Taylor got her start demystifying complicated financial topics on a personal blog. She’s since covered everything from budgeting to debt management for major outlets.
3+ years experience in insurance and personal finance editing
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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A DUI on your record puts you in the high-risk driver category, which makes you more expensive to insure and increases your car insurance rates. For example, New Jersey drivers with clean records pay an average monthly rate of $269 for car insurance, but people with a DUI face average premiums of $535 per month.
If you live in New Jersey and have a DUI on your record, this information should help you navigate the process of finding cheap insurance as a high-risk driver. Here’s what you need to know about how much car insurance costs after a DUI in New Jersey and which insurance companies offer the cheapest coverage.
Quick Facts
GEICO provides the cheapest average liability and full-coverage quotes for New Jersey drivers with a DUI, at $210 and $224 per month, respectively.
New Jersey doesn’t require drivers with a DUI to carry SR-22 insurance.
A DUI typically stays on your record for at least three years.
What is DUI insurance?
You can receive a DUI if you get caught driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Auto insurers don’t offer a specific type of DUI insurance, and some companies may not want to offer coverage to high-risk drivers.
New Jersey law states that operating a vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08% qualifies as drunk driving. But you can get convicted of a DUI offense with a BAC of less than 0.08% if a smaller amount of alcohol proves to have impaired your ability to drive.[1]
Aside from the legal repercussions, drivers with a DUI can face steep financial consequences. “Anyone convicted of a DUI in New Jersey can expect to see a substantial increase in their auto insurance premium,” says Christine O’Brien, president of the Insurance Council of New Jersey. With a DUI, you’re considered at a higher risk of getting into future accidents and costing more to insure.
Drivers with a DUI conviction in New Jersey also have to pay several penalties, including an auto insurance surcharge of $1,000 or $1,500 per year for three years on top of regular premiums.
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The basics ofDUI insurance in New Jersey
You can’t expunge a DUI from your driving record in New Jersey, and insurers typically look at your past three to five years of driving history to set rates. On average, car insurance rates increase by almost 100% — from $269 to $535 — for New Jersey drivers with a DUI compared to drivers with clean records.
Overall, car insurance in New Jersey costs more than the national average. Drivers with a DUI in the state pay $75 more per month on average than the national average for someone with a DUI. Even drivers without a DUI pay more for car insurance in the Garden State than the national average of $212 per month.
Finding cheap car insurance after a DUI in New Jersey can feel difficult, but shopping around can help you compare options and find the most affordable rates.
DUI insurance rates in New Jersey vs. the national average
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
Cheapest DUI insurance in New Jersey
GEICO, Plymouth Rock, and Travelers offer the cheapest liability-only and full-coverage car insurance for New Jersey drivers with a DUI. GEICO has average DUI insurance rates of $224 per month for full coverage and $210 for liability-only insurance.
Alternatively, Bristol West, Allstate, and Midvale Home & Auto have the most expensive average liability-only and full-coverage policies.
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
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How long will a DUI affect your car insurance premium?
The length of timea DUI can affect your insurance rates varies. You can’t expunge or remove a DUI from your driving record in New Jersey, but you can try to earn cheaper insurance rates if you establish a good driving history following your conviction.
Insurers typically look at the last three to five years of your driving record, so if you have a good recent driving history, your insurance rates could improve. Shopping around is the best way to find reasonably priced coverage you can qualify for.
DUI penalties for drivers in New Jersey
DUI penalties for drivers in New Jersey differ depending on the number of offenses and blood alcohol concentration (BAC) at arrest.
Along with fines, community service, and possible imprisonment, you may need to have an ignition interlock device installed in your car after getting a DUI. An ignition interlock system is an alcohol breath-test machine connected to the engine and used to start the car.
The penalties and fines for a DUI offense in New Jersey increase in severity for each additional offense.[2]
For a BAC of 0.15% or higher, installation is required during license suspension and for six months to one year after license restoration
Required during license suspension and one to three years after license restoration
Required during license suspension and one to three years after restoration
Auto insurance surcharge
$1,000 a year for three years
$1,000 a year for three years
$1,500 a year for three years
Community service
N/A
30 days
Up to 90 days
People charged with DUI offenses in New Jersey may also need to pay the following penalty fees:
$100 surcharge deposited into the Drunk Driving Enforcement Fund
$100 restoration fee for the Motor Vehicle Commission
$100 fee for Intoxicated Driving Program
$50 fee for Violent Crimes Compensation Fund
$75 fee for Safe and Secure Community Program
SR-22 certificate in New Jersey
An SR-22 certificate shows you carry at least the minimum amount of coverage required by state law. Some states and courts require that high-risk drivers submit an SR-22 form through their insurance company.
Hopefully, most of your questions about DUI car insurance in New Jersey have been answered. If not, the information below should provide more insight.
Do you need DUI insurance if you don’t own a car?
New Jersey doesn’t require people convicted of a DUI to maintain insurance without a car, according to O’Brien. However, drivers must show proof of insurance to get a driver’s license reinstated after a suspension.
Do you have to tell your insurance company about a DUI conviction?
Yes. Insurance companies will find out about your DUI by pulling your driving record, even if you don’t mention it. At that point, insurance rates may increase, or your insurer may choose to cancel or not renew your policy.
In some cases, your insurance company could immediately terminate insurance after a DUI if you have a poor driving history or serious infractions on your record.
Can you get insurance after a DUI conviction?
You can get car insurance after a DUI conviction, but it’ll cost more because insurance companies review your driving record to determine the risk of insuring you. Having a DUI on record puts you in the high-risk driver category, resulting in higher insurance rates.
Can your car insurance be canceled after a DUI?
Yes, getting a DUI can result in you losing your car insurance. “The insurance that one has at the time of the infraction may be canceled immediately, depending on if the person already was deemed a high-risk driver before the DUI,” says O’Brien.
How long does a DUI affect your insurance in New Jersey?
You can’t expunge a DUI from your record in New Jersey, but insurance companies generally only look back at the last three to five years of your driving history to set rates. If you maintain a good driving history after your DUI, you could start to see premiums decline with time.
How much does DUI insurance cost in New Jersey?
On average, insurance in New Jersey with a DUI costs $535 per month, which is almost 100% higher than rates for drivers with a clean record. But rates can vary by person and circumstance, and shopping around can help you find the cheapest rate you can qualify for in New Jersey.
Taylor Medine is a writer who's covered personal financial topics from budgeting and saving to paying down debt for more than eight years. She got her start demystifying intimidating money topics for the everyday consumer on a personal blog, and has since been published on Bankrate, Experian, Forbes Advisor, The Balance, Business Insider, Credit Karma, and more. Follow her on Twitter @taytalksmoney.
Edited byKatie PowersAuto and Life Insurance Editor
Katie PowersAuto and Life Insurance Editor
Licensed auto and home insurance agent
3+ years experience in insurance and personal finance editing
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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