According to the Michigan Secretary of State owners of passenger vehicles, vans, and light trucks must purchase Michigan no-fault insurance before registering their vehicle. Out-of-state insurance policies cannot be used to meet Michigan insurance requirements for registering a vehicle.

Required coverages include bodily injury/property damage (BI/PD), personal injury protection (PIP), and property protection insurance (PPI). These required coverages do not pay for damage to your vehicle or cover theft. If you want your insurance company to cover damage to your vehicle or theft, you may choose to carry collision coverage (damage) and comprehensive coverage (theft).

You are required by law to keep your Michigan no-fault insurance certificate in your vehicle or carry it with you when you drive. If you cannot show proof of insurance to a law enforcement officer, the court may order the Secretary of State to suspend your driver license. Until proof of insurance is shown, the Secretary of State will not renew, transfer, or replace your vehicle’s license plate. You may be required to prove the vehicle is insured for not less than six months and pay $50, plus any other fees required by law. The plate could also be canceled if proof of insurance is not produced.

The SOS does not mention that you must show proof of insurance to have a license, but if you were the owner a car you need to have car insurance to register and keep registration current on your vehicle. You can check with the Michigan Secretary of State or MI insurance regulator for information on all Michigan insurance laws.