Can You Drive a Golf Cart on the Street in Michigan?
Only if your community has passed a resolution allowing it. Under Michigan Vehicle Code § 257.657a, a village or city with fewer than 30,000 residents (2010 census) — or a township of the same size, unless the county board disapproves — may adopt a resolution permitting golf carts on its streets. The operator must be at least 16 years old and licensed to drive a motor vehicle. A golf cart may not be driven on a state trunk line highway, though it may cross one using the most direct route. There is no permit fee: a community may keep a list of carts and operators but cannot charge for it.
Michigan Rules at a Glance
| Rule | Golf Cart (community-approved streets) | Registered LSV |
|---|---|---|
| Where allowed | Local streets where a resolution permits | Streets posted 35 mph or less |
| State trunk line highways | Cross only — no travel along | ✓ If posted 35 mph or less |
| Minimum age | 16 | 16 (licensed) |
| Driver's license | ✓ Required | ✓ Required |
| Registration | ✗ Not registered | ✓ Titled & registered (SOS) |
| Equipment | Turn/stop signals per § 257.648 | ✓ Full FMVSS 500 equipment |
Local Control and the Rules of the Road
Because § 257.657a is a local-option law, hundreds of Michigan lake towns, resort villages, and rural townships have adopted golf cart resolutions — while larger cities have not. Where carts are allowed, operators must obey the same turn- and stop-signal rules as other vehicles (§ 257.648) and ride as near to the right side of the roadway as practicable. Always confirm your town's resolution before driving.
The Statewide Alternative: Low-Speed Vehicles
A low-speed vehicle — defined in MCL § 257.25b as a four-wheeled vehicle meeting the federal FMVSS 500 standard (49 CFR 571.500) — is titled and registered through the Michigan Secretary of State and may be driven on streets posted 35 mph or less under MCL § 257.660, with no local resolution required. Factory-certified models like the DENAGO CITY qualify. Browse street-legal golf carts and Low Speed Vehicles.
Official Michigan Sources
- MCL § 257.657a — golf cart operation on village, city, or township streets and state trunk line crossings
- MCL § 257.25b — low-speed vehicle definition (FMVSS 500)
- MCL § 257.660 — low-speed vehicle operation and limitations
- Michigan Secretary of State — titles and registers low-speed vehicles
Buying a Golf Cart in Michigan
TIGON delivers across Michigan — the Traverse City and Lake Michigan resort towns, Mackinac-area communities, the Detroit metro suburbs, and every lake town in between. See the Michigan golf carts page, browse inventory, or call 1-844-844-6638.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are golf carts street legal in Michigan?
Only where a local resolution permits them. Michigan Vehicle Code § 257.657a lets any village or city with fewer than 30,000 residents — or a similarly sized township, unless the county board disapproves — adopt a resolution allowing golf carts on its streets. The operator must be at least 16 and hold a valid driver's license, and golf carts are not subject to state registration.
Shop street-legal golf cartsCan a golf cart drive on a state highway in Michigan?
No. Under § 257.657a a golf cart may not travel along a state trunk line highway — it may only cross one, using the most direct line of crossing, when operating on approved village, city, or township streets. Operators must follow the same signal rules as other vehicles (§ 257.648) and ride as near to the right side of the roadway as practicable.
Golf carts in MichiganWhat are the low-speed vehicle rules in Michigan?
A low-speed vehicle — a four-wheeled vehicle meeting the federal FMVSS 500 standard under MCL § 257.25b — is titled and registered through the Michigan Secretary of State and may be driven on streets posted 35 mph or less (MCL § 257.660), with no local resolution needed. Factory-certified models like the DENAGO CITY qualify; TIGON delivers across Michigan, call 1-844-844-6638.
Shop Low Speed VehiclesShop street-legal golf carts · Golf carts in Michigan · Call 1-844-844-6638