If you’re on Gulf Boulevard in Pinellas County, chances are you’ll see a golf cart driving down the street at some point.
And sometimes, the driver isn’t even old enough to drive a car.
In 2023, the Florida Legislature passed a law to tighten the rules for golf cart drivers. They’re required to be 18-years-old with a valid form of government-issued photo ID or, if they’re under 18, have a valid driver’s license or learner’s permit.
Indian Rocks Beach, a coastal city with growing tourism, is trying to catch up to the state law. Currently, someone as young as a 14-year-old can drive a golf cart on the city streets, provided the speed limit is 30 mph or lower.
The Indian Rocks Beach City Commission will vote on the second reading of its updated ordinance at Tuesday night’s meeting. The first reading passed unanimously at the city’s May 12 meeting.
“We discovered that we weren’t quite in compliance with Florida law,” City Attorney Matthew Maggard said at the meeting.
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With golf cart rentals scattered through Pinellas’ barrier islands, there are plenty of places for tourists and locals to get a hold of one.
City Manager Ryan Henderson said at the meeting there would be a plan to inform the public, including making sure rental companies and golf cart owners know about the update.
“Certainly it may not come as a surprise to them,” Henderson said.
In addition, he thinks “there’s certainly an appreciation from the (Pinellas County) Sheriff’s Office that we’re in uniformity” with neighboring cities.
Pinellas County requires golf cart drivers to have a valid drivers license.
The updated ordinance also clarifies the penalty for violating the rule, which is up to a $500 fine.
The ordinance is scheduled to be voted on at the Indian Rocks Beach City Commission meeting Tuesday at 6 p.m.
