Car insurance is required for driving legally in almost all of the USA. If you’re caught driving without it, the charges are generally dismissed if you can prove coverage.
Otherwise, see this list for penalties that include fines, imprisonment, license suspension until you show proof of insurance, and the SR-22 form to show you have the state-required liability coverage.
Alabama
Fines can reach $500 for the first offense plus your registration is suspended for 45 days with a $200 reinstatement fee and SR-22 for one year. Repeat offenses raise the fine to $1,000 with the suspension of your license for six months and registration for four. Reinstatement costs $400. You may also spend three to six months in jail and require an SR-22 for three years.
Alaska
Each offense can produce a $500 fine and demand an SR-22 for three years. Your first offense may suspend your license for 90 days increasing to a year for repeats. If you’re at fault in an accident, suspension may last three years. SR-22 is needed for each offense.
Arizona
Your first offense can carry a fine of $500 with a license, registration, and plate suspension for three months. The fine increases to at least $750 for the second offense with a suspension of six to twelve months. Third and later offenses cost $1,000 with suspension at a year. The fee to reinstate after any offense is $35. SR-22 is required for two years.
Arkansas
The first offense warrants a fine of $50 to $250. The second is charged at $250 to $500 with a mandatory minimum. Additional offenses get a mandatory $500 to $1,000 fine and/or a year in jail. Any offense can suspend your registration and remove your plates until you provide proof of insurance and pay $20. Reinstatement demands SR-22, a $20 reinstatement fee, and any towing and storage fees if there is an accident.
California
You may be fined $100 – $200 plus a penalty assessment of $26 for every $10 of the base amount for not having car insurance in California. Your car may also be impounded. Repeat offenses increase the fine to $200 – $500 plus assessments. Offenses after a collision demand 1-4 years of license suspension and SR-22 for three years, which can reduce a four-year suspension.
Colorado
Not having car insurance is a class 1 misdemeanor comes with a fine of at least $500 for the first offense. Subsequent offenses cost at least $1,000 plus 10 days to a year in jail. Up to 40 hours of community service is possible with the suspension of license, registration, and plates. Reinstatement requires a $40 fee and SR-22 for three years. You get 4 points on your driving record.
Connecticut
Driving without car insurance fines the car owner $500 and the operator $100 – $1,000, and/or three months of jail. Driver’s license and registration may be suspended with $175 and SR-22 for reinstatement.
Delaware
For the first offense, your license and/or registration can be suspended, and you can be fined a maximum of $1,500 to $2,000. A repeat offense can suspend your license and increase the maximum fine to $3,000 – $4,000. Proof of insurance is required.
District of Columbia
The first offense warrants a fine of $500 with a license suspension for 30 days. Repeat violations are fined with a 50% increase plus a driver’s license suspension for 60 days. Reinstatement required $98 and SR-22 for three years.
Florida
Any offense for not having an active car insurance policy can suspend your license, registration, and vehicle tags for up to three years or until you buy a policy. Reinstatement costs $150 after the first offense, $250 after the second, and $500 after the third. SR-22 is required for three years.
Georgia
Not having car insurance can land you in jail for up to a year and demands a $25 lapse fee. Your first offense suspends you driver’s license and registration for 60 days with a $60 reinstatement. The second has a 90-day suspension and a $60 reinstatement fee. Later offenses have a six-month suspension and $160 reinstatement.
Hawaii
For the first offense, you are fined $500 or must serve 75 – 100 hours in community service. Your driver’s license is suspended for three months or until you provide proof of insurance. Later offenses are fined $1,500 – $2,000 or require 200 – 275 hours of service. Suspension can last a year. Multiple convictions within five years also suspend or revoke registration and plates, and can put you in prison for not more than 30 days. SR-22 for three years is required for each offense.
Idaho
The first offense for not having car insurance is a fine for $75 plus $56.50 in administrative fees and one year of SR-22. Later offenses increase the fine to up to $1,000 with three years of SR-22, and/or up to six months of jail time. Reinstatement costs $85 per offense.
Illinois
For the first offense, you’re fined $501 – $1,000 plus $1,000 for driving with plates suspended due to an insurance violation. Your driver’s license and registration are suspended for up to three months. Later offenses increase the fine to $1,000 plus $1,000 for suspended plates and an additional $2,500 if you have been convicted twice and involved in an accident. You also need SR-22 for up to three years. Reinstatement for any offense is $100.
Indiana
The first offense suspends your license for 90 days with repeat offenses at a year. You pay $250 to reinstate your license for the first offense, $500 for the second, and $1,000 for repeat offenses. Three years of SR-22 are needed for the first two offenses with five years for later offenses.
Iowa
Fines are $250 or community service. Your vehicle may be impounded. An accident makes the $250 mandatory, impounds the vehicle, suspends license and registration for damage of over $1,500 for the other vehicle, and suspends registration on all vehicles you own. Reinstatement with or without an accident requires SR-22, vehicle towing and storage fees, and a $15 administrative fee. An accident adds $200 in civil penalty and $20 for renewing your license, and demands passing a knowledge test, driving exam, and vision test.
Kansas
The first offense for not having care insurance gets you $300 – $1,000 in fines and/or imprisonment of not more than six months. Your driver’s license and registration are suspended until you provide proof of insurance. The second offense increases the fine to $800 – $1,000 with up to one-year imprisonment and the same suspension. Repeat offenses have the same fine with imprisonment of up to 1 – 2 years and revoke driving privileges for three years. Reinstatement costs $100 for the first offense and $300 for later offenses. Three years of SR-22 are needed for all offenses.
Kentucky
For the first offense, you owe $500 – $1,000 and/or 90 days of jail time with suspended registration for a year or until you provide insurance proof. Later offenses cost $1,000 – $2,500 and/or 180 days of jail time with the same suspension or two years suspension for every third or later offense. Reinstatement costs $40 and proof of insurance plus a driver’s exam for suspensions over a year.
Louisiana
All offenses cost between $500 and $1,000, suspend registration and license plates, impound the vehicle with storage and wreckage fees, and bar you from claiming losses in collision accidents. Reinstatement costs $10 in administration fees plus $50 for the first offense, $150 for the second, and $500 for later violations. You also face storage and wreckage fees for the impounded vehicle.
Maine
The state will fine you $100 – $500, suspend your driver’s license and registration unless you provide insurance proof, and requires three years of SR-22. You also pay $50 for reinstatement, $20 – $30 for licensing, and $35 for registration.
Maryland
The first offense for not having a car insurance policy cost $1,000 in fines, five points on your driver’s license, and up to a year in prison. Later offenses cost $2,000, suspend your license and registration, put five points on your license, and include up to two years in prison. All offenses have $150 in administration fees and $7 per additional day after 30.
Massachusetts
Think again before you drive without car insurance in Massachusetts. Your first offense warrants a $500 fine plus either a full year of compulsory insurance or an additional $500, whichever is larger. Your second offense increases the fine to $500 to $5,000. All offenses can put you in jail for a year and can cost $45 in late fees and $35 for filing if you request a hearing. Your driver’s license and registration can be suspended for 60 days for the first offense and a year for later offenses. Reinstatement costs $500.
Michigan
You face jail time for up to year and license suspension for up to 30 days. Having no proof of car insurance can cost $200 per year for two years. Having no insurance can cost $500 for two years.
Minnesota
The first and second offenses cost $200 – $1,000 or community service. License, registration, and plates may be suspended for up to 30 days. Third and later offenses cost $200 – $3,000 with suspensions of your driver’s license of up to a year. All offenses demand an SR-22 and $30 for reinstatement.
Mississippi
You’re fined $500 with a driver’s license suspension for up to a year or until you provide proof of insurance. Reinstatement costs $25 plus fees related to license renewal and $10 for suspension related to a bad check. SR-22 is needed for three years.
Missouri
The first offense for not having car insurance in Missouri is the suspension of your driver’s license, registration, and plates until you get insurance. Reinstatement costs $20. The second offense adds up to $500 in fines, a suspension of 90 days, and up to 15 days in jail with $200 for reinstatement. Third and later offenses have the same fine and jail time, a suspension of up to a year, and $400 in reinstatement. All offenses put four points on your record.
Montana
Driving without car insurance is a misdemeanor in Montana that comes with a fine of $250 – $500 for the first offense, $350 for the second, and $500 for later offenses. You may be jailed for up to 10 days for second and third offenses, or up to six months for later offenses. Your registration is suspended for 90 days for the second offense, 180 days for the third, or until you submit insurance proof for later offenses. Also, for the fourth and later offenses, your license may be suspended until you provide proof. All offenses demand SR-22 for three years and a $35 court surcharge.
Nebraska
Your driver’s license and registration are suspended until you provide proof of insurance. However, if an accident is involved, you need a letter of verification. Reinstatement requires $50 for a license and $50 for registration. You must maintain SR-22 for three years.
Nevada
Fines for not having car insurance in Nevada range from nothing for the first offense with a lapse of coverage for up to 30 days to $1,000 for later offenses with a lapse of 181 or more days. Driving privileges are suspended until you show proof of insurance, until you file SR-22, or for a mandatory 30 days, depending on the number of offenses. You may also have to maintain SR-22 for three years. Reinstatement costs from $251 to $751.
New Hampshire
The state does not require insurance. But if you’re in an accident, your driver’s license, registration, and plates may be suspended until you fulfill judgment requirements. You’ll also need to pay $100 for reinstatement and $25 for registration and maintain SR-22 for three years.
New Jersey
For the first offense, fines range from $300 – $1,000, your driver’s license is suspended for a year, and you must perform community service. Later offenses increase the fine to $500 – $5,000, and the suspension to two years with up to 180 hours of community service and may put you in jail for up to 14 days. All offenses require a surcharge assessment of $250 per year for three years. Your vehicle may be impounded without proof of car insurance within 24 hours of the citation and cost $100 to retrieve.
New Mexico
The state of New Mexico fines you no more than $300 and may imprison you for up to 90 days. During an accident, your registration or license may be confiscated.
New York
Fines range from $150 to $1,500 with possible impoundment and imprisonment of up to 15 days. Your driver’s license and registration is revoked for 1 – 3 years during a collision or could be revoked for a traffic stop. Restoring a revoked license can cost $750.
North Carolina
Civil penalties are $50 for the first offense, $100 for the second, and $150 for later offenses. In all cases, registration is suspended for 30 days with a $50 license reinstatement fee. Probation is possible for 1 – 45 days but so is jail time for second or later offenses.
North Dakota
Fines for the first offense range from $150 to $1,000 for the first offense, rising to $300 – $5,000 for later offenses within one year. In all cases, the license is suspended until proof of insurance is shown with a $50 reinstatement fee and SR-22 is needed for a year. There is also a $10 fee for retaking the license test and a $20 court fee. Repeat offenses within the year can imprison you for up to 30 days.
Ohio
The first offense for driving without insurance is a suspended driver’s license until all requirements are met and charges a $160 restoration fee. Violating the suspension can confiscate the vehicle and plates for 30 days. For the second offense, the suspension lasts a full year with limited driving privileges after 15 days. Restoration costs $360 and confiscation lasts 60 days. For later offenses, the suspension lasts two years with limited privileges after 30 days, the restoration fee costs $660, and the vehicle is impounded and sold with a five-year suspension on registering vehicles. The court may impose additional fines or penalties for any offense.
Oklahoma
Lack of car insurance in Oklahoma penalizes you with a fine up to $250, up to 30 days of imprisonment, possible plate confiscation for up to a year. and vehicle impoundment. Reinstatement requires proof of insurance, a $275 reinstatement fee, a $125 administrative fee, and if you are in an accident, a $175 modified driver’s license fee.
Oregon
You receive a fine of $130 – $1,000, require SR-22 for three years, and have both license and registration suspended and your vehicle impounded.
Pennsylvania
You will owe a $300 fine and may have your driver’s license and registration suspended for three months.
Rhode Island
Your driver’s license and registration may be suspended for three months for a first offense or six months for a repeat offense, SR-22 is required, and you get maximum fines of $100 – $500 for a first offense, or a maximum of $500 for repeat offenses.
South Carolina
If you don’t have car insurance or the $550 uninsured motorist fee, a first offense warrants a fine of $100 – $200 plus $5 for each day with no insurance. For repeat offenses, the fine increases to $200 + $5 a day. For any offense, your license and registration may be suspended, and SR-22 is required for three years. Repeat offenses may put you in jail for up to 30 days.
South Dakota
Any offense may fine you up to $500, suspend your license and registration, put you in jail for up to 30 days, and demand SR-22 for three years.
Tennessee
You receive a $300 fine, require SR-22 for three years, and may have your driver’s license and registration suspended.
Texas
A first offense imposes a fee ranging from $175 – $350 plus $250 per year for three years. Repeat offenses increase the fines to $350 – $1,000 plus the annual penalty, may suspend your driver’s license and registration, and may impound your vehicle for up to 180 days with a fee of $15 a day. Any offense requires SR-22 for two years.
Utah
Any offense regarding not having an active car insurance policy may suspend your driver’s license and registration while demanding SR-22 for three years. The fine for the first offense is $400 that can go down to $300 if you have insurance proof before the court date. For later offenses, the fine starts at $1,000 that can go down to $700 with proof.
Vermont
You are fined $250 – $500, require SR-22 for three years, and face driver’s license suspension.
Virginia
Your fine maxes out at $500 with a possible loss of driver’s license and registration. You also require SR-22 for three years.
Washington
You face a maximum fine of $287 and may require SR-22 for three years if you cause an accident.
West Virginia
You receive a fine of $200 – $5,000, may spend 15 days to a year in jail, and may have your driver’s license and registration suspended for up to 30 days for the first offense, and up to 90 days for repeat offenses. Reinstatement costs $100 for registration and $50 for the license with SR-22 for three years.
Wisconsin
You are penalized up to $510, require SR-22 for three years, and may have your driver’s license suspended until you file SR-22. If you cause an accident, your license and registration may be suspended for up to three years. Reinstatement costs $60 plus, if you are in an accident, $50 for vehicle registration.
Wyoming
A first offense warrants fines from $250 – $750 with imprisonment of up to six months and a license suspension. Repeat offenses increase the fine to $500 – $1,500, suspend the license, and require you to surrender registration and license plates. Reinstatement costs $50 and SR-22 is needed for three years.
That’s an overview of fines and penalties in the event you are caught driving without insurance. Always have a valid car insurance policy in order to avoid any unnecessary fines or driver’s license suspensions.