How much is a civil penalty in NY?

“Proof of financial security is required to be maintained continuously throughout the registration period. Liability insurance must be maintained on all registered vehicles. However, you are not required to surrender your registration plates to the Department of Motor Vehicles when your liability insurance terminates. If you operate your vehicle on the public highways without liability insurance, you will be subject to having your driver's license and registration revoked for a period of one year, a fine imposed by a court and payment of a civil penalty of $750.”
The way you drive can have a huge impact on many different aspects of your life. Not only does accumulating a speeding ticket add points to your license via the NY Point System it also costs you money in the form of fines and court fees. Savvy drivers should know not only how much a New York speeding ticket cost but how they can get tickets and points dismissed by completing New York defensive driving courses.

How Much Tickets Cost

Speeding ticket cost and fees vary in NY, and depend on other fees, called surcharges, that can be added according to the violation type, where the NY speeding ticket was written, and other factors such as current driving record and status. A speeding ticket cost can also vary due to the type of court, city, or county so it is important to check your traffic ticket for the exact amount of the fine and call the clerk of court to check on any additional surcharges or fees.

Civil Penalties and Fines

In addition to the ticket cost, drivers in NY may also be required by the DMV to pay a driver civil penalty. This fine is required for certain traffic offenses and must be paid to restore your driving privileges after a suspension/revocation. The civil penalty is accessed in addition to any other fines for the traffic conviction and is issued to help prevent repeated behavior by the driver and improve safety.

Traffic School Ticket Dismissal

The New York DMV created a program called The Point & Insurance Reduction Program to promote defensive driving habits to lower the number of auto accidents. Drivers in NY are rewarded for completing a New York defensive driver course from an approved New York defensive driving school, that promotes driver awareness and the safest methods for handling a vehicle to reduce accidents. Drivers can enroll in a defensive driver course at a New York defensive driving school to reduce insurance premiums and points on their NY license.

If you're pulled over for a traffic violation in New York, the officer may ask for your paper or electronic insurance identification card. The penalties for driving without auto insurance in New York are steep.

The state may fine you up to $1,500, suspend your driving privileges, charge an additional fee of $750 to restore a revoked license, impound your vehicle or even require you to serve jail time.

Penalties for driving without auto insurance

Once you have a New York auto insurance policy, your insurer electronically notifies the New York Department of Motor Vehicles that you're covered. They also send you an insurance identification card to carry while driving.

As long as your car is registered in New York state, you must have proof of liability coverage as well as a driver's license and a vehicle registration. If you fail to provide these documents during a traffic stop, the officer will assume you don't have coverage — even if you have a policy and simply forgot to bring your card. That's why it's so important to carry your information.

NY car insurance requirements

Drivers in New York must carry at least this much insurance:

  • $25,000 for bodily liability insurance per person
  • $50,000 for bodily liability insurance per accident
  • $10,000 for property damage coverage per accident

You could face a penalty of $150–$1,500 each time you're found driving without insurance or if you let someone else drive your uninsured vehicle. A New York court may also impound your car, imprison you for up to 15 days, or revoke your driver's license and registration. If the department of motor vehicles has suspended your driving privileges, you may receive a notice in the mail resembling this form. To reinstate your license, you may also have to pay the DMV a $750 fee.

You have fewer options if your insurance has lapsed for more than 90 days or if you have already paid a civil penalty within the last three years. In those cases, you'll need to serve the suspension period before reinstating your New York license instead of paying the $750 fee.

How much is a civil penalty in NY?

How Does a Lapse in Car Insurance Coverage Affect Rates?

by Matt Timmons

Getting auto insurance after a lapse in coverage

You will also need to buy an insurance policy before you can legally drive again. Not all insurers will cover a driver with a lapse in coverage, particularly if you've had multiple offenses, so you should consider companies that work with higher-risk drivers.

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Penalties for lapses in insurance

Your insurer will notify the DMV if your auto insurance policy lapses for any reason. Then, the agency will suspend your license and registration and charge you a daily fine until you reinstate your coverage. The penalties for a lapse in coverage are:

  • 1–30 days: $8 per day, up to $240
  • 31–60 days: $10 per day, up to $300
  • 61–90 days: $12 per day, up to $360
  • Total cost if there is a lapse in your coverage for 90 days: $900

If you can't pay these penalties, you may instead surrender your vehicle registration and plates until the suspension period is over. If after 90 days you fail to pay the fee and do not surrender your registration and plates, the DMV will also suspend your registration and driver's license. To reinstate your license, you will have to pay a $750 fee to the DMV.

The total cost of a lapse in insurance and a conviction for driving without insurance in New York could be up to $2,400.

Penalties for driving uninsured in an accident

If you're involved in a car crash while uninsured, the New York DMV will take your vehicle registration and driver's license for at least one year after the crash. Even if someone else was driving your uninsured vehicle at the time of the collision, your license and registration can still be revoked.

In addition to paying fines up to $1,500 and a $750 civil penalty to restore your license, you're also financially responsible for any damage or injuries that resulted from the accident.

If you unknowingly drove an uninsured vehicle and were involved in a collision, the insurance commissioner may excuse you from paying these costs.

Summary of penalties and fines for driving uninsured in New York

Fines

Impoundment

Driving privilege

Imprisonment

Traffic stop penalties

$150–$1,500 and an additional civil penalty fee of $750 if your license is revokedPossibleYour license and registration could be revoked for up to three years.Up to 15 days

Collision penalties

$150–$1,500 and an additional civil penalty fee of $750 if your license is revokedPossibleYour license and registration will immediately be revoked for at least one year and up to three years.Up to 15 days

Insurance lapse penalties

Civil penalty fee up to $900N/AYour registration could be suspended if you fail to pay the civil penalty.N/A

Appealing your fine

If you're charged for driving without insurance but actually have a valid policy, then you should hire an attorney. This person can help you appeal the fine in court and prove you have adequate liability coverage in the state of New York. Additionally, your attorney can help you avoid imprisonment and a license suspension.

Editorial Note: The content of this article is based on the author’s opinions and recommendations alone. It has not been previewed, commissioned or otherwise endorsed by any of our network partners.

SR-22 Insurance

An SR-22 form is a certificate that proves you have the minimum required auto insurance. You only need an SR-22 if your state or court orders you to get one after a major driving violation.

Compare SR-22 Quotes

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Where can I pay a civil penalty?

You may submit your payment electronically through www.pay.gov, a secure website administered by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Select “DHS/TSA” on the “Find an Agency” page to access TSA civil penalty payments.

What happens if my registration is suspended in NY?

If the registration suspension period is more than 90 days, you must surrender your vehicle registration and plates. The DMV will also suspend your driver license. Your driver license will be suspended for the same number of days as your registration suspension.

Is there a penalty for not returning license plates in NY?

How to surrender plates in New York. For every single day that you hold on to your New York State license plates without bodily injury and property damage liability insurance coverage on those plates, then it's $8 per day for the first 30 days that you will then have to pay as a fine to the DMV.

What is a driver assessment fee in New York?

The minimum amount that you must pay each year is the annual assessment. The total assessment for the three years is $300. If you receive more than 6 points on your driver record during a period of 18 months, the annual assessment is $25 for each point in addition to the original six points.