Every state except New Hampshire requires car owners to carry some liability insurance, and many states require more than that. This page lists the minimum coverage for all 50 states and Washington, D.C., explains what the numbers mean and links to our detailed guide for each state we cover.
Key Takeaways
- Every state except New Hampshire requires some liability insurance. Florida requires property damage liability and PIP, but not bodily injury liability for most drivers.
- Limits are written as three numbers, such as 25/50/25: bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage, in thousands of dollars.
- More than half of the states also require another coverage, most often PIP or uninsured motorist coverage. A few more include uninsured motorist coverage unless you reject it in writing.
- The minimum is a legal floor. It doesn’t pay to fix your own car, and a lender or leasing company will usually require collision and comprehensive coverage too.
State Guides
Each guide covers the state’s minimum limits, what happens if you’re caught without insurance, how proof of insurance works and what to do if your coverage lapses.
Minimum Car Insurance Requirements by State
These are the lowest limits each state allows. We checked them against each state’s insurance department, motor vehicle agency or statute in September 2026, and the last column links to the source we used. State names link to our full guide where we have one. Requirements change, so confirm with your state before you buy.
| State | Bodily Injury Liability (Per Person / Per Accident) | Property Damage Liability | Other Required Coverage | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $25,000 / $50,000 | $25,000 | None | aldoi.gov |
| Alaska | $50,000 / $100,000 | $25,000 | None | dmv.alaska.gov |
| Arizona | $25,000 / $50,000 | $15,000 | None | difi.az.gov |
| Arkansas | $25,000 / $50,000 | $25,000 | None (PIP and UM are included unless you reject them in writing) | codes.findlaw.com |
| California | $30,000 / $60,000 | $15,000 | None | dmv.ca.gov |
| Colorado | $25,000 / $50,000 | $15,000 | None | doi.colorado.gov |
| Connecticut | $25,000 / $50,000 | $25,000 | UM/UIM $25,000 / $50,000 | portal.ct.gov |
| Delaware | $25,000 / $50,000 | $10,000 | PIP $15,000 per person / $30,000 per accident | dmv.de.gov |
| District of Columbia | $25,000 / $50,000 | $10,000 | UM $25,000 / $50,000 injury, $5,000 property damage | dmv.dc.gov |
| Florida | Not required for most drivers | $10,000 | PIP $10,000 | flhsmv.gov |
| Georgia | $25,000 / $50,000 | $25,000 | None | oci.georgia.gov |
| Hawaii | $40,000 / $80,000 | $20,000 | PIP $10,000 | cca.hawaii.gov |
| Idaho | $25,000 / $50,000 | $15,000 | None | doi.idaho.gov |
| Illinois | $25,000 / $50,000 | $20,000 | UM $25,000 / $50,000 | idoi.illinois.gov |
| Indiana | $25,000 / $50,000 | $25,000 | None (UM/UIM is included unless you reject it in writing) | in.gov |
| Iowa | $20,000 / $40,000 | $15,000 | None | iid.iowa.gov |
| Kansas | $25,000 / $50,000 | $25,000 | PIP ($4,500 medical per person, plus other benefits); UM/UIM $25,000 / $50,000 | insurance.kansas.gov |
| Kentucky | $25,000 / $50,000 | $25,000 | PIP $10,000 | apps.legislature.ky.gov |
| Louisiana | $15,000 / $30,000 | $25,000 | None | legis.la.gov |
| Maine | $50,000 / $100,000 | $25,000 | Medical payments $2,000; UM/UIM $50,000 / $100,000; towing and storage up to $500 | maine.gov |
| Maryland | $30,000 / $60,000 | $15,000 | PIP $2,500 (can be waived); UM $30,000 / $60,000 injury, $15,000 property damage | mgaleg.maryland.gov |
| Massachusetts | $25,000 / $50,000 | $30,000 | PIP $8,000; UM $25,000 / $50,000 | mass.gov |
| Michigan | $50,000 / $100,000 (lowest option) | $10,000 (accidents outside Michigan) | PIP (you choose the medical limit); property protection insurance $1 million | michigan.gov |
| Minnesota | $30,000 / $60,000 | $10,000 | PIP $40,000 ($20,000 medical, $20,000 non-medical); UM and UIM $25,000 / $50,000 each | revisor.mn.gov |
| Mississippi | $25,000 / $50,000 | $25,000 | None | mid.ms.gov |
| Missouri | $25,000 / $50,000 | $25,000 | UM $25,000 / $50,000 | dor.mo.gov |
| Montana | $25,000 / $50,000 | $20,000 | None | csimt.gov |
| Nebraska | $25,000 / $50,000 | $25,000 | UM and UIM $25,000 / $50,000 each | nebraskalegislature.gov |
| Nevada | $25,000 / $50,000 | $20,000 | None | doi.nv.gov |
| New Hampshire | Not required (policies sold: $25,000 / $50,000) | Not required (policies sold: $25,000) | If you buy a policy: UM equal to your liability limits, medical payments $1,000 | mm.nh.gov |
| New Jersey | $35,000 / $70,000 (Standard Policy) | $25,000 | PIP $15,000; UM $35,000 / $70,000 injury, $25,000 property damage | nj.gov |
| New Mexico | $25,000 / $50,000 | $10,000 | None | mvd.newmexico.gov |
| New York | $25,000 / $50,000 ($50,000 / $100,000 for death) | $10,000 | PIP $50,000; UM $25,000 / $50,000 | dmv.ny.gov |
| North Carolina | $50,000 / $100,000 | $50,000 | UM and UIM (at least $50,000 / $100,000) | ncdot.gov |
| North Dakota | $25,000 / $50,000 | $25,000 | PIP $30,000; UM and UIM $25,000 / $50,000 each | insurance.nd.gov |
| Ohio | $25,000 / $50,000 | $25,000 | None | bmv.ohio.gov |
| Oklahoma | $25,000 / $50,000 | $25,000 | None | law.justia.com |
| Oregon | $25,000 / $50,000 | $20,000 | PIP ($15,000 medical, plus other benefits); UM/UIM $25,000 / $50,000 | oregon.gov |
| Pennsylvania | $15,000 / $30,000 | $5,000 | Medical benefits $5,000 | pa.gov |
| Rhode Island | $25,000 / $50,000 | $25,000 | None | webserver.rilegislature.gov |
| South Carolina | $25,000 / $50,000 | $25,000 | UM $25,000 / $50,000 injury, $25,000 property damage | doi.sc.gov |
| South Dakota | $25,000 / $50,000 | $25,000 | UM and UIM equal to your bodily injury limits | sdlegislature.gov |
| Tennessee | $25,000 / $50,000 | $25,000 | None | law.justia.com |
| Texas | $30,000 / $60,000 | $25,000 | None (PIP and UM/UIM are included unless you reject them in writing) | tdi.texas.gov |
| Utah | $30,000 / $65,000 | $25,000 | PIP $3,000 | le.utah.gov |
| Vermont | $25,000 / $50,000 | $10,000 | UM/UIM $50,000 / $100,000 injury, $10,000 property damage | legislature.vermont.gov |
| Virginia | $50,000 / $100,000 | $25,000 | UM/UIM $50,000 / $100,000 injury, $25,000 property damage | dmv.virginia.gov |
| Washington | $25,000 / $50,000 | $10,000 | None | dol.wa.gov |
| West Virginia | $25,000 / $50,000 | $25,000 | UM $25,000 / $50,000 injury, $25,000 property damage | code.wvlegislature.gov |
| Wisconsin | $25,000 / $50,000 | $10,000 | UM $25,000 / $50,000 | oci.wi.gov |
| Wyoming | $25,000 / $50,000 | $20,000 | None | law.justia.com |
- Required vs. included by default: the last column lists coverage you must carry. Many states also have insurers include uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, PIP or medical payments unless you reject it in writing, and those aren’t listed as required.
- Recent increases: California, Utah and Virginia raised their minimums on January 1, 2025, Massachusetts and North Carolina on July 1, 2025, and Hawaii and New Jersey on January 1, 2026. The District of Columbia’s minimums rise to $50,000 / $100,000 bodily injury and $20,000 property damage on October 1, 2027.
- Florida: bodily injury liability isn’t required to register most cars, but drivers can be required to carry it after certain crashes or a DUI conviction.
- Michigan: the default bodily injury limit is $250,000 / $500,000, and you can choose $50,000 / $100,000 only by signing a selection form. The $10,000 property damage limit applies to accidents in other states; property protection insurance covers damage in Michigan.
- New Hampshire: buying insurance isn’t mandatory, but you must be able to pay for damage you cause, and any policy you buy must meet the minimums shown.
- New Jersey: the figures are for the Standard Policy. A Basic Policy with lower coverage ($5,000 property damage, $15,000 PIP and no bodily injury liability unless you add $10,000) is also available.
How to Read the Numbers
A limit written as 25/50/25 means your policy pays up to $25,000 for one person’s injuries, up to $50,000 for all injuries in one crash and up to $25,000 for property damage you cause. Our guide to liability limits walks through examples of what happens when a claim goes over those amounts.
Some states require extra coverage on top of liability. Personal injury protection pays your own medical bills no matter who caused the crash, and uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage pays when the at-fault driver has no insurance or not enough. Our guides to PIP and no-fault insurance and uninsured motorist coverage explain how each one works.
When the Minimum Isn’t Enough
Liability coverage pays for the damage you cause to other people, and a serious crash can cost far more than the lowest limits. If the bills go past your limits, you can be held personally responsible for the rest. Liability coverage also doesn’t pay to repair your own car. That takes collision and comprehensive coverage, which lenders and leasing companies usually require.
If you’re deciding how much to buy, our guide to how much car insurance you need goes through the tradeoffs, including when higher limits are worth the extra cost.
If You Drive Without Insurance
Penalties depend on the state. They can include fines, suspension of your license or registration, and a requirement to file proof of future insurance, such as an SR-22, for several years. Our guide to what happens when your insurance lapses covers what to do if your coverage ends, and our guide to grace periods explains how late payments work.
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