Montana Code Annotated (MCA) 61-6-301 is titled Required Motor Vehicle Insurance.

In subsection 1(a) it states that an owner of a motor vehicle that is registered and operated in Montana by the owner or with the owner's permission shall continuously provide insurance against loss resulting from liability imposed by law for bodily injury or death or damage to property suffered by any person caused by maintenance or use of a motor vehicle in an amount not less than that required by 61-6-103, or a certificate of self-insurance issued in accordance with 61-6-143.

Later in subsection 4 it notes that it is unlawful for a person to operate a motor vehicle upon ways of this state open to the public (as defined in 61-8-101) without a valid policy of liability insurance in effect in an amount not less than that required by 61-6-103 unless shown financial responsibility in one of the other state authorized ways. These include the person having been issued a certificate of self-insurance or has posted an indemnity bond with the MT DMV.

So if you are driving on a public roadway without the state required auto insurance, self-insurance certificate or an indemnity bond then you are operating a vehicle against the law. Since law enforcement officers ticket people and inform them if they are driving illegally then it stands to reason that an officer can tell you not to drive your car without proof of insurance.

If you are caught driving without insurance the judge comes into play once you are cited and you go to court to either show proof of insurance to the judge or receive your penalties for breaking the law. In some states if you are caught driving without insurance the police can impound your car on the spot so that you do not continue to break the law.

The penalties for a first offense of operating without liability insurance in effect (V9017) according to the Montana Bond Schedule can include a fine and jail time. The find can range from $250 to $500 and jail time up to 10 days. The recommended fine is $285, which includes a $35 surcharge.

For a second offense the recommended fine is $385 and the third or subsequent offense the fine may is usually $535 and up to 6 months in jail. The MT DMV also notes that driving without insurance or failing to carry proof or exhibit insurance in a vehicle comes with 5 points being assessed to your Montana driving record.

MCA 61-6-304 discusses other penalties that can be imposed if one continuously drives as an uninsured motorist. Here it states that for a second or subsequent conviction the sentencing court shall order the surrender of the vehicle registration receipt and license plates for the vehicle operated at the time of the offense.

Upon proof of compliance the department shall issue a restricted registration receipt and return the license plates to the offender. A restricted registration receipt limits the use of the motor vehicle operated at the time of the offense to use solely for employment purposes. Upon the expiration of the appropriate time period, the department shall issue a regular registration receipt to the owner of the vehicle.

Upon a fourth or subsequent conviction, the court shall order the surrender of the driver's license of the offender. The department may not reinstate a driver's license suspended until the registered owner provides the department proof of compliance and the department determines that the registered owner is otherwise eligible for licensure.

Montana state law requires minimum Bodily Injury Liability coverage of $25,000 per injured person up to a total of $50,000 per accident, and Property Damage Liability coverage with a minimum limit of $10,000. You need to obtain at least this amount of auto insurance on your car so that you can legally drive on the roadways of Montana.