Penalties for Driving without Insurance in Missouri
Depending on the circumstances, you could incur serious penalties if you’re caught driving without the required insurance in Missouri. You could lose your driving privileges for an entire year and be forced to pay a $400 reinstatement fee, on top of a $500 fine and/or 15 days in jail if you are a repeat offender. Also, "no insurance" tickets can never be removed from your record in Missouri.
Types of penalties | First offense | Second offense | Third and subsequent offenses |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Fine | Not to exceed $500 | $200–$500 | $200–$500 |
| Driving privileges | Driver's license, registration and license plates suspended until adequate insurance is obtained | Driver's license, registration and license plates suspended for 90 days | Driver's license, registration and license plates suspended for one year |
| Reinstatement requirements | $20 fee | $200 fee | $400 fee |
| Driving record | 4 points | 4 points | 4 points |
| Community service and/or imprisonment | N/A | Up to 15 days in jail | Up to 15 days in jail |
Penalties for driving without insurance in Missouri
All Missouri drivers have to carry minimum liability car insurance or have an acceptable bond or cash deposit on file as proof of financial responsibility.
The Missouri Department of Revenue requires all drivers to carry proof of that financial responsibility and provide it when requested. If you fail to provide proof, even if the car is insured, you will receive a ticket of "no insurance." If you can show the court you had proper coverage at the time of the citation, most courts will dismiss your "no insurance" traffic ticket before putting it on your record.
If you did not have proper insurance coverage at the time of the ticket and want to regain your driving privileges, you’ll need to pay a reinstatement fee ranging from $20 to $400, depending on the offense, and show proof of the minimum required insurance with your insurance ID card or policy.
Additional penalties vary by the number of previous violations you have on record.
Penalties for first offense
If you fail to present valid proof of active insurance when requested by law enforcement, such as at traffic stops or the scene of an accident, you’ll be charged with a class D misdemeanor in Missouri. For the first offense, your driver’s license, registration and license plates will be suspended until you prove you’ve obtained insurance. You’ll also get four points added to your driving record and have to pay a fine, not exceeding $500. To regain driving privileges, you’ll pay a $20 fee.
Penalties for second offense
If the second offense occurs within two years of a previous violation, you’ll be suspended from driving for 90 days. You’ll also get four points added to your driving record. A second conviction of driving without insurance is also punishable by jail time of 15 days and/or a fine of $200–$500.
You’ll have to provide proof of insurance and pay a $200 reinstatement fee to get your driving privileges back.
Penalties for third and subsequent offenses
If the third offense occurs within two years of a previous violation, your driver’s license, registration and license plates will be suspended for one year, and the reinstatement fee will jump to $400 to get them back. You’ll face the possibility of another 15 days in jail and/or a fine between $200 and $500. Like other offenses, you’ll also get four points added to your driving record.
Reducing or eliminating the fine
If you were actually insured at the time of the citation, but could not show proof, you can appeal to reduce or eliminate the fine. Provide proof of insurance to the court clerk before a potential court date, and your ticket can be dismissed. However, you will still need to pay a small court administration fee, ranging from $25 to $75.
In some cases, if your car was not insured and you were ticketed for "no proof of insurance," you can provide proof that you purchased insurance after the traffic stop, and your ticket could be reduced to a lesser charge.
Missouri points system
Every conviction of driving uninsured will add four points to your driving record. If you accumulate 12 points in 12 months, your license can be revoked for one year. If you accumulate eight points within 18 months in Missouri, your driver’s license can be suspended for 30 days, assuming this is your first suspension. The suspension increases to 60 days if it’s your second, and 90 days for every subsequent suspension.
Penalties for driving without insurance in an accident
If you have been involved in an accident and have not maintained the proper amounts of liability insurance, you’ll be mailed a Notice of Suspension. The same fees and suspension lengths apply to owners convicted of driving without insurance at the time of an accident.
Also, if you are found at fault for the accident and do not pay for the damages, you’ll face losing your driving privileges for a year, until you pay a $20 reinstatement fee and provide the liability with proof that the damages from the accident have been settled. To reinstate, you will be required to file an SR-22 certificate for three years after reinstatement. You must ask your Missouri auto insurance provider to file the SR-22 for you.