Driving Without Insurance

Section 319-1 of the New York Code outlines the penalties and potential fines for driving without insurance, for allowing another person to drive your uninsured vehicle or for not carrying proof of insurance in your vehicle. For these offenses, a judge has the option to suspend your license and car registration, impose a jail sentence of up to 15 days and a fine of up to $1,500. The officer who stopped you may also impound your vehicle.
If these offenses involve a traffic accident, a traffic court judge may also suspend both your license and car registration for one year. In addition to these penalties and fines, you’ll also need to pay a $750 fee to reinstate your license and car registration.
Driving with Lapsed Insurance
If you get caught driving with insurance lapsed for 90 days or less and you reinstate the policy immediately, you’ll pay a fine but won’t face a registration suspension. The amount you’ll owe is a per-day fee according to how long it’s been since the policy lapsed:
  • $8 per day for the first 30 days
  • $10 per day for 31 to 60 days
  • $12 per day for 61 to 90 days
    • For example, if the lapse is 65 days, the total penalty will be $600. The fine breaks down to $8 per day for the first 30 days, $10 per day for the next 30 days and $12 per day for the remaining five days. The alternative is to surrender your license plates and serve a registration suspension of 90 days.