Penalties for Driving Without Insurance in Kansas
If you drive without insurance in Kansas, you can be charged with a misdemeanor. Fines range from $300 to $2,500, depending on how many times you've been caught driving uninsured. Penalties include suspension of your license and registration and can also include imprisonment.
Type of penalty | First offense | Second offense | Third offense/Habitual violation |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Fine | $300–$1,000 | $800–$2,500 | $1,500–$2,500 |
|
Imprisonment | Not more than six months, or a combination of a fine and confinement | 90 days mandatory | |
|
Driving privileges | Suspension of license and registration until proof of insurance has been filed with the director | Suspension of license and registration until proof of insurance has been filed with the director | Revocation of driving privileges for three years |
|
Reinstatement requirements | $100 fee and file an SR-22 certificate for one year | $100 fee, or $300 if the violation is within a year of a previous one, and file an SR-22 certificate for one year | $100 fee, or $300 if the violation is within a year of a previous one, and file an SR-22 certificate for one year |
Penalties for driving uninsured in Kansas
While being stripped of your driving privileges is definitely inconvenient, the financial repercussions of driving without insurance are likely worse. The severity of penalties varies in Kansas, depending on the number of previous convictions. In all cases, you will not be able to drive again until you provide an SR-22 form, which shows the court you have an insurance policy that meets the state minimum coverage.
Once you file the SR-22, you may have your license reinstated, provided you maintain the SR-22 for a minimum of one year without lapses. Afterward, you may renew your policy or look for a new quote from an insurance company. Note that insurers may treat you as a high-risk driver after having SR-22 insurance.
First time offense
If you’re not able to produce either physical or electronic evidence of an auto insurance policy when an official asks you for it, you'll be cited for failure to comply with Kansas law. This is a Class B misdemeanor. The fine can be $300–$1,000 for your first violation. The penalty also allows for jail time of six months or less, or a combination of a fine and jail term.
Your license and registration will also be revoked until you can provide proof of insurance. You'll need to get an SR-22 certificate with your insurance policy and maintain it for one year. You'll also have to pay $100 for registration reinstatement.
Second time offense
If you are caught driving without insurance again within three years of your first violation, it is considered a second offense. This time, the state will fine you no less than $800 and no more than $2,500, because it is a Class A misdemeanor.
As before, your driving privileges will be revoked with the suspension of your license and registration until you provide proof of insurance. Reinstating your license this time around will cost you $300 if it's been a year or less since your last insurance violation. If it's been longer, the cost will lower to $100.
Habitual violation
The most extreme category is being labeled a habitual traffic violator. You will be found guilty of this if, as defined in the Kansas statute, within five years of your previous conviction, you violate the insurance requirement a third time.
Habitual violators are guilty of a Class A nonperson misdemeanor. The penalties include a mandatory 90 days’ imprisonment — which may be served on work release or house arrest — and a fine of at least $1,500. Your driving privileges will also be revoked for three years.
Reapplying for auto insurance in Kansas
Common causes of insurance lapses are the car owner’s inability to pay or the insurance company’s deferral of coverage. Car insurance companies in Kansas have the right to refuse drivers deemed too high risk, based on a review of their prior insurance history.
In situations like these, the Kansas Automobile Insurance Plan can assist high-risk drivers with auto insurance. If three companies refuse you coverage, you are eligible to apply for car insurance with certified agencies through the state’s plan.
Get car insurance in Kansas after a lapse in coverage
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