Holmes Beach, FL

Golf Cart Rules in the City of Anna Maria, Florida

> Rules last reviewed: August 2026. Golf cart and LSV ordinances can change between seasons. Verify current rules with the City of Anna Maria before your trip: cityofannamaria.com.

Anna Maria is the northernmost of the three cities on Anna Maria Island. It has its own city government and its own cart rules. This page covers what applies specifically inside Anna Maria city limits, and where those rules differ from Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach.

Staying in the City of Anna Maria? This page is for you. Staying in Holmes Beach? See the Holmes Beach rules page. Staying in Bradenton Beach? See the Bradenton Beach rules page.

Reserve a cart delivered to your Anna Maria rental

Which Streets Can You Use?

Under Florida law, an LSV (Low Speed Vehicle) may travel on any public road posted at 35 mph or less. Most streets inside Anna Maria city limits are posted at 25 mph, so nearly the entire city street network is open to cart traffic.

Pine Avenue (the main commercial strip with shops, restaurants, and the City Pier)
Gulf Drive (runs through all three cities; the Anna Maria section is fully open)
Bay Boulevard and the surrounding residential streets

The rule is simple: look at the posted speed limit. Under 35 mph, the road is generally open. Above 35 mph, it is off-limits under state law.

The three cities of Anna Maria Island. Anna Maria city limits cover the north end of the island.

Where You Cannot Go

Three limits apply everywhere on the island, including inside Anna Maria city limits.

1. No crossing the bridges. The Manatee Avenue bridge, the Cortez Road bridge, and the Longboat Pass bridge all have speed limits above 35 mph. Golf carts and LSVs may not legally cross any of them. The island is the boundary.

2. No beach driving. Carts are not permitted on the sand or in beach access areas anywhere on Anna Maria Island. You park the cart and walk to the water.

3. No roads posted above 35 mph. Any stretch posted higher is off-limits under Florida state law, even if it connects two roads that are otherwise legal.

Parking on Pine Avenue and at the City Pier

Pine Avenue is Anna Maria's main commercial street and the most popular cart destination on the north end of the island. Carts follow the same parking rules as cars here.

Check posted signs for time limits before leaving the cart. Commercial zones often have limits in the two-hour range, but the posted sign is the authority.
The City Pier parking area at the end of Pine Avenue fills quickly on weekends and holidays. Arrive early if the pier is your destination.
Park in marked spaces only. Blocking a travel lane or riding the cart onto a sidewalk is not permitted.

There is no separate cart-only parking zone in the City of Anna Maria. Use any marked space that fits the cart.

Night Driving: What the Cart Must Have

Florida requires every LSV operated on a public road after dark to have all of the following in working order:

Headlights
Tail lights
Brake lights
Front and rear turn signals
Reflex reflectors

If you plan to use the cart in the evening, do a quick check before leaving the driveway. Turn on the lights, tap the brakes, and test the turn signals. If anything is not working, do not take the cart on a public road at night.

Age and License Requirements

Florida requires a valid driver's license to operate an LSV on any public road. This applies in Anna Maria and everywhere on the island.

A 2023 change to Florida law added a rule for golf carts specifically: anyone born on or after July 1, 2006 must hold at minimum a valid learner's permit to operate a golf cart on a public road.

The short version:

Operating an LSV on a public road: full driver's license required, no exceptions.
Operating a golf cart on a permitted road: a learner's permit is the minimum for anyone born on or after July 1, 2006.
Under 16 with no permit: no solo operation on a public road.

How Anna Maria's Rules Differ From Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach

All three AMI cities sit under the same Florida state law framework for LSVs and golf carts. The differences come from each city's own ordinances and the character of each city's streets.

City of Anna Maria: Anna Maria is the smallest and most residential of the three. The street grid is quiet, with most roads running through beachside neighborhoods at 25 mph. Commercial activity centers on Pine Avenue and the City Pier. The city has no high-traffic commercial intersections comparable to the ones found in Holmes Beach.

Holmes Beach: Holmes Beach is the largest of the three cities, covering the middle stretch of the island. Gulf Drive's busiest commercial blocks run through Holmes Beach near Marina Drive. Holmes Beach has its own municipal ordinances layered on top of state law, and its traffic volumes are higher than Anna Maria's residential streets. See the Holmes Beach rules page

Bradenton Beach: Bradenton Beach covers the southern end of the island. Its commercial center is Bridge Street. Because Bradenton Beach borders the Cortez bridge approach, this is where the no-bridge rule is most practically felt. Guests staying in Bradenton Beach are at the very edge of where the cart can legally go. See the Bradenton Beach rules page

The underlying state law is the same in all three cities. What changes is each city's own ordinance layer, the character of the streets, and the geography of where your rental sits on the island.

Before Your Trip: Confirm the Latest Rules

Rules pages go stale. Ordinances can change between seasons, and city websites are not always updated right away. To confirm what is current for the City of Anna Maria, visit cityofannamaria.com and look for the current municipal code or cart ordinance. Contact Anna Maria City Hall directly for questions about specific streets or recent changes.

This page is reviewed at the start of each season. The review date is at the top.

Renting a Cart for Your Anna Maria Vacation

Beach Zoomies delivers carts to vacation rentals across the City of Anna Maria, Holmes Beach, and Bradenton Beach. The cart is on your driveway before Saturday check-in and gone before checkout. No coordination, no handoff.

Reserve your cart before your trip fills up

Rates are on the page. No form required to see them. Six carts. Delivered.