Driving with a suspended license and driving without insurance are both considered serious offenses in most states, including South Carolina.

Section 56-1-460 of SC code of laws (motor vehicle title 56) lists the penalties for driving while a license is cancelled, suspended or revoked. Here it states that a person who drives a motor vehicle on any public highway of SC when his license to drive is canceled, suspended, or revoked must, upon conviction, be punished as follows:

• for a first offense, fined three hundred dollars or imprisoned for thirty days, or both;
• for a second offense, fined six hundred dollars or imprisoned for sixty consecutive days, or both; and
• for a third and subsequent offense, fined one thousand dollars and imprisoned for not less than ninety days nor more than six months, no portion of which may be suspended by the trial judge.

The SC code of laws, specifically Title 56, Chapter 9, speaks about the motor vehicle financial responsibility act. Here it states that the general penalty for any person who violates this chapter, for which no penalty is otherwise provided, shall be fined not more than one hundred dollars or imprisoned for not more than thirty days.

The South Carolina DMV notes that if you fail to maintain proof of insurance on the motor vehicle you are guilty of a misdemeanor and may face suspension action by the SC Department of Motor Vehicles. Penalties can include the owner’s driver license and vehicle registration being suspended and he or she may have to pay $5.00 for each day the vehicle was uninsured, up to $200.00, plus an additional $200.00 reinstatement fee.

Since you were cited for driving without insurance and driving with a suspended license you should contact the court listed on your citation(s) to find out more about what penalties the court in that specific SC jurisdiction usually hands down for these violations of the law.

When you next drive your car on the roadways of South Carolina make sure that it is properly insured. SC requires liability coverage in the minimum amounts of $25,000 of bodily injury per person, $50,000 of bodily injury per accident and $25,000 of property damage coverage (25/50/25). State law also requires that your policy include Uninsured Motorist (UM). Also, SC state law requires that insurance companies offer you the option of purchasing Underinsured Motorist (UIM) up to your limits of liability.

To get these coverages placed on your vehicle shop around here with us for low cost car insurance.