Jeff Gitlen, CEPF®, is the director of growth at LendEDU. He graduated from the Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics at the University of Delaware.
If you plan to drive, you’ll need car insurance. That’s true regardless of the state in which you drive or live. Each state, however, determines exactly when you’ll need that insurance and what levels of car insurance coverage you need.
Keep in mind that if you move to a new state, you’ll need to verify the car insurance and license requirements for that state to ensure you’re in compliance; it’s not enough to ask a friend or relative who lives there.
In this guide:
Before you’re granted a driver’s license, you’ll need to get a learner’s permit that allows you to drive — with caveats and restrictions — while you’re practicing for your driving test. In most states, this means you’ll need to pass a written examination that goes over that state’s laws, which may differ from other states in which you’ve driven or lived.
When it comes to young drivers, some auto insurance companies have policies that automatically cover any driver with a learner’s permit. Other companies, though, require permit drivers to be specifically added to the policy; in certain cases, you might even need to purchase a separate learner’s permit insurance policy.
Because the requirements vary by state, you should contact your existing insurance company or insurance agent to make sure you’re within legal guidelines. And if you’re in the market for a new policy, check out our list of the best auto insurance companies.
In some states, you need to take a driver’s education course before you can even get a learner’s permit or temporary license. Although teen drivers often take driver’s ed in high school as an elective class, it’s also offered by state-run or state-sponsored schools for adults.
You probably won’t need your own car insurance policy while you’re in the class because the state or school usually provides insured cars for student use. As a new driver in the class, you’ll automatically be covered.
After you’ve finished a driver’s education course and practiced using a learner’s permit, you’ll be ready to take your driver’s license exam. Before you can test, you must prove the car you’re using has insurance coverage.
So you might not need insurance to get a license, but what about the other way around? Can you get insurance without a license? What about to buy or register your car?
Generally, no. Insurers usually ask for your license number when you apply for a policy, and they’ll use that number to evaluate your driving history and generate your auto insurance rates.
However, it is possible to get auto insurance with no driver’s license in some cases, such as if you specifically exclude yourself from the policy (so your licensed family members can drive), or if you get parked-car insurance for a vehicle that will sit in storage. Of course, like most laws and regulations, the requirements vary by state.
Here’s a state-by-state breakdown of the laws surrounding getting insurance and your driver’s license.
You won’t need auto insurance coverage to obtain or renew a driver’s license, but you will need it to register a vehicle or drive one. The following minimum coverage requirements apply:
There are several remote areas of Alaska where neither vehicle registration nor insurance is necessary. Check with your state DMV to see if you live in one of those areas. Generally, however, you are not required to have an auto insurance policy to obtain or renew a driver’s license. For most Alaska residents, the following minimum coverage requirements apply:
The state requires car insurance on every vehicle driven on AZ roads; you do not, however, have to show proof of insurance when getting or renewing a driver license. The following minimum coverage requirements apply:
You won’t need insurance to get or renew a driver’s license; however, it is required in order to register a vehicle. The following minimum coverage requirements apply:
You will need to provide proof of insurance at your driver’s test and for vehicle registration. The following minimum coverage requirements apply:
You won’t need insurance to get or renew a driver’s license; however, it is required in order to register or operate a vehicle. The following minimum coverage requirements apply:
You won’t need insurance to get or renew a driver’s license; however, it is required in order to register a vehicle. The following minimum coverage requirements apply:
Insurance is needed at your driver’s exam and to register your vehicle. The following minimum coverage requirements apply:
Insurance is not needed for a license but is required for registration. The following minimum coverage requirements apply:
You won’t need insurance to obtain or renew a driver’s license, but you’ll need it to drive. The following minimum coverage requirements apply:
Insurance is needed to obtain a driver’s license but not to renew one. The following minimum coverage requirements apply:
No insurance is needed in order to get a license, but you’ll need it to drive on Idaho roads. You’ll also need to sign a statement certifying that your car will be insured. The following minimum coverage requirements apply:
Insurance is needed to drive, but not to get a license. The following minimum coverage requirements apply:
No insurance is needed for a REAL ID-compliant license, but it is required to operate a vehicle. The following minimum coverage requirements apply:
You won’t need insurance to get a license or renew it, but you’ll need it to drive. The following minimum coverage requirements apply:
No insurance is needed to receive or renew a license; you must have it to drive on KS roads. The following minimum coverage requirements apply:
No proof of insurance is needed to get a driver’s license but you must have it to operate a vehicle. The following minimum coverage requirements apply:
You’ll need insurance for your driver’s test on the car you’re using but not to obtain your license. The following minimum coverage requirements apply:
No proof of insurance is needed to get a license, but you’ll need it in order to drive. The following minimum coverage requirements apply:
No proof of insurance required to obtain a driver’s license. The following minimum coverage requirements apply:
No insurance needed to obtain a license but needed for operation. The following minimum coverage requirements apply:
Insurance unnecessary to get a license but needed in order to drive. The following minimum coverage requirements apply:
You don’t need proof of insurance to get a license. The following minimum coverage requirements apply:
Insurance isn’t necessary to get a license but you’ll need it to register your vehicle or drive it anywhere in the state. The following minimum coverage requirements apply:
Must have insurance to register and drive, but not necessary to get a license. The following minimum coverage requirements apply:
Proof of insurance is not necessary for a license; it is necessary for registration and operation. The following minimum coverage requirements apply:
No proof of insurance needed for a driver’s license. The following minimum coverage requirements apply:
Proof of insurance is not necessary to get a license, but you are expected to accept financial responsibility if you are in a car accident. The following minimum coverage requirements apply:
No insurance is needed for a driver’s license, but you need it in order to drive. The following minimum coverage requirements apply:
You don’t need proof of insurance to get a license, just to operate and register a vehicle. The following minimum coverage requirements apply:
No car insurance is needed to get a driver’s license. The following minimum coverage requirements apply:
You must show proof of liability insurance in order to get a driver’s license. The following minimum coverage requirements apply:
Insurance is not necessary to get a driver’s license. The following minimum coverage requirements apply:
No insurance is needed for a license. The following minimum coverage requirements apply:
Insurance is not necessary to obtain a driver’s license but is required for registration and operation. The following minimum coverage requirements apply:
No insurance is needed to get a license. The following minimum coverage requirements apply:
You don’t need insurance to get a license but if you’re caught driving without it, you could lose your driving privileges. The following minimum coverage requirements apply:
No car insurance is needed to get a license, but you must sign a statement when you register your vehicle that you will maintain insurance. The following minimum coverage requirements apply:
There is no insurance needed for a driver’s license. The following minimum coverage requirements apply:
You do not need car insurance to get a license, but you do need it to operate. The following minimum coverage requirements apply:
Insurance is not necessary for a driver’s license. The following minimum coverage requirements apply:
You can get a driver’s license without proof of insurance. The following minimum coverage requirements apply:
No proof of insurance needed to get a driver’s license. The following minimum coverage requirements apply:
You do not need proof of insurance for an enhanced driver’s license. The following minimum coverage requirements apply:
No proof of insurance is needed for a license. The following minimum coverage requirements apply:
No car insurance required to get a license. The following minimum coverage requirements apply:
No insurance is required to get a driver’s license. The following minimum coverage requirements apply:
No insurance is needed to get a driver’s license. The following minimum coverage requirements apply:
Getting your driver’s license is an exciting time. In order to keep yourself out of trouble later, however, make sure you check with your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles to find out when you’ll need to have car insurance. Although most states don’t require you to have it in order to become a licensed driver, they all require it before you get behind the wheel.
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