South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

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H. 3292

STATUS INFORMATION

General Bill
Sponsors: Reps. Hixon, Pedalino, W. Newton, Forrest, B.L. Cox, Erickson, Taylor, Hartz, Atkinson and Pace
Document Path: LC-0063CM25.docx

Introduced in the House on January 14, 2025
Introduced in the Senate on February 18, 2025
Last Amended on May 7, 2025
Currently residing in the House

Summary: Golf carts

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

Date Body Action Description with journal page number
12/5/2024 House Prefiled
12/5/2024 House Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works
1/14/2025 House Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 157)
1/14/2025 House Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works (House Journal-page 157)
1/16/2025 House Member(s) request name added as sponsor: B.L. Cox
2/4/2025 House Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Erickson, Bradley
2/5/2025 House Member(s) request name removed as sponsor: Bradley
2/6/2025 House Committee report: Favorable Education and Public Works (House Journal-page 11)
2/11/2025 House Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Taylor, Hartz, Atkinson
2/11/2025 Scrivener's error corrected
2/12/2025 House Debate adjourned until Thur., 2-13-25 (House Journal-page 83)
2/13/2025 House Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Pace
2/13/2025 House Read second time (House Journal-page 18)
2/13/2025 House Roll call Yeas-98 Nays-1 (House Journal-page 18)
2/13/2025 House Unanimous consent for third reading on next legislative day (House Journal-page 19)
2/18/2025 Senate Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 8)
2/18/2025 Senate Referred to Committee on Transportation (Senate Journal-page 8)
5/1/2025 Senate Committee report: Favorable with amendment Transportation (Senate Journal-page 14)
5/6/2025 Senate Committee Amendment Adopted (Senate Journal-page 68)
5/6/2025 Senate Read second time (Senate Journal-page 68)
5/6/2025 Senate Roll call Ayes-44 Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 68)
5/7/2025 Senate Amended (Senate Journal-page 40)
5/7/2025 Senate Read third time and returned to House with amendments (Senate Journal-page 40)
5/7/2025 Senate Roll call Ayes-42 Nays-1 (Senate Journal-page 40)
5/8/2025 House Concurred in Senate amendment and enrolled (House Journal-page 98)
5/8/2025 House Roll call Yeas-105 Nays-6 (House Journal-page 98)
5/20/2025 Ratified R 92

View the latest legislative information at the website

VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

12/5/2024
2/6/2025
2/11/2025
5/1/2025
5/6/2025
5/7/2025

NOTE: THIS IS A TEMPORARY VERSION. THIS DOCUMENT WILL REMAIN IN THIS VERSION UNTIL FINAL APPROVAL BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

(R92, H3292)

AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 56-2-90 SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE REGISTRATION AND OPERATION OF GOLF CARTS ALONG THE STATE'S PUBLIC HIGHWAYS, TO PROVIDE MUNICIPALITIES AND COUNTIES MAY ADOPT ORDINANCES TO REGULATE THE OPERATION OF GOLF CARTS WITHIN THEIR JURISDICTIONS, AND TO PROVIDE CERTAIN PASSENGERS MUST WEAR SAFETY BELTS; AND TO REPEAL SECTION 56-2-105, RELATING TO THE REGISTRATION AND OPERATION OF GOLF CARTS.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

Golf carts

SECTION 1.    Article 1, Chapter 2, Title 56 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

Section 56-2-90.    (A) To operate a vehicle commonly known as a golf cart on a public highway, the owner must obtain a permit decal and registration certificate from the Department of Motor Vehicles. Proof of ownership, proof of liability insurance, and payment of a five-dollar fee must be provided. The permit decal must be replaced every five years, or at the time the owner changes his address, whichever is sooner.

(B) A person operating a golf cart on a public highway must be at least sixteen years of age, hold a valid driver's license, and have in his possession:

(1) the registration certificate;

(2) proof of liability insurance in conformance with Section 38-77-140; and

(3) his driver's license.

(C) A municipality or a county within its unincorporated portions, may:

(1) by ordinance stipulate the hours, methods, and locations of golf cart operations, provided that golf carts may be operated only on a highway where the speed limit is thirty-five miles per hour or less;

(2) by ordinance permit the operation of golf carts at night, provided that golf carts are equipped with working headlights and taillights, and provided that golf carts may be operated only on a highway where the speed limit is thirty-five miles per hour or less; and

(3) on the shoulder of primary highways, secondary highways, streets and roads, designate separate golf cart paths for the purpose of golf cart transportation, provided that:

(a) the municipality or county obtains the necessary approvals, if any, to create golf cart paths; and

(b) the golf cart path is:

(i) separated from the traffic lanes by a hard concrete curb;

(ii) separated from the traffic lanes by parking spaces; or

(iii) separated from the traffic lanes by a distance of four feet or more.

(4) not require proof of property ownership or proof of long-term rental agreement within the municipality or a county within its unincorporated portions as a requirement in which to receive a decal to operate a golf cart within its limits.

(D) In the absence of an ordinance enacted pursuant to subsection (C), a permitted golf cart may:

(1) be operated only during daylight hours;

(2) be operated only on a secondary highway where the speed limit is thirty-five miles per hour or less;

(3) be operated only within four miles of the address on the registration certificate, or only within four miles of a point of ingress and egress of a gated community if the address is within a gated community; and

(4) cross a highway at an intersection where the speed limit is more than thirty-five miles an hour.

(E) Each golf cart passenger that is under the age of twelve years old, when it is being operated on the public streets and highways of this State, must wear a fastened safety belt.

Repeal

SECTION 2.    Section 56-2-105 of the S.C. Code is repealed.

Time effective

SECTION 3.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

Ratified the 20th day of May, 2025.

______________________________________________________________________

President of the Senate

_____________________________________________________________________

Speaker of the House of Representatives

Approved the _____________ day of _________________________________________2025.

____________________________________________________________________

Governor

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This web page was last updated on May 20, 2025 at 12:38 PM