Bay St. Louis Golf Cart Permit: Inspection, Insurance, and Renewal

A Bay St. Louis golf cart permit costs $50 and requires a passed safety inspection at the police department, a valid driver’s license, and proof of Mississippi’s minimum liability insurance. Once you have all three, you register at the Bay St. Louis Police Department at 547 Main Street, pay the fee, and receive a decal for the left rear fender.1Bay Saint Louis MS. Golf Carts2Justia. Mississippi Code 63-32-5 – Golf Cart and Low-Speed Vehicle Registration and Operation

What to Bring to the Police Department

Two forms start the process: a registration form and a registration affidavit, both available through the Bay St. Louis Police Department.1Bay Saint Louis MS. Golf Carts They ask for the cart’s make, model, color, and serial number or VIN. Bring these with you:

  • The completed registration form and affidavit with vehicle details and owner contact information.
  • A valid Mississippi driver’s license or temporary driver’s permit. Either is accepted under state law.2Justia. Mississippi Code 63-32-5 – Golf Cart and Low-Speed Vehicle Registration and Operation
  • A physical insurance card showing current liability coverage.
  • The cart itself, so an officer can inspect it. If it isn’t registered yet, trailer it in.

After the officer confirms your equipment is installed and working and your paperwork matches the vehicle, you pay the $50 fee and get a decal that goes on the left rear fender.1Bay Saint Louis MS. Golf Carts You’ll also get a city map showing which streets are open to golf carts. Study it before your first drive.

Equipment Your Cart Needs Before Inspection

Your cart has to have working headlights, tail lights, brake lights, turn signals, and front and rear reflectors. It also needs a parking brake, at least one rearview mirror, a windshield, and a working seat belt at every passenger position.

The seat belts trip most people up. Factory carts sold for course use rarely come with them, so if you bought a basic cart from a dealer or course, adding belts and any missing lights or signals is usually the longest part of getting street-legal. Test everything before you show up. Officers inspect for function, not just presence.

Insurance That Qualifies

You need a liability policy meeting Mississippi’s 25/50/25 minimum: $25,000 for bodily injury per person, $50,000 for bodily injury per accident, and $25,000 for property damage.3Justia. Mississippi Code 63-15-43 – Motor Vehicle Liability Policy Not every auto insurer writes golf cart coverage, so expect to shop. Some homeowner’s policies offer a golf cart rider, but confirm the coverage limits match 25/50/25 before you count on it. Keep the physical card on you whenever you drive on public roads.2Justia. Mississippi Code 63-32-5 – Golf Cart and Low-Speed Vehicle Registration and Operation

Annual Renewal Starting October 1

Registrations renew each year starting October 1. The renewal fee is also $50, and you can either walk into the police department between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. or mail in a renewal packet.1Bay Saint Louis MS. Golf Carts Either way, you submit an updated registration form, a completed affidavit, your driver’s license, and current insurance documentation. The renewal sticker goes in the lower left corner of your original decal.

Don’t let it lapse. Driving on an expired registration is a ticket, and the fine matches what a car driver would pay for the same violation.1Bay Saint Louis MS. Golf Carts

Where You Can and Can’t Drive

Golf carts can only run on streets Bay St. Louis has designated by ordinance, and state law further limits them to roads where bicycles are legally allowed.4Justia. Mississippi Code 63-32-3 – Authorization to Operate Golf Carts and Low-Speed Vehicles on Public Roads Within Municipality Under Certain Circumstances The map you receive at registration is what to follow. State and federal highways are off-limits, but you can cross them at designated intersections using the shortest route, perpendicular to traffic. On multilane streets that are open, stay in the outside lane. Sidewalks, walking paths, and bike trails are not legal routes.

Highway 90 is a common question. You cannot travel along it, but the city permits crossings at designated points.

Who Can Drive

Whoever operates the cart on a public road must carry a valid driver’s license or temporary permit and proof of insurance.2Justia. Mississippi Code 63-32-5 – Golf Cart and Low-Speed Vehicle Registration and Operation Unlicensed drivers, including children, cannot legally drive on city streets, supervised or not. Every traffic law that applies to cars applies to you: stop signs, signals, right-of-way, everything.

Penalties

Bay St. Louis treats golf cart infractions the same as motor vehicle violations. Driving without valid registration, without insurance, or on restricted roads gets you a citation with fines identical to a car driver’s for the same offense.1Bay Saint Louis MS. Golf Carts The city can also revoke your registration for repeated or serious violations, which puts the cart back to private-property-only use until you re-register.

The two mistakes that catch people most often are letting the October renewal slide and not carrying the insurance card. Both are cheap to fix in advance and expensive at the roadside.