In Alabama, a ticket for failure/refusal to display car insurance is a misdemeanor with a fine of up to $500.
If you are insured but did not have your car insurance card with you when the policy requested that you show proof of insurance, you should see about getting the ticket dismissed if you show the court proof that auto insurance coverage was in place at the time.
What happens after a failure to display insurance in Alabama?
The state of Alabama allows for a person ticketed for driving without insurance or failure to show an officer proof of insurance to get their ticket dismissed if they show up to the court before their court date and can provide proof that the vehicle was indeed insured at the time of the citation.
Under Alabama Code section 32-7A-6, if you operate a motor vehicle that requires liability insurance, you must carry evidence like an insurance card to display the mandated car insurance coverage.
Section 32-7A-16 then says you are guilty of a Class C misdemeanor if you are caught driving without insurance or fail to comply with a request by a law enforcement officer for the display of evidence of insurance, such as an insurance card.
As a driver in Alabama, you should know the Minimum Liability Insurance (MLI) law requires motor vehicle owners to have Liability insurance in the following minimum amounts:
- $20,000 for death or bodily injury to one person;
- $40,000 for death or bodily injury to two or more persons; and
- $10,000 for damage or destruction of property of others.
How much is a no-insurance ticket in Alabama?
According to the Alabama Department of Revenue‘s Motor Vehicle Division, motorists stopped by law enforcement for driving violations or equipment checks. They cannot provide the requested proof of vehicle liability insurance and can be fined up to $500 for the first offense. If convicted a second or subsequent time, the owner or operator may face a fine of up to $1,000, a six-month driver’s license suspension, or both.
Also, a license plate registration suspension continues until a reinstatement fee is paid and current proof of insurance is provided. If this is your second or subsequent offense, then you would have to serve a mandatory four-month registration suspension in addition to paying the reinstatement fee and providing current proof of insurance.
— Michelle Megna contributed to this story.
Resources & Methodology
Sources
- FindLaw. “Alabama code title 32-7A-6.” Accessed January 2023.
- FindLaw. “Alabama code title 32-7A-16.” Accessed January 2023.
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