What’s the Maximum Fine for Driving Without Insurance?
17 October 2022 | 
Andy Moody
To legally drive on public roads in the UK, whether driving your own vehicle or a vehicle owned by someone else, you must have driver’s insurance.
If caught driving without insurance, you will receive penalty points on your licence and a £300 fine. However, should the case go to court, the potential fine is unlimited, and you could also be disqualified from driving.
It’s better to always ensure that you follow the law. Go Shorty offer fast and affordable access to comprehensive temporary car insurance.
Penalties for Driving without Insurance
How Do the Police Check for Uninsured Drivers?
Are There Any Reasons Not to Have Car Insurance?
Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN)
Your insurance provider cancelled the policy without notice
Is it illegal to drive without car insurance in the UK?
How do police catch uninsured drivers?
How long can you go without car insurance before being penalised?
How long do points stay on your license?
Easiest Way to Get Temporary Insurance
Penalties for driving without insurance
While uninsured driving is not a criminal offence, the penalties for driving without insurance are severe and apply to vehicles parked on public roads. All drivers must have a minimum of third-party insurance when driving or parked on public UK roads.
Penalty points
You will receive six endorsement points on your licence if caught driving without insurance. These remain on your licence for four years. If they accumulate to 12 or more, you will likely go to court and receive a driving ban or be disqualified from driving.
Substantial fine
The fixed penalty has a £300 fine for driving without insurance. However, there is no maximum fine if the matter goes to court. Depending on the severity of your offence, the unlimited fine could be very hefty.
Potential driving ban
The DVLA will likely take you to court if you already have six or more points on your licence when you get caught driving an uninsured vehicle. Your driving licence could be revoked, and you could be banned from driving.
Vehicle seizure
Suppose you are caught driving without insurance and have other offences on your licence. In that case, there is a chance that your vehicle could be seized by the police and possibly destroyed, depending on the severity of the offence.
How do the police check for uninsured drivers?
All police forces in the United Kingdom have access to the Motor Insurance Database, which records all insured cars in the country. By scanning the car’s licence plate, the police can check the vehicle against the database and its insurance status.
Police will pull over uninsured vehicles immediately, and their drivers will receive a fine and six penalty points. Depending on the driver’s driving history, they might have to go to court. In this instance, the maximum fine for driving without insurance is unlimited.
Are there any reasons not to have car insurance?
Every driver should have insurance for their vehicle, whether or not they own it. You even need to have insurance when taking a car for a test drive. However, there are always a few exceptions to the rules.
Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN)
Suppose your vehicle is in for repairs or is just a vehicle you no longer wish to drive on public roads. In that case, you can apply for a Statutory Off Road Notification with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).
However, this means that you may not use the vehicle on public roads and doing so will result in various penalties. Registering a vehicle for SORN also means you no longer need to pay tax for the vehicle.
To start driving the vehicle again, you must take it for a Ministry of Transport test. Driving to the garage for the MOT test is legal, but you must have a booking to prove why you are on the road if the police stop you.
Stolen, scrapped or exported
For obvious reasons, vehicles that have been stolen, scrapped, or exported with notice, don’t need to be insured. You do need to inform your insurance about the change, as well as the DVLA.
Between ownership
When transferring ownership of a vehicle, the vehicle owner is responsible for the insurance until transference is complete. Once the vehicle is under the new owner’s name, they will need to ensure that they insure it.
Your insurance provider cancelled the policy without notice
Suppose your insurance provider cancelled your insurance policy without notifying you. In that case, you could not be held liable for not having insurance, as you were unaware that your insurance provider had cancelled your policy.
However, if your policy lapsed because you forgot to renew it, you will still be liable for the penalties.
FAQs
Is it illegal to drive without car insurance in the UK?
Unless your vehicle falls under one of the few exceptions, every driver needs to have at least third-party insurance for their vehicle. It is worth noting that a car parked on a public road is also liable for penalties if it is without insurance.
Driving without car insurance is illegal and will result in a mark on your licence and a fine. The maximum fine for driving without insurance can be unlimited, depending on the offence.
How do police catch uninsured drivers?
All police have access to the Motor Insurance Database, allowing them to check vehicle insurance on the go using automatic number plate recognition. If you don’t have car insurance for your driving vehicle, the police will give you penalties and a fine. They can also impound your car if you have priors.
How long can you go without car insurance before being penalised?
Due to the existence of the Motor Insurance Database, you won’t be able to get very far without insurance before getting caught.
If your insurance has lapsed, you will be held responsible. It is a legal requirement to have motor vehicle insurance, and you must maintain it. The only exception is if the insurance company cancels the policy without notifying you.
The MID also allows the DVLA to check on your registration. Suppose they find that the vehicle you’re being taxed on is not insured. In that case, they will send you a letter to notify you that your insurance has lapsed and that you need to reactivate your policy.
The UK monitoring systems make it very difficult to get away with not making sure your vehicle is correctly insured.
How long do points stay on your license?
When you receive points on your licence, they will remain there for the next four years. Points accumulate, and 12 or more points will result in a hefty fine and potentially being banned from driving. The police may also seize and destroy your vehicle, depending on your driving history.
Easiest way to get temporary insurance
To avoid accumulating points and receiving massive fines, you can always use various forms of temporary car insurance. Whether borrowing a friend’s vehicle or going for a test drive, GoShorty may have you covered.
Our hourly car insurance is perfect for when you need insurance in a hurry. With a quick and easy application process, your insurance details will be emailed to you in minutes.
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