Nevada requires at least $25,000 of bodily injury liability per person, $50,000 per crash and $20,000 of property damage liability, often written as 25/50/20. Insurers have to offer uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage at the injury limits you buy, and you can decline it in writing on the insurer’s form.
Nevada checks coverage electronically with insurers, and the DMV says the state has no grace period. If your insurance lapses while the car is still registered, the registration can be suspended, and getting it back starts at a $250 reinstatement fee.
Key Takeaways
- Nevada requires 25/50/20 liability coverage and nothing else. It isn’t a no-fault state, so there’s no personal injury protection requirement. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage and medical payments coverage must be offered, but you don’t have to buy them.
- The DMV’s NV LIVE system checks your coverage with your insurer. A lapse can lead to a suspended registration, a reinstatement fee of $250 to $750 depending on how many times it has happened, and extra fines once the lapse runs past 30 days.
- Driving uninsured is a misdemeanor with a fine of $600 to $1,000. On a first violation, the fine drops to $100 if you buy a policy by the time you’re sentenced.
- A conviction for driving uninsured leads to a license suspension, and you’ll need an SR-22 filing for three years after the license is reinstated. Long lapses can require one too.
Nevada Minimum Car Insurance at a Glance
| Coverage | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Bodily injury liability | $25,000 per person and $50,000 per crash |
| Property damage liability | $20,000 per crash |
| Uninsured and underinsured motorist | Must be offered at the injury limits you buy. You can decline it in writing on the insurer’s form. |
| Medical payments | Must be offered at $1,000 or more. Not required to buy. |
| Personal injury protection | Not required. Nevada isn’t a no-fault state. |
| Collision and comprehensive | Not required by law, but lenders and lessors often require them |
These limits come from NRS 485.185, which says owners have to keep insurance in force continuously. They took effect July 1, 2018, replacing the old 15/30/10 limits that some websites still list. The Nevada Division of Insurance (DOI) explains the change on its page about the higher minimums. RateFrog’s guide to liability limits explains how the three numbers work.
The DMV’s insurance page says out-of-state insurance isn’t accepted. Your policy has to be written for Nevada by an insurer authorized to do business in the state. If you hold a Nevada driver’s license, an operator’s policy that covers you as a driver can stand in for a vehicle policy under NRS 485.186. Self-insurance is limited to people with more than 10 vehicles registered in their name, under NRS 485.380. No option to post a bond or cash deposit instead of buying insurance was found in the statutes.
Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage in Nevada
Two Nevada statutes describe this coverage a little differently. NRS 687B.145 says insurers must offer uninsured and underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage equal to the bodily injury limits they sell you, and each renewal has to include a copy of the offer form. NRS 690B.020 says liability policies include uninsured motorist coverage unless it’s rejected in writing on a form the insurer provides. The DOI’s auto insurance FAQ calls the coverage optional and says you can decline it.
If you don’t want it, plan on declining it in writing on the insurer’s form. Once you’ve rejected it, the insurer doesn’t have to add it back at renewal unless you ask for it in writing.
The underinsured part pays on top of what the at-fault driver’s policy covers. Under NRS 687B.145, you can collect from your own insurer for injury damages that exceed the other driver’s bodily injury limits, up to the limits you bought. Nevada’s UM law addresses injuries and death, and it doesn’t require coverage for damage to your car. Hit-and-run drivers who can’t be found count as uninsured, as long as the crash is reported on time. RateFrog’s guide to uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage explains the coverage in more detail.
If you have UM/UIM on more than one policy, a policy can limit what you collect to the highest single limit among them. That limit doesn’t apply if the named insured bought separate coverage on the same risk and paid a premium calculated for full reimbursement under it.
Medical Payments Coverage
Insurers also have to offer medical payments coverage of at least $1,000 for reasonable and necessary medical expenses from a crash, under NRS 687B.145. The DOI’s 2026 consumer guide to auto insurance rates says you aren’t required by law to buy it.
Proof of Insurance in Nevada
Under NRS 485.187, you have to keep evidence of insurance in the car and hand it over when a peace officer asks. When an officer stops you, NRS 484A.650 says the officer has to ask for proof and can write a citation if you don’t have it.
You can show proof on a phone or tablet. NRS 690B.023 lets insurers provide an electronic card, and under NRS 484A.650 the officer may look only at the insurance card, not anything else on the device. The DMV says a digital card has to come from your insurer and show the same information as a paper one. It also warns that you can still be cited if your battery dies or you have no signal. RateFrog’s guide to getting proof of insurance quickly can help if you need a card now.
How Nevada Checks Your Coverage
Under NRS 485.317, the DMV has to verify that each registered vehicle is insured. Its NV LIVE system checks coverage with your insurer when you register, and the DMV checks again periodically. A brand-new policy may not show up right away.
If your car shows up as uninsured, the DMV mails a request for information, and you have 15 days to respond. If you don’t, it sends a suspension notice by certified mail, and you have 10 days from the date it was sent to show you’re insured. Otherwise, the registration is suspended, you’ll have to return the plates and the DMV says you can’t drive the car on a public street. Its advice is to cancel your registration before you drop your insurance.
Reinstatement Fees and Fines
To reinstate a suspended registration, you need current insurance plus a fee. Under NRS 482.557, the fee is $250 for a first offense, $500 for a second and $750 for a third or later. A suspension within five years after a reinstatement counts as a repeat offense. Fines are added once the lapse runs past 30 days:
| Length of lapse | First offense | Second offense | Third or later |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 to 30 days | $250 fee | $500 fee | $750 fee |
| 31 to 90 days | $250 fee + $250 fine | $500 fee + $500 fine | $750 fee + $500 fine |
| 91 to 180 days | $250 fee + $500 fine + SR-22 | $500 fee + $500 fine + SR-22 | $750 fee + $750 fine |
| Over 180 days | $250 fee + $1,000 fine + SR-22 | $500 fee + $1,000 fine + SR-22 | $750 fee + $1,000 fine |
A third or later offense also brings a driver’s license suspension of at least 30 days, and you’ll need to keep an SR-22 for at least three years after reinstatement. The DMV’s FAQ says fees “start at $251,” but the statute and the DMV’s own table use $250.
A reduced $50 fee can apply if you can document that the car was dormant, such as stored or off the road for repairs. The DMV can also reduce or waive the charges once for extenuating circumstances.
Penalties for Driving Without Insurance in Nevada
The court and the DMV handle penalties separately, and you can face both for the same lapse.
Court Penalties
Under NRS 485.187, driving without insurance, not having proof in the car, or refusing to show it to an officer is a misdemeanor with a fine of $600 to $1,000 for each violation. For a first violation, the fine has to be reduced to $100 if you get a liability policy by the time you’re sentenced. The court can also suspend part of a fine if you show proof of insurance every month for 12 months.
If you can show the court that you were insured when the officer asked, you can’t be convicted or fined. Faking or altering a policy, or misrepresenting that a policy is valid, is a separate misdemeanor under NRS 485.350. The DOI’s consumer guide also says a car driven without insurance could be impounded.
License Suspension
If you’re convicted of driving without insurance, NRS 485.326 requires the DMV to suspend your driver’s license until you show proof of financial responsibility. After reinstatement, you have to keep that proof for three years, or the license is suspended again.
A Crash Without Insurance
Nevada’s crash security law applies to crashes that cause an injury, a death or more than $750 of damage to one person’s property. Under NRS 485.190, if you haven’t settled, been found not liable or agreed to pay in installments within 20 days after the DMV receives the crash report, the DMV can suspend your license and all your registrations unless you deposit security in an amount it sets at a hearing. The law lists exceptions, such as having insurance at the time. RateFrog’s guide to what happens when car insurance lapses covers the broader risks.
SR-22 Filings in Nevada
Nevada’s statutes call an SR-22 a certificate of financial responsibility. It’s a form your insurer files with the DMV confirming that you carry the required coverage. You can be required to file one after:
- A registration lapse of 91 days or more on a first or second offense, or any third offense, under NRS 482.557
- A conviction for driving without insurance, under NRS 485.326
- A license or registration suspension under Nevada’s financial responsibility law, before reinstatement, under NRS 485.3075
The requirement lasts three years. On its license suspension page, the DMV says the three years start when your license is reinstated and that an SR-22 bought before reinstatement won’t count. The DMV also says a lapse in coverage means a license suspension and a restart of the three-year period. It won’t tell you when you can drop the filing, so contact the DMV to confirm your end date. RateFrog’s SR-22 guide explains how these filings work in general.
If You Can’t Find Coverage
The Nevada Automobile Insurance Plan is for eligible drivers who can’t get coverage in the regular market. It’s administered by the Western Association of Automobile Insurance Plans through AIPSO, and you apply through an insurance agent. The plan office line, (800) 227-4659, is listed for agents who need help, Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Pacific. If an insurer cancels for a reason other than nonpayment, its notice has to tell you how to apply for this kind of plan coverage.
How Nevada Insurers Set Rates
According to the DOI, Nevada is a prior-approval state for personal auto rates, so insurers can use only rates the DOI has approved. Credit-based insurance scores are allowed with limits. Under NRS 686A.680, an insurer can’t:
- Calculate an insurance score using factors such as income, gender, address, ZIP code, ethnic group, religion or marital status
- Deny, cancel or refuse to renew a policy based on credit information without also considering other underwriting factors
- Treat inquiries you didn’t start, or collection accounts identified as medical, as negative factors
You can ask your insurer to re-rate your policy using updated credit information once every 12 months, at your annual renewal. The DOI’s credit scoring FAQ has more.
Under NRS 687B.385, an insurer can’t raise your renewal premium, cancel or refuse to renew because of a claim where you weren’t at fault, or because you asked a question about your coverage. Under NRS 687B.400, it can’t raise your premium solely because you reached a certain age, though that rule doesn’t apply to drivers under 25.
Two discounts are required by law. Drivers 55 and older who complete a DMV-approved traffic safety course get a premium reduction for three years under NRS 690B.029, as long as they have no at-fault crashes or moving violations in the three years before and during each discount period. A court-ordered course doesn’t count, and the law doesn’t set a percentage. Under NRS 690B.031, cars with a driver’s side airbag or a similar safety device get a lower premium on medical payments and UM/UIM coverage. RateFrog’s guide to what affects car insurance rates covers the rest.
Cancellation and Nonrenewal Rules
Nevada’s general insurance rules cover auto policies. Once a policy has been in effect for 70 days, or if it’s a renewal, NRS 687B.320 lets the insurer cancel before the end of the term only for listed reasons, such as nonpayment or fraud or a material misrepresentation when you applied. The insurer has to give at least 10 days’ notice for nonpayment and 30 days for other reasons. The notice must include a written explanation of the specific reasons.
If the insurer decides not to renew, NRS 687B.340 requires at least 30 days’ notice (60 for commercial policies), or the insurer has to renew on the same terms. The DOI’s consumer guide says there’s no grace period on premium payments, so don’t count on extra time if a payment is late. RateFrog’s guide to car insurance grace periods explains how late payments usually play out.
Is Nevada’s Minimum Coverage Enough?
A 25/50/20 policy can run out quickly in a serious crash, and $20,000 of property damage coverage may not pay to replace a newer car. If a claim is more than your limits, you could owe the rest. Before you decline UM/UIM or medical payments coverage to save money, think about how you’d pay your own medical bills if the other driver has little or no insurance. RateFrog’s guide to how much car insurance you need can help you weigh it, and you can compare car insurance quotes at several coverage levels.
Where to Get Help
For a problem with an insurer, the DOI suggests contacting the insurer first. If that doesn’t work, call the DOI at (888) 872-3234 toll-free in Nevada, (775) 687-0700 in Carson City or (702) 486-4009 in Las Vegas, or use its complaint page. For registration suspensions, SR-22 filings and license reinstatement, contact the Nevada DMV.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Uninsured Motorist Coverage Required in Nevada?
No. Insurers must offer it at the injury limits you buy, but you can decline it in writing on the insurer’s form.
Does Nevada Have a Grace Period for Lapsed Insurance?
No. The DMV says a one-day lapse can lead to suspension and reinstatement fees. A first lapse of 30 days or less costs the $250 reinstatement fee, and fines are added after that.
What Is the Fine for Driving Without Insurance in Nevada?
It’s a misdemeanor with a fine of $600 to $1,000. On a first violation, the fine is reduced to $100 if you get insurance by sentencing. DMV fees, a license suspension and an SR-22 requirement can apply separately.
Can I Use an Out-of-State Policy to Register a Car in Nevada?
No. The DMV says the policy has to be written for Nevada by an insurer authorized to do business in the state, and it has to validate electronically.
Sources
- Nevada Division of Insurance: Automobile Insurance
- Nevada Division of Insurance: Higher Minimum Vehicle Liability Requirements
- Nevada Division of Insurance: Auto Insurance FAQs
- Nevada Division of Insurance: 2026 Consumer’s Guide to Automobile Insurance Rates
- Nevada Division of Insurance: Credit Scoring FAQs
- Nevada DMV: Insurance Requirements
- Nevada DMV: Suspensions and SR-22
- NRS 482.557
- NRS 484A.650
- NRS 485.185
- NRS 485.186
- NRS 485.187
- NRS 485.190
- NRS 485.3075
- NRS 485.317
- NRS 485.326
- NRS 485.350
- NRS 485.380
- NRS 686A.680
- NRS 687B.145
- NRS 687B.320
- NRS 687B.340
- NRS 687B.385
- NRS 687B.400
- NRS 690B.020
- NRS 690B.023
- NRS 690B.029
- NRS 690B.031
- AIPSO: Nevada Automobile Insurance Plan
- Nevada Division of Insurance: File a Complaint