Golf cart rules in Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach and Horry County: where carts can go

As of Oct. 30, 2026, a golf cart can be driven on a public road in Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach or unincorporated Horry County only if it carries a South Carolina DMV permit decal, the driver is at least 16 with a valid license, and the road has a speed limit of 35 mph or less, under S.C. Code Section 56-2-90. Unless a city or county ordinance says otherwise, carts may run only in daylight and only within 4 miles of the address on the registration.

North Myrtle Beach wrote those limits into its own code in June 2025: carts may run only between sunrise and sunset, and a violation can bring a $100 fine or up to 30 days in jail, per the City of North Myrtle Beach. Myrtle Beach keeps carts off Kings Highway, U.S. 501, Harrelson Boulevard and every road posted above 35 mph, per the City of Myrtle Beach.

What changed in South Carolina’s golf cart law?

The old golf cart law, Section 56-2-105, was repealed. Its rules moved to Section 56-2-90, effective May 22, 2025, under 2025 Act No. 64, per the South Carolina Legislature. The new section lets each city, and each county for its unincorporated areas, set its own hours, methods and locations by ordinance. It also lets them allow night driving if the cart has working headlights and taillights. The 35 mph cap stays in every case.

A 2026 amendment, Act No. 164, effective May 18, 2026, added two things: the child seat belt rule does not apply to course-owned carts used for a round on that course, and carts may run within half a mile of a Division I college game or an arena that holds at least 19,000 people, from three hours before the event until one hour after, while police control traffic.

What do I need before I drive a golf cart on the street?

The South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles issues the permit decal and registration certificate, per SCDMV. The steps:

1. Fill out SCDMV Form GC-2, the golf cart permit and registration application.
2. Bring proof of ownership and proof of liability insurance for the cart.
3. Pay the $5 fee at any SCDMV branch, or mail the documents to SCDMV Titles and Registration, P.O. Box 1498, Blythewood, SC 29016-0024.
4. Replace the decal every five years, or sooner if the owner moves.

While driving, the operator must carry the registration certificate, proof of insurance and a driver’s license, under Section 56-2-90(B). Every passenger under 12 must wear a fastened seat belt on public streets.

Where can golf carts go in each town?

Place	Hours	Roads	Who sets the rule	Source
North Myrtle Beach	Sunrise to sunset	City streets posted 35 mph or less; may cross faster roads at intersections	City Code Chapter 21, Ordinance 25-30 (June 2025)	City of North Myrtle Beach
Myrtle Beach	Daylight only	Secondary streets posted 35 mph or less, within 4 miles of the registered address; not Kings Highway, U.S. 501 or Harrelson Boulevard	State law, as the city explains it	City of Myrtle Beach
Unincorporated Horry County	Daylight, unless a county ordinance allows more	Secondary roads posted 35 mph or less, within 4 miles of the registered address	S.C. Code 56-2-90(D)	South Carolina Legislature
Other Horry County towns	Set by each town’s ordinance	Never above 35 mph	Each town council	Town code of ordinances

North Myrtle Beach’s ordinance, adopted at second reading on June 23, 2025, adds Section 21-2 to the city code and repeats the state’s 4-mile limit from the registered address, or from the gate of a gated community, per the ordinance text. Police follow an “educate, warn, and cite” approach, the city said.

Can I drive a golf cart on the sidewalk or a bike path?

No. In Myrtle Beach, carts are not allowed on sidewalks or multipurpose paths. “This is illegal,” the City of Myrtle Beach says. The Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office also lists bike paths as off-limits, per its golf cart notice.

To reach Myrtle Beach State Park from Market Common by cart, the city points to Mallard Lake Drive and the state-installed golf cart crossing at the signal on Kings Highway, per the City of Myrtle Beach.

Can I drive a golf cart on the beach?

On Horry County’s unincorporated beaches, permitted golf carts driven by a licensed driver are allowed from Nov. 1 through Feb. 28, and no other vehicles are allowed, per Horry County. That window opens Nov. 1, 2026.

Georgetown County does not allow golf carts on its beaches. Its ordinance makes it unlawful to drive “any motor vehicle of any kind or nature upon the public beach,” and carts that cross south of the Horry-Georgetown line near the Garden City Pier get ticketed, per the Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office.

Can golf carts drive at night on the Grand Strand?

Only where a local ordinance allows it, and only with working headlights and taillights, under Section 56-2-90(C). As of Oct. 30, 2026, North Myrtle Beach still limits carts to sunrise through sunset. Myrtle Beach says carts may not be driven at night. Outside city limits, the state default of daylight only applies unless Horry County Council adopts an ordinance that says otherwise.

Who enforces golf cart rules?

City police enforce them inside Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach, and Horry County Police in unincorporated areas. Golf cart permits and decals are handled only by SCDMV.

• City of North Myrtle Beach: 1018 2nd Ave. S., 843-280-5555
• City of Myrtle Beach: [email protected]
• Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office: 843-546-5102
• SCDMV golf cart permits: dmv.sc.gov

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