Virginia requires at least $50,000 of bodily injury liability per person, $100,000 per accident and $25,000 of property damage liability, often written as 50/100/25. Those limits apply to policies effective on or after January 1, 2025. Every policy also includes uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage at no less than those minimums.
Virginia no longer lets you pay a fee instead of buying insurance. That option, the Uninsured Motor Vehicle fee, ended on July 1, 2024.
Key Takeaways
- Virginia requires 50/100/25 liability coverage, and your policy includes uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage at no less than those limits.
- By default, Virginia’s underinsured motorist coverage pays without any credit for the at-fault driver’s liability coverage. A named insured can sign an election to reduce UIM payments by that coverage.
- Paying a fee instead of insuring your car is no longer allowed. An uninsured owner’s license and registration are suspended until they pay a $600 noncompliance fee and file an SR-22 for three years.
- A DUI conviction requires an FR-44 filing, with double the state’s minimum limits, for three years.
Virginia Minimum Car Insurance at a Glance
| Coverage | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Bodily injury liability | $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident |
| Property damage liability | $25,000 per accident |
| Uninsured and underinsured motorist | Matches your liability limits unless you reject the higher amount, but never below 50/100/25 |
| Medical expense and income loss coverage | Optional. Insurers provide it on request. |
| Collision and comprehensive | Not required by law, but usually required by lenders and lessors |
The Virginia DMV lists these limits for policies effective on or after January 1, 2025, and they’re set in Va. Code 46.2-472. Before 2025, the minimum was 30/60/20, so older guides may show outdated numbers. RateFrog’s guide to liability limits explains what 50/100/25 pays for.
Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage in Virginia
Under Va. Code 38.2-2206, your uninsured motorist (UM) limits match your liability limits unless a named insured rejects the extra coverage by notifying the insurer. Even then, UM can’t go below the 50/100/25 minimums. If the owner or driver of the uninsured vehicle can’t be identified, such as a hit-and-run driver who is never found, your insurer may exclude the first $200 of the property damage loss.
Virginia’s underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage works in your favor by default. A driver counts as underinsured when their coverage is less than your total damages, and your UIM pays without any credit for the at-fault driver’s liability coverage. A named insured can sign an election to reduce UIM payments by that coverage, which shrinks what you can collect.
Here’s a hypothetical example. Your damages come to $180,000, the at-fault driver’s insurer pays its $50,000 limit, and you carry $100,000 of UIM. With the default coverage, your UIM can pay up to $100,000 toward the remaining damages. With the reduced option, it can pay up to $50,000. RateFrog’s guide to uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage explains how these coverages work in other states.
How Virginia Checks Your Insurance
The DMV runs an electronic insurance verification program with insurers, which report policy information directly to the state. Under Va. Code 46.2-706, the DMV compares that information with its vehicle records and can ask an owner to verify coverage. If you don’t provide the information within 30 days, the law requires the DMV to suspend your driver’s license and your registrations and license plates.
The program is active. In its insurance verification report for the year ending June 30, 2024, the DMV said it issued insurance verification and denied-insurance notices to 353,529 vehicle owners, which led to 124,651 suspension orders.
After a crash that has to be reported, a police officer can require the driver to show that the vehicle was insured. Under Va. Code 46.2-902.1, failing to provide that proof within 30 days is a Class 2 misdemeanor. RateFrog didn’t find an official Virginia source that addresses showing proof on a phone, so keep your insurance card in the car. RateFrog’s guide to getting proof of insurance fast can help if you need one right away.
Penalties for Driving Without Insurance in Virginia
Under Va. Code 46.2-707, an owner who drives an uninsured vehicle, or lets someone else drive it, is guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor, which carries a fine of up to $500 under Va. Code 18.2-11. The DMV also suspends the owner’s driver’s license, registrations and license plates. To reinstate, the DMV says you have to:
- Pay a $600 noncompliance fee
- File an SR-22 with the DMV and keep it for three years
- Pay a reinstatement fee, if one applies
If you can’t pay all at once, Va. Code 46.2-707.1 allows a payment plan of up to three years for drivers 18 and older whose license and registration were suspended, with a $25 administrative fee. It’s available only if you have no other outstanding suspensions or revocations.
A Crash Without Insurance
If an uninsured vehicle you own is in a reportable crash that causes death, injury or property damage, Va. Code 46.2-708 requires the DMV to suspend your driver’s license, license plates and registrations. The suspension lasts until you pay a $600 noncompliance fee and file proof of future financial responsibility, and it can’t take effect until the DMV has offered you an administrative hearing. If someone wins a court judgment against you and it goes unpaid, the DMV can suspend your license until the judgment is satisfied. RateFrog’s guide to what happens when insurance lapses covers the broader risks.
SR-22 and FR-44 Filings in Virginia
Virginia uses both forms, and Florida also uses the FR-44. According to the Virginia DMV:
- SR-22: required after an uninsured motor vehicle suspension, failing to give the DMV proof of insurance when its insurance monitoring asks for it, an unpaid court judgment, falsely certifying insurance and certain serious convictions, such as hit-and-run or a felony involving a motor vehicle. Under Va. Code 46.2-472, it must show at least the 50/100/25 minimums, even though some DMV forms still list older, lower limits.
- FR-44: required after a conviction for driving under the influence, maiming while under the influence, or driving while your license was forfeited for such a conviction. Under Va. Code 46.2-316, it has to show at least double the minimum limits.
You generally keep either filing for three years, counted from the end of your suspension or revocation or from the date a judgment is satisfied. The start date can depend on the reason for the filing, so confirm your end date with the DMV before you drop the coverage. If the policy is canceled during that time, the DMV suspends your driving privilege until a new filing is in place. RateFrog’s SR-22 guide explains how the filings work.
If You Can’t Find Coverage
The Virginia Automobile Insurance Plan (VAIP) helps drivers who can’t get coverage in the regular market. According to the plan’s page on the AIPSO website, you need a valid Virginia driver’s license and a vehicle registered in Virginia, and you apply through an agent licensed in Virginia who is certified by the plan. The plan’s phone number is (888) 820-0170. Virginia also requires insurers to mention the plan in their cancellation notices.
How Virginia Insurers Set Rates
Virginia lets insurers use credit information, with limits. Under Va. Code 38.2-2234, income, gender, address, ZIP code, ethnic group, race, color, religion, marital status and nationality can’t be used as credit criteria or to calculate an insurance credit score. If an insurer denies, cancels or nonrenews your policy, raises your price or withholds a discount based even partly on credit information, it has to tell you. RateFrog’s guide to the factors that affect car insurance rates covers the rest.
If your insurer cancels for nonpayment, Va. Code 38.2-2212 generally requires at least 15 days’ notice. The notice has to tell you that you can ask the Commissioner of Insurance to review the cancellation within 15 days, and the Commissioner can order the policy reinstated if the insurer broke the law. RateFrog’s guide to car insurance grace periods explains what usually happens when a payment is late.
Is Virginia’s Minimum Coverage Enough?
Virginia’s minimums are higher than many states’, but a serious crash can still pass $50,000 per person or $100,000 per accident. If a claim is more than your limits, you could owe the rest. If nobody on the policy has lowered UM and UIM, raising your liability limits raises them too. If a named insured lowered them, you have to ask your insurer specifically to raise them. RateFrog’s guide to how much car insurance you need can help you choose, and you can compare car insurance quotes at several coverage levels.
Where to Get Help
The Bureau of Insurance at Virginia’s State Corporation Commission handles insurance complaints. You can file one through its online Insurance Complaint Portal, linked from the Bureau’s complaint page. For license or registration suspensions, contact the Virginia DMV.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Minimum Car Insurance in Virginia?
$50,000 of bodily injury liability per person, $100,000 per accident and $25,000 of property damage liability, plus uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage at no less than those limits.
Can I Pay a Fee Instead of Buying Insurance in Virginia?
Not anymore. The Uninsured Motor Vehicle fee option ended on July 1, 2024.
What Happens If I Drive Without Insurance in Virginia?
It’s a Class 3 misdemeanor with a fine of up to $500. The DMV suspends your license, registration and plates until you pay a $600 noncompliance fee and file an SR-22 for three years.
How Long Do I Need an SR-22 or FR-44 in Virginia?
Generally three years, counted from the end of your suspension or revocation or from the date a judgment is satisfied. Confirm your end date with the DMV before you drop the coverage.
Sources
- Virginia DMV: Insurance Requirements
- Virginia DMV: Insurance Certifications (SR-22 and FR-44)
- Virginia DMV: Insurance Verification Annual Report (PDF)
- Va. Code 46.2-472
- Va. Code 38.2-2206
- Va. Code 46.2-706
- Va. Code 46.2-707
- Va. Code 46.2-707.1
- Va. Code 46.2-708
- Va. Code 46.2-902.1
- Va. Code 18.2-11
- Va. Code 46.2-316
- Va. Code 38.2-2234
- Va. Code 38.2-2212
- AIPSO: Virginia Automobile Insurance Plan
- Virginia SCC Bureau of Insurance: File a Complaint