The e-mobility universe is churning in Palm Beach County, South Florida. New restrictions are being placed on e-bikes and golf car/LSV regulations are actively under review. In this article an analysis of a public hearing regarding the latter in Palm Beach County (PBC) is presented with a focus on what was said, as well as what was not. It provides a case study of some of the challenges facing LSV market expansion.
First, a few words about the regulatory environment in South Florida. The topic is not unique to this region, but is similar in varying degrees across the country.
Elements of the market environment
The entire e-mobility universe is faced with an environment of regulatory complexity. The uniformity of State laws and regulations regarding conventional automobiles is not to be found in the world of e-mobility. Not only are there State laws but also a myriad of regulations at the local level.
For example, Florida Statute 316.2122 governs the overall use of LSVs; i.e., defining them, detailing safety attributes, and where they can be operated. Given the broad regulatory aspects, local regulations kick in.
Multi-layered regulatory bodies below the state level
In Palm Beach County in South Florida, at least two departments have regulatory oversight. One is the Engineering and Public Works (EPW) Department and the other is the Municipal Planning Organization (MPO). The former focuses on where within Palm Beach County, LSVs are allowed to operate with respect to public roads and streets. The latter looks more to the future in the County’s transportation and mobility development. Both departments answer to the county’s Board of County Commissioners (BCC), made up of elected officials from districts within the county.
Further regulations at the district and community level
The BCC is made up of seven elected officials, representing their respective seven districts within the County. While districts and the communities within them follow the definitions and regulations prescribed by State law, they may well modify these regulations to suit local preferences and conditions.
In the community of Palm Beach Gardens, for example, golf cars may travel on public roads posted at 20 m.p.h. or less but have the advantage of access to multi-modal pathways and sidewalks of eight feet or more in width. LSVs have access to roads posted at 35 m.p.h. or less, but are prohibited from multi-modal pathways or sidewalks.
Public hearings are active at the community level
It is important to note that while broad policies are laid out at the county and district level, communities and local municipalities call the shots within their jurisdictions. Here is a list of recent hearings in various Florida locations, which gives a flavor for both the interest and intensity of the focus on golf car and LSV usage.
Florida counties and municipalities that have held public hearings, workshops, ordinance readings, or commission meetings involving golf carts and/or Low-Speed Vehicles (LSVs) during 2024-2026, or currently have active regulatory discussions.
The impact on dealerships
Needless to say, the results of all these hearings have worked to shape the market environment in their respective jurisdictions. The critical point is that this will also affect the bottom line of dealerships serving these local areas. A hearing in Palm Beach County in late 2025 highlights some of the problems that emerge as the result of the public image of golf car-type vehicles.
PBC EPW presentation on public road access for LSVs: A case study
In October 2025, the Palm Beach County Engineering and Public Works Department, under the direction of Robert Hicks, presented an overall county policy for LSVs use on public roads.
At the beginning of the presentation, led by Mr. Hicks, who holds the position of County Engineer, a clear distinction was made between golf carts and LSVs. In particular, safety features and automotive-type accessories were noted as distinguishing features of LSVs, but in the subsequent discussion the two varieties were basically lumped together.
LSVs and not golf cars, and are not neighborhood electric vehicles
The problem continues to arise that little distinction is made between golf cars, NEVs, and LSVs. The neighborhood electric vehicle is seen as the handy device used to drop off and pick the kids up at school, the park, or local library. And while LSVs can do this as well, they potentially go beyond NEVs for use in short-distance driving for multiple purposes.
There was little public input; one woman stated how convenient golf cars were for going about the neighborhood and dropping the kids off at their various activities. There was no input from dealers, which would have been beneficial for the district commissioners to better understand the product they were regulating.
Shedding the golf course legacy…
While LSVs and golf cars are part of the landscape in many communities across the country, the image remains entrenched in the sport of golf. Slowly and surely, the use of LSVs has spread from the neighborhood to the local community, and is now venturing into wider use in municipalities for short-distance driving.
The latter avatar, however, remains a pretty big move that runs up against the legacy factor. It is one thing to scoot around the neighborhood, and another to go five miles down a public road to the grocery store or high school parking lot.
E-bikes come under more scrutiny
E-bikes and similar products in the universe of e-mobility are now increasingly becoming part of a golf car dealer’s offering. E-bikes have not escaped regulatory oversight. So, add public hearings regarding these products to your need-to-monitor list.
Here are examples of recently imposed restrictions in Florida:
>>The Orange County School Board voted unanimously on Tuesday to bar students without a driver’s license or learner’s permit from bringing e-bikes and e-scooters to school.
>>After hours of divided public comment, district leaders cited 41 injury crashes between December and May among the roughly 12,000 students who ride the devices to campus. Licensed high schoolers must register their rides and store them separately.
>>In Volusia County, Deltona became the first Florida city to prohibit most riders under 18 from operating e-bikes in public, though Mayor Santiago Avila says the age limit goes too far.
>>Walton County commissioners are weighing their own ordinance, with proposed age minimums of 15 or 16 by e-bike class, a requirement for photo ID and helmets, and a sidewalk ban.
Dealers need a a full-time advocate to monitor and influence regulatory trends
The regulatory environment is complex in its makeup, needs constant monitoring, and has a direct impact on dealers’ sales and bottom line. It’s important for dealers to have a full-time advocate for their business interests. Such an advocate is available: The Low Speed Vehicle Dealers Association (LSVDA).
The LSVDA, besides monitoring public hearings and lobbying for the interests of dealers, provides other critical services that will work to increase community acceptance, boost sales, and improve the bottom line. You can learn more about the LSVDA at www.lsvda.org.
