Underage driving, downtown parking, and an alternative to getting around town.  Here’s what local police want golf cart drivers to know.

PERRY — A Perry visitor may notice golf carts on main roads within the city limits and wonder if it’s legal. For almost four years, Personal Transportation Vehicles have been legal to drive around town. 

Perry’s golf cart scene is so popular that the city approved an ordinance for PTVs in November 2022. Residents mostly use them to get around downtown and are even allowed to park on downtown streets.  

Underage drivers are a major issue for both the police and the public.  

A post on social media alluded to this issue, and the user had concerns about the underage drivers’ safety and wondered if the city could do anything about it. 

Perry councilwoman Amy Fouse commented on the post and said the rules have not changed, and to contact the police if you see anyone underage driving golf carts around town. 

Perry Police Chief Alan Everidge said in an interview that drivers must be 16 or older and have a valid driver’s license to operate a golf cart. The driver must also obey the same traffic laws for driving a car. 

The city requires PTVs to have insurance, side reflectors on each side, and a triangular-shaped slow-moving vehicle indicator on the back or a warning light on top. Most golf carts have headlights and brake lights, however, Everidge said to be as safe as you can. On average, a golf cart’s weight ranges from 800 to 1,200 pounds, compared to 4,000 for the average car.  

“You want to be as visible as possible,” he said. “With an accident between a PTV and a vehicle, the PTV is not going to win.” 

Drivers must also register their golf carts with the city, similarly to being registered in the county for a car. To register, residents can bring their golf cart to the police station for inspection, or the police can come to them. 

After a successful inspection, police put a sticker on the back that verifies that all requirements have been met. This verification is valid for three years.

Like cars, golf carts can also get stolen. 

One instance that caught law enforcement’s attention was in December 2024, when four golf carts were stolen from Mike’s Golf Carts in Perry. On December 18, 2024, officers found the suspect driving one of the golf carts and towing the other. 

The driver, Edward Hargreaves, was chased by officers, causing damage to police vehicles and the surrounding neighbors’ fences. He was later sentenced in April 2025 to 30 years, with the first 15 to be served in prison, according to a press release from the Houston County District Attorney’s Office.

The case’s lead detective, Aaron Conner, said the department traced the other stolen golf carts to a resident in Centerville, where law enforcement executed a search warrant on Dec. 19, 2024. Police found packaged drugs and a firearm and also found Kerry Holt, who was arrested as a result. He was convicted on June 8, 2026. 

Everidge said if a cart is registered and stolen, the police department can track it down. 

“We have all the information on [your golf cart] like the Vehicle Identification Number, make and model,” he said. “If you’re the victim, your [golf cart] information can help us recover it.” 

Conner said the city of Perry rarely receives calls about stolen golf carts, but they still happen. He said golf carts can be an easy target, given that they are mostly out in the open. Conner said the punishment for stealing a golf cart is like stealing a car. 

“A golf cart is not a vehicle but very similar as far as the statute goes. It’s a felony, and we treat them all the same,” he said. 

According to the ordinance, a PTV is defined as any motor vehicle with exactly four wheels, capable of a maximum ground level speed of less than 20 miles per hour, with a maximum weight up to 1,375 pounds and capable of holding no more than eight passengers. 

These vehicles are allowed on city streets that have a traffic flow of 25 miles per hour or less and cannot be driven on state highways. Downtown roads like Carroll Street and Main Street are safe to drive golf carts on. Roads such as Courtney Hodges and San Nunn Blvd. are not.

For more information on Personal Transportation Vehicles use in Perry, go to www.perry-ga.gov/personal-transportation-vehicles.