great condition for many years. A sign that the suspension may be failing is the ride feeling rougher. This will be expensive to repair, so make sure to keep it in good shape. Be sure to also check the condition of the rear axle occasionally, especially if you hear any strange noises, and always be on the lookout for anything – like oil – leaking.

Other areas to remember are the steering column – check how well the steering is performing by test driving the cart and seeing how it responds to quick turns and adjustments, and all electrical components – windshield wipers, LED bars, reverse warning buzzers, and Bluetooth soundbars all have connections that should be periodically checked and maintained.

See our accessory shop for batteries, tires, or other golf cart needs!

Do golf carts…

…have VIN numbers?

Street legal LSVs have VIN numbers. By meeting the right safety requirements, golf carts can get one as well, and can become street legal. If a cart is an LSV and has a VIN number, it also needs to be registered.

…run on gas?

Most of the time, golf carts are electric, but there are still gas golf carts being manufactured – we sell new American Landmaster carts that run on gas, along with various types of used gas golf carts from brands such as Club Car, EZGO, and Yamaha. Gas golf carts are not street legal – they can only reach a speed of around 16mph, and can’t travel or maintain the required maximum speed for an LSV (24mph).  Newer laws are also pushing for more eco-friendly vehicles, which is why nearly all street legal golf carts will be electric. Few gas gold carts are actually street legal, but that is because they’ve been grandfathered in (they were street legal before the law changed), and they can only travel on streets 25mph or less. The gas golf carts you see are mostly non-street legal utility carts for construction sites and similar industrial areas.

Can golf carts…

…get wet?

Yes, all electrical parts are sealed inside and protected from rain. Batteries are sealed in a waterproof casing. It is fine to drive your golf cart in the rain – however, it’s not recommended if the rain is heavy, as it could impair visibility and flood the streets.

We have a blog with more details about our golf cart enclosures!

..be stored outside?

Yes, provided conditions aren’t too extreme. Golf carts are just like a car in the way that they can be parked outside and don’t necessarily need a garage, but it’s recommended to store them in a garage if temperatures get too hot or cold or heavy rainfall floods the area. If temperatures aren’t too severe or rain is a light to medium shower, you can store your golf cart outside and cover it with one of our storage covers – available for 2, 4, and 6 passenger golf carts and a universal fit!

…drive on sand?

Most of the time, no. Even if they have off-road tires, the weight of the cart will cause it to bury itself before making it very far, especially if it’s soft sand like on the beach. Aside from that, in most areas of Florida, it is not legal to drive a golf cart on the beach. The only place close to one of our locations where a golf cart can be driven on the beach is Daytona Beach. However, utility terrain vehicles (UTVs), mostly used for industrial work, can have 4 wheel drive and therefore are able to be driven on the beach. However, unless it’s for a construction project and you have special permission to use one of these vehicles on the beach, generally, it is not allowed.

Have other golf cart questions?

For any other golf cart questions you may have that we didn’t answer here, contact us by using our contact form! On the topic of Google, we also have a Google Places shop set up, where you can view and purchase some of our golf carts and accessories! You can visit it by clicking this link and view some of the products only available in our Google shop!

Along with rentals and sales of new golf carts, Bal Harbour Golf Cart is also in the business of selling various types of used golf carts. Most of our used carts are in our main Riviera Beach location, but we do carry a couple in both our Fort Lauderdale and Miami stores.

Our used carts come from a variety of brands, most commonly EZGO, Club Car, and Yamaha, and are carefully inspected and maintained before being priced and put up for sale. Our used carts come from customers just like you – if you are interested in selling your cart to us, use our contact form to get in touch.

Many of our used golf carts are refurbished EZGO carts, meaning that the company from where we bought them has performed upgrades inside and out on an older model. Some of the refurbished EZGO carts in the bottom gallery have been upgraded with a new controller, allowing them to reach a speed of approximately 24mph. All tires are new; when it is a lifted cart, for example, the cart receives a set of brand new, high quality 23 inch tires with 14 inch alloy rims. Other new accessories include new seats, a new flip windshield, a new lift kit (when applicable), and new LED front and rear lights.

A lot of our used Club Car carts for sale have received a speed upgrade from the previous owner – while Club Car carts could previously only maintain a speed of around 15 to 18 mph, we have several with speed upgrades that enable them to travel approximately 22mph. We also have a variety of utility carts available, often times either Club Car or Yamaha. In the gallery at the bottom of the page, you will see some of the utility carts that we’ve had – most of the time, they have the regular box-shaped utility bed, but we have had some less common flatbed style carts.

Below is a gallery of some of our fleet of used golf carts, all in good condition.

Note: At the time of writing, some of these carts have been sold, while some may still be available. Prices are included on all carts to give a general idea of factors that affect a used cart’s price, such as year and condition. For any questions about used carts, use our contact form here to send us a message. Not all carts below are street legal; only ones specified are. All carts are electric unless otherwise specified.