Have you registered your golf cart for use in Plymouth?

City Councilman Randy Longanecker raised the continuing issue of golf carts driving on the Greenway Trail during Monday’s Common Council meeting. The councilman said that with the warmer weather, he has already seen four golf carts driving on the trail.

The Greenway Trail throughout Plymouth is for walkers, runners, roller skaters, stroller pushers, and even skateboarders, but NOT motorized vehicles of any type. 

At the end of August 2024, the Common Council passed an ordinance creating a permit requirement for golf carts using any city streets or alleyways within the city limits. The new ordinance also has several requirements. 

Golf carts are allowed on city streets and alleys, but drivers must adhere to the rules of the road, including refraining from drinking and driving and avoiding using cell phones while operating the vehicle. Any golf cart operator must possess a valid driver’s license and meet the state-required minimum level of financial responsibility. 

Golf carts must have functioning headlights and taillights visible from 500 feet. Additionally, the cart must have a working rear-view mirror and display a Slow-Moving Vehicle sign on its rear.

In the City of Plymouth, a golf cart can only carry the number of passengers it is designed for, and all passengers must be seated. Children under 36 inches tall are not permitted to ride on golf carts on public streets. 

Golf carts must not be driven or parked on sidewalks or trails, nor should they be driven over curbs or onto private property without permission from the property owner. Golf carts are subject to all parking regulations outlined in Plymouth City Code Chapter 71. 

Any golf cart driven on the streets or alleys in Plymouth must be registered, even if the owner and/or operator reside outside the city limits. Golf cart registration is in the clerk's office and should be completed by March 1st. The annual registration fee is $30, and you must present proof of financial responsibility, i.e., proof of insurance, when registering your golf cart. The City of Plymouth will provide a registration sticker that must be clearly mounted on the vehicle's rear and always visible during operation. You must also keep a copy of the registration form in your golf cart. 

Any person violating any of the provisions of the city’s new golf cart ordinance will be subject to a fine of $50 for the first violation, $75 for the second violation, and $100 for the third violation.  If any subsequent offense occurs, the golf cart shall be impounded at the owner’s expense.