Louisiana requires at least $15,000 of bodily injury liability per person, $30,000 per accident and $25,000 of property damage liability, often written as 15/30/25. Uninsured motorist coverage at your liability limits comes with the policy unless you reject it or choose less on the state’s form.
Going without coverage can cost more than a ticket. Under the state’s No Pay, No Play law, an uninsured owner or driver can’t recover the first $100,000 of injury damages or the first $100,000 of property damage after a crash, even when the other driver caused it, with a few exceptions.
Key Takeaways
- Louisiana requires 15/30/25 liability coverage. Uninsured motorist coverage is included unless a named insured rejects it, picks lower limits or picks economic-only coverage on the Commissioner of Insurance’s form, and it also covers underinsured drivers.
- Since August 1, 2025, the No Pay, No Play threshold has been $100,000 for injuries and $100,000 for property damage. Some state consumer guides still show the old $15,000 and $25,000 figures.
- Insurers report cancellations to the Office of Motor Vehicles (OMV). An uninsured car can lose its registration and plate and be impounded, and reinstatement fees set by statute run $100, $250 or $500, with OMV adding a $25 administration fee.
- Since July 1, 2026, insurers have to give 60 days’ notice before declining to renew a personal auto policy, or before canceling one that has been in effect at least 60 days (or is a renewal) for a reason other than nonpayment. Cancellation for nonpayment still needs only 10 days’ notice.
Louisiana Minimum Car Insurance at a Glance
| Coverage | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Bodily injury liability | $15,000 per person and $30,000 per accident |
| Property damage liability | $25,000 per accident |
| Uninsured motorist bodily injury | Included at your liability limits unless you reject it or choose less in writing. It covers underinsured drivers too. |
| Uninsured motorist property damage | Available on written request if the car has no collision coverage |
| Personal injury protection | Not required |
| Collision and comprehensive | Not required by law, but lenders and lessors often require them |
The limits are set by La. R.S. 32:900, and the Louisiana Department of Insurance (LDI) lists the same figures in its Consumer’s Guide to Auto Insurance. Under La. R.S. 32:861, every self-propelled vehicle registered in Louisiana needs this coverage, with a few exceptions such as parade vehicles. Instead of a policy, an owner can use a bond or a $55,000 deposit with the state treasurer. Owners with more than 25 registered vehicles, or with Louisiana property assessed at $100,000 or more after debts, can apply to OMV for a self-insurance certificate. RateFrog’s guide to how liability limits work explains what each number covers.
Uninsured Motorist Coverage in Louisiana
Under La. R.S. 22:1295, an auto liability policy has to include uninsured motorist (UM) bodily injury coverage at no less than the policy’s liability limits. A named insured can reject it, choose lower limits or choose economic-only UM, which costs less and excludes noneconomic losses such as pain and suffering. Except for economic-only coverage, UM limits can’t go below the state’s 15/30 minimums.
Any of those choices has to be made on a form prescribed by the Commissioner of Insurance and signed by the named insured. The form stays valid for the life of the policy, including renewals with the same insurer, and you can change your choice at any time by sending the insurer a new form.
Louisiana’s definition of an uninsured vehicle includes one whose liability coverage is less than an insured person’s damages, so UM handles underinsured drivers as well. You generally can’t stack UM limits across several cars or policies, with a narrow exception for people hurt in a car they don’t own. RateFrog’s guide to uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage explains how these coverages work.
If your car has no collision coverage and you haven’t rejected UM, the insurer has to add UM property damage coverage when a named insured asks in writing. It pays the lesser of the car’s actual cash value or $25,000, with a $250 deductible.
Louisiana’s No Pay, No Play Law
La. R.S. 32:866 bars an owner or driver who doesn’t have the required coverage from recovering the first $100,000 of bodily injury damages and the first $100,000 of property damage after a crash. Act 16 of 2025 raised those amounts from $15,000 and $25,000, effective August 1, 2025. LDI’s consumer guide and teen driver guide still print the older figures, so go by the statute.
The bar doesn’t apply if the other driver:
- Is cited for operating while intoxicated because of the crash and is convicted or pleads no contest
- Caused the crash on purpose
- Fled the scene
- Was committing a felony at the time
It also doesn’t apply to a legally parked vehicle, and a passenger in an uninsured car can still make an injury claim unless the passenger owns that car. Buying a policy after the crash doesn’t help unless coverage was bound beforehand, though the law doesn’t override a policy’s own terms for reinstatement during its premium grace period.
2025 Law Changes Drivers Will Notice
The 2025 regular session passed several auto-related acts. These are the ones most likely to matter to ordinary drivers:
- Comparative fault: Under Act 15 of 2025, which took effect January 1, 2026, a person who is 51% or more at fault for their own injury or loss can’t recover damages. Below 51%, the recovery is reduced by that person’s share of fault.
- No Pay, No Play: The $100,000 thresholds described above took effect August 1, 2025.
- Prior injuries: Act 18 of 2025, effective May 28, 2025, says that in personal injury claims, having no prior history of an injury or condition doesn’t create a presumption that the crash caused it. It doesn’t apply to claims that arose before that date.
- Medical bills: Act 466 of 2025, effective January 1, 2026, lets the judge or jury see both the amounts billed and the amounts actually paid for medical care. It doesn’t apply to lawsuits filed before that date.
- Renewal notices: Since August 1, 2025, under Act 11 of 2025, a private passenger auto renewal notice has to show your prior premium near the renewal premium.
- Rate reports: Starting January 1, 2027, Act 428 of 2025 requires insurers to give policyholders their latest approved rate transparency report at issue and renewal.
None of the 2025 regular session acts listed here ordered a rate cut or required a new personal auto discount.
Proof of Insurance in Louisiana
Under La. R.S. 32:863.1, a car on a public road has to carry proof of insurance. An insurance ID card, a photocopy of it or an image of it on your phone all count, as do the policy or a binder. Officers check for proof at stops and crash scenes and can verify electronically that it’s current. When you register a car, La. R.S. 32:862 also accepts the declarations page.
LA Wallet isn’t named in the law as proof of insurance, so keep your ID card or an image of it handy. RateFrog’s guide to getting proof of insurance quickly can help if you need a card today.
How Louisiana Finds Out About a Lapse
Under La. R.S. 32:863.2, insurers tell OMV within 15 business days when a policy is canceled or lapses, and OMV sends a notice. The statute gives you 10 calendar days to surrender your plate to avoid fees and 30 days to respond, while OMV’s own policy tells owners to submit compliance within 10 days, so answer right away. You can ask for a hearing within 10 days of the notice under La. R.S. 32:863.
If OMV finds the car wasn’t covered, the law requires it to revoke the registration, impound the car and cancel the plate. If the problem came from a mistake by your insurer or agent, you don’t pay the reinstatement fee.
Penalties for Driving Without Insurance in Louisiana
Louisiana has separate penalties for a reported lapse, a roadside stop, a conviction and an uninsured crash. More than one can apply.
Reinstatement Fees After a Lapse
Under La. R.S. 32:863, the fee is $100 for a lapse of 1 to 30 days, $250 for 31 to 90 days and $500 for more than 90 days. A first lapse of 10 days or less can be fee-free under the statute. OMV’s Cancellations and Revocations page lists $125, $275 and $525, which include its $25 administration fee. Fees are capped at $850 for drivers under 65 and $250 for drivers 65 and older, though the $850 cap ends once unpaid fees become delinquent debt after 60 days.
Roadside Stops and Impound
If you can’t show proof at a stop or crash, La. R.S. 32:863.1 says the car is impounded, the officer removes a Louisiana plate and you get a notice of noncompliance. You then have three days, not counting weekends and legal holidays, to show OMV you were insured. If you were, your plate is returned within 48 hours at no cost.
After 60 days without proof, OMV destroys the plate and revokes the registration. Roadside fees go by offense: $100 for a first, $250 for a second and $500 after that, plus a $10 fee. Act 861 of 2026, effective June 9, 2026, applies these procedures to cars registered in other states too.
Court Penalties
Under La. R.S. 32:865, knowingly driving an uninsured car, or letting someone drive yours, brings a fine of $500 to $1,000 on conviction. If an uninsured car is in a crash, the owner, on conviction, faces the same fine plus a 180-day registration revocation and license suspension.
The penalty rises to a fine of $1,000 to $10,000, a 12-month revocation and suspension and 40 to 200 hours of community service for someone who knowingly drives an uninsured car in a crash that injures or kills someone or causes more than $500 of property damage to one person, if at least 30 days have passed since they knew or the owner was notified. Some exceptions apply.
A Crash Without Insurance
After a crash involving injury, death or property damage, La. R.S. 32:872 can require an uninsured operator and owner to deposit security in an amount the state sets, or lose their license and registrations. Under La. R.S. 32:874, that suspension lasts until security is deposited, a release or nonliability judgment is filed, or a year passes with no lawsuit. RateFrog’s guide to what happens when car insurance lapses covers the wider risks.
SR-22 Filings in Louisiana
An SR-22 is a certificate your insurer files with the state to show you carry liability coverage. OMV’s SR-22 policy requires one for three years after a crash judgment (longer if you’re paying in installments), a DWI conviction other than one under Article 894, or an arrest for refusing a chemical test. It doesn’t list a lapse or a no-insurance ticket.
OMV’s policy also allows a $30,000 cash or securities deposit with the state treasurer or a $30,000 surety bond instead. OMV’s Suspensions page has reinstatement steps, and RateFrog’s guide to SR-22 insurance explains these filings in general.
If You Can’t Find Coverage
The Louisiana Automobile Insurance Plan (LAIP) provides coverage to eligible drivers who can’t get it in the regular market. According to AIPSO, any agent licensed to sell auto insurance can place a policy with the plan, and LAIP’s number is (866) 989-9902. When an insurer cancels for a reason other than nonpayment or declines to renew, it has to tell you that you may be eligible.
How Louisiana Insurers Set Rates
LDI’s consumer guide says credit information, gender and marital status may affect your premium, and that using race or religion to set rates is illegal. Under La. R.S. 22:1504, an insurer that uses credit information can’t:
- Deny, cancel or nonrenew a personal policy, or set renewal rates, based solely on credit information
- Take an adverse action solely because you don’t have a credit card
- Count medical collection accounts as a negative factor when the credit report identifies them
Under La. R.S. 22:1284, an insurer can’t raise your rate, add a surcharge, cancel or decline to renew because of a crash in which your driver wasn’t at fault. Eligible active duty military, reservists and Louisiana National Guard members based in the state get a 25% discount on the premium for an auto liability policy under La. R.S. 22:1482. RateFrog’s guide to what affects car insurance rates covers the other factors.
Cancellation and Nonrenewal Rules
La. R.S. 22:1266 covers personal auto policies on up to four cars. Once a policy has been in effect for 60 days, or if it’s a renewal, the insurer can cancel only for nonpayment, a suspended or revoked license or registration in the household, fraud or material misrepresentation in a claim, or never receiving the application after issuing a binder.
Under Act 182 of 2025, notice periods changed on July 1, 2026. The cancellation notice rules below apply to a policy that has been in effect at least 60 days or is a renewal:
| Situation | Notice required |
|---|---|
| Cancellation for nonpayment | At least 10 days |
| Cancellation for other reasons | At least 60 days (30 days before July 1, 2026) |
| Nonrenewal | At least 60 days (20 days before July 1, 2026) |
No nonrenewal notice is needed if the insurer offered to renew or you didn’t pay, among other exceptions. You can ask in writing for the reasons. Insurers can’t cancel solely because you filed one claim, though your premium can still rise. Louisiana’s three-year rule applies only to certain older homeowners policies, not to car insurance. RateFrog’s guide to car insurance grace periods explains what usually happens when a payment is late.
Is Louisiana’s Minimum Coverage Enough?
A 15/30/25 policy can be used up quickly in a serious crash, and $25,000 of property damage coverage may not pay for a newer car. If a claim is bigger than your limits, you could owe the rest. Before rejecting UM to save money, think about how you’d pay your own costs if the other driver has little or no insurance. RateFrog’s guide to how much car insurance you need walks through the tradeoffs, and you can compare car insurance quotes at a few coverage levels.
Where to Get Help
For problems with an insurer, call LDI at 1-800-259-5300 or (225) 342-5900, or use its online complaint form. LDI’s complaint guide says an average complaint takes about 45 days to investigate. For lapse notices, plates and reinstatement, call OMV at (225) 925-6146.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Uninsured Motorist Coverage Required in Louisiana?
It’s included in every auto liability policy unless a named insured rejects it, picks lower limits or picks economic-only coverage on the Commissioner’s form. It also covers drivers whose limits are too low to pay your damages.
What Is No Pay, No Play in Louisiana?
It’s a law that bars an uninsured owner or driver from recovering the first $100,000 of injury damages and the first $100,000 of property damage after a crash. There are exceptions, such as when the other driver flees the scene.
What Is the Fine for Driving Without Insurance in Louisiana?
A conviction brings a fine of $500 to $1,000. OMV reinstatement fees and impound costs can apply separately. If an uninsured car is in a crash, the owner, on conviction, also faces a 180-day license and registration suspension.
Do I Need an SR-22 After a Lapse in Louisiana?
OMV’s SR-22 policy doesn’t list a lapse or a no-insurance ticket. It lists crash judgments, certain DWI convictions and test refusal arrests.
Sources
- Louisiana Department of Insurance: Consumer’s Guide to Auto Insurance
- Louisiana Department of Insurance: Consumer Complaint Form
- Louisiana Department of Insurance: How to File an Insurance Complaint
- Louisiana OMV: Cancellations and Revocations
- Louisiana OMV: Suspensions
- Louisiana OMV Policy 3-3.00: SR22
- La. R.S. 32:861
- La. R.S. 32:862
- La. R.S. 32:863
- La. R.S. 32:863.1
- La. R.S. 32:863.2
- La. R.S. 32:865
- La. R.S. 32:866
- La. R.S. 32:872
- La. R.S. 32:874
- La. R.S. 32:900
- La. R.S. 22:1266
- La. R.S. 22:1284
- La. R.S. 22:1295
- La. R.S. 22:1482
- La. R.S. 22:1504
- Act 11 of 2025 (HB 148) digest
- Act 15 of 2025 (HB 431)
- Act 16 of 2025 (HB 434)
- Act 18 of 2025 (HB 450)
- Act 182 of 2025 (HB 345)
- Act 428 of 2025 (SB 136)
- Act 466 of 2025 (SB 231)
- Act 861 of 2026 (HB 999)
- AIPSO: Louisiana Automobile Insurance Plan