Virginia car insurance: the higher minimums, the end of the uninsured fee and what drivers pay

What changed in Virginia's minimums

Virginia made two big changes to its car insurance rules in a short span. In short: Minimums rose from 30/60/20 to 50/100/25 on January 1, 2025; the uninsured motor vehicle fee option ended July 1, 2024.

If your policy renewed after the change, it had to be brought up to the new limits. If you already carried higher limits, nothing changed for you. Some older consumer guides, including parts of the state's own, still quote the previous limits, so check the date on anything you read. Our post on state minimum coverage changes tracks similar updates in other states.

Paying to drive uninsured is no longer an option

Virginia used to let an owner pay an uninsured motor vehicle fee at registration instead of buying insurance. The fee was not insurance. It only allowed the car to be registered, and the owner stayed personally responsible for any crash.

That option is gone. To buy plates or decals, you now certify that the vehicle has at least the minimum insurance. If you relied on the fee in the past, you need a policy before your next registration. If price was the reason, discounts and shopping at renewal are the usual places to start.

What happens if Virginia DMV finds you uninsured

The penalties make a lapse expensive:

1. DMV suspends your driving privileges and your vehicle registration.
2. To be reinstated, you pay a $600 noncompliance fee, plus a reinstatement fee if one applies.
3. You must file a Financial Responsibility Insurance Certificate, an SR-22, with DMV and keep it for 3 years.

The SR-22 itself is just a form your insurer files, but it marks you as a higher-risk driver for those years, which can mean higher premiums. See car insurance after a lapse.

UM and UIM match your liability limits

Virginia requires uninsured motorist coverage on every policy, equal to your liability limits unless you reject the extra amount, and never below the state minimums. Underinsured motorist coverage is required at the same limits as your UM coverage. That means a driver who buys higher liability limits automatically gets matching protection for their own injuries, unless they choose otherwise in writing.

For example, a driver who raises liability to 100/300 would normally carry 100/300 in UM and UIM as well. If they reject the extra and drop UM to the minimum, the premium falls, but so does the amount available if an uninsured driver injures them. The uninsured motorist coverage guide explains these trade-offs.

FR-44: double limits after a DUI

Virginia and Florida use the FR-44 form. After certain DUI convictions on or after January 1, 2008, drivers must prove liability coverage at twice the normal minimums:

Our FR-44 guide and car insurance after a DUI explain how the filing works.

Virginia car insurance costs and road safety

Virginia sits below the national average on both NAIC cost measures, on the uninsured estimate and on the IIHS crash death rate. These figures come from before the new minimums took effect, so they do not show any effect of the higher limits. IIHS data add some detail: 31% of Virginia's crash deaths in 2024 were speeding-related (US: 29%), and 50% happened on rural roads (US: 41%). A state average is only a starting point: your own price depends on personal factors such as your driving record, age, car and ZIP code. Neighboring Maryland (At-fault (add-on PIP)) and Kentucky (Choice no-fault) handle injury claims differently, which matters if you commute across the line.