How Many Drivers Are Uninsured?

Getting caught driving without car insurance can cost you in monetary fines, a suspended license or registration, community service, and jail time. Read here to learn how many drivers are uninsured.
Written by Cheryl Knight
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
background
Many states 
require car owners to insure their vehicles
 before they can drive them on roadways. Even with laws in place, up to 12.6% of drivers in the U.S. are uninsured, according to the Insurance Research Council.
To help combat this, many states enforce insurance laws in place by penalizing individuals caught driving without 
car insurance
. Here's a look at uninsured rates by state and the penalties in each state for driving without car insurance, compiled by 
Jerry
.
Compare insurance quotes from 50+ insurance companies with Jerry in under 45 seconds
Compare insurance quotes from 50+ insurance companies with Jerry in under 45 seconds
icon4.7/5 rating on the App Store | Trusted by 5+ million customers and 7 million cars
icon4.7/5 app rating | Trusted by 5M+ drivers

What percentage of drivers are uninsured?

According to a 
2014 Insurance Research Council study
, more than 1 in 10 drivers in the U.S. drive without car insurance. The following table breaks down the percentage of uninsured drivers on the roadways by state:
State
Percentage of Drivers Without Insurance
National Average
12.60%
Alabama
19.60%
Alaska
13.20%
Arizona
10.60%
Arkansas
15.90%
California
14.70%
Colorado
16.20%
Connecticut
8.00%
Delaware
11.50%
D.C.
11.90%
Florida
23.80%
Georgia
11.70%
Hawaii
8.90%
Idaho
6.70%
Illinois
13.30%
Indiana
14.20%
Iowa
9.70%
Kansas
9.40%
Kentucky
15.80%
Louisiana
13.90%
Maine
4.70%
Maryland
12.20%
Massachusetts
3.90%
Michigan
21.00%
Minnesota
10.80%
Mississippi
22.90%
Missouri
13.50%
Montana
14.10%
Nebraska
6.70%
Nevada
12.20%
New Hampshire
9.30%
New Jersey
10.30%
New Mexico
21.60%
New York
5.30%
North Carolina
9.10%
North Dakota
5.90%
Ohio
13.50%
Oklahoma
25.90%
Oregon
9.00%
Pennsylvania
6.50%
Rhode Island
17.00%
South Carolina
7.70%
South Dakota
7.80%
Tennessee
20.10%
Texas
13.30%
Utah
5.80%
Vermont
8.50%
Virginia
10.10%
Washington
16.10%
West Virginia
8.40%
Wisconsin
11.70%
Wyoming
8.70%

Penalties for driving your car uninsured

Each state differs on how they punish drivers who get caught driving without car insurance. The various state penalties for driving without car insurance include:
State
Penalties for Driving Without Car Insurance
Alabama
First offense: license suspended for 45 days and/or a $500 fine. Succeeding offenses: license suspended up to six,months and/or a $1,000 fine.
Alaska
First offense: license suspended for 90 days. Succeeding offenses: license suspended for one year.
Arizona
First offense: license suspended up to three months and a $250 fine. Second offenses (within 36 months): license and registration suspended up to six months and a $500 fine. Third offense: license and registration suspended for one year and a $750 fine.
Arkansas
First offense: fine of $50 to $250. Second offense: fine of $250 to $500. Succeeding offenses: fine of $500 to $1,000 and/or one year in jail.
California
First offense: fine of $100 to $200. Succeeding offenses (within 3 years): fine of $200 to $500. Defendant must provide proof of insurance in court or face greater fines.
Colorado
First offense: fine of $500. Succeeding offenses: fine of $1,000 and up to 40 hours of community service.
Connecticut
First offense: fine of $35. Succeeding offenses: fine of $50.
Delaware
First offense: license suspended for six months and a fine of $1,500 to $2,000. Succeeding offenses: license and registration suspended for six months and a fine of $3,000 to $4,000.
District of Columbia
First offense: fine of $300 to $500. Succeeding offenses: fine of $500 to $2,000 and/or up to 90 days jail time.
Florida
Automatic suspension of license and registration if unable to provide proof of insurance in court.
Georgia
Fine of $500 and/or one year in jail. Registration suspended until fine paid and able to provide proof of insurance.
Hawaii
First offense: fine of $500. Succeeding offenses: fine of $2,500. Judge can suspend the fine for the first offense and order community service.
Idaho
First offense: fine of $75. Succeeding offenses: fine of up to $1,000 and/or six months in jail.
Illinois
Fine of $500 to $1,000 and license suspended for three months.
Indiana
First offense: Possible license and registration suspension for one year. Succeeding offenses (within five years): license suspended for one year.
Iowa
Receive a traffic ticket and have the vehicle license plate and registration receipt removed. Law enforcement can also impound the vehicle.
Kansas
First offense: fine of $300 to $1,000, in addition to a possible six months in jail. Succeeding offenses (within three years): suspension of license and registration and a fine of $800 to $2,500.
Kentucky
First offense: fine of $500 to $1,000 and/or jail time of 90n days. Succeeding offenses (within five years): fine of $1,000 to $2,500 and/or jail time of 180 days.
Louisiana
First offense: impoundment of license plate requiring a reinstatement fee of $50. Second offense: fine of $150. Succeeding offenses: fine of $500.
Maine
Fine of $100 to $500 and suspension of license and registration for 30 days.
Maryland
Suspension of registration for one to 30 days and a fine of $150. After 30 days, the fine increases by $7 per day to a maximum fine of $2,500 for a 12-month period.
Massachusetts
First offense: fine of $500. Succeeding offenses: fine ranging from $500 to $5,000 and/or jail time of one year.
Michigan
Fine of $200 to $500 and/or jail time of one year.
Minnesota
First offense: fine of $200 to $1,000 and/or jail time of up to 90 days. Succeeding offenses (within 10 years): fine of $200 to $3,000 and/or jail time of one year.
Mississippi
Fine of $500 and jail suspension of license for up to one year.
Missouri
Driver's license suspension and assessment of points on driving record.
Montana
First offense: fine of $250 to $500 and/or jail time of 10 days. Second offense (within five years): fine of $350 and/or jail time of 10 days. In addition, expect suspension or even surrender of vehicle registration and license plate until proof of insurance provided. Third or succeeding offenses (within five years): fine of $500 and/or jail time of up to six months and suspension or surrender of license plate and registration until proof of insurance shown. Fourth offense: driver's license suspension and surrender.
Nebraska
Suspension of driver's license.
Nevada
Fine of up to $1,000 plus civil penalties ranging from $600 to $1,000 and license and registration suspension.
New Hampshire
Suspension of driver's license, vehicle registration, and license plate until damages paid and pay any reinstatement and restoration fees.
New Jersey
First offense: fine of $300 to $1,000, lose the right to drive for one year, and serve community service. Succeeding offenses: fine of $5,000, lose right to drive for two years, serve 30 days of community service, and jail time of 14 days.
New Mexico
Suspension of registration and a fine of $300.
New York
Fine of $150 to $1,500, plus a $750 civil penalty and/or jail time of up to 15 days.
North Carolina
First offense: revocation of registration for 30 days and a fine of $50. Second offense (within three years): fine of $100. Third offense: fine of $150.
North Dakota
First offense: suspension or revocation of registration until proof of insurance shown and a minimum fine of $150. Succeeding offenses (within 18 months): minimum fine of $300.
Ohio
First offense: fine of $75, license suspended for three months, and revocation of registration. Second violation (within five years): license suspension for one year. Succeeding offenses: license suspension for two years.
Oklahoma
Fine of up to $250 and/or jail time of 30 days, plus lose right to drive until pay a reinstatement fee and provide proof of insurance.
Oregon
Suspension of driver's license or revocation of vehicle registration.
Pennsylvania
Fine of $300 and a suspension of driver's license and registration for three months.
Rhode Island
First offense: fine of $100 to $500 and suspension of license and registration for up to three months. Second offense: fine of $500 and up to a six-month suspension of license and registration. Third and succeeding offenses: fine of $1,000 and up to a one year suspension of license and registration.
South Carolina
First offense: fine of $100 to $200 and/or jail time of up to 30 days. Second offense (within five years): fine of $200,and/or jail time of 30 days. Third or succeeding offenses (within five,years): jail time ranging from 45 days to six months.
South Dakota
Suspension of driver's license ranging from 30 days to one year.
Tennessee
Fine of $100.
Texas
First offense: fine of $175 to $350. Succeeding offenses: fine of $350 to $2,000.
Utah
First offense: fine of $400. Succeeding offenses (within three years): fine of $1,000 and suspension of driver's license until proof of insurance provided.
Vermont
Fine of $100 and must provide proof of insurance to regain suspended driver's license.
Virginia
Suspension of driver's license and vehicle registration.
Washington
Fine of up to $250 or community restitution, such as performing community service.
West Virginia
First offense: fine of $200 to $5,000, suspension of driver's license for 30 days, and vehicle registration revoked until proof of insurance provided. Succeeding offenses: fine of $200 to $5,000 and/or jail time ranging from 15 days to one year.
Wisconsin
Fine of up to $5,000.
Wyoming
First offense: fine of $250 to $750, license suspended until proof of insurance provided, and/or jail time of up to six months. Succeeding offenses: fine of $500 to $1,500, suspension of license until providing proof of insurance, and/o jail time of up to six months.
Are you overpaying for your car insurance?
Compare quotes and find out in 45 seconds.
No spam or unwanted phone calls · No long forms
No spam or unwanted phone calls · No long forms · No fees
icon4.717k Ratings
5M+Drivers Joined
7M+Cars Garaged
Uninsured motorists drive up car insurance premiums for drivers who opt to follow the law and keep coverage on their vehicles. Luckily, many car insurance companies offer 
uninsured motorist coverage
 to help if you find yourself in an accident with an uninsured driver.
And if you need to shop for some new insurance, 
Jerry
 can help you find affordable coverage with a car insurance company that offers the required amount of liability and uninsured motorist coverage to help keep you safe on the road.
Are you overpaying for car insurance?
Compare quotes and find out in 45 seconds.
Try Jerry

Easiest way to compare and buy car insurance

√
No long forms
√
No spam or unwanted phone calls
√
Quotes from top insurance companies
Find insurance savings