Mandatory insurance

It's illegal to drive a car in Washington without having liability insurance or another way to assume financial responsibility for damages. Learn what's required and how to provide proof.

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Before you get started

If you drive your car without purchasing the required insurance, you could receive a fine of $550 or more.
If you're at fault in a collision and don't have insurance, your license may be suspended if you fail to pay the resulting damages and/or injuries.

If you drive a vehicle that is registered in Washington State, you must have one of the following:

Motor vehicle insurance

The insurance policy must have limits of at least:

$25,000 of bodily injury or death of 1 person in any 1 accident.
$50,000 of bodily injury or death of any 2 people in any 1 accident.
$10,000 of injury to or destruction of property of others in any 1 accident.

Required proof of insurance

Any time you drive in Washington, you must be prepared to show your auto insurance ID card to law enforcement. You will receive this card from your auto insurance company when you buy a policy, and it must include all of the following:

Name of the insurance company
Policy number
Effective date of the policy
Expiration date of the policy
Description of the year, make, and model of the insured vehicles, or the name of the insured driver.
- The word "fleet" may be used for more than 5 vehicles owned by the same person or business.

Failing to show this proof of insurance is a traffic infraction. Knowingly providing false evidence of coverage is a misdemeanor.

Self-insurance

If you have 26 or more vehicles, you may qualify for self-insurance. For more information, contact us at:

Driver Records
Department of Licensing
PO Box 9030
Olympia, WA 98507-9030

Required proof of self-insurance

Any time you drive in Washington, you must be prepared to show your self-insurance certificate to law enforcement. The certificate may be printed on any size paper and must include all of the following:

Self-insurance certificate number we issued to you.
Effective date of the certificate.
Description of the year, make, and model of the covered vehicles, or the name of the covered driver.
- The word "fleet" may be used in place of the vehicle description.

Failing to show proof is a traffic infraction. Knowingly providing false evidence of coverage is a misdemeanor.

Certificate of deposit

To apply for a certificate of deposit, you must complete a Financial Responsibility Application and Affidavit. We'll review your form for qualification. If you qualify, we'll notify you by mail or email and request you, your financial institution, or securities firm submit the following within 30 days:

Assignment of Monies or Securities for Financial Responsibility form, and
Financial statements

If we don't receive all documents within 30 days, we'll send you a denial letter. If we don't receive proof of payment, we can't process your application.

Minimum deposit amount

The certificate of deposit must be for at least $60,000. You can make a deposit of collateral with DOL or in a bank account set up for the State of Washington.

Required proof of certificate of deposit

Any time you drive in Washington, you must be prepared to show proof of your certificate of deposit to law enforcement. The information may be printed on any size paper and include the following:

Certificate number issued by DOL, and
Name of the covered driver

Failing to show proof of insurance is a traffic infraction. Knowingly providing false evidence of coverage is a misdemeanor.

Liability bond

The bond must be for at least $60,000 and must be filed by a surety bond company authorized to do business in Washington.

Required proof of liability bond

Any time you drive in Washington, you must be prepared to show proof of your liability bond to law enforcement. The information may be printed on any size paper and must include all of the following:

Name of the company that issued the bond.
Bond number.
Name of the covered driver

Failing to show this proof of insurance is a traffic infraction. Knowingly providing false evidence of coverage is a misdemeanor.

Exceptions

You don't need to have insurance when you operate a vehicle registered as any of the following:

Moped (RCW 46.04.304)
Horseless carriage over 40 years old (RCW 46.18.255)
State or publicly-owned vehicle (RCW 46.16.020)
Common or contract carrier with the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission

Vehicles registered in another state

When you drive a vehicle in Washington that's registered in another state, you must have the type of insurance required by that state. You must be able to provide proof of this insurance to law enforcement if requested.

Related laws and rules

Vehicle registration

RCW 46.16: Vehicle licenses (which vehicles are required to be registered in Washington)