Penalties for Driving Without Car Insurance by State(USA)

By KBB Editors 03/23/2022 4:00pm

Car insurance helps protect you by paying for vehicle repairs and injuries if you’re in an accident. Driving without it is risky. If you don’t have insurance, you could be on the hook for accident-related expenses if you’re at fault. And if that’s not bad enough, most states have penalties for driving without car insurance.

Punishments vary by state, so it’s important to know the laws where you live before getting behind the wheel.

Consequences for Driving Without Car Insurance

People typically understand the penalties for speeding or driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. But not everyone knows that if you drive without insurance, you’ll likely have to pay a fine, and the state may suspend your license and/or registration. You may even face jail time in some states, and penalties typically get more severe if you have multiple offenses.

You will likely pay more for car insurance when you get a new policy because insurance companies often charge higher premiums for drivers who have a lapse in coverage. And you need coverage to get back on the road.

What States Require for Car Insurance Coverage

Minimum insurance requirements vary by state. Except for New Hampshire and Virginia, all states require drivers to maintain liability insurance to operate a vehicle legally. If you live in Virginia and choose not to purchase coverage, you must pay an uninsured motor vehicle fee of $500 annually to drive legally in the state. If you don’t, you could face penalties.

Liability coverage is the most common auto insurance requirement. But many states mandate other types of car insurance that may include uninsured and underinsured motorist plans, personal injury protection, and medical payments coverage.

In the table below, you can learn more about the penalties drivers might face if they don’t maintain adequate coverage. But keep in mind that state laws change frequently. For the most up-to-date information, it’s best to check with your state’s DMV or department of insurance.

Types of Penalties by State

In addition to fines and license and possibly registration suspensions, there could be other consequences for driving without car insurance. For example, some states may confiscate your license plates, impound your vehicle, or add points to your driving record. Others may require your insurance company to file an SR-22 form on your behalf, which proves your vehicle has at least the minimum amount of insurance coverage your state mandates.

Below is a list of penalties states may impose for not having car insurance.

Confiscate or Turn In Your License Plates

Arkansas
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Hawaii (after multiple offenses)
Iowa
Louisiana
Maryland
Minnesota
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Nevada
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Virginia (if you haven’t paid the uninsured motor vehicle fee)

Impound Your Uninsured Vehicle

California
Connecticut
Hawaii (after multiple offenses)
Iowa
Louisiana
Nevada
New Jersey
New York
Oklahoma
Oregon

Points Added to Your Driving Record

Colorado
Missouri
Montana
North Dakota
Vermont

Require an SR-22 Form

Florida
Georgia (after multiple offenses)
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Maine
Nebraska
Nevada (if insurance has lapsed for 91 days or longer)
North Dakota
Ohio
Oregon
South Carolina
South Dakota
Texas (after multiple offenses)
Vermont
Virginia (if you haven’t paid the uninsured motor vehicle fee)
Wisconsin
Wyoming

What are the State Penalties for Driving Without Car Insurance?

State	Penalty Amount	Imprisonment	Suspension of Registration	Suspension of License
Alabama	$500 to $1,000	Three to six months	Yes	Yes
Alaska	$500	N/A	No	Yes
Arizona	$500 to $1,000	N/A	Yes	Yes
Arkansas	$50 to $250 (1st offense)$250 to $500 (2nd offense)$500 to $1,000 (3rd offense)	Up to a year on third offense	Yes	N/A
California	$100 to $200 (first offense)$200 to $500 (second offense)	N/A	Yes	Yes
Colorado	$500 to $1,000	Up to a year	Yes	Yes
Connecticut	$100 to $1,000	Up to three months	Yes	Yes
Delaware	$1,500 to $3,000	N/A	Yes	Yes
District of Columbia	$500 (first offense with increases of 50% for each subsequent offense)	N/A	Yes	Yes
Florida	$500 reinstatement fee	N/A	Yes	Yes
Georgia	Up to $1,000	Up to one year	Yes	Yes
Hawaii	$500 to $5,000	Up to 30 days (after multiple offenses)	Yes (after multiple offenses)	Yes
Idaho	$75 to $1,000	Up to 6 months (after multiple offenses)	Yes	Yes (second offense)
Illinois	Minimum $500	N/A	Yes	Yes
Indiana	$500 (for the second offense)	N/A	N/A	Yes
Iowa	Dependent on if an accident occurred	N/A	Yes	N/A
Kansas	$300 to $2,500	Up to 6 months	Yes	Yes
Kentucky	$500 to $1,000	Up to 90 days (first offense)Up to 180 days (second offense)	Yes	Yes
Louisiana	$500 to $1,000	N/A	Yes	N/A
Maine	$100 to $500	Up to 6 months	Yes	Yes
Maryland	$150 to $2,500	N/A	Yes	N/A
Massachusetts	$500 to $5,000	Up to one year	Yes	Yes
Michigan	$200 to $500	One year	N/A	Yes
Minnesota	$200 to $1,000	Up to 90 days	Yes	Yes
Mississippi	$1,000	N/A	N/A	Yes
Missouri	Up to $500	Up to 15 days	Yes	Yes
Montana	$250 to $500	Up to 10 days (first & second offense)Up to 6 months (third & subsequent offenses)	N/A	Yes (second & subsequent offenses)
Nebraska	$50 reinstatement fee	N/A	Yes	Yes
Nevada	Up to $2,000	N/A	Yes	Yes
New Hampshire	Insurance not typically required	N/A	N/A	N/A
New Jersey	$300 to $1,000 (1st offense)Up to $5,000 (subsequent offenses)	Yes*	Yes	Yes
New Mexico	Up to $300 (first offense)Up to $1,000 (subsequent offenses)	Up to 90 days (first offense) up to 6 months (subsequent offenses)	Yes	Yes
New York	Up to $1,500 plus a $750 reinstatement fee	Possible*	Yes	Yes (if registration is suspended for more than 90 days)
North Carolina	$50 to $150	Up to 45 days*	Yes*	Yes*
North Dakota	$150 to $1,000	Yes	Yes	Yes
Ohio	$100 to $600	N/A	Yes	Yes
Oklahoma	$163 to $213	Possible	Yes	Yes
Oregon	$130 to $1,000	N/A	Yes	Yes
Pennsylvania	Minimum $300	N/A	Yes	Yes
Rhode Island	$100 to $500 (first offense)$500 (second offense)$1000 (subsequent offenses)	N/A	Yes	Yes
South Carolina	$600 (uninsured motorist fee)	Possible	Yes	Yes
South Dakota	$100	30 days	Yes	Yes
Tennessee	Up to $300	N/A	Yes	Yes
Texas	$260 (first offense)$470 (subsequent offenses)	N/A	Yes	Yes
Utah	$400 (first offense)$1,000 (subsequent offenses)	N/A	Yes	Yes
Vermont	Up to $500	N/A	N/A	Yes
Virginia	$600 noncompliance fee if caught driving without having paid the uninsured motor vehicle (UMV) fee of $500.	N/A	Yes (if you haven’t paid the UMV fee)	Yes (if you haven’t paid the UMV fee)
Washington	Minimum $550	N/A	N/A	Yes (if at fault in an accident)
West Virginia	$200 (in lieu of license suspension for first offense only)	Possible	Yes (second and subsequent offenses)	Yes
Wisconsin	Up to $500	N/A	Yes (if you’re in an accident)	Yes (if you’re in an accident)
Wyoming	$250 to $750 (first offense)$500 to $1,500 (subsequent offenses)	Possible	Yes	Yes

Source: State websites and DMVs, and Bankrate*

How to Avoid Penalties for Driving Without Insurance

Avoiding penalties for driving without insurance is simple — maintain coverage at all times. Here are a few tips to help make sure you don’t inadvertently have a lapse in coverage.

Pay your bill on time. Paying late or missing a payment could trigger a cancellation notice from your insurance company.
Change coverage the right way. If you’re switching auto insurance companies, make sure your new policy is in effect before canceling the old one.
Act quickly if you receive a cancellation notice. If your insurance company decides to cancel or non-renew your coverage, get a new policy quickly to avoid a coverage lapse.

You can get quotes online, over the phone, or in-person from the insurer, an agent, or a broker. Insurance costs can add up, so it’s a good idea to shop around and compare quotes from multiple providers before purchasing. And don’t forget to ask about ways you can save. Many insurance companies offer discounts to help policyholders reduce the cost of their coverage.