You will need to contact the NYS DMV to determine how long the driver's license suspension will be for due to a lapse in your auto insurance coverage in New York. The suspension time can vary depending upon how long your vehicle was uninsured and also on the amount of time your vehicle's registration is suspended by the state.

If you want to take insurance off of a vehicle or will have a lapse then to keep from getting your car's registration, as well as your own driver's license, suspended you need to turn in your car's registration and plates to the state of New York.

The New York Department of Motor Vehicles notes that you could be arrested or ticketed, and your vehicle impounded, by a law enforcement officer if you are caught driving without insurance. You must turn in your vehicle's license plates to the DMV to stop penalties from incurring. The registration suspension will last for the same number of days that your vehicle was without liability coverage and the plates had not been turned in.

If the registration suspension period becomes more than 90 days, your driver license will also be suspended. The license suspension will be in effect until it is reinstated after the end of the registration suspension. To reinstate your driver license, you must pay the DMV a $25 license suspension termination fee.

The NYS DMV goes on to state that your driver license and vehicle registration will be revoked for at least one year if the DMV receives information that you were involved in a traffic crash while driving a motor vehicle not covered by liability insurance. Your license and registration will also be revoked for at least one year if someone else is involved in a traffic crash is convicted of operating without insurance.

The traffic court fine could be as much as $1,500 for driving without insurance or allowing someone else to drive your uninsured vehicle. You will have to pay the DMV an additional civil penalty of $750 to get your license back after revocation.

If your insurance coverage lapse was 90 days or less, you may have the choice to pay a civil penalty instead of turning in your license plates to the DMV and having a license suspension. This option can be used only once in 36 months. The DMV states that you do not have the option to pay the civil penalty if the lapse of insurance is 91 days or more, a definite registration suspension has not been established, or if there is more than one suspension on your registration record.

You of course will need proof of auto insurance when you are able to reinstate your driver's license and vehicle registration. To get auto insurance quotes online for your vehicle(s), click here and get properly insured per NYS laws.