Can you get your license suspended for driving without insurance

Car insurance is mandatory in nearly every state. If you are caught driving without insurance, you can face fines, license suspension, registration suspension and even jail time.

Be sure to find an insurance policy right away if you own a car and are currently uninsured. Coverage can be expensive, but a lapse in coverage can be more expensive in the long run. Most drivers can find reasonable rates by shopping around and comparing quotes for car insurance online. Use the tool above to compare quotes from several of the best car insurance companies in your area.

Is car insurance required?

Car insurance is required in every state with the exception of Virginia and New Hampshire. In these states, the car insurance requirement can be waived if you are able to provide proof of financial responsibility. This means that you have enough assets to pay for a certain amount of damage should you be sued after an accident that you cause.

Do I need insurance to drive someone else’s car?

Car insurance is tied to the vehicle, not the individual. This means that if you have permission to drive someone else’s car, that person’s insurance will cover any accident that may occur. If you live in the same household as the person whose car you borrow, you may need to be listed on that person’s insurance policy.

Do I need insurance for a rental car?

Most rental car companies provide the state minimum insurance with their rental vehicles. You are not required to purchase extra insurance, but it could be a good idea if you don’t already have coverage through your regular auto insurance policy (or another source like your credit card company).

State minimum requirements typically only include coverage for other parties’ damages after an accident you cause, not your own car. This means that you’ll be on the hook for repair or replacement costs for the rental if you don’t have extra insurance. Keep in mind that your personal auto policy still applies in most cases when you are driving a rental car.

State penalties for driving without insurance

The penalty for driving without insurance is different in each state. The table below describes penalties for first-time offenses by state. Some state governments will even imprison people for driving without insurance.

State

Fine

for First Offense

Additional Penalties for First Offense

Jail Time

Alabama

$500

Registration suspension until $200 reinstatement fee is paid

None

Alaska

$500

License suspension for 90 days

None

Arizona

$500

License and registration suspension for 90 days

None

Arkansas

$50

Registration suspension until $20 reinstatement fee is paid

Up to one year

California

$100

None

None

Colorado

$500

License suspension until proof of insurance is provided

None

Connecticut

$100

License and registration suspension for six months

Up to five years

Delaware

$1,500

License suspension for six months

None

District of Columbia

$150

License suspension for 30 days

None

Florida

$150

License and registration suspension up to three years

None

Georgia

$85

License and registration suspension for 60 days

Up to one year

Hawaii

$500

License suspension until proof of insurance is provided

None

Idaho

$75

None

None

Illinois

$500

License suspension up to three months

None

Indiana

$250

License suspension up to 90 days

None

Iowa

$250

None

None

Kansas

$300

License and registration suspension until proof of insurance is provided

Up to six months

Kentucky

$500

Registration suspension up to one year

Up to 90 days

Louisiana

$500

None

None

Maine

$100

License and registration suspension until proof of insurance is provided

None

Maryland

$1,000

None

Up to one year

Massachusetts

$500

License and registration suspension for 60 days

Up to one year

Michigan

$200

License suspension up to 30 days

Up to one year

Minnesota

$200

License and registration suspension up to 30 days

None

Mississippi

$500

License suspension up to one year

None

Missouri

$20

License suspension until proof of insurance is provided

None

Montana

$250

None

None

Nebraska

$100

License suspension until proof of insurance is provided

None

Nevada

$250

License suspension until proof of insurance is provided

None

New Hampshire

$125

License and registration suspension until proof of insurance is provided

None

New Jersey

$300

License suspension up to one year

None

New Mexico

$300

License and registration suspension until proof of insurance is provided

Up to 90 days

New York

$150

License and registration suspension until proof of insurance is provided

Up to 15 days

North Carolina

$50

License suspension until proof of insurance is provided

None

North Dakota

$150

License suspension until proof of insurance is provided

None

Ohio

Varies

License suspension until proof of insurance is provided

None

Oklahoma

$250

License suspension until proof of insurance is provided

Up to 30 days

Oregon

$260

License and registration suspension until proof of insurance is provided

None

Pennsylvania

$300

License and registration suspension for three months

None

Rhode Island

$100

License and registration suspension for three months

None

South Carolina

$550

License suspension for 30 days

None

South Dakota

$100

License suspension up to one year

Up to 30 days

Tennessee

$25

License suspension until proof of insurance is provided

None

Texas

$175

None

None

Utah

$400

License suspension until proof of insurance is provided

None

Vermont

$250

License suspension until proof of insurance is provided

None

Virginia

$500

License suspension until proof of insurance is provided

None

Washington

$550

None

None

West Virginia

$200

License suspension up to 30 days

Up to one year

Wisconsin

$500

None

None

Wyoming

$250

License suspension until proof of insurance is provided

Up to six months

Fines and penalties for subsequent offenses can be higher and include additional jail time in some states. There are also often reinstatement fees to be paid to get your license and registration re-validated.

Minimum car insurance requirements by state

As with penalties for driving without insurance, car insurance requirements vary by state. Some require very little coverage, while others require more comprehensive policies.

The most common types of required insurance coverage are bodily injury liability, property damage liability, personal injury protection (PIP) and uninsured motorist coverage.

Liability car insurance limits are often written as a series of three numbers, which represent the limits for each type of coverage. For example, liability limits for car insurance in Texas may be written as 30/60/25. This means that the state requires drivers to hold at least:

  • $30,000 in bodily injury liability coverage per person
  • $60,000 in bodily injury liability coverage per accident
  • $25,000 in property damage liability coverage per accident

If you want cheap car insurance, you may consider only purchasing your state’s minimum required coverage. However, keep in mind that if an accident you cause results in damage that exceeds these limits, you’ll have to pay the difference out of pocket. Also, liability insurance only covers other parties’ damaged property and medical bills. If you want coverage for your own vehicle, you’ll need to buy collision insurance.

Our recommendations for car insurance

If you’re in the market for a new insurance policy, you’ll want to secure the best possible rates. Because car insurance costs can vary by individual, there is no single best provider for every driver. That’s why the only way to find the right policy for you is to shop around and compare offers. Use the tool above to compare free car insurance quotes from several top providers in your area.

Geico: Editor’s Choice

Geico is one of the best-known insurers in the country, and for good reason. The company offers competitive rates paired with high-quality service. Geico has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and scored well in all regions in the J.D. Power 2020 U.S. Auto Insurance Satisfaction StudySM.

Geico offers the six standard types of auto insurance, which include liability, collision, comprehensive, uninsured/underinsured motorist, medical payments and personal injury protection. Additionally, Geico offers the following add-on coverage options:

  • Emergency roadside service
  • Rental car reimbursement
  • Mechanical breakdown insurance
  • Rideshare insurance

Progressive: Low Rates for High-Risk Drivers

Progressive is another well-known provider. While it doesn’t have quite the customer service reputation that Geico does, it is still a good choice for many drivers. Drivers with a history of traffic violations or a DUI on record typically see higher rates from insurers, but according to our cost research, Progressive offers good rates for high-risk drivers.

In addition to the standard types of auto insurance, Progressive offers:

  • Emergency roadside assistance
  • Rental car reimbursement
  • Loan/lease payoff (also called gap insurance)
  • Custom parts and equipment value coverage
  • Rideshare insurance

Our methodology

Because consumers rely on us to provide objective and accurate information, we created a comprehensive rating system to formulate our rankings of the best car insurance companies. We collected data on dozens of auto insurance providers to grade the companies on a wide range of ranking factors. The end result was an overall rating for each provider, with the insurers that scored the most points topping the list.

Here are the factors our ratings take into account:

  • Cost (30% of total score): Auto insurance rate estimates generated by Quadrant Information Services and discount opportunities were both taken into consideration.
  • Coverage (30% of total score): Companies that offer a variety of choices for insurance coverage are more likely to meet consumer needs.
  • Reputation (15% of total score): Our research team considered market share, ratings from industry experts and years in business when giving this score.
  • Availability (10% of total score): Auto insurance companies with greater state availability and few eligibility requirements scored highest in this category.
  • Customer Experience (15% of total score): This score is based on volume of complaints reported by the NAIC and customer satisfaction ratings reported by J.D. Power. We also considered the responsiveness, friendliness and helpfulness of each insurance company’s customer service team based on our own shopper analysis.

*Data accurate at time of publication.

What happens if you drive without insurance in Colorado?

First offense: minimum $500 fine, and license suspension until you can show proof to the Division of Motor Vehicles that you are insured. Second offense: minimum $1,000 fine and license suspension for four months. Third and subsequent offenses: minimum $1,000 fine and license suspension for eight months.

What happens if you drive without insurance in South Carolina?

The following are the penalties for driving uninsured in South Carolina: First offense – Uninsured motorist fee of $550, a fine of up to $200, a $5 fine per day for lapse in required coverage, driver's license suspension, $200 reinstatement fee (SR-22), and/or a maximum jail sentence of 30 days.

What happens if you drive without insurance in Missouri?

Depending on the circumstance, you could incur serious penalties if you're caught driving without the required insurance in Missouri. You could lose your driving privileges for an entire year and be forced to pay a $400 reinstatement fee, on top of a $500 fine and/or 15 days in jail.

What happens if you drive without insurance in Arizona?

Arizona requires all drivers to carry a minimum amount of car insurance. If you're caught driving without it, the state may suspend your driving privileges for up to a year, charge a fine of up to $1,000 and require you to file an SR-22 certificate of financial responsibility.