{"data":{"id":"us-ky/krs-189.286","jurisdiction":"us-ky","citation":"KRS 189.286","heading":"Local government may permit operation of golf cart on public roadway --","body":"Ordinance -- Qualifications for operation -- Exemption from title, registration,\nand emissions compliance requirements -- Preemption by Transportation\nCabinet.\n(1) As used in this section:\n(a) \"Golf cart\" means any self-propelled vehicle that:\n1. Is designed for the transportation of players or maintaining equipment\non a golf course, while engaged in the playing of golf, supervising the\nplay of golf, or maintaining the con dition of the grounds on a golf\ncourse;\n2. Has a minimum of four (4) wheels;\n3. Is designed to operate at a speed of not more than thirty -five (35) miles\nper hour;\n4. Is designed to carry not more than six (6) persons, including the driver;\n5. Has a maximu m gross vehicle weight of two thousand five hundred\n(2,500) pounds;\n6. Has a maximum rated payload capacity of one thousand two hundred\n(1,200) pounds; and\n7. Is equipped with the following:\na. Headlamps;\nb. Tail lamps;\nc. Stop lamps;\nd. Front and rear turn signals;\ne. One (1) red reflex reflector on each side as far to the rear as\npracticable, and one (1) red reflex reflector on the rear;\nf. An exterior mirror mounted on the driver's side of the vehicle and\neither an exterior mirror mount ed on the passenger's side of the\nvehicle or an interior mirror;\ng. A parking brake;\nh. For each designated seating position, a seatbelt assembly that\nconforms to the federal motor vehicle safety standard provided in\n49 C.F.R. sec. 571.209; and\ni. A horn that meets the requirements of KRS 189.080; and\n(b) \"Local government\" means a city, county, charter county government, urban -\ncounty government, consolidated local government, unified local government,\nor special district.\n(2) The governing body of a local government may authorize and regulate the operation\nof a golf cart on any public roadway under its jurisdiction if the local government\nadopts an ordinance specifying each roadway that is open for golf cart use.\n(3) An ordinance created under subsection (2 ) of this section shall require that a golf\ncart operated on a designated public roadway:\n(a) Be issued a permit for the golf cart by the local government;\n(b) Display a sticker or permit that identifies that the golf cart is allowed to be\noperated on specific roadways within the local government; and\n(c) Be inspected by a certified inspector designated by the county sheriff and\ncertified through the Department of Vehicle Regulation to ensure that the golf\ncart complies with the requirements of this section . The inspection fee under\nthis paragraph shall not exceed five dollars ($5) with an additional fee not to\nexceed ten dollars ($10) per trip charged if it becomes necessary for the\ncertified inspector to travel to the site of the golf cart rather than havi ng the\ngolf cart brought to the sheriff's inspection area.\n(4) A person may operate a golf cart on a public roadway pursuant to subsection (2) of\nthis section if:\n(a) The posted speed limit of the designated public roadway is thirty -five (35)\nmiles per hour or less;\n(b) The operator of the golf cart does not cross a roadway at an intersection where\nthe roadway being crossed has a posted speed limit of more than thirty -five\n(35) miles per hour;\n(c) The operator has a valid operator's license in his or her possession; and\n(d) The golf cart displays a slow -moving vehicle emblem in compliance with\nKRS 189.820.\n(5) A golf cart operating on a public roadway under subsection (2) of this section shall\nbe insured in compliance with KRS 304.39 -080 by the owner or oper ator, and the\nproof of insurance shall be inside the golf cart at all times of operation on a public\nroadway.\n(6) Any person operating a golf cart on a public roadway under the provisions of this\nsection shall be subject to the traffic regulations of KRS Chapter 189.\n(7) A golf cart operating on a public roadway designated by a local government under\nsubsection (2) of this section is not considered to be motor a vehicle and is exempt\nfrom:\n(a) Title requirements of KRS 186.020;\n(b) Vehicle registration requirements of KRS 186.050; and\n(c) Emissions compliance certificates pursuant to KRS 224.20-720.\n(8) A local government may adopt more stringent local ordinances governing golf cart\nsafety equipment and operation than specified in this section.\n(9) The Trans portation Cabinet may prohibit the operation of a golf cart on a public\nroadway designated under subsection (2) of this section that crosses a state -\nmaintained highway under its jurisdiction if it determines that such prohibition is\nnecessary in the interest of public safety.\n(10) The provisions of this section shall not apply to a golf cart that is not used on a\npublic roadway except to cross a roadway while following a golf cart path on a golf\ncourse.","path":["KRS Chapter 189"],"source_url":"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=50004","current_through":"Includes enactments through the 2026 Regular Session","vintage":"09/05/2026","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T20:51:42Z","sha256":"c203daa5797028b42b6dd2bf94abd9a060e5d7bdc9d461e6178563f1b48ab780","source_id":"us-ky","stale":false,"prev":"us-ky/krs-189.2851","next":"us-ky/krs-189.287"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}