
Our auto insurance picks for car owners without a license.
Full Coverage Averages
Full Coverage Averages
Full Coverage Averages
There are a few reasons why you may want to get car insurance without a license. For one, you may be anticipating getting your driver’s license in the near future and want to be able to drive as soon as your license arrives. Some states, like California, require proof of insurance to register a vehicle, even if you don’t plan on driving that vehicle.1
Regardless of your reason, finding a provider that will accept unlicensed individuals can be tricky. Providers will likely be reluctant to offer you car insurance without a license, and some may upcharge you for coverage. Fortunately, there are providers out there that specialize in nonstandard auto insurance. Below, we’ve compiled a list of some of those providers, as well as household names, to give you a few options for auto insurance if you don’t have a driver’s license.
Learn more about getting auto insurance without a license or with a suspended license. We’ve also rounded up the best auto insurance for high-risk drivers, which includes drivers without licenses.
Feature | State Farm | Progressive | USAA | Direct Auto | Acceptance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
What it’s best for | Teen drivers | Drivers with a DUI | Military members, veterans, and military dependents | Drivers who need SR-22s | Hard-to-insure drivers |
Average Price | $5,421 (for a policy with a teen driver)
$2,167 (for a standard driver with clean record) | $2,770 (for a driver with a DUI)
$1,960 (for a standard driver with clean record) | $1,407 (for a standard driver with clean record)
$2,916 (for a high-risk driver) | $2,452 | N/A |
Can file an SR-22? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Car storage insurance? | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Non-owner coverage? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
J.D. Power Insurance Shopping Study, Customer Satisfaction Index Rating (average is 676 out of 1,000)2 | 695 | 678 | 711 | N/A | N/A |
While it’s relatively uncommon to need car insurance if you’re not a licensed driver, there are a few reasons why you might find yourself in this situation. For example, you may own a classic car that you need to insure even if you don’t drive it, or you may have had your license suspended but still need to insure a car that’s being driven by members of your household. In addition, some seniors may no longer have a license but need to continue to insure their car so that an aide or family member can drive it.
Getting auto insurance if you don’t have a valid license can be challenging, and the process depends on your circumstances. In most cases, if you’re not legally able to drive, you’ll need to ask to be excluded from the auto insurance policy you purchase. This means that you are not considered an authorized driver and will not be covered under the policy, but other drivers will still be able to drive your vehicle.
If your license has been suspended, you may need to file an SR-22 and/or look for high-risk insurance, which will then allow you to get your license reinstated.
State Farm is a great option for teen drivers with a permit working up to becoming fully licensed drivers. State Farm is easy to contact, offers a wide range of coverages, and provides significant discounts for those learning to drive.
Safe driving habits will save you money now and in the future when these practices result in a clean record. State Farm offers two apps to encourage and reward safe driving habits, one of which is specifically designed for young drivers.
While you must have a valid driver’s license to enroll in these programs, families who add teens to a State Farm policy while they’re learning to drive can plan to take advantage of these discounts once the teen passes their driver’s test:
Walking through the insurance process on your own can be challenging when you’re a new driver. State Farm has 19,000 local agents across the country that teens and their families can meet with in person, online, or over the phone to discuss their options.
Progressive is one of the largest standard insurance companies in the U.S., with a strong reputation and financial stability. It also happens to be one of the best insurers for drivers with DUIs, offering some of the most affordable average rates and generally offering coverage to many high-risk drivers.
Drivers who have had their license suspended due to a DUI may find good coverage options with nonstandard insurers like Direct Auto and Acceptance as well, so it’s worth it to get a quote from multiple companies if they’re available to you. A major benefit of Progressive is that it operates in all 50 states.
Drivers with violations pay more for auto insurance on average than drivers with clean records. If you’ve had your license suspended, you can likely expect your auto insurance rate to increase. However, once your license is reinstated, you can take advantage of Progressive’s telematics discount program, Snapshot.
Snapshot will track your driving — including braking, acceleration, amount of night driving, miles driven, and phone use — via the Progressive mobile app or a plug-in device in your vehicle. You can get a discount just for signing up and an additional discount depending on how safely you drive, though Progressive doesn’t advertise the maximum discount amount.
However, be aware that in some states, Progressive may increase your rates if it detects unsafe driving. Especially if you have a history of violations, make sure you work to improve your driving habits to avoid a rate hike.
Although Progressive doesn’t offer as many bundling options as some other standard insurers, it does offer discounts for purchasing an auto policy along with either a homeowners or renters policy. This can be beneficial for high-risk drivers who also need one of these types of property insurance. Although Progressive doesn’t advertise its average bundling discounts, these types of discounts are usually around 10 to 20 percent.
USAA insures 13 million military customers throughout the U.S. It’s a great choice for unlicensed military members who need coverage while storing or shipping their cars. Additionally, it’s a great provider for retired military members who own cars but have someone else drive them.
Not only does USAA have fantastic prices for service members and their families, but it offers a variety of discounts to lower your cost even further. You could attain a discount if you fall into one of these scenarios:
DID YOU KNOW?
If you’re planning to bring your car with you when you move, you still need auto insurance when shipping your vehicle.
Great auto insurance options are only a small part of the benefits USAA offers. It also provides these policy options:
Additionally, USAA offers its members several perks.
Check if you qualify to be a USAA member by taking the qualification quiz on the company’s website.4
Like Acceptance, Direct Auto specializes in providing nonstandard auto insurance to drivers who may be considered high risk or need SR-22 certifications. If you’ve been convicted of a serious driving violation and your license has been suspended, Direct Auto will help you file for an SR-22 certification and provide you with the insurance coverage you need. As such, it may be more likely to cover certain high-risk drivers than standard carriers like Progressive.
Direct Auto is a particularly good option for drivers with suspended licenses who need non-owner coverage, as the company provides coverage for this situation as well. The company offers flexibility with pay schedules and prices, convenient contact options, and various inclusive discounts.
Direct Auto offers non-owner coverage to drivers who don’t own a vehicle, including those who have had their license suspended. In many cases, if you’d had your license suspended due to a serious violation like a DUI, you’ll need to file an SR-22 in order to get it reinstated — even if you don’t own a vehicle.
Drivers in this situation can get a non-owner policy through Direct Auto and file an SR-22 with the help of the provider. Non-owner policies typically include bodily injury and property damage liability, which cover you if you cause an accident while driving a car you don’t own.
When working with Direct Auto, you can customize both when and how you pay. Not only can you choose your payment date, but you can also choose how often you pay, your monthly amount, and how you want to pay, using these options:
Acceptance Insurance prides itself on providing coverage for all types of drivers. The company started as a single desk in Texas in 1969 and now serves 200,000 customers in 15 states. It has over 700 agents ready to help you throughout more than 300 neighborhoods.
Acceptance is an excellent option for unlicensed individuals because of its focus on nonstandard drivers and its long list of other policy types with which you can bundle. It also has a roadside assistance program that can refund your traffic tickets.
There are many reasons someone might be a nonstandard driver — including teens, seniors, drivers who have had their license suspended or revoked, and people with excessive driving violations or DUI convictions.
Not every insurance company accepts nonstandard drivers, but Acceptance focuses on them. It doesn’t turn away motorists often and advertises specific discounts for bad-credit drivers, high-risk drivers, non-owners, seniors, SR-22 drivers, and teen drivers.6 The company even offers discounts for favorable behaviors.
Need more than just auto insurance? You may be looking to bundle your insurance options. In that case, Acceptance offers a handful of other protections.
This bundling can be useful, as nonstandard drivers typically have higher premiums.
Bundling options are unavailable for telemedicine and hospital indemnity — two other coverage programs Acceptance Insurance offers. However, these are worth considering to keep all of your insurance policies under one provider.
To determine the best auto insurance companies for drivers without a license, we evaluated major insurers across four key categories—pricing, claims handling, customer experience, and coverage options. Here’s a breakdown of how each category was assessed:
By analyzing these key areas and weighing their importance for unlicensed drivers, we aimed to provide a comprehensive assessment of the best auto insurance options for those without a valid driver’s license. Learn more about our ratings and methodology.
Yes, undocumented immigrants and workers without legal status can often get auto insurance in the U.S., even if they do not have a U.S. driver’s license. Some insurance companies allow applicants to use a foreign driver’s license or an alternative form of identification, such as an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) or a matrícula consular card.
The process and availability vary by state and insurer—some states are more accommodating, while others may require a U.S. license for coverage. It is essential for applicants to contact insurers directly to discuss their specific situation, as online forms may require a license number by default.
Insurance rates for unlicensed drivers vary significantly by state, largely due to each state’s regulations, insurance marketplace, and risk assessment methods. In general, unlicensed drivers—or those using a foreign license—can expect to pay higher premiums than standard drivers because insurers have limited or no access to their U.S. driving records.
Some states with more competitive or inclusive insurance markets may offer better rates or more options, while others with stricter requirements may see fewer choices and higher costs. Local factors such as minimum required coverage, urban versus rural location, and insurer presence also affect price differences across states.
When applying for car insurance without a U.S. license, applicants should be prepared to provide alternative forms of identification and supporting documents, which may include:
Because requirements can differ by insurer and state, we recommend contacting providers directly for precise guidance.
If you own a car and do not have a license, you don’t necessarily need car insurance. If no one drives the car, you do not need car insurance. However, if someone decides to drive the vehicle, the car needs insurance coverage that meets your state’s standards.
FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (INSURANCE) REQUIREMENTS FOR VEHICLE REGISTRATION. California DMV. (2024).
https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/driver-education-and-safety/educational-materials/fast-facts/financial-responsibility-insurance-requirements-for-vehicle-registration-ffvr-18/
Half of Auto Insurance Customers Currently Shopping for New Policies, J.D. Power Finds. J.D. Power. (2024, Apr 30).
https://www.jdpower.com/business/press-releases/2024-us-insurance-shopping-study
Save more with our auto insurance discounts. State Farm. (2022).
https://www.statefarm.com/insurance/auto/discounts
Join USAA. USAA. (2022).
https://www.usaa.com/join/get-started/
Non-Standard Auto Insurance. Acceptance Insurance. (2022).
https://www.acceptanceinsurance.com/our-products/auto-insurance/non-standard-auto-insurance/
Car Insurance Discounts. Direct Auto Insurance. (2022).
https://www.directauto.com/why-direct/get-discounts