Understanding Your Options After An Auto Insurance Lapse

If your auto insurance lapses in North Carolina, you could face serious consequences. The state treats driving without insurance as a criminal offence, and you could be charged with a misdemeanour, resulting in a permanent criminal record. Your insurance company is required to notify the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) when your insurance lapses, and the DMV will then send you a liability insurance termination notification, or Form FS-5, giving you 10 days to respond and provide proof of insurance. Failure to do so will result in losing your license plates for 30 days, and you will have to pay a restoration fee, a service fee, and standard license plate fees to get them back.

You must notify the North Carolina DMV within 10 days of your insurance lapse

If your auto insurance lapses in North Carolina, your insurance company is required to notify the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Once the DMV receives this information, they will send the vehicle owner a liability insurance termination notification, or Form FS-5. The owner must then notify the North Carolina DMV within 10 days of their insurance lapse. This means providing proof of insurance and paying fees online. Failure to register or respond within those 10 days will result in losing your license plates for 30 days.

After the 30-day revocation period, you must pay a $50 restoration fee, a $50 service fee, and standard license plate fees before you can legally get back on the road. The service fee can be avoided by surrendering your license plate to the DMV during the 10-day period after receiving a notice of revocation.

The fees for not returning your plate if your insurance lapses increase with each subsequent lapse. The NCDMV assesses penalties for lapsed coverage based on the number of prior lapses a registered owner has had on their vehicle within three years. The fees, in addition to a $50 restoration fee, are as follows:

• First lapse: $50
• Second lapse: $100
• Subsequent lapses: $150

If you are leaving the state permanently or no longer driving, you must return your license plates to the state.

You will need to pay a restoration fee, service fee, and standard license plate fees

If your car insurance has lapsed in North Carolina, you will need to pay a restoration fee, service fee, and standard license plate fees to get your license plates back. The restoration fee is $50, and the service fee is $50. These fees must be paid to the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to get your license plates back and be able to drive legally again.

The service fee can be avoided by surrendering your license plate to the DMV within 10 days of receiving a notice of revocation. If you fail to respond to the notice within 10 days, you will lose your license plates for at least 30 days and face a possible registration suspension. After the revocation period, you will need to pay the restoration fee, service fee, and standard license plate fees to get your license plates back.

It is important to note that having a lapse in car insurance coverage can result in higher premiums when you reinstate your policy. Insurance companies do not look favorably upon lapses in coverage and will charge you accordingly. In addition, driving without car insurance in North Carolina is illegal, and you can face penalties if caught.

You may face criminal charges and civil penalties

If your auto insurance lapses in North Carolina, you may face criminal charges and civil penalties. Here are the potential consequences and steps you need to take:

Criminal Charges

Driving without valid insurance is illegal in North Carolina, and you can be charged with a Class 3 misdemeanor, which carries a fine of up to $150. Additionally, if you are found guilty, you may face other penalties, such as community service or, in rare cases, jail time.

Civil Penalties

The North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will be notified by your insurance company about the lapse in coverage. They will then send you an FS 5-7 form, a liability insurance termination notice. You have 10 days to respond and provide proof of new insurance or surrender your license plates. Failure to do so within the 10-day period can result in losing your license plates for at least 30 days and possible registration suspension.

Reinstating Your License Plates

After the revocation period, you will need to pay a $50 restoration fee, a $50 service fee, and standard license plate fees to get your license plates back. You can avoid the service fee by surrendering your license plates to the DMV within 10 days of receiving the revocation notice.

Impact on Premiums

It's important to note that a lapse in insurance coverage will likely result in higher premiums when you reinstate your policy. Insurance companies view a lapse in coverage negatively and will charge you accordingly.

Preventing Future Lapses

To prevent future lapses in insurance coverage, consider setting up automatic payments with your insurance provider or setting reminders for when your payments are due. Additionally, regularly reviewing your insurance policy and shopping around for new coverage can help you find the best rates and ensure continuous coverage.

You will need to obtain new insurance and submit proof to the DMV

If your auto insurance has lapsed, your insurance company is required to notify the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV). The DMV will then notify you once they receive this information. If there is a penalty, the DMV will inform you of the action you need to take.

To get revoked license plates back in North Carolina, you must obtain liability insurance through a North Carolina auto insurance provider. Proof of insurance or renewal must be sent to and received by the North Carolina DMV before you pay the fines and penalties associated with the lapse.

If you pay the fines on time and your insurance company submits proof of insurance, you may be able to keep your plates. To do this, you must:

• Obtain a new insurance policy.
• Submit proof of insurance to the DMV. This must be done by your insurance company using Form FS-1. You can contact the North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles Customer Contact Center to ensure the form has been received.
• Provide the license plate number associated with the insurance lapse and the control number on the insurance termination notice.
• Pay a civil penalty fee of $50, $100, or $150, depending on the number of lapses you have had in the past three years.
• Pay a $50 service fee and the appropriate license plate fee.

You can request a hearing if you believe the lapse was not your fault

If you let your car insurance lapse in North Carolina, you must surrender your license plates and pay a fee to get them back. You will have to pay a $50 restoration fee, a $50 service fee, and standard license plate fees. If you surrender your license plate to the DMV during the 10-day period after receiving a notice of revocation, you can avoid the service fee.

If you believe that the lapse in coverage was not your fault, you can request a hearing by filing a liability hearing request form and paying a $60 fee. You can also call the NCDMV at 919-715-7000 to request a hearing. According to the North Carolina Administrative Code, "If the hearings officer establishes that any lapse in coverage is not reasonably attributable to fault or neglect on the part of the insured, he will rescind the Division's order of revocation."

To request a hearing, you must write to the Insurance Hearings Officer, Vehicle Services Registration Section, Division of Motor Vehicles, Raleigh, North Carolina 27697. You can also make this request prior to receiving the revocation order. For example, you can request a hearing after receiving notice from the Division of Motor Vehicles that a termination notice has been received from an insurer. However, no hearing will be granted unless the owner has financial responsibility for the vehicle as required by statute at the time of the request.

Additionally, if you have any issues or queries regarding your insurance, you can log in to your myNCDMV account and follow the steps to pay the liability insurance lapse fee.

Frequently asked questions