Griffin Golf Cart Repair Golf Cart Lights and Street-Legal Equipment in Griffin
Griffin’s ordinance turns golf cart lights from an accessory into a requirement: a PTV on a city road must carry head lamps, tail lamps, reflectors, a horn, a mirror, and a reverse warning device, and its head and tail lamps must be on at all times. Typical prices are $75 to $150 for a lighting circuit repair, $100 to $250 for a brake light or turn signal repair, and $250 to $400 plus the kit for a full light kit installation.
Griffin’s required list, item by item
Code of Griffin Sec. 90-217 lists the minimum equipment for a PTV on city roads. Here is each item and the repair that keeps it working:
| Required item | Common failure | Typical price |
|---|---|---|
| Head lamps | Burned bulb, corroded socket, broken switch | $75 to $150 |
| Tail lamps | Cracked lens, failed bulb, broken wire | $75 to $150 |
| Reflex reflectors, front, rear, and sides | Missing or faded | Usually under $100 for reflectors and mirror together |
| Horn | Corroded contacts, failed button | Quoted after diagnosis |
| Rearview mirror | Broken or loose | Usually under $100 with reflectors |
| Reverse warning device | Dead buzzer or worn direction switch | Quoted after diagnosis |
| Main power switch | Worn key switch | Quoted after diagnosis |
| Braking system with parking brake | Stretched cables, worn shoes | $75 to $400 (see brakes) |
| Safety warning labels | Peeled or missing | Replacement labels, quoted |
| Hip restraints and hand holds | Broken or missing | Quoted |
Georgia’s statewide list in O.C.G.A. 40-6-330.1 has the same ten items, and Griffin’s version adds that reflectors go on the sides as well as front and rear. When you register a cart, the city’s form says you are verifying that it meets the state list, and Sec. 90-217(b) makes the owner responsible for keeping every item in working order.
Lights on, always
Sec. 90-214(h) of the Code of Griffin: a PTV’s head lamps and tail lamps must be on at all times while it is operating on public roads, and a cart without turn signals requires hand and arm signals for turns. Two practical consequences follow:
- A dead lamp is noticeable. With lights on in daylight, a failed tail lamp is easy for anyone behind the cart to see.
- The pack carries the lamps every trip. On a 36V or 48V cart, the lights draw from the drive pack. Switching to LED lamps cuts that draw substantially. On an older pack, a load test before adding a full kit is a good idea; see battery replacement.
Sun City Peachtree and Spalding County
The county’s rule is narrower. Spalding County Code Sec. 7-1013 allows carts only in daylight unless they have functional headlights and taillights, and requires a warning device such as a horn or bell for carts on the paved recreation paths. So in Sun City Peachtree, lights are needed for evening driving, and a horn or bell is needed on the paths. The community’s own rules are on the Sun City Peachtree page.
Light kits
| Kit | Typical installed price |
|---|---|
| Lighting circuit repair (switch, fuse, wiring, one lamp) | $75 to $150 |
| Brake light or turn signal repair, flasher and switch included | $100 to $250 |
| Full kit: head lamps, tail lamps, brake lights, signals, horn | $250 to $400 plus the kit |
| Mirror and reflex reflectors | Usually under $100 installed |
A good kit has a dedicated fuse, a voltage reducer where the lamps need one, and connectors sealed against moisture. The NOAA normals station at Experiment, about a mile and a half from the center of Griffin, averages 54.19 inches of precipitation a year, so unsealed splices corrode.
What equipment does not do
Installing lights and reflectors does not register a cart or make any road legal for it. Registration in Griffin is with the Griffin Police Department, and in unincorporated Spalding County with the county tax commissioner. Liability insurance on a registered Griffin PTV is the owner’s responsibility under Sec. 90-219. And a cart modified to go faster than 20 mph no longer meets the PTV definition in O.C.G.A. 40-1-1(43.4); a low-speed vehicle is a separate class that Griffin requires to carry a current tag. The street rules page explains all of it, the brakes and tires page covers the parking brake, and every price is on the pricing page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What equipment does Griffin require on a golf cart?
Code of Griffin Sec. 90-217 requires a braking system with a parking brake, a reverse warning device, a main power switch, head lamps, reflex reflectors on the front, rear, and sides, tail lamps, a horn, a rearview mirror, safety warning labels, and hip restraints and hand holds.
How much does a golf cart light kit cost installed?
A full kit with head lamps, tail lamps, brake lights, turn signals, and a horn typically runs $250 to $400 in labor plus the kit. A single lighting circuit repair runs $75 to $150.
Do I need turn signals in Griffin?
They are not on the city's required list. Without them, Code of Griffin Sec. 90-214(h) says the driver must give hand and arm signals when turning.
Will new lights drain my battery?
Lights draw from the same pack as the motor, and in Griffin they must be on at all times on public roads. LED lamps draw far less than older incandescent bulbs, and a healthy pack handles them easily. A tired pack may not.