What Happens if You Drive Without Insurance?

Buying car insurance is a necessary part of being a responsible driver. Most states require car insurance, and driving without it can result in fines, license and registration suspension, community service, jail time, or a combination of all four, depending on the state.

Here’s what can happen if you drive without insurance, and the importance of having enough coverage on the road.

What if you get into an accident without insurance?

Causing an accident without insurance is a costly mistake with many legal consequences. As the at-fault driver, you’re responsible for the other parties’ injuries and property damages.

If you don’t have insurance, you pay for those injuries and damages out of your own pocket.^[2] If the other driver has uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, their policy may pay for their expenses, but you won’t have any coverage for your own repair or medical costs.

Furthermore, many states impose penalties for people who drive without insurance. Not only could your state fine you or sentence you to jail, but you could lose your driving privileges.

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Consequences of driving without insurance by state

About 1 in every 8 drivers didn’t have auto insurance in 2019, according to data from the Insurance Research Council (IRC). Uninsured drivers cost insured drivers $13 billion in uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage in 2016.^[3]

Many states require drivers with coverage lapses to file SR-22 insurance forms, which confirm that your policy meets the state minimum requirements.

Here are the fines and penalties states impose on drivers who don’t purchase and maintain state-minimum car insurance coverage.

State	Fine	Jail Time	License/Registration
Alabama	$500–$1,000	Three–six months	Six-month registration and license suspension
Alaska	N/A	N/A	License suspension of 90 days to one year
Arizona	$500–$1,000	N/A	License suspension of three months to one year
Arkansas	$100	N/A	Registration suspension until you show proof of insurance
California	$100–$200	N/A	Registration suspension and one-year license suspension (then three years of SR-22)
Colorado	$500–$1,000	N/A	Up to eight-month license suspension
Connecticut	$100–$1,000	Up to three months	License and registration suspension of one to six months
Delaware	$1,500–$2,000	N/A	Six-month license suspension
Florida	Up to $500 license reinstatement	N/A	Up to three-year license and registration suspension
Georgia	$500	Up to 12 months	60-day license suspension and registration suspension
Hawaii	$500–$1,500	N/A	License suspension of three months to one year
Idaho	$75	N/A	License suspension until you show proof of insurance
Illinois	$500–$1,000	N/A	Up to four-month plate suspension
Indiana	$250–$500	N/A	License suspension of 90 days to one year
Iowa	$250	N/A	Registration suspension and possible vehicle impoundment
Kansas	$100–$300	In lieu of paying the fee, six months of jail time	Registration and license suspension until you show proof of insurance
Kentucky	$500– $1,000	Up to 90 days	Registration and license suspension
Louisiana	$100–$500	N/A	Registration suspension and possible impoundment until you provide proof of insurance
Maine	$100–$500	N/A	Registration and license suspension until you show proof of insurance
Maryland	$150 for first 30 days without insurance, then $7 per day	N/A	Registration suspension until you show proof of insurance
Massachusetts	$500, or one year of high-risk insurance premiums	Up to one year	License suspension of 60 days to one year
Michigan	Up to $1,000	Up to one year	License suspension
Minnesota	$200–$1,000	Up to 90 days	Up to 12-month registration and license suspension
Mississippi	$1,000	N/A	One-year license suspension, or until driver provides proof of insurance
Missouri	$20–$300 reinstatement	N/A	Up to one-year registration and license suspension
Montana	$250–$500	Up to 10 days	Registration and license suspension on second offense
Nebraska	$50 license reinstatement, $50 registration reinstatement	N/A	License and registration suspension until you pay fees and provide proof of insurance
Nevada	$250–$1,000	N/A	Registration and license suspension
New Hampshire	N/A	N/A	License suspension
New Jersey	$300–$1,000; up to $5,000 on subsequent offenses	14 days on subsequent offenses	License suspension of one to two years
New Mexico	Up to $300	Up to 90 days	Registration suspension
New York	$150–$1,500	Up to 15 days	License and registration suspension
North Carolina	$50–$150	N/A	30-day registration suspension
North Dakota	Up to $1,000	Up to 30 days	License suspension
Ohio	$100–$600	N/A	Up to two-year license suspension
Oklahoma	Up to $250	Up to 30 days	Car impoundment or registration suspension
Oregon	$135–$1,000	N/A	Registration and license suspension
Pennsylvania	$300	N/A	Three-month registration and license suspension
Rhode Island	$100– $1,000	N/A	License and registration suspension of three months to one year
South Carolina	Up to $600	N/A	Registration and license suspension until you pay fees and file SR-22
South Dakota	Up to $500	Up to 30 days	Registration and license suspension
Tennessee	$100	N/A	Registration suspension
Texas	$175–$350	N/A	License suspension and vehicle impoundment on subsequent offenses
Utah	$400–$1,000	N/A	License suspension
Vermont	Up to $500	N/A	License suspension until you provide proof of insurance
Virginia	$600	N/A	Registration and license suspension until you provide proof of insurance
Washington	$550 minimum	N/A	Possible license suspension
Washington, D.C.	$500 for first offense; 50% increase in civil fine for subsequent offenses	N/A	Registration and license suspension
West Virginia	$200– $5,000	15 days to one year	Registration and license suspension
Wisconsin	Up to $500	N/A	N/A
Wyoming	Up to $750	Up to six months	N/A

How to get car insurance when you’re uninsured

It may be more difficult to get affordable car insurance after a lapse in coverage. You can typically compare quotes from multiple companies to find the cheapest car insurance for your situation, but some companies may not cover you if you have a significant lapse.

If insurance companies in the voluntary market deny you coverage, you may have to get insurance through your state’s assigned risk pool.^[4]

Here’s how to join your state’s risk pool:

1. Look for your state’s assigned risk pool website. It’s usually called an automobile insurance plan or through a state partnership with AIPSO.

2. Check the plan’s eligibility requirements. You may have to prove that you’ve tried to purchase coverage through the voluntary market in the previous 60 days but one or more insurance companies denied you coverage.

3. Apply for coverage. Fill out the necessary forms and choose any additional coverages that you may want. The assigned risk pool matches you with an insurance company that underwrites your policy, but your premiums may be expensive compared to non-assigned policies.

Driving without insurance FAQs