Is it illegal to not have car insurance in California? This question is about Driving Without Insurance

No, it is not illegal to not have car insurance in California as long as you do not drive at all or do not own a registered vehicle. Driving without insurance in California is against the law, though, and the potential penalties include fines up to $500 and driver's license suspension. When You Do Not Legally Need Car Insurance in California You do not have a driver’s license or never drive. If you don’t have a license, there is no need to have car insurance since you legally cannot be behind the wheel of a car anyway. Additionally, if you have a license but never drive, you have no need for car insurance. You do not own a registered vehicle. California requires that all drivers show proof of insurance when registering their vehicle. If you own an unregistered car that you are just trying to re-sell or that is a project you are working on fixing, you do not need car insurance. You occasionally drive borrowed cars. When you drive another person’s car with their permission, you are covered by their car insurance policy under permissive use, so you do not need to have your own car insurance. You can also get a non-owner policy, instead, to have additional coverage when driving borrowed cars. You drive rental cars. Rental cars can be covered by an insurance policy provided by the rental car company, so you do not need your own personal car insurance to rent a car. If you plan to drive a registered vehicle in California, you’ll need to have at least the minimum amount of coverage required by California law. You can check out WalletHub’s picks for the cheapest car insurance companies in California to compare your options.

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Is it illegal to not have car insurance in California?

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This question is about Driving Without Insurance

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McKayla Girardin, Car Insurance Writer

@mckayla_girardin • 09/29/22 This answer was first published on 03/16/22 and it was last updated on 09/29/22.For the most current information about a financial product, you should always check and confirm accuracy with the offering financial institution. Editorial and user-generated content is not provided, reviewed or endorsed by any company.

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No, it is not illegal to not have car insurance in California as long as you do not drive at all or do not own a registered vehicle. Driving without insurance in California is against the law, though, and the potential penalties include fines up to $500 and driver's license suspension.

When You Do Not Legally Need Car Insurance in California

You do not have a driver’s license or never drive. If you don’t have a license, there is no need to have car insurance since you legally cannot be behind the wheel of a car anyway. Additionally, if you have a license but never drive, you have no need for car insurance.

You do not own a registered vehicle. California requires that all drivers show proof of insurance when registering their vehicle. If you own an unregistered car that you are just trying to re-sell or that is a project you are working on fixing, you do not need car insurance.

You occasionally drive borrowed cars. When you drive another person’s car with their permission, you are covered by their car insurance policy under permissive use, so you do not need to have your own car insurance. You can also get a non-owner policy, instead, to have additional coverage when driving borrowed cars.

You drive rental cars. Rental cars can be covered by an insurance policy provided by the rental car company, so you do not need your own personal car insurance to rent a car.

If you plan to drive a registered vehicle in California, you’ll need to have at least the minimum amount of coverage required by California law. You can check out WalletHub’s picks for the cheapest car insurance companies in California to compare your options.

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What happens if you're in an accident without insurance?

If you’re in an accident without insurance and you are at fault, you will need to pay out of pocket for any damage or injuries you cause. You will also face your state’s penalties for driving without insurance, which could include fines, a suspended license, and even jail time. If you are uninsured and the other driver is at fault, however, their insurance will cover your bills up to their policy limits.

Almost every state requires car insurance,...

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How Long Can You Be Without Car Insurance?

You cannot be without car insurance for any period of time if you have a car that is parked or driven on public property. Car insurance is mandatory in every state except New Hampshire and Virginia, and even driving off a dealership’s lot without insurance is illegal.

If you have an existing insurance policy, your car insurance company may have a grace period of 0 to 30 days after the payment due date, giving you...

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Can you get away with driving uninsured?

No, you can’t get away with driving uninsured for a long period of time. Driving without insurance is illegal and always a bad idea because of the consequences you could face if you get caught, including hefty fines, a license suspension and even jail time. It’s sometimes possible to drive uninsured briefly, but your state DMV will eventually find out.

When an existing car insurance policy lapses or gets canceled, the insurer notifies the DMV, which...

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