Penalties for Driving without Insurance in Indiana
If you're caught driving without the minimum amount of car insurance in Indiana, there can be serious penalties. The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) might bar you from driving for a year. You could also pay $250–$1,000 to get your license reinstated and be required to file an SR-22 certificate for up to five years.
Fine and Fee | Driving Privilege Penalty | Other | |
|---|---|---|---|
| $250 reinstatement | Driver's license suspended for at least 90 days | SR-22 certificate for 180 days | |
| $500 reinstatement | Driver's license suspended for one year; registration can also be suspended for one year | SR-22 certificate for three years | |
| $1,000 reinstatement | Driver's license suspended for one year; registration can also be suspended for one year | SR-22 certificate for five years |
Penalties for driving without insurance
Indiana drivers must have liability auto insurance with coverage of at least 25/50/25. Proof of this coverage must be provided to the state after an accident or traffic violation through a certificate of compliance (COC). If you receive a request to provide a COC, your Indiana insurance company must submit the certificate, proving you had proper coverage.
If the COC is not submitted within 90 days of the request, your driving privileges will be suspended until the certificate is submitted.
Failure to have up-to-date, appropriate insurance coverage can result in suspension of your driver's license and registration for a full year. If you are convicted of driving without insurance, you'll pay reinstatement fees of $250–$1,000, depending on whether you have prior offenses. You'll also be required to file an SR-22 certificate for up to five years.
Penalties for first offense
If you fail to present proof of active insurance when requested by law enforcement, such as at a traffic stop or the scene of a car crash, you risk losing your driving privileges. For your first offense, your driver's license will be suspended for at least 90 days, and you'll have to pay a fee of $250 to get it back. If you're found to be operating without insurance, you'll be required to provide proof of future financial responsibility (an SR-22 certificate) for 180 days.
Penalties for second offense
If you're caught a second time within five years of a previous violation, your driver's license will be suspended for one year and the reinstatement fee will jump to $500. Your registration may also be suspended for one year. If you're found to be operating without insurance, you'll have to file an SR-22 certificate for three years.
Penalties for third and subsequent offenses
If the third offense occurs within five years of a previous violation, your driver's license will be suspended again for a full year, and you'll pay $1,000 to get your driver's license reinstated. Your car's registration may also be suspended again for one year. With a third uninsured offense, you'll have to file an SR-22 certificate for five years.