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Driving Without Valid Insurance in Illinois

Driving Without Valid InsuranceUnder Illinois law, driving without valid insurance is charged under 625 ILCS 5/3-707 (operation of uninsured motor vehicle), which requires that every driver on the road has the minimum vehicle liability insurance coverage required. If you are ticketed for driving without valid insurance, it is likely that you will be required to appear in court. The attorneys at The Davis Law Group, P.C. have represented countless drivers charged with operating an uninsured motor vehicle.

Penalties for Driving without Valid Insurance

Driving without insurance is charged as a petty offense under most scenarios, but carries with it serious consequences. A first conviction of this offense will subject the driver to a three-month driver’s license suspension by the Illinois Secretary of State with a minimum mandatory $500 fine (maximum fine of $1,000) plus court costs, and a $100 reinstatement fee. An additional six-month license suspension will be imposed for any person convicted for driving without insurance while currently suspended for driving without insurance.

A third or subsequent conviction will subject the driver to minimum mandatory fines of $1,000 plus court costs. In addition, a $100 reinstatement fee must be paid to the Secretary of State in order to terminate a mandatory insurance suspension.

Operation of a motor vehicle without insurance, which results in bodily harm to another person is charged as a Class A misdemeanor.

After-Acquired/Late Compliance Insurance

Acquiring insurance after receiving a ticket for driving without valid insurance is not a defense in court. However, showing proof of insurance on the vehicle that is valid at the time of your court date may allow you to obtain court supervision and avoid a driver's license suspension as long as you have not previously been found guilty of this offense. This is true whether you previously received court supervision or a conviction for driving without insurance. Under these circumstances, a $100 fine plus court costs will be assessed.

SR-22 Requirement

A driver that receives court supervision or a third or subsequent conviction for driving without valid insurance will be required to obtain SR-22 insurance from their insurance company for a three-year period. SR-22 insurance is a special type of insurance that is reported to the Secretary of State on a monthly basis. As a result, failure to maintain the SR-22 insurance for the required period of time imposed by the Secretary of State will result in a suspended license.

Electronic Proof of Insurance

All drivers should carry their current insurance card in their vehicle at all times. Illinois law does also allow a driver to use their smart phone or tablet to show proof of auto insurance. However, a charge of driving without valid insurance will typically require an in-person court appearance. Therefore, if you have difficulty accessing your proof of insurance or the officer becomes impatient and writes you a ticket, you will need to appear in front of a judge to address the situation.

Contact our Traffic Attorneys

The traffic attorneys at The Davis Law Group, P.C. represent clients in traffic-related matters throughout Illinois and the Chicago area including Cook County, Lake County and DuPage County. Our attorneys offer phone consultations on a wide variety of traffic tickets. Contact us today to discuss your case.


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