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Last updated: January 3, 2025
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.
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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.
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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. Only New Hampshire doesn’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.
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 | Yes |
| Alaska | Yes |
| Arizona | Yes |
| Arkansas | Yes |
| California | Yes |
| Colorado | Yes |
| Connecticut | Yes |
| Delaware | Yes |
| District of Columbia | Yes |
| Florida | Yes |
| Georgia | Yes |
| Hawaii | No |
| Idaho | Yes |
| Illinois | Yes |
| Indiana | Yes |
| Iowa | Yes |
| Kansas | No |
| Kentucky | Yes |
| Louisiana | No |
| Maine | Yes |
| Maryland | Yes |
| Massachusetts | Yes |
| Michigan | Yes |
| Minnesota | No |
| Mississippi | No |
| Missouri | Yes |
| Montana | Yes |
| 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 | No |
| Pennsylvania | Yes |
| Rhode Island | No |
| South Carolina | Yes |
| South Dakota | Yes |
| Tennessee | Yes |
| Texas | Yes |
| Utah | Yes |
| Vermont | Yes |
| Virginia | Yes |
| Washington | No |
| West Virginia | Yes |
| Wisconsin | Yes |
| Wyoming | No |
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.”
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 | Do you need to show proof of insurance to reinstate your license? |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $500 | No |
| Alaska | $500 | Yes |
| Arizona | $500 | Yes |
| Arkansas | $50-250 | Yes |
| California | $100-200 | No |
| Colorado | $500 | Yes |
| Connecticut | $100-1,000 | Yes |
| Delaware | $1,500-2,000 | 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 | $500-1,000 | No |
| Maine | $100 | Yes |
| Maryland | $1,000 | None |
| Massachusetts | $500 | Yes |
| Michigan | Up to $500 | Yes |
| Minnesota | $200-1,000 | Yes |
| Mississippi | Up to $1,00000 | Yes |
| Missouri | Up to $500 | Yes |
| Montana | $250 | No |
| Nebraska | $100 | Yes |
| Nevada | $250-1,000 | Yes |
| New Hampshire | None | N/A |
| New Jersey | $300-1,000 | Yes |
| New Mexico | Up to $300 | Yes |
| New York | $150-1,500 | Yes |
| North Carolina | $50 | Yes |
| North Dakota | $150-1,000 | Yes |
| Ohio | $100 | Yes |
| Oklahoma | $250 | Yes |
| Oregon | $135-1,000 | Yes |
| Pennsylvania | $300 | Yes |
| Rhode Island | $100 | Yes |
| South Carolina | Up to $200, plus $600 uninsured motorist fee | Yes |
| South Dakota | $100-500 | Yes |
| Tennessee | $300 | Yes |
| Texas | $175 | No |
| Utah | $400 | Yes |
| Vermont | Up to $500 | Yes |
| Virginia | $600 | Yes |
| Washington | $550 | No |
| West Virginia | $200 | Yes |
| Wisconsin | Up to $500 | No |
| Wyoming | $500-1,500 | 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 Nebraska 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 for first offense, 6 months for second offense |
| Alaska | 90 days for first offense, 1 year for subsequent offenses |
| Arizona | 90 days for first offense, 180 days for second offense |
| 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 for first offense, 90 days for second offense |
| Hawaii | 3 months for first offense, 1 year for second offense |
| Idaho | Until you provide proof of insurance |
| 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 | Until you provide proof of insurance |
| 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 | No insurance requirement |
| New Jersey | Up to 1 year |
| New Mexico | Until you provide proof of insurance |
| New York | Until you provide proof of insurance |
| North Carolina | 30 days |
| 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 | Until you provide proof of insurance |
| 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 | Until you provide proof of insurance |
| Wyoming | Until you provide proof of insurance |
What Other Penalties Are There if I Drive Without Insurance?
Some states have additional penalties — beyond a fine and/or license suspension — for driving without insurance.
| State | Penalties in addition to fine/license suspension |
|---|---|
| Alabama | Registration suspension and reinstatement fee |
| Arizona | Registration suspension for 90 days |
| Arkansas | Registration suspension |
| California | Vehicle impoundment |
| Connecticut | Registration suspension for 1-6 months |
| Georgia | Registration suspension for 60 days |
| Illinois | Registration suspension up to 3 months |
| Kansas | Registration suspension until you provide proof of insurance |
| Kentucky | Registration suspension |
| Maine | Registration suspension until you provide proof of insurance |
| Massachusetts | Registration suspension for 60 days |
| Minnesota | Registration suspension |
| New Mexico | Registration suspension until you provide proof of insurance |
| New York | Registration suspension until you provide proof of insurance |
| North Carolina | Registration suspension for 30 days |
| Oregon | Registration suspension until you provide proof of insurance |
| Pennsylvania | Registration suspension for 3 months |
| Rhode Island | Registration suspension for 3 months |
| Alaska, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming | None |
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 driver with a poor record.
FYI
An insurance lapse will increase your premiums in the future, because providers will view you as riskier to insure. If you’re struggling to afford auto insurance, consider dropping to minimum coverage rather than cancelling your policy.
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, including with providers that specialize in high-risk drivers, 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.1
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 and any vehicle or other property repair costs. 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 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 | $30,000 bodily injury per person
$60,000 bodily injury per accident $15,000 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 |
| District of Columbia | $25,000 bodily injury per person
$50,000 bodily injury per accident $10,000 property damage per accident $25,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per person $50,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per accident $5,000 uninsured motorist property damage per accident, $200 deductible |
| 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 $10,000 personal injury protection per accident (unless opted out of PIP) |
| Louisiana | $15,000 bodily injury per person
$30,000 bodily injury per accident $25,000 property damage |
| Maine | $50,000 bodily injury per person
$100,000 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 | $30,000 bodily injury per person
$60,000 bodily injury per accident $15,000 property damage |
| Massachusetts | $20,000 bodily injury per person
$40,000 bodily injury per accident $5,000 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 or lower if enrolled in Medicare |
| 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 |
Not required, but must meet financial responsibility requirements if liable in an accident:
$25,000 of bodily injury per person $50,000 of bodily injury per accident $25,000 in property damage per accident |
| New Jersey | $25,000 of bodily injury per person
$50,000 of bodily injury per accident $25,000 property damage $15,000 personal injury protection $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident $5,000 uninsured motorist property damage liability, with a $500 deductible |
| 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 $10,000 property damage $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident $50,000 personal injury protection |
| North Carolina | $50,000 bodily injury per person
$100,000 bodily injury per accident $50,000 property damage $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person $100,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident $50,000 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 $15,000 of personal injury protection per person |
| 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 $25,000 property damage |
| Texas | $30,000 bodily injury per person
$60,000 bodily injury per accident $25,000 property damage |
| Utah | $30,000 bodily injury per person
$65,000 bodily injury per accident $25,000 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 | $50,000 bodily injury per person
$100,000 bodily injury per accident $25,000 property damage $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person $100,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident $25,000 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 |
| Wyoming | $25,000 bodily injury per person
$50,000 bodily injury per accident $20,000 property damage |
Recap
In most states, your license could be suspended if you are caught driving without auto insurance. Each state is different and will penalize drivers by suspending the license, suspending the vehicle registration, issuing a fine, or all three.
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
Can you get car insurance with a suspended license? Progressive. (2022).
https://www.progressive.com/answers/car-insurance-with-suspended-license/
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