Verified Tenn. Code Ann. §55-12-139 · Checked October 2026 · 6 sources
What a no-insurance ticket costs in Tennessee
First offense Tenn. Code Ann. §55-12-139
Up to $300 fine
Verified October 2026 against the sources on this page
Failing to provide evidence of financial responsibility in Tennessee is a Class C misdemeanor “punishable only by a fine of not more than three hundred dollars ($300)” (Tenn. Code Ann. §55-12-139(c)), so there is no jail for the basic offense. Those fines are in addition to any other fines imposed under Title 55 (§55-12-139(d)), and the officer may tow the vehicle if the officer’s agency has adopted a towing policy (§55-12-139(c)).
By Mario Bailey
What to do now
- 1
Were you actually covered? Bring proof by the court date
Submit evidence on or before the court date that financial responsibility was in effect at the time of the violation: for a first violation the charge shall be dismissed without costs; on later violations dismissal is at the court’s discretion (§55-12-139(e)).
- 2
If you were uninsured, get a policy before court
The charge is a Class C misdemeanor punishable only by a fine of not more than $300 (Tenn. Code Ann. §55-12-139(c)).
- 3
Answer any Department of Revenue insurance notice within 30 days
Its final notice carries a $25 coverage failure fee, and missing the 30-day window adds a $100 fee and suspends the vehicle registration until you insure the vehicle, prove it, and pay the fees.
- 4
Know what makes it worse
The charge escalates to a Class A misdemeanor for an uninsured crash causing bodily injury or death with criminal negligence, or for knowingly presenting invalid proof of insurance.
Insurance impact: The ticket itself does not touch your license, but the Department of Revenue separately suspends the registration of a vehicle whose coverage it cannot verify, after a $25 fee and then a $100 fee; those fees rise to $500 and $1,000 on July 1, 2027.
Repeat offenses
The fine ceiling does not rise for a repeat, but two things change. First, dismissal on proof of coverage becomes discretionary: on a second or subsequent violation the court “may” dismiss rather than “shall” (§55-12-139(e)(1)). Second, the charge escalates to a Class A misdemeanor if you were uninsured at the time of a crash causing bodily injury or death and were at fault through criminal negligence, or if you knowingly presented invalid proof of insurance (§55-12-139(c)).
Is driving without insurance a misdemeanor in Tennessee?
Yes, a Class C misdemeanor, fine-only, capped at $300. It becomes a Class A misdemeanor for an uninsured injury or fatal crash caused with criminal negligence, or for knowingly presenting proof of insurance you know is not valid.
Can it be dismissed?
Yes, if you were actually covered. On or before the court date you may submit evidence that financial responsibility was in effect at the time of the violation. For a first violation, if the court is satisfied, the charge “shall be dismissed,” mandatory, and dismissals under this subsection are without costs to the defendant; on a second or subsequent violation the court may dismiss (§55-12-139(e)(1)). A person who was not covered at the time of being charged gets no dismissal under this rule (§55-12-139(e)(2)).
What happens beyond the fine
Section 55-12-139 itself is fine-only and does not suspend your license. The registration risk runs on a separate track: the Department of Revenue’s insurance verification program checks registered vehicles against insurer data, and when it cannot verify coverage it mails a notice. On its final notice it assesses a $25 coverage failure fee, and if you do not provide proof within 30 days it adds a $100 coverage failure fee and suspends the vehicle registration (Tenn. Code Ann. §55-12-210; Department of Revenue notices). Driving on a suspended registration is itself a Class C misdemeanor, according to the Department of Revenue’s suspension notice (T.C.A. §55-3-102).
To reinstate a registration suspended for an insurance lapse, the Department of Revenue says you must buy liability insurance, provide evidence of coverage, and pay all coverage failure fees, $125 in total on its suspension notice, through DriveInsuredTN.com. You may request an administrative hearing to challenge the suspension by writing to the Department of Revenue within 10 days of the date of the suspension letter. These fees rise on July 1, 2027, under Public Chapter 1077 of 2026: the coverage failure fee goes to $500, the continued coverage failure fee to $1,000, and a vehicle that draws a second notice within three years of the first faces a single $1,500 repeated coverage failure fee plus suspension or revocation of the registration. From the same date, the Department of Revenue or a county clerk may not renew a registration after the department has issued a notice under §55-12-210(b)(1)(B) until all §55-12-210 fees are paid and proof of coverage is shown.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a no-insurance ticket in Tennessee?
A Class C misdemeanor punishable only by a fine of up to $300 under Tenn. Code Ann. §55-12-139(c), in addition to any other Title 55 fines, unless aggravating factors (an at-fault injury crash with criminal negligence, or knowingly fake proof) raise it to a Class A misdemeanor.
Will Tennessee dismiss the charge if I actually had insurance?
Yes, for a first violation. Submit evidence on or before the court date that coverage was in effect at the time of the violation; if the court is satisfied, dismissal is mandatory and without costs to you. On a second or subsequent violation, dismissal is at the court’s discretion.
Can Tennessee suspend my registration for no insurance?
Yes, through the Department of Revenue rather than the court. When it cannot verify coverage on a registered vehicle, its final notice assesses a $25 coverage failure fee, and if you do not provide proof within 30 days it adds a $100 fee and suspends the registration (§55-12-210). Reinstating takes insurance, proof, and payment of all coverage failure fees.
Are Tennessee’s insurance fees going up?
Yes. Public Chapter 1077 of 2026 raises the coverage failure fee from $25 to $500 and the continued coverage failure fee from $100 to $1,000 effective July 1, 2027, adds a $1,500 repeated coverage failure fee for a vehicle that draws a second notice within three years, and bars renewal of a registration after a §55-12-210(b)(1)(B) notice until the fees are paid and coverage is proven.
Can the police tow my car for no insurance in Tennessee?
They can if the officer’s law enforcement agency has adopted a towing policy, under Tenn. Code Ann. §55-12-139(c).
Sources
This summary was checked against the following sources on the date shown above. Fines and fees change, verify before relying on specifics.
- Tenn. Code Ann. §55-12-139 (FindLaw mirror; the official code is hosted on Lexis)
- Public Chapter 83 of 2025, amending §55-12-139(b)(2)(B) only (TN Secretary of State)
- Public Chapter 1077 of 2026, insurance verification fee changes effective July 1, 2027 (TN Secretary of State)
- SB 1667 bill history and effective dates (Tennessee General Assembly)
- Insurance verification final notice, $25 and $100 fees (TN Department of Revenue)
- Vehicle registration suspension notice, reinstatement and hearing (TN Department of Revenue)
Read next
- No Proof of Insurance Ticket: Cost and How to Dismiss It
- Florida license suspension for no insurance: the timeline, the fee ladder, and the way out
- Can you go to jail for driving without insurance? Where jail is on the statute's face, and where it is not, in 14 states
- Accident without insurance: what happens to your license
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Expired Registration in Tennessee
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General legal information, not legal advice. Statutes and penalty schedules summarized from the sources above as of October 2026.