AutoInsurance.com is supported by commissions from providers listed on our site. Read our Editorial Guidelines.

Find Your Perfect Policy: 866-843-5386

Last updated: September 24, 2024

Can Your License Be Suspended for Not Having Insurance?

In most states, it’s important to have insurance so your license doesn’t get suspended.

Share
Twitter brand
Facebook brand
Linkedin brand
Reddit brand
Envelop icon

There are financial responsibility laws that drivers must adhere to on the roads. Auto insurance is the most common way to demonstrate financial responsibility for accidents in most states. Whether your license will get suspended because you don’t have insurance is contingent on state laws.

Savings icon
Find out if you’re overpaying for auto insurance.
Save on car insurance
Savings icon
Find out if you’re overpaying for auto insurance.

See how much you could be saving! Let’s get started by entering your ZIP Code:

Car on a computer screen

Are You a Distracted Driver?

Whether it's texting or scarfing down a meal, we're all guilty of driving while distracted. But just how distracted are you?

Can Your License Be Suspended for Not Having Insurance?

While it is possible to have your license suspended because you don’t have insurance, it is wholly contingent on state laws. Some states, like Virginia and New Hampshire, don’t require insurance unless you have an accident where you can’t demonstrate financial responsibility. Other states, such as California, may have penalties and fines instead. The length of the suspension also varies by state laws, as you can read about in our auto insurance FAQs.

Take a look at how each state handles driving without insurance when it comes to license suspensions.

State Can your license be suspended for not having insurance?
Alabama No
Alaska Yes
Arizona Yes
Arkansas No
California No
Colorado Yes
Connecticut Yes
Delaware Yes
District of Columbia Yes
Florida Yes
Georgia Yes
Hawaii Yes
Idaho No
Illinois Yes
Indiana Yes
Iowa No
Kansas Yes
Kentucky No
Louisiana No
Maine Yes
Maryland No
Massachusetts Yes
Michigan Yes
Minnesota Yes
Mississippi Yes
Missouri Yes
Montana No
Nebraska Yes
Nevada Yes
New Hampshire Yes
New Jersey Yes
New Mexico Yes
New York Yes
North Carolina Yes
North Dakota Yes
Ohio Yes
Oklahoma Yes
Oregon Yes
Pennsylvania Yes
Rhode Island Yes
South Carolina Yes
South Dakota Yes
Tennessee Yes
Texas No
Utah Yes
Vermont Yes
Virginia Yes
Washington No
West Virginia Yes
Wisconsin No
Wyoming Yes

NOTE

Follow the rules of the state where you got your license. If you get stopped in a state other than where you are licensed, you may be subject to its penalties and fines, and it may seek to suspend your license in your home state.

What Is a License Suspension?

A driver’s license suspension means that your legal driving privilege gets revoked for a period of time. When your license is suspended, you must meet certain conditions, such as paying fines and showing proof of insurance, to get your license back.

How to Check if Your License Is Suspended

To find out whether you have a suspended license, call or visit the Department of Motor Vehicles where your license is from. Speak with a representative who can tell you whether you have a suspended license and what you can do to reinstate it.

How Do I Reinstate My License?

If your license gets suspended because you don’t have insurance, you may need to show proof of insurance and pay all fines and reinstatement fees before your license gets reinstated. Fulfill the proof of insurance requirement by filing an SR-22, also known as a “Certificate of Financial Responsibility.”1

Here are the fines you’ll need to pay and whether or not you will need to show proof of insurance in your state.

State Fine to reinstate license Do you need to show proof of insurance to reinstate your license?
Alabama $500 No
Alaska $500 Yes
Arizona $500 Yes
Arkansas $50 No
California $100 No
Colorado $500 Yes
Connecticut $100 Yes
Delaware $1,500 Yes
District of Columbia $150 Yes
Florida $150 Yes
Georgia $200 Yes
Hawaii $500 Yes
Idaho $75 No
Illinois $500 Yes
Indiana $250 Yes
Iowa $250 No
Kansas $300 Yes
Kentucky $500 No
Louisiana $500 No
Maine $100 Yes
Maryland $1,000 None
Massachusetts $500 Yes
Michigan $200 Yes
Minnesota $200 Yes
Mississippi $500 Yes
Missouri $20 Yes
Montana $250 No
Nebraska $100 Yes
Nevada $250 Yes
New Hampshire $125 Yes
New Jersey $300 Yes
New Mexico $300 Yes
New York $150 Yes
North Carolina $50 Yes
North Dakota $300 Yes
Ohio $100 Yes
Oklahoma $250 Yes
Oregon $130 Yes
Pennsylvania $300 Yes
Rhode Island $100 Yes
South Carolina $550 Yes
South Dakota $100 Yes
Tennessee $300 Yes
Texas $175 No
Utah $400 Yes
Vermont $250 Yes
Virginia $600 Yes
Washington $550 No
West Virginia $200 Yes
Wisconsin $500 No
Wyoming $250 Yes

How Long Will My License Get Suspended for Not Having Insurance?

How long your license will be suspended depends on the state where your license was issued. While states like Iowa, Maryland, and Washington have no suspension penalties, states like Maine, Missouri, and New Hampshire will suspend your license until you demonstrate proof of insurance.

Many other states have suspension durations lasting 30 to 90 days. A few states — like Mississippi, New Jersey, and South Dakota — suspend licenses for up to one year. See below to learn how long your license will be suspended if you don’t have insurance in your state.

State Length of license suspension
Alabama None
Alaska 90 days
Arizona 90 days
Arkansas None
California None
Colorado Until you provide proof of insurance
Connecticut 6 months
Delaware 6 months
District of Columbia 30 days
Florida Up to 3 years
Georgia 60 days
Hawaii Until you provide proof of insurance
Idaho None
Illinois Up to 3 months
Indiana Up to 90 days
Iowa None
Kansas Until you provide proof of insurance
Kentucky None
Louisiana None
Maine Until you provide proof of insurance
Maryland None
Massachusetts 60 days
Michigan Up to 30 days
Minnesota Up to 30 days
Mississippi Up to 1 year
Missouri Until you provide proof of insurance
Montana None
Nebraska Until you provide proof of insurance
Nevada Until you provide proof of insurance
New Hampshire Until you provide proof of insurance
New Jersey Up to 1 year
New Mexico Until you provide proof of insurance
New York Until you provide proof of insurance
North Carolina Until you provide proof of insurance
North Dakota Until you provide proof of insurance
Ohio Until you provide proof of insurance
Oklahoma Until you provide proof of insurance
Oregon Until you provide proof of insurance
Pennsylvania 3 months
Rhode Island 3 months
South Carolina 30 days
South Dakota Up to 1 year
Tennessee Until you provide proof of insurance
Texas None
Utah Until you provide proof of insurance
Vermont Until you provide proof of insurance
Virginia Until you provide proof of insurance
Washington None
West Virginia Up to 30 days
Wisconsin None
Wyoming Until you provide proof of insurance

What Other Penalties Are There if I Drive Without Insurance?

If you get caught driving without insurance, it’s not just a license suspension that you need to deal with. State penalties range from $20 to $1,500 for the driving offense. States such as Maine, Oregon, and Rhode Island will also suspend your car registration. When your license gets suspended, your insurer may cancel your car insurance in many cases.

Here are the penalties in each state.

State Fine Other penalties
Alabama $500 Registration suspension
Alaska $500 License suspension for 90 days
Arizona $500 License and registration suspension for 90 days
Arkansas $50 Registration suspension
California $100 None
Colorado $500 License suspension until you provide proof of insurance
Connecticut $100 License and registration suspension for 6 months
Delaware $1,500 License suspension for 6 months
District of Columbia $150 License suspension for 30 days
Florida $150 License suspension up to 3 years
Georgia $200 License and registration suspension for 60 days
Hawaii $500 License suspension until you provide proof of insurance
Idaho $75 None
Illinois $500 License suspension up to 3 months
Indiana $250 License suspension up to 90 days
Iowa $250 None
Kansas $300 License and registration suspension until you provide proof of insurance
Kentucky $500 Registration suspension
Louisiana $500 None
Maine $100 License and registration suspension until you provide proof of insurance
Maryland $1,000 None
Massachusetts $500 License and registration suspension for 60 days
Michigan $200 License suspension up to 30 days
Minnesota $200 License and registration suspension up to 30 days
Mississippi $500 License suspension up to 1 year
Missouri $20 License suspension until you provide proof of insurance
Montana $250 None
Nebraska $100 License suspension until you provide proof of insurance
Nevada $250 License suspension until you provide proof of insurance
New Hampshire $125 License and registration suspension until you provide proof of insurance
New Jersey $300 License suspension up to 1 year
New Mexico $300 License and registration suspension until you provide proof of insurance
New York $150 License and registration suspension until you provide proof of insurance
North Carolina $50 License suspension until you provide proof of insurance
North Dakota $300 License suspension until you provide proof of insurance
Ohio $100 License suspension until you provide proof of insurance
Oklahoma $250 License suspension until you provide proof of insurance
Oregon $130 License and registration suspension until you provide proof of insurance
Pennsylvania $300 License and registration suspension for 3 months
Rhode Island $100 License and registration suspension for 3 months
South Carolina $550 License suspension for 30 days
South Dakota $100 License suspension up to 1 year
Tennessee $300 License suspension until you provide proof of insurance
Texas $175 None
Utah $400 License suspension until you provide proof of insurance
Vermont $250 License suspension until you provide proof of insurance
Virginia $600 License suspension until you provide proof of insurance
Washington $550 None
West Virginia $200 License suspension up to 30 days
Wisconsin $500 None
Wyoming $250 License suspension until you provide proof of insurance

What Is an Insurance Lapse?

An insurance lapse is a period of time during which you have no insurance coverage. An insurance lapse happens when you fail to pay your premium, get dropped from your insurance company, or cancel your coverage. When a lapse occurs, you are not insured.

What Causes an Insurance Lapse?

There are many possible causes of an insurance lapse, including these scenarios:

  • You don’t pay for the policy.
  • Your insurance company cancels your policy midterm for fraud or misrepresentation on your application, or because your license or registration has been suspended.
  • Your insurance company decides not to renew your insurance policy because you have too many accidents or tickets on your record, or simply because it no longer provides specific coverages or any coverages in your area.

What Should I Do After an Insurance Lapse?

What you should do after an insurance lapse will depend on why your insurance lapsed in the first place. If not paying the bill results in a lapse, paying the premium is often enough to reinstate the policy. If your insurance lapse is due to accidents, tickets, or a license suspension, you may need to shop for cheap auto insurance to find an insurance carrier willing to underwrite the risk of a bad driver.

TIP

To ensure your protection from at-fault accidents, theft, and vandalism, never let your insurance lapse if you can help it.

Do I Need Car Insurance if My License Is Suspended?

To legally register your car with the DMV, you’ll need to show proof of financial responsibility, which usually means auto insurance. If others are driving your car, you may exclude yourself as a driver on your policy and maintain the insurance.

Is It Hard to Get Car Insurance if My License Has Been Suspended?

It will be more difficult to find insurance if your license gets suspended. Car insurance companies don’t want to insure people who are high-risk drivers or aren’t legally allowed to drive. You may need to shop around to find a company that will insure you.

Will My Rates Increase After My License Is Suspended?

Your insurance prices will increase if your license gets suspended. The suspension is marked by points on your license, which is how insurance companies rate you when you buy insurance.2

What Happens if I Have an Accident Without Insurance?

If you have an accident without insurance, you are responsible for the consequences of that accident. This means you must pay the medical costs of anyone you injure in the accident (as you don’t have bodily injury liability coverage) and any vehicle or other property repair costs (as you don’t have property damage coverage). On top of the liability insurance costs that you must pay to others, you are responsible for fixing your own car out of your pocket, since you don’t have full coverage to protect your car.

You could be sued if you don’t have the funds to pay for the damages. If you lose the lawsuit, the judgment could let the other party put a lien on your property, such as your house, or file for wage garnishment.

What Are the Minimum Insurance Requirements?

Every state except Virginia and New Hampshire has its own minimum insurance requirements. Most states have at least 25/50/25 liability requirements, which means you need $25,000 in per-person bodily injury coverage, $50,000 in per-accident bodily injury coverage, and $25,000 in property damage coverage.

Take a look at how each state varies.

State Requirements
Alabama $25,000 bodily injury per person

$50,000 bodily injury per accident

$25,000 property damage

Alaska $50,000 bodily injury per person

$100,000 bodily injury per accident

$25,000 property damage

Arizona $25,000 bodily injury per person

$50,000 bodily injury per accident

$15,000 property damage

Arkansas $25,000 bodily injury per person

$50,000 bodily injury per accident

$25,000 property damage

California $15,000 bodily injury per person

$30,000 bodily injury per accident

$5,000 property damage

Colorado $25,000 bodily injury per person

$50,000 bodily injury per accident

$15,000 property damage

Connecticut $25,000 bodily injury per person

$50,000 bodily injury per accident

$25,000 property damage

$25,000 uninsured motorist per person

$50,000 uninsured motorist per accident

Delaware $25,000 bodily injury per person

$50,000 bodily injury per accident

$10,000 property damage

$15,000 personal injury protection per person

$30,000 personal injury protection per accident

Florida $10,000 personal injury protection

$10,000 property damage

Georgia $25,000 bodily injury per person

$50,000 bodily injury per accident

$25,000 property damage

Hawaii $20,000 bodily injury per person

$40,000 bodily injury per accident

$10,000 property damage

$10,000 personal injury protection

Idaho $25,000 bodily injury per person

$50,000 bodily injury per accident

$15,000 property damage

Illinois $25,000 bodily injury per person

$50,000 bodily injury per accident

$20,000 property damage

$25,000 uninsured motorist per person

$50,000 uninsured motorist per accident

Indiana $25,000 bodily injury per person

$50,000 bodily injury per accident

$25,000 property damage

Iowa $20,000 bodily injury per person

$40,000 bodily injury per accident

$15,000 property damage

Kansas $25,000 bodily injury per person

$50,000 bodily injury per accident

$25,000 property damage

$25,000 uninsured motorist per person

$50,000 uninsured motorist per accident

$4,500 personal injury protection

Kentucky $25,000 bodily injury per person

$50,000 bodily injury per accident

$25,000 property damage

Louisiana $15,000 bodily injury per person

$30,000 bodily injury per accident

$25,000 property damage

Maine $25,000 bodily injury per person

$50,000 bodily injury per accident

$25,000 property damage

$50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person

$100,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident

$2,000 medical payments

Maryland $25,000 bodily injury per person

$50,000 bodily injury per accident

$25,000 property damage

$30,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person

$60,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident

$15,000 uninsured property damage

Massachusetts $25,000 bodily injury per person

$50,000 bodily injury per accident

$25,000 property damage

$20,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person

$40,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident

$8,000 personal injury protection

Michigan $50,000 bodily injury per person

$100,000 bodily injury per accident

$10,000 property damage outside Michigan

$1 million property protection within Michigan

$250,000 personal injury protection

Minnesota $30,000 bodily injury per person

$60,000 bodily injury per accident

$10,000 property damage

$25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person

$50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident

$40,000 personal injury protection

Mississippi $25,000 bodily injury per person

$50,000 bodily injury per accident

$25,000 property damage

Missouri $25,000 bodily injury per person

$50,000 bodily injury per accident

$25,000 property damage

$25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person

$50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident

Montana $25,000 bodily injury per person

$50,000 bodily injury per accident

$20,000 property damage

Nebraska $25,000 bodily injury per person

$50,000 bodily injury per accident

$25,000 property damage

$25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person

$50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident

Nevada $25,000 bodily injury per person

$50,000 bodily injury per accident

$20,000 property damage

New Hampshire (optional) $25,000 bodily injury per person

$50,000 bodily injury per accident

$25,000 property damage

$25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person

$50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident

$25,000 uninsured motorist property damage

$1,000 medical payments coverage

New Jersey $5,000 property damage

$15,000 personal injury protection

New Mexico $25,000 bodily injury per person

$50,000 bodily injury per accident

$10,000 property damage

New York $25,000 bodily injury per person

$50,000 bodily injury per accident

$50,000 liability for death per person

$100,000 liability for death per accident

$25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person

$50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident

$50,000 personal injury protection

North Carolina $30,000 bodily injury per person

$60,000 bodily injury per accident

$25,000 property damage

$30,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person

$60,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident

$25,000 uninsured motorist property damage

North Dakota $25,000 bodily injury per person

$50,000 bodily injury per accident

$25,000 property damage

$25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person

$50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident

$30,000 personal injury protection

Ohio $25,000 bodily injury per person

$50,000 bodily injury per accident

$25,000 property damage

Oklahoma $25,000 bodily injury per person

$50,000 bodily injury per accident

$25,000 property damage

Oregon $25,000 bodily injury per person

$50,000 bodily injury per accident

$20,000 property damage

$25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person

$50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident

Pennsylvania $15,000 bodily injury per person

$30,000 bodily injury per accident

$5,000 property damage

$5,000 medical payments

Rhode Island $25,000 bodily injury per person

$50,000 bodily injury per accident

$25,000 property damage

South Carolina $25,000 bodily injury per person

$50,000 bodily injury per accident

$25,000 property damage

$25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person

$50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident

$25,000 uninsured motorist property damage

South Dakota $25,000 bodily injury per person

$50,000 bodily injury per accident

$25,000 property damage

$25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person

$50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident

Tennessee $25,000 bodily injury per person

$50,000 bodily injury per accident

$15,000 property damage

Texas $30,000 bodily injury per person

$60,000 bodily injury per accident

$25,000 property damage

Utah $25,000 bodily injury per person

$65,000 bodily injury per accident

$15,000 property damage

$3,000 personal injury protection

Vermont $25,000 bodily injury per person

$50,000 bodily injury per accident

$10,000 property damage

$50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person

$100,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident

$10,000 uninsured motorist property damage

Virginia (optional) $25,000 bodily injury per person

$50,000 bodily injury per accident

$20,000 property damage

$25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person

$50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident

$20,000 uninsured motorist property damage

Washington $25,000 bodily injury per person

$50,000 bodily injury per accident

$10,000 property damage

West Virginia $25,000 bodily injury per person

$50,000 bodily injury per accident

$25,000 property damage

$25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person

$50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident

$25,000 uninsured motorist property damage

Wisconsin $25,000 bodily injury per person

$50,000 bodily injury per accident

$10,000 property damage

$25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person

$50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident

Wyoming $25,000 bodily injury per person

$50,000 bodily injury per accident

$20,000 property damage

Recap

If you live in a state that requires auto insurance, your license could be suspended if you are caught driving without insurance. Each state is different and will penalize drivers by suspending the license, suspending the vehicle registration, issuing a fine, or all three.

Kimberlee Leonard
Written by:Kimberlee Leonard
Staff Writer
Kimberlee Leonard is a writer at AutoInsurance.com as well as a former State Farm agent licensed in the state of California. For six years, she helped people and businesses protect themselves and their assets. Kimberlee has also written about insurance for Fit Small Business in more than 100 articles. Since then, she has edited for the finance website Investopedia and outlets like Business.com, Forbes, and Seeking Alpha. Kimberlee is also the founder of Centsible Money, a website that answers insurance and other finance-related questions.

Citations

  1. What is an SR-22? Progressive. (2022).
    https://www.progressive.com/answers/sr-22/

  2. Can you get car insurance with a suspended license? Progressive. (2022).
    https://www.progressive.com/answers/car-insurance-with-suspended-license/