WILDWOOD, FL (352today.com) – It sometimes seems that some local municipalities’ rules for where golf carts can be driven boil down to “oh, anywhere you’re going somewhere too far from the house to walk, but not far enough to have to get in the car.”

That’s not true, of course–all towns and cities that allow golf carts as a means of transportation (off the golf course) have ordinances in place dictating where residents can drive them. The state does to, in point of fact. But sometimes new traffic patterns, changing demographics and emerging community needs necessitate addendums, amendments and exceptions to those ordinances. And sometimes those little changes add up to an unclear policy that’s out of step with the original intent, or even state law.

That’s why the Wildwood City Commission adopted a new ordinance “stipulating where golf carts and low-speed vehicles can be operated legally on city streets” at their meeting on Monday, July 13, 2026.

“We need to ensure consistency with current state law, align with partner agencies and jurisdictions, and meet the evolving needs of our community,” City Manager Jason McHugh said in a statement. “Wildwood has grown tremendously in the last 13 years since we first addressed these types of vehicles in our code. Golf carts and low-speed vehicles have become vehicles of choice for many and an essential mode of transportation in parts of our city.”

The new ordinance, 02026-28, supersedes the ordinance adopted in 2013 and subsequently updated in 2017.

Ordinance 02026-28 amends and replaces these sections of Chapter 12 in Wildwood’s Code of Ordinances:

  • Sec. 12-151. – Low-speed vehicles.
  • Sec. 12-152. – Definition of a golf cart.
  • Sec. 12-153. – Golf cart communities.
  • Sec. 12-154. – Authorization to operate golf carts within and between golf cart communities.
  • Sec. 12-155. – Operation of golf carts on public city roads.

Thankfully, residents don’t have to remember all of that, because the city has published a new online street map that shows exactly where golf carts and other low-speed vehicles are and aren’t allowed to operate, and installed new signs around the community alerting drivers where golf carts cannot cross or continue due to jurisdictional boundaries and other considerations.

Additionally, the Wildwood Police Department will be offering free golf cart safety classes and maintaining a voluntary registry for local low-speed vehicles.