What Is the Minimum Car Insurance in Each State?
Learning goal: Find your state's minimum car liability limits, read what the three numbers mean, and see why the legal minimum isn't a recommendation.
Short answer
Most states require car liability insurance with three minimum limits, written in thousands of dollars: injuries per person, injuries per accident and property damage. Many states use 25/50/25, but minimums range from 15/30/5 in Pennsylvania to 50/100/50 in North Carolina. New Hampshire doesn't require insurance, and Florida requires PIP and property damage.
Read to the end to complete this lesson.
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The Fuller Picture
A limit like 25/50/25 caps what the policy pays for harm you cause others: up to $25,000 for one person's injuries, $50,000 for all injuries in one accident, and $25,000 for other people's property. Some states also require other coverages, such as personal injury protection (PIP) or uninsured motorist coverage, noted in the table. Minimums change: at least eight states have raised theirs since 2020, so the table below was checked against each state's own official source in October 2026.
Minimum car liability insurance by state
| State | Minimum liability (thousands of dollars) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 25/50/25 | Alabama Department of Revenue |
| Alaska | 50/100/25 | Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles |
| Arizona | 25/50/15 | Arizona Department of Transportation, MVD |
| Arkansas | 25/50/25 | Arkansas Insurance Department, automobile insurance brochure |
| California | 30/60/15 | California DMV |
| Colorado | 25/50/15 | Colorado Division of Insurance |
| Connecticut | 25/50/25 | Connecticut Insurance Department |
| Delaware | 25/50/10 | Delaware DMV |
| District of Columbia | 25/50/10 | DC DMV |
| Florida | PIP 10,000 + PDL 10,000 (no BI requirement for most drivers) | Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles |
| Georgia | 25/50/25 | Georgia Office of Commissioner of Insurance |
| Hawaii | 40/80/20 (policies new or renewed on or after Jan. 1, 2026) | Hawaii Insurance Division, auto insurance minimum limits FAQ |
| Idaho | 25/50/15 | Idaho Transportation Department |
| Illinois | 25/50/20 | Illinois Department of Insurance |
| Indiana | 25/50/25 | Indiana BMV |
| Iowa | 20/40/15 | Iowa Insurance Division |
| Kansas | 25/50/25 | Kansas Statutes §40-3107 |
| Kentucky | 25/50/25 | Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (Drive.ky.gov) |
| Louisiana | 15/30/25 | Louisiana Department of Insurance, consumer's guide to auto insurance |
| Maine | 50/100/25 (also requires medical payments and UM coverage) | Maine Bureau of Insurance |
| Maryland | 30/60/15 | Maryland MVA |
| Massachusetts | 25/50/30 (since July 1, 2025) | Massachusetts Division of Insurance (mass.gov) |
| Michigan | 50/100/10 lowest option (default 250/500/10; PD is for out-of-state accidents; PPI also required) | Michigan DIFS |
| Minnesota | 30/60/10 | Minnesota Statutes §65B.49 |
| Mississippi | 25/50/25 | Mississippi Insurance Department |
| Missouri | 25/50/25 | Missouri Department of Revenue |
| Montana | 25/50/20 | Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance |
| Nebraska | 25/50/25 | Nebraska Department of Insurance |
| Nevada | 25/50/20 | Nevada DMV |
| New Hampshire | No insurance requirement; drivers must be able to show financial responsibility of 25/50/25 | New Hampshire RSA 264:20 |
| New Jersey | 35/70/25 under the standard policy (a lower-cost basic policy also exists) | New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance |
| New Mexico | 25/50/10 | New Mexico MVD |
| New York | 25/50/10 (death: 50/100) | New York DMV |
| North Carolina | 50/100/50 (policies issued or renewed after July 1, 2025) | NCDOT DMV |
| North Dakota | 25/50/25 (also requires UM, UIM and no-fault) | North Dakota Insurance Department |
| Ohio | 25/50/25 | Ohio BMV |
| Oklahoma | 25/50/25 | Oklahoma Insurance Department |
| Oregon | 25/50/20 (also requires PIP and UM) | Oregon DMV |
| Pennsylvania | 15/30/5 | Pennsylvania DMV (PennDOT) |
| Rhode Island | 25/50/25 (or a $75,000 combined single limit) | Rhode Island Insurance Division regulation 230-RICR-20-05-3 |
| South Carolina | 25/50/25 (UM at the same limits also required) | South Carolina Department of Insurance |
| South Dakota | 25/50/25 | South Dakota Codified Laws §32-35-70 |
| Tennessee | 25/50/25 | Tennessee Department of Revenue |
| Texas | 30/60/25 | Texas Department of Insurance |
| Utah | 30/65/25 (policies issued or renewed on or after Jan. 1, 2025) | Utah H.B. 113 (2023), enrolled, amending Utah Code §31A-22-304 |
| Vermont | 25/50/10 | Vermont Department of Financial Regulation |
| Virginia | 50/100/25 (policies effective on or after Jan. 1, 2025) | Virginia DMV |
| Washington | 25/50/10 | Washington Department of Licensing |
| West Virginia | 25/50/25 (UM at the same limits also required) | West Virginia Offices of the Insurance Commissioner |
| Wisconsin | 25/50/10 (UM also required) | Wisconsin DMV |
| Wyoming | 25/50/20 | Wyoming Department of Transportation |
Each row checked against its source on 4–9 October 2026. Figures are bodily injury per person / bodily injury per accident / property damage, in thousands of dollars, and only liability is shown unless a row says otherwise. Limits change, so confirm with your state before relying on a figure.
Key Takeaways
- The three numbers are separate caps, in thousands of dollars: per person injured, per accident for all injuries, and property damage.
- Many states use 25/50/25, but the minimum depends on your state, so check the row for the state where your car is registered.
- New Hampshire doesn't require car insurance, though drivers must be able to show financial responsibility, and Florida requires PIP and property damage liability rather than bodily injury liability for most drivers.
- The minimum is the legal floor, not a judgment about what any household needs. Costs above your limits aren't paid by that coverage.
Real-World Example
Moving from Pennsylvania to North Carolina
A driver with Pennsylvania's minimum, 15/30/5, moves to North Carolina, where policies issued or renewed after July 1, 2025 must carry at least 50/100/50. The new policy's minimum per-person injury cap is more than three times the old one, and the property damage cap is ten times higher. Moving is a common time to find out a state's minimum has changed, so it's worth checking the new state's row before the old policy ends.
Common Mistakes
- Assuming the minimum is the same in each state. It ranges from 15/30/5 to 50/100/50, and a few states set them in different ways.
- Relying on an old table. Several states raised their minimums in 2025, and widely copied tables still show the earlier figures.
- Treating the minimum as enough. It's the least the law allows, and one serious accident can cost more than the minimum limits.
Interactive Exercise
Compare your policy with your state's minimum
Find your state in the table, then find your own liability limits on your auto declarations page or insurance card.
Tick each step as you do it. Your checklist is saved in this browser.
Knowledge Check
Question: A state's minimum liability limits are 25/50/25. What does the middle number mean?
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Questions to explore next
Questions readers often ask next about this topic:
- Why would someone carry more than the state minimum?
- What happens when an accident costs more than my limits?
- Which other coverages does my state require besides liability?
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Explore the journey →Sources
The factual claims on this page were checked against these sources. Rules and figures change, so check the source itself if you need to confirm the current version.
- Pennsylvania DMV (PennDOT)Pennsylvania DMV (PennDOT)
- NCDOT DMVNCDOT DMV
- New Hampshire RSA 264:20New Hampshire RSA 264:20
- Florida Highway Safety and Motor VehiclesFlorida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
Educational information, not advice: This lesson is for general education only, not legal, financial, or insurance advice. Actual coverage, discounts, and requirements depend on your policy’s wording, your insurer, and the laws of your state. Confirm specifics with your own insurer or a licensed agent before making a decision. Insurpedia does not sell insurance and does not recommend specific insurers. Each state's figure comes from that state's own regulator, motor vehicle agency or statute, linked in its row and checked on 4–5 October 2026. The summary's figures are taken from those rows.