Car insurance · District of Columbia
Car insurance requirements in District of Columbia
Liability 25/50/10 plus uninsured motorist coverage. Claims system: no-fault (compulsory/no-fault motor vehicle insurance act).
Verified summaryAll District of Columbia insurance topics
Requirements
Minimum car insurance requirements in District of Columbia
| Coverage | Requirement in District of Columbia |
|---|---|
| Bodily injury liability | Third-party liability: $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident |
| Property damage liability | $10,000 |
| Injury protection | Not listed on the DMV page |
| Uninsured / underinsured motorist | Uninsured motorist bodily injury: $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident. Uninsured motorist property damage: $5,000, subject to a $200 deductible |
What the law requires you to carry
- Property damage liability: $10,000
- Third-party liability: $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident
- Uninsured motorist bodily injury: $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident
- Uninsured motorist property damage: $5,000, subject to a $200 deductible
- Continuous insurance liability coverage for as long as you have and drive your vehicle
Uninsured drivers
Uninsured motorist coverage in District of Columbia
Uninsured motorist bodily injury: $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident. Uninsured motorist property damage: $5,000, subject to a $200 deductible.
Optional coverage
Coverage you can add in District of Columbia
- Collision
- Comprehensive
- Higher liability and uninsured motorist limits
Penalties
Penalties for driving without insurance in District of Columbia
According to the DC DMV, motorists stopped by the police must display their driver license, vehicle registration and proof of insurance. Metropolitan Police Department officers enforce the proof-of-insurance law, and a civil fine is attached to the infraction. The DMV page does not list the fine amount.
Good to know
Other things to know in District of Columbia
- The District's Compulsory/No-Fault Motor Vehicle Insurance Act requires every person applying for vehicle registration or a reciprocity sticker in the District to have valid DC vehicle insurance.
- The DC DMV page is several years old. Confirm current limits with the Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking or the DMV.
General information only. It is not legal advice. Rules change, so confirm with the official sources listed below.
Contacts
Who to contact in District of Columbia
- DC Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking
- Website: disb.dc.gov
- NAIC directory of state insurance departments
Sources
Where this summary comes from
Reviewed 2026-10. Check each source for the current rule.
- DC DMV: Vehicle insurancedmv.dc.gov
Keep reading
Guides that explain these coverages
- Minimum car insurance requirements by state
- Which States Require Uninsured Motorist Coverage?
- No-Fault vs. At-Fault Car Insurance: Which States Use Which
- States That Raised Minimum Car Insurance Limits Since 2018
- Liability coverage explained
- Collision vs. comprehensive coverage
- What affects your car insurance rate
- After an accident: what to do and what to expect
More about District of Columbia.
Home insurance resources and the health marketplace for District of Columbia are on its overview page.