NJ Car Insurance Requirements And Driving Without Insurance
Reviewed by William A. Proetta, Esq. · Updated November 2026
For policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2026, a standard New Jersey auto policy must carry at least $35,000 per person and $70,000 per accident in bodily injury liability, $25,000 in property damage liability, matching uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, and at least $15,000 in PIP. A cheaper Basic Policy also satisfies the law. Driving without insurance carries a $300 to $1,000 fine on a first offense, a possible license suspension of up to one year, and an MVC surcharge of $250 a year for three years.
What Car Insurance Is Required in New Jersey in 2026?
Every owner of a car registered or principally garaged in New Jersey must carry liability insurance (N.J.S.A. 39:6B-1). The minimum limits rose in two steps under P.L.2022, c.87, and the second step took effect for new and renewal policies on January 1, 2026.
| Coverage | 2023 to 2025 | On or after Jan. 1, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Bodily injury, one person | $25,000 | $35,000 |
| Bodily injury, per accident | $50,000 | $70,000 |
| Property damage | $25,000 | $25,000 |
| Uninsured/underinsured motorist (bodily injury) | $25,000 / $50,000 | $35,000 / $70,000 |
Sources: N.J.S.A. 39:6A-3, 39:6B-1 and 17:28-1.1; NJ Department of Banking and Insurance Bulletin 25-06.
A standard policy also includes Personal Injury Protection (PIP), which pays your medical bills after a crash regardless of fault. You can lower PIP medical coverage to $150,000, $75,000, $50,000 or $15,000. If you never choose in writing, the policy gives you $250,000. Even with a lower option, up to $250,000 remains available for permanent or significant brain injury, spinal cord injury or disfigurement (N.J.S.A. 39:6A-4.3).
Standard, Basic and Special Policies Compared
| Standard Policy | Basic Policy | Special Policy (SAIP) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who it is for | Anyone | Drivers who want the lowest legal coverage | People on federal Medicaid with hospitalization |
| Bodily injury liability | $35,000 / $70,000 minimum | None included; $10,000 per accident optional | None |
| Property damage | $25,000 minimum | $5,000 | None |
| PIP / medical | $15,000 to $250,000 | $15,000, up to $250,000 for catastrophic injuries | Emergency care, plus up to $250,000 for catastrophic injuries |
| Uninsured motorist | Required | Not included | Not included |
| Meets NJ law? | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Sources: N.J.S.A. 39:6A-3.1 and 39:6A-3.3; DOBI Basic Policy and Special Policy pages. The 2022 limit increases do not apply to the Basic Policy. The Special Policy costs $365 a year, or $360 paid in full, and also pays a $10,000 death benefit.
The Basic Policy is legal, but its liability limits are low. With no bodily injury coverage unless you add the $10,000 option, a driver who causes a serious crash can be personally exposed to the injured person’s claim.
What Are the Penalties for Driving Without Insurance in NJ?
| First offense | Second or later offense | |
|---|---|---|
| Fine | $300 to $1,000 | Up to $5,000 |
| Jail | None | 14 days |
| Community service | Length set by the court | 30 days |
| License suspension | Court may suspend up to 1 year; can be reduced or dropped with proof of insurance at the hearing | Court may suspend up to 2 years |
| MVC surcharge | $250 a year for 3 years | $250 a year for 3 years |
| Points | None | None |
Sources: N.J.S.A. 39:6B-2, as amended by P.L.2019, c.276; MVC surcharge and points schedules.
Before the 2019 reform law, a first-offense suspension was mandatory. Now the judge decides, and must weigh the circumstances, whether losing the license would cause extreme hardship, and whether other transportation is available. Showing up with proof that you now have insurance can make a real difference.
Who Can Be Charged: The Owner or the Driver?
Both, in different situations. The owner or registrant can be charged for driving the uninsured car or letting someone else drive it. A driver who does not own the car can be charged only if he or she knew, or should have known from the circumstances, that it was uninsured. If no insurance card or policy is produced at trial, the law presumes the car was uninsured, though the defendant can rebut that.
No Insurance vs. Failure to Show Proof of Insurance
These are two different tickets, and mixing them up is common.
| Failure to have or show documents | Driving uninsured | |
|---|---|---|
| Statute | N.J.S.A. 39:3-29 | N.J.S.A. 39:6B-2 |
| What it means | You had coverage but did not carry or show the card | The car had no required insurance |
| Fine | $150 | $300 to $1,000 (first offense) |
| Can it be dismissed? | The judge may dismiss it if your license, registration and insurance card were all valid on the date of the ticket | Proof of a policy in force on that date rebuts the presumption that the car was uninsured |
| License suspension | No | Possible |
You can show your insurance card and registration on your phone. Handing the phone to an officer for that purpose does not give consent to search anything else on it (N.J.S.A. 39:3-29).
What Else Can Happen If You Drive Uninsured?
- You may lose the right to sue. An owner who was required to carry PIP and did not, and is hurt while driving or riding in that uninsured car, has no cause of action for economic or noneconomic loss (N.J.S.A. 39:6A-4.5(a)). The NJ Supreme Court upheld that rule in Caviglia v. Royal Tours of America, 178 N.J. 460 (2004).
- A DWI conviction has the same effect. A driver convicted of DWI in connection with a crash also cannot sue for economic or noneconomic loss from that crash (N.J.S.A. 39:6A-4.5(b)).
- Uninsured motorist coverage does not help you. It pays people hit by an uninsured driver, not the uninsured driver.
- The surcharge is separate from the fine. The MVC bills $250 a year for three years, and unpaid surcharges go to collection.
Do Mopeds and E-Bikes Need Insurance in NJ?
It depends on the type. Under the 2026 e-bike law, motorized bicycles, which now include throttle e-bikes and pedal-assist e-bikes that reach 21 to 28 mph, must carry liability insurance of at least $15,000 per person, $30,000 per accident and $5,000 property damage, per DOBI Bulletin 26-03. Low-speed e-bikes, whose pedal assist stops at 20 mph, do not need insurance, though they now need registration and a licensed rider. Our NJ e-bike laws page explains how to tell which type you have.
NJ Car Insurance FAQs
What Is The Minimum Car Insurance In NJ For 2026?
For standard policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2026: $35,000 per person and $70,000 per accident in bodily injury liability, $25,000 in property damage liability, matching uninsured motorist coverage, and PIP of at least $15,000. The Basic Policy is a lower-cost alternative that also meets the legal requirement.
Do You Lose Your License For Driving Without Insurance In NJ?
Not automatically. Since the 2019 reform law, a judge may suspend a first offender for up to one year and can reduce or eliminate the suspension if you show proof of insurance at the hearing. A repeat offense allows a suspension of up to two years.
Is Driving Without Insurance A Criminal Offense In NJ?
No. It is a motor vehicle offense under N.J.S.A. 39:6B-2, heard in municipal court. A second offense can still bring 14 days in jail.
Does Driving Without Insurance Put Points On Your License?
No. N.J.S.A. 39:6B-2 is not on the MVC point schedule, but it carries an MVC surcharge of $250 a year for three years.
What If I Had Insurance But Forgot My Card?
That is a different charge, failure to exhibit documents under N.J.S.A. 39:3-29, with a $150 fine. The judge may dismiss it if you show that your license, registration and insurance were all valid on the date of the ticket.
Talk to a New Jersey Lawyer
An uninsured driving ticket can carry a suspension and three years of surcharges, but the outcome often depends on what you bring to court. William Proetta has over 15 years of criminal trial experience and handles traffic, DWI and criminal cases in courts across New Jersey from offices in Jersey City and Edison.
Call (201) 793-8018 or contact us online for a free, confidential review.