Driving Without Insurance in Georgia

If the state finds out that your insurance has been terminated, you’ll have 30 days to provide coverage. A lapse occurs when you are without coverage for 10 or more days. If your insurance has lapsed, you’ll have to pay a $25 lapse fee and a $60 registration reinstatement fee for your first offense.²

If you’re caught driving without insurance, you’ll have 30 days to provide it. If you don’t, you’ll have to pay another $160 fee, and the state will add three points to your driver’s license.

What Proof Is Required?

Your insurance company will submit your coverage information electronically to the state’s Department of Revenue. But when you’re driving, you can use any of the following as proof of insurance:

• Insurance identification card (paper or digital)
• Rental agreement (for a vehicle that is rented)
• Fleet insurance policy card
• Bill of sale and valid insurance binder
• Self-insured card and certificate or self-insurance
• Card for Georgia International Registration Plan⁴

If you’ve been convicted multiple times for driving without insurance, the state will require you to carry an SR-22 form in order to reinstate your license. After 90 days, you’ll be eligible to have your license reinstated, but your insurance company will need to file an SR-22 with the state to prove that you have minimum coverage. You’ll have to maintain this form for three years.

The following companies have some of the best cheap auto insurance in Georgia:

• GEICO
• State Farm
• USAA
• Progressive
• Direct

Shop around for quotes to find the cheapest rates for you.

In addition, there are other steps you can take to lower your rates after an insurance lapse:

Take a Driver Improvement Course

Georgia allows you to get seven points deducted from your driving record every five years if you complete a certified driver improvement course.

Once you’ve completed the course, either mail the certificate of completion to the Department of Driver Services customer service center or to the following address:

• Georgia Department of Driver Services
• P.O. Box 80447
• Conyers, Georgia 30013⁶

With fewer points on your record, more car insurance companies in Georgia will want you as a customer.

Shop With High-Risk Companies

Some companies cater to high-risk drivers specifically. For example, Direct Auto, one of our picks for the best auto insurance companies in Georgia, is ideal for individuals with violations on their driving record, as well as those with a poor credit score, which is also considered a high-risk category. Direct Auto accepts not only people convicted for driving without insurance, but also those convicted for:

• Speeding
• Reckless driving
• Driving under the influence
• Failure to appear in court
• Failing to pay child support

If you were fined and don’t think you deserved it, you can appear in court and enter a not-guilty plea to request a jury trial. At the trial, the judge will hear your case, but keep in mind that if you’re found guilty, you’ll have to pay your fine anyway.⁷

Here are some basic laws you should know before driving in Georgia.

Minimum Coverage

Georgia requires that you carry liability coverage with the following limits:

• Bodily injury liability coverage per person: $25,000
• Bodily injury liability coverage per accident: $50,000
• Property damage liability coverage per accident: $25,000⁵

Registration

If you are registering a new car, moving counties within Georgia, or moving to Georgia from another state, you’ll need to register your car within 30 days, either in person or by mail with your county tag office. Find your nearest county tag office to get started.

In order to register your vehicle, you’ll need the following documents:

• Valid Georgia driver’s license or identification card
• Proof of ownership (vehicle title, manufacturer’s certificate of origin, or registration certification)
• Filled out Form MV-1
• Proof of insurance

Once your car is registered, you’ll have to renew your registration within a month of receiving a renewal notice. You can do so in one of three ways:

• Online
• Self-service kiosk
• County tag office

Even though Georgia requires liability coverage, 19 percent of drivers do not comply, which is higher than the national average.⁹ Perhaps part of the reason is cost; Georgia has the eighth-highest average cost of car insurance in the county, with an annual rate of $1,255, 20 percent more than the national average.

If you’re having trouble finding car insurance you can afford in Georgia, consider one of the best low-income auto insurance companies. The agents at these companies will help you customize a policy to your needs and your budget, with actions like having minimum coverage only, applying discounts, and bundling multiple policies. For example, getting liability coverage in Georgia costs an average of only $1,064 per year, $866 less than full coverage car insurance.