The Insurance Requirement
Ala. Code § 32-7A-4 — liability coverage on every vehicle, proof on a phone, and a $200 fee to lift a suspension
No one drives or registers a motor vehicle, and no owner lets anyone else drive it, unless it is covered by a liability insurance policy, a motor vehicle liability bond or a deposit of cash in at least the state's minimum amounts.
Who handles this in Alabama: Alabama Department of Insurance, Consumer Services and Alabama State Bar Lawyer Referral Service; and legal aid programs and the state offices, listed in the Alabama directory.
- Evidence of insurance can be an insurance card or temporary card, the current declarations page, a binder or certificate of insurance, or a current rental agreement naming the coverage.
- After buying a vehicle, proof of the purchase within the previous 20 calendar days together with a current card for the vehicle it replaced counts.
- Showing the evidence on a phone is allowed, and is not consent for an officer to look at anything else on it.
Driving without coverage is a Class C misdemeanor. Failing to present evidence of insurance on demand is a traffic violation unless the officer verifies the coverage online, and so is presenting evidence when no valid insurance is in effect.
| Within a two year registration period | What happens to the vehicle |
|---|---|
| Within a two year registration periodA first stop without proof | What happens to the vehicleIt is moved to a place of safety away from the roadway |
| Within a two year registration periodA second | What happens to the vehicleIt is towed to a place the operator chooses and released on payment of the fees |
| Within a two year registration periodA third or more | What happens to the vehicleIt is impounded until it is insured and the fees are paid |
The vehicle's registration is suspended for a violation, and buying insurance afterward does not undo it. A first suspension ends on a $200 reinstatement fee and proof of current insurance, and a second or later within the preceding two registration years on a $400 fee.
Sources for this section (4)
- Ala. Code § 32-7A-4 — Liability Insurance Required
- Ala. Code § 32-7A-6 — Evidence of Insurance; Insurance Card
- Ala. Code § 32-7A-16 — Additional Violations
- Ala. Code § 32-7A-12 — Suspension of Registration
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Alabama attorney.