On July 14, 2020, the Vanderburgh County Board of Commissioners authorized Off-Road Vehicles to be operated within Vanderburgh County, Indiana, outside the corporate limits of the City of Evansville and the Town of Darmstadt, Indiana. On August 26, 2025, the Board of Commissioners further authorized Golf Carts to be operated within Vanderburgh County, Indiana, outside the corporate limits of the City of Evansville and the Town of Darmstadt, Indiana, subject to the following requirements summarized below:
- Off-road vehicles and golf carts shall not be operated on sidewalks, bicycle/walking paths, or upon any state or federal highways.
- Off-road vehicles may cross a prohibited roadway at a right angle when the operation can be done safely.
- Golf carts shall not be operated on any public street unless the roadway is a local street within a major subdivision. Golf carts may not cross a roadway outside of a subdivision.
- Off-road vehicles and golf carts must be equipped with headlights, taillights, and fully functional brakes.
- Off-road vehicles and golf carts operated after sunset must be equipped with two (2) headlights and two (2) tail lamps.
- Golf carts shall be equipped with a rear-view mirror.
- Off-road vehicles and golf carts shall not carry more passengers than the vehicle was designed for, occupants must remain seated, and no part of the body shall extend outside the perimeter of the vehicle.
- Off-road vehicle operators must be eighteen (18) years of age AND possess a valid driver’s license.
- Golf cart operators must be sixteen (16) years of age AND possess a valid driver’s license.
- No person under the age of fourteen (14) years may occupy an off-road vehicle or golf cart being operated on a public street unless accompanied by an adult.
- Off-road vehicle operators shall carry liability insurance for the off-road vehicle and possess a certificate of insurance while the vehicle is being operated.
- Golf cart operators shall carry liability insurance for the golf cart and possess a certificate of insurance while the vehicle is being operated.
- Off-road vehicles and golf carts shall not be operated in a reckless, careless, or unsafe manner.
- Off-road vehicles and golf carts must yield the right of way to pedestrians, bicyclists, and motor vehicles when they are approaching closely enough to constitute an immediate hazard.
- Off-road vehicles and golf carts must be operated in compliance with applicable state laws.
- Open containers are prohibited on an off-road vehicle or golf cart operating on public streets.
The complete Off-Road Vehicle and Golf Cart ordinance, when published next month, will be posted here.
Penalties
An off-road vehicle or golf cart operator who violates any provision of the county Off-Road Vehicle and Golf Cart ordinance is subject to a fine of $75 for a first offense, a fine of $150 for a second offense, and a fine of $750 for a third offense.
Registration
For information regarding how to register your Off-Road Vehicle, please visit the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) website.
The BMV will not register an Off-Road Vehicle as a normal motor vehicle (regardless if lighting, street tires, and safety equipment has been retrofitted).
Golf carts do not require a registration.
Helmets
Indiana Code 9-18.1-14-11 requires an individual less than eighteen (18) years of age who is operating or riding on an Off-Road Vehicle to wear a DOT-approved helmet. IC 14-16-1-33 places responsibility for ensuring underage riders wear helmets on the owner or possessor of the Off-Road Vehicle.
Under the law, owners of ORVs who allow children younger than age 18 to ride their ORV on public or private property without wearing an approved helmet can be charged with a Class C infraction, which carries a maximum penalty of $500.
View the County Off-Road Vehicle Map below
Pictured above: County Off-Road Vehicle Map. Off-road vehicles may not be operated on roadways depicted in red or blue or within the City of Evansville or the Town of Darmstadt.
Off-Road Vehicles in Indiana
Visit the Indiana Department of Natural Resources website to learn more about Off-Road Vehicle safety and operation.