What Is the Penalty for Driving Without Insurance in Nevada?

Every driver must carry an auto insurance policy that satisfies their states’ minimum insurance requirements, and those requirements change from state to state. It is essential for all Nevada drivers to purchase adequate auto insurance coverage. Failure to do so can not only lead to severe legal complications but also significant financial liability.

Nevada Auto Insurance Requirements

The minimum insurance requirements in Nevada are 25/50/20.

• Each driver must carry a policy with $25,000 or more bodily injury or death liability coverage per person in a single accident the policyholder causes.
• Each driver must carry a policy with $50,000 or more bodily injury or death liability coverage of two or more people in a single accident caused by the policyholder.
• Each driver must carry a policy with $20,000 or more in property damage liability coverage to cover repairs or replacement of others’ personal property destroyed in the accident.

Drivers must also carry proof of insurance with them. Drivers can satisfy this requirement through mobile phone applications provided by insurance carriers or a printed card kept in the vehicle. The card must show the policy’s effective start date, group and policy number, and contact information for the insurance carrier.

All Nevada drivers must remember that the state’s minimum insurance requirements may not offer enough to fully cover the cost of a car accident. Most insurance carriers offer policyholders the option of purchasing additional coverage or additional types of coverage. For example, the minimum requirements will pay for the damage to another driver’s vehicle when the policyholder causes an accident, but the policyholder must have comprehensive or collision coverage to pay for damages to his or her own vehicle.

Penalties for Driving Without Insurance in Nevada

It is important to remember that Nevada does not allow for any type of grace period when it comes to lapses in insurance. If you must switch to another insurance carrier, adjust your policy, or switch to a different vehicle, it’s important to ensure your coverage does not lapse, even for a single day. The penalties for driving without insurance or with limited insurance can be severe.

For a first-time lapse in coverage of one to 30 days, the penalty is a $251 reinstatement fee. If the lapse was 31 to 90 days, there is also a $250 fine. The fine increases to $500 for a lapse of 91 to 180 days, and $1,000 for a lapse of 181 days or more. For a second offense, the reinstatement fee is $501 for a one- to 30-day lapse in coverage. If the lapse was 31 to 180 days, the fine is $500, increasing to $1,000 for 181 days or more in lapsed coverage.

If a driver has a third offense within five years, the reinstatement fee jumps to $751, but the driver must also purchase SR-22 insurance and faces a minimum of 30 days in jail. This jail penalty applies for all lapses in coverage between one and 181 days or more. Fines increase from $500 to $750 to $1,000 depending on the length of the lapse in coverage.

Avoiding These Penalties

It is important for all Nevada drivers to remember that the state uses a live monitoring system to track insured drivers in the state. As soon as a driver’s coverage lapses, the state knows, and if a police officer runs a license plate on a driver who does not currently have insurance coverage, that driver faces significant legal penalties.

A good rule of thumb for all drivers is to use an insurance carrier’s smartphone app, but also always keep a printed copy of your insurance document in your vehicle’s glove box. This affords you a second layer of protection in the event of a traffic stop. Be sure to print out a new insurance card for every renewal period. Generally, an auto insurance policy operates on a six-month basis, so every six months drivers should print new insurance cards to keep in their vehicles.

If you or a family member was seriously injured in a car accident, contact a Las Vegas car accident lawyer at Cogburn Law Offices today for a free case consultation.