Golf carts in St. Augustine: dealers, rentals, and where you can drive

Buying a golf cart in St. Augustine

Five of the six listed businesses sell carts, giving buyers a reasonable range of brands and price points without leaving St. Johns County. Golf Cart Factory on FL-16 focuses on Royal EV electric vehicles designed and assembled in Georgia, with lithium power and street-legal configurations available. Mad Dog Premium Carts on Ashourian Ave carries DACH and Voyager models and maintains a second showroom in Green Cove Springs for buyers on that side of the county. Golf Carts of St. Augustine on US-1 stocks Kandi and Star EV and ships nationwide if you cannot find what you want locally.

Pirate Island Carts on Pope Rd handles E-Z-GO and Club Car — two of the most widely serviced brands in Florida — and advertises up to 0% financing on both. For buyers who want a high-end or luxury-positioned cart, Premium Golf Cart Co. on Dobbs Business Circle lists financing and inventory through its platform, though the website text was not detailed when checked; a phone call before visiting is worthwhile. Across the dealers, a new basic 4-seat electric cart typically runs $8,000–$12,000, a 6-seat or lifted model $12,000–$18,000, and a street-legal LSV $18,000–$35,000. Decent dealer-used carts generally start around $4,500–$9,000.

Trade-in programs are mentioned by Golf Cart Factory, Golf Carts of St. Augustine, and Mad Dog Premium Carts, which can reduce out-of-pocket cost if you are upgrading. Delivery is available from at least two dealers, useful if you live inside a gated community where scheduling a drop-off is easier than trailering. If you want to compare more options, the Ponte Vedra Beach page lists six additional dealers roughly 20 miles north.

What golf carts cost in Florida · How to pick a dealer · Dealers in Ponte Vedra Beach

Renting a golf cart in St. Augustine

Two businesses explicitly list rentals: Golf Carts of St. Augustine on US-1 and Pirate Island Carts on Pope Rd. Joy Ride Golf Cart Rental on W King St — located in the downtown area — also lists rentals and street-legal carts, which makes it the most convenient option for visitors staying near the historic district, but its website was unreachable when checked, so confirm availability by phone before counting on it. For a 6-seat cart in season, Florida rental rates typically run $120–$250 per day or $500–$1,000 per week.

Visitors renting for use in a specific community should confirm with the rental company that the cart is permitted in that community before booking. Some planned communities in St. Johns County require carts to meet minimum equipment standards — lights, mirrors, seatbelts — that street-legal LSVs already satisfy. Golf Carts of St. Augustine notes street-legal repair capability, which suggests their rental fleet may include compliant units. Our Florida golf cart rental guide covers what to check before you sign a rental agreement.

Florida golf cart rental guide · Street-legal carts in Florida

Service and repair

Pirate Island Carts on Pope Rd lists repairs as a dedicated service alongside sales and rentals, making it one of the more full-service shops in the immediate area. Golf Carts of St. Augustine on US-1 also has a service department with scheduled appointments, maintenance, and street-legal repair work. Mad Dog Premium Carts handles service and parts for the brands it sells. Annual preventive service in Florida typically costs $150–$300 and is worth scheduling given the salt-air environment around Anastasia Island and the beaches.

Battery replacement is the most common significant expense for cart owners in coastal St. Johns County. A lead-acid pack typically runs $900–$1,800 and lasts roughly three to four years near the coast; a lithium conversion costs $2,000–$4,500 but should last eight to ten years and handles the humidity better. Controller and motor repairs generally run $300–$900 depending on the brand and part. If you need a shop outside St. Augustine proper, Elkton has Cart Works FL, and St Johns has Back 9 Golf Carts nearby.

Golf cart repair cost guide · Lithium battery guide · Cart Works FL in Elkton

Street-legal and LSV options

Several St. Augustine dealers handle street-legal low-speed vehicles (LSVs). Golf Cart Factory, Golf Carts of St. Augustine, Mad Dog Premium Carts, and Joy Ride Golf Cart Rental all mention street-legal or LSV capability in their listings. An LSV is a titled, insured vehicle that can legally travel on any Florida road posted at 35 mph or less. A standard golf cart, by contrast, is only permitted on locally designated streets — typically those posted at 30 mph or less — and only between sunrise and sunset. The distinction matters in St. Johns County because many connector roads between communities are posted above 30 mph.

Converting an existing cart to LSV status typically costs $2,500–$5,000 and requires adding headlights, taillights, turn signals, mirrors, seatbelts, a windshield, and a horn, then titling the vehicle through the Florida DMV. Buying a purpose-built LSV from a dealer is often simpler. Our golf cart vs LSV guide walks through the full legal difference if you are deciding which route makes sense for your community.

Golf cart vs LSV in Florida · Florida golf cart laws

Where you can drive a golf cart in St. Augustine

Cart use in St. Augustine is concentrated in specific planned communities rather than spread across the city's public streets. World Golf Village, King and Bear, Marsh Creek, and Del Webb Ponte Vedra all have internal cart paths and designated community streets where residents drive regularly. The historic downtown does not permit general public cart traffic, though licensed guided tour operators run carts there under separate permits. St. Johns County and the City of St. Augustine each govern which streets are designated for cart use, and those designations can differ by neighborhood.

Under Florida law, a standard golf cart may only be driven on streets that have been officially designated for cart use, generally those posted at 30 mph or less, and only between sunrise and sunset. Drivers 18 and older must carry a valid ID; since October 2023, anyone under 18 needs at least a learner's permit to operate a cart on public streets. An LSV faces fewer restrictions — it can travel on any road posted 35 mph or less at any hour — but must be titled, registered, and insured like a motor vehicle. If you are moving to one of the planned communities and are unsure which rules apply to your specific streets, check with your HOA and review the Florida golf cart laws guide before you buy.

Florida golf cart laws · Golf cart vs LSV in Florida