Getting caught driving without insurance on your car is just one of those things most people don’t pay too much attention to until it’s too late and they are caught driving without insurance. A person’s reasons for driving without insurance vary, but the important thing to learn before it’s too late is that the penalties for driving without insurance go far beyond just a slap on the wrist with a ticket from the police.

Not only are you going to pay a hefty fine that can goes as high as $1,000 depending on what state you live in, but you are also going to have to deal with your state’s DMV office because you are going to have to get your license reinstated with them before you can legally drive again and there are going to be requirements that you will have to meet to get your license back.

The biggest and most costly requirement the DMV is going to impose on you is that they are going to require you to have an SR22 insurance filing with them before they reinstate your license. An SR22 filing is a form that your insurance provider is going to file with the DMV stating that you have purchased a insurance policy from your insurance provider that at least meets the state’s minimum auto insurance coverage limits.

The SR22 filing is an agreement between the DMV and your insurance company that states that if for any reason there is a lapse in your insurance coverage that your insurance provider is suppose to informing the DMV of the lapse in coverage. If a lapse in coverage occurs the DMV is going to send you a letter in the mail telling you that your license has been suspend and that in order to reinstate it you are going to have to file another SR22 form with the DMV before they will reinstate your license.

Your DMV is also going to have a license reinstatement fee that you will have to pay to get your license back.

The DMV is going to require you to maintain your SR22 filing with them for a period between 6 months and several years, depending on the state you live in. An SR22 insurance policy will can cost you 2 to 3 times as much as your auto insurance would have been before you were caught driving without insurance.