120+ more){kind=small}
8 years in insurance and personal finance writing
Former data scientist for U.S. Geological Survey
Lindsay is a freelance personal finance writer currently pursuing her Series 65 license. She enjoys helping readers learn money management skills that improve their lives.
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Licensed auto and home insurance agent
4+ years experience in insurance and personal finance editing
NPN: 20564519
Katie uses her knowledge and expertise as a licensed property and casualty agent in Massachusetts to help readers understand the complexities of insurance shopping.
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Licensed property and casualty insurance agent
10+ years editing experience
NPN: 21630969
MacKenzie Korris is an insurance copy editor with a producer’s license for property and casualty insurance in Missouri.
Updated
You can buy car insurance in Louisiana without a driver’s license. Louisiana law requires insurance for all registered vehicles, so if you own a car, you’ll likely still need to carry the minimum coverage — especially if other drivers use the vehicle.
Whether you can’t drive due to a medical condition, license suspension, or other reason, you still have options to get coverage. Here’s what to know about buying car insurance if you don’t have a license in Louisiana.
The need to buy car insurance without a driver’s license in Louisiana is more common than you might think:
The state suspended your license, but you still need to maintain SR-22 insurance.
You only have a learner’s permit, and no one else is able to add you to their policy.
You own a car but can’t drive it for medical reasons, and your caregiver, family member, or friend drives it.
You relocated from another country to Louisiana with your vehicle, but you only have an international driver’s license.
Liability policies average $106/mo.
It’s legal to buy auto insurance in Louisiana without a license for a vehicle that you own. Louisiana law requires vehicle owners to meet minimum liability limits of 15/30/25 to maintain registration — even if they’re not able to drive.[1] In some cases, you may also need to file an SR-22, such as if you have an operating while impaired (OWI) conviction.
When buying insurance without a license, it’s generally a good idea to list another licensed driver as the primary driver and ask your insurer to exclude you as a driver on the policy. This makes it clear to your insurance company that another person will be driving your vehicle and makes the claims process smoother if the driver causes an accident.
While buying insurance without a license is legal, driving a vehicle without a license is illegal. You could face severe penalties for driving without a valid license, including up to six months in jail.[2]
In Louisiana, you may need to ask your insurer to submit an SR-22 form in order to show proof of financial responsibility. It demonstrates that your auto insurance policy meets the state’s minimum liability coverage requirements. Getting an SR-22 is often a requirement for high-risk drivers with serious motor vehicle violations to restore their license — and rates can be expensive.
In Louisiana, if you have an OWI conviction, for example, you’ll need to ask your insurer to file an SR-22 for three years after your date of conviction. This includes the mandatory one-year license suspension period, during which the law doesn’t allow you to drive.[3]
Car insurance companies commonly offer several types of policies for unlicensed drivers and their vehicles:
SR-22 certificate: If the state of Louisiana requires your insurance company to file an SR-22 because it revoked your driving privileges, you’ll need to find a company that offers this service. Most do, but not all.
Non-owner car insurance: If you don’t own a car, you may still be able to buy coverage through a non-owner policy in some cases, like if you have a suspended license or if you’re learning to drive but don’t yet have your license.
Standard auto insurance policy: If you own a car that you can’t drive, you can still buy all the same types of coverage so that others can drive your car. That includes liability coverage, personal injury protection, and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.
Storage/parked vehicle coverage: Some insurers may let you drop everything except for comprehensive coverage if you’re storing your car for one month or more. You’ll need to file a notice with the state, though, in order to prevent your registration from lapsing.[4]
Getting car insurance without a license can take some extra work, but it’s possible depending on your circumstances. In some cases, the state may require it if you want to reinstate a suspended license. Here’s how to do it:
Determine your needs. It’ll be easier to find coverage if you can clearly articulate what kind of coverage you need. If you’re paying off an auto loan or lease, for example, you’ll need a policy with full coverage. If you need an SR-22, note that as well.
Gather information. If you own the car, gather the registration details. If you’ll be listing someone else as the primary driver, you’ll need their information, like their name and driver’s license number.
Reach out to insurers. It’s probably best to call an agent from each company to get a quote. You’ll often get the best, most accurate information by talking to a live person.
If you’ve tried getting several car insurance quotes and haven’t found coverage, consider the Louisiana Automobile Insurance Plan (LAIP). The state requires insurance companies to offer coverage to hard-to-insure applicants through this program to maintain their own licenses. The LAIP is a last-resort option, and policies typically cost more than standard liability policies. But it can help you maintain necessary coverage.
Not all companies write policies for people who don’t have a license in Louisiana, but some insure unlicensed drivers:
Insurance Company | Coverage Type Available | Offers SR-22 Filing | Average Monthly Full-Coverage Quote in LA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct Auto | Standard auto insurance, non-owner car insurance, parked-car insurance | Yes | $205 |
| GEICO | Standard auto insurance, non-owner car insurance, parked-car insurance | Yes | $197 |
| Liberty Mutual | Standard auto insurance, non-owner car insurance, parked-car insurance | Yes | $${AUTO_CARRIER_LIBERTY-MUTUAL_FULL_STATE_LA_PRICE} |
| Progressive | Standard auto insurance, non-owner car insurance, parked-car insurance | Yes | $149 |
| State Farm | Standard auto insurance, non-owner car insurance, parked-car insurance | Yes | $117 |
We’ve shown the average rates above, but yours can vary widely depending on many factors, such as the type of policy you’re buying, the primary driver’s driving history, where you live, and more. That’s why it’s so important to get multiple quotes before you buy.
See quotes from top insurers in minutes
Your insurance costs depend on several factors, but your current license status isn’t one of them. Your rates may be higher or lower depending on your driving record.
If you’re working to reinstate or earn your license after an OWI, for example, insurance companies may view you as a high-risk driver and charge higher rates. But if you’re buying coverage for a car that someone else drives for you, and that person has an excellent driving record, then your costs could be lower.
Here are some data points to compare. But remember that your situation is unique, so it’s best to get quotes from a Louisiana car insurance company to find the one that’s best for you.
Driver Profile | Average Monthly Liability-Only Rate in Louisiana | Average Monthly Full-Coverage Rate in Louisiana |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed driver with clean record | $106 | $209 |
| Licensed driver with SR-22 requirement | $131 | $257 |
| Licensed driver with OWI | $138 | $272 |
| Driver with suspended license | $131 | $257 |
You don’t always need to purchase your own policy if you don’t have a license. Here are some other options worth exploring:
Pausing coverage: If you’ll be storing your car for a while, you can cancel your coverage if you own the vehicle. Notify the state Office of Motor Vehicles (OMV) so it doesn’t cancel your registration. Under Louisiana law, insurers can’t charge you higher rates if your coverage gap only extends for less than 90 days.[5]
Giving up driving: If you don’t have plans to get a license again because of medical reasons or otherwise, you can get an alternative state ID if you’re no longer able to drive.
Joining your parents’ policy: If you’re working to get your full driver’s license and your parents are licensed car owners, it’s usually cheaper to have them add you to their policy rather than buy a separate policy on your own.
Here’s some additional information about getting car insurance in Louisiana without a license.
Depending on the insurance company, drivers without a license can often buy the same types of coverage in Louisiana as licensed drivers. But you may need to name someone else as the primary driver.
Yes. You can register your car without a driver’s license in Louisiana. In order to register your car, you’ll need to show proof of insurance coverage using another type of photo ID, like a state ID.[6]
Louisiana requires all vehicle owners to carry at least $15,000 per person in bodily injury liability coverage (up to $30,000 per accident) and $25,000 in property damage liability coverage.
Yes. You can insure a car in Louisiana with a suspended license. But you’ll likely need to ask your insurer to file an SR-22 with the state for three years, starting from the date of your conviction.
It depends. The cost of car insurance without a license in Louisiana hinges on the type of policy you buy and whether or not someone else will be driving your vehicle. If you need an SR-22, for example, you may need more than non-owner insurance or stored-vehicle coverage.
Insurify data scientists analyzed more than 250 million quotes served to car insurance applicants in Insurify’s proprietary database to calculate the premium averages displayed on this page. These premiums are real quotes that come directly from Insurify’s 500+ partner insurance companies in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Quote averages represent the median price for a quote across the given coverage level, driver subset, and geographic area.
Unless otherwise specified, quoted rates reflect the average cost for drivers between 20 and 70 years old with a clean driving record and average or better credit (a credit score of 600 or higher).
Liability-only premium averages correspond to policies with the following coverage limits:
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8 years in insurance and personal finance writing
Former data scientist for U.S. Geological Survey
Lindsay is a freelance personal finance writer currently pursuing her Series 65 license. She enjoys helping readers learn money management skills that improve their lives.
Licensed auto and home insurance agent
4+ years experience in insurance and personal finance editing
NPN: 20564519
Katie uses her knowledge and expertise as a licensed property and casualty agent in Massachusetts to help readers understand the complexities of insurance shopping.
Licensed property and casualty insurance agent
10+ years editing experience
NPN: 21630969
MacKenzie Korris is an insurance copy editor with a producer’s license for property and casualty insurance in Missouri.
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