How do you get car insurance without a license?

Insurers use a driver's history to price risk, so not having a license is a hurdle, not a wall. Companies like A-MAX specialize in finding coverage for exactly these situations. There are four common ways to get a car insured when you are not the licensed driver:

1. List yourself as an excluded driver. You own and insure the car, but the policy names someone else, such as a spouse, roommate, or family member, as the licensed primary driver. You are listed as excluded, which means you are not covered to drive it. If an excluded driver causes an accident, the claim will likely be denied, so this is for owners who will not be behind the wheel.
2. Insure it as a parked or stored car. If the car will not be driven for a while, storage coverage usually drops liability and collision and focuses on comprehensive coverage for things like theft, fire, weather, and falling objects. Check your DMV first. Some states, including Texas and Arizona, still require active liability to keep registration valid, so you may need to file an affidavit of non-use.
3. File a non-owner SR-22. If you need to prove financial responsibility but do not own a car, a non-owner policy with an SR-22 meets the state requirement and is often cheaper than a full policy.
4. Add a licensed co-owner. Adding a licensed co-owner to the registration gives that person an insurable interest, so they can buy the policy with you listed as excluded.

Not sure which route fits you? Find an office near you or get a quote and we will sort it out with you.

Which option fits your situation?

Each route solves a different problem. Match your situation to the row that fits:

What coverage do unlicensed drivers need?

Even without a license, you want the asset protected. A-MAX helps you build a package that fits your situation:

• Liability coverage. Required if anyone drives the car. It pays for injury and property damage to others in an at-fault accident. See how liability coverage works.
• Comprehensive coverage. The key one for a parked car, since it covers theft, storms, and other events out of your control.
• Collision coverage. Pays for damage to your car in a crash if it is being driven. Learn about collision coverage.
• Uninsured motorist and personal injury protection. Help cover you and your passengers if you are hit by an underinsured driver or need medical costs paid regardless of fault.

Not sure how these fit together? Start with our guide to full coverage.

What if your license is suspended or you need an SR-22?

If your license was suspended or revoked, you are what insurers call temporarily unlicensed. To reinstate it, your state may require proof of financial responsibility through an SR-22. An SR-22 is not insurance. It is a certificate your carrier files with the state to show you carry active liability coverage. If you do not own a car, a non-owner SR-22 usually satisfies the requirement at a lower cost. If your situation started with a suspension, see suspended license insurance for the steps in Texas. Driving on a foreign license is different again, and foreign driver insurance covers that case.

Is car insurance more expensive without a license?

It can be, because some carriers view an unlicensed owner as higher risk, but it depends on the route and the company. Storage coverage on a parked car is usually much cheaper than a driving policy, and the same situation can be priced very differently from one carrier to the next. That is why shopping matters, and why A-MAX compares multiple carriers for you instead of leaving you to call each one. If your rate seems high, here is why car insurance gets expensive and what moves it.

Rules vary by state

What you must carry and how registration and SR-22 filings work are set by your state. See your state's page for exact limits:

• Texas: Texas car insurance minimums (state minimum 30/60/25, per the Texas Department of Insurance)
• California: California car insurance minimums (state minimum 30/60/15 under SB 1107, effective January 2025, per the California DMV)
• Arizona: Arizona car insurance minimums (state minimum 25/50/15, per the Arizona MVD)

A-MAX helps in person in Texas and California, and by phone or online in Arizona, Illinois, and Indiana. In bigger metros there are local pages too, such as Houston, Dallas, and Phoenix auto insurance.

Related reading: auto insurance for high-risk drivers, SR-22 insurance, and non-owner car insurance.

What to do next

Do not let a missing license stop you from protecting your car. Tell A-MAX your situation, whether it is an excluded driver, a parked car, or a non-owner SR-22, and we will check multiple carriers and show you the lowest option that fits. Do it online, by phone, or by walking into any office, in English or Spanish. We do the work, you make the choice.