Driving Without Insurance in Arizona

Driving without required insurance is a civil violation. First violation: minimum civil penalty of $500 and a three-month driver license suspension (or restricted driving privileges, after MVD verifies current insurance). Second violation within 36 months: minimum $750 and a six-month suspension of the driver license and the vehicle's registration and plates. Third or later violation within 36 months: minimum $1,000 and a one-year suspension of license, registration and plates, with proof of financial responsibility (SR-22) required to reinstate. After a suspension ends, the license stays suspended until the driver files proof of financial responsibility and pays a $10 fee, and the registration and plates stay suspended until proof is filed and a $25 fee is paid. A court may reduce or waive the penalty for a driver with no violation in the past 24 months (or no more than one in 36 months) who buys a six-month policy.

A driver must have evidence of current financial responsibility for the vehicle inside the vehicle, and may display it on a wireless communication device (doing so does not consent to law enforcement looking at other contents of the device). Failing to produce evidence of insurance when an officer asks during a crash investigation or traffic stop is a civil traffic violation; the citation is dismissed if the driver later shows the court that the required coverage was in effect at the time.

Proof of future financial responsibility (an insurer's certificate, commonly called an SR-22, or a State Treasurer certificate for a $40,000 cash or certificate-of-deposit deposit) is required to reinstate a license, registration and plates after a suspension for driving uninsured. MVD may waive the proof requirement any time after three years from the date proof was required, or on the person's death or permanent incapacity, or if the person surrenders license and registration (in which case proof must be re-established for the rest of the three years if the person applies again). An insurer that has certified a policy cannot cancel it until at least 10 days after filing a cancellation notice with MVD.