The Penalty for Driving Without Insurance and a Registration in Nevada

Nevada’s law requires that every driver carries a minimum amount of auto insurance coverage and properly registers their vehicles with the state. These requirements cost money, but they are critical to maintaining maximum safety on our roads.

Any driver who does not meet these requirements and is pulled over or in an accident can face serious penalties. If a driver hit you and does not have insurance, you should immediately discuss your options with our car accident attorneys at Cloward Trial Lawyers.

Make Sure You’re Covered with Minimum Coverage

Buying the minimum insurance is well worth the expense.

So, make sure you’re covered for minimum liability insurance for 25/50/25. That means you need $25,000 per injury and $50,000 per car accident. The minimum coverage includes $25,000 for property damage per accident.

While drivers can get caught driving without insurance after being pulled over by the police, Nevada’s electronic database may also flag you if you’re driving uninsured.

How Much It Costs

How much you’ll pay depends on the number of days your coverage has lapsed and whether you’ve received a prior conviction for the same offense.

Plus, you don’t get a grace period when you don’t renew your policy. Even if you go without coverage for one day, you risk a suspension of your registration.

Paying for Reinstatement of Your License

To reinstate your registration, you likely must pay a reinstatement fee of $250. This amount is assessed when you go without insurance for up to 90 days, and it’s your first offense.

If a driver goes without insurance for 91 to 180 days, they might have to pay $500 to get reinstated and drive. If they had been driving without coverage for over 180 days, they would have had to pay a fine of $1,000 – just to get back on the road again.

Besides paying a fine, drivers might have to surrender their driver’s license until they can send proof that they have reinstated their coverage.

Filing an SR-22

If you had let the coverage lapse over 91 days, your insurance company would have had to file an SR-22. This has to take place before you can lawfully drive again. Plus, the form can stay on file with the DMV for three years.

An SR-22 is a certificate of financial responsibility your insurance carrier gives the DMV to show you’re driving with insurance. It raises your rates by about $95 per year in Nevada. Plus, you’ll need to pay about $25 extra for the filing. The violation, not the SR-22, is what technically leads to the increase.

What Happens If You’re Charged A Second Time?

Drivers should never plan to repeat this offense, as they should assume stiffer penalties. For example, if you’re caught driving without insurance a second time (within a 5-year span), you’ll have to pay $500 if you go uninsured for up to 181 days or $1,000 if you’re without insurance for over 181 days. Moreover, the reinstatement fee doubles to $500. The state holds your license until you’re insured. An SR-22 is required for going without insurance for over 90 days.

What You’ll Pay for 3 or More Offenses

A third offense gets worse, as you’re labeled a habitual offender. You’ll assess a fine of $500 for driving without insurance for up to 90 days, or $750 if you go without insurance from 91 to 180 days. A fine of $1,000 is assessed for over 180 days and the payment for reinstatement leaps to $750.00. Your license will be suspended for 30 days, even if you show proof of coverage.

After you commit a third offense, your insurer has to file an SR-22 (showing you’re a high-risk driver), regardless of the number of days that the insurance has lapsed. Even if you’ve only been without coverage for one day, the SR-22 is required. Another three years are added to the SR-22 requirement.

By the time you’ve committed a third offense, it’s pretty difficult to buy insurance.

Obtain Legal Help from an Experienced Car Accident Lawyer

Our legal team always suggests you reach out to an experienced motor vehicle lawyer in Nevada if you’ve been in a collision with someone without auto insurance. Contact Cloward Trial Lawyers now to learn more about your rights.