Golf cars and ride-on mowers

Golf cars and ride-on lawn mowers don’t need to be registered. They are designed mainly for use outside the road system and don’t have the safety features of a regular vehicle.

Don’t drive them on footpaths, bike paths and shared paths.

Golf cars and ride-on lawn mowers are not ‘motor vehicles’ under the law, as long as they follow all of these rules:

• They are only used as intended by the manufacturer (playing golf or mowing lawns).
• They are not used to travel on the road for more than two kilometres at a time, in order to go golfing or mow a lawn.
• They shouldn’t be used regularly on the road, as they are designed mainly for use outside the road system.

If you don’t follow these rules, a golf car or ride-on lawn mower is:  

• treated like any other motor vehicle, including laws related to driver licensing and registration
• not covered by third party personal injury insurance  
• not covered by TAC if you have an accident. 

Who can drive golf cars and ride-on lawn mowers

You don’t need a driver’s licence to use these vehicles if following these conditions.

However, you should:

• not drive them while using alcohol or drugs
• be very careful using them after dark
• always travel at safe speeds.

We recommend taking out an insurance policy to cover the golf car or ride-on lawn mower. 

Risks driving these vehicles on the road

If you don’t follow these rules, a golf car or ride-on lawn mower is:  

• treated like any other motor vehicle, including laws related to driver licensing and registration
• not covered by third party personal injury insurance  
• not covered by TAC if you have an accident.