This city will soon decide if golf carts are allowed on streets. See Wichita-area laws

An upcoming decision from a Wichita-area city could make it legal to drive golf carts on neighborhood streets.

The new Valley Center ordinance would allow golf carts on streets with a speed limit less than 30 miles per hour. The City Council is planning to discuss the topic again Aug. 20, said Valley Center’s city administrator, Brent Clark.

So what are the golf cart laws in Wichita?

According to the city’s ordinance, anyone with a valid license and a golf cart with a Kansas tag and proper lights can drive golf carts on city roads and sidewalks during community events when authorized.

“When operated on a street or highway which is not closed to vehicular traffic, all vehicles must obey all traffic rules and regulations,” the city’s ordinance reads.

If you do not have a valid license, you can only drive a golf cart on private property. Parents can receive citations for letting juveniles drive on city streets without a proper driver’s license.

State law says that golf carts can only be driven on public roads or highways between sunrise and sunset, unless equipped with either lights or a “properly mounted slow-moving vehicle emblem.”

What are other nearby cities’ golf cart laws?

Valley Center allowing golf carts on neighborhood roads would align with many other Wichita suburbs.

Derby allows golf carts only on roads with a speed limit of 30 miles per hour or less, and cross at faster roads.

“Golf carts may cross at any intersection with a speed limit of 40 mph or less and must cross at signal lights on streets of 40 mph or greater,” Derby’s website says.

Goddard also only allows golf carts on roads not surpassing that speed limit, but the city does allow golf carts to cross roads that have speed limits higher than 30 mph. You can only drive a golf cart in the daylight.

Andover has similar laws, only allowing golf carts on streets with a limit of 30 mph or less and only between sunrise and sunset. Golf carts are not allowed to cross any public highway, street, alley or road, according to Andover’s website.

This story was originally published July 31, 2024 at 5:30 AM.

Lindsay Smith

The Wichita Eagle

Lindsay Smith is a suburban news reporter for the Wichita Eagle, covering the communities of Andover, Bel Aire, Derby, Haysville and Kechi. She has been on The Eagle staff since 2022 and was the service journalism reporter for three years. She has a degree in communications with an emphasis in journalism from Wichita State, where she was editor-in-chief of the student newspaper, The Sunflower, for two years. You can reach her via email at lsmith@wichitaeagle.com.