Driving without insurance: the points, the fine and your car
Driving without insurance means 6 to 8 penalty points, or a ban. If the police offer you a fixed penalty, it is £300 and 6 points. At court there is no upper limit on the fine. It usually starts at about one and a half weeks’ take-home pay. The police can also take the car.
Not knowing you were uninsured is not a defence on its own. But it can be a reason for the court not to give you any points, and there are a few real defences.
Check your own case →About two minutes. It goes straight to the questions about driving without insurance. Your answers stay on your device.
At a glance
| Points on your licence | 6 to 8, or a ban instead |
|---|---|
| Fixed penalty, if offered | £300 and 6 points |
| Fine at court | Usually 125% to 175% of a week’s take-home pay (Band C) |
| Most the fine can be | Unlimited |
| Ban | Possible: up to 6 months in middling cases, 6 to 12 months in the worst |
| The vehicle | The police can seize it, and you pay to get it back |
| Offence code | IN10 |
What the law says
You must have at least third-party insurance to use a vehicle on a road or in a public place. The offence is committed by the driver. If you let someone else drive your vehicle without cover, you can be prosecuted for that too.
A letter about keeping an uninsured vehicle, when nobody was driving it, is different. That is a separate offence for the registered keeper, and it carries no points.
Points, a ban, or both?
The court gives 6 to 8 points, or bans you instead. Which it chooses depends on how serious the case is:
| The case | Usual outcome |
|---|---|
| Most cases | 6 to 8 points |
| Either something that makes it worse, such as never having passed a test, giving false details or driving uninsured for a long time, or a collision that caused injury or damage | 8 points, or a ban of up to 6 months |
| Both: something that makes it worse and a collision that caused injury or damage | A ban of 6 to 12 months |
If you passed your test less than two years ago, 6 points means the DVLA takes your licence away and you have to pass both tests again. If that applies to you, take advice before you accept a fixed penalty or enter a plea.
If you already have points, 6 to 8 more may take you to 12 within three years, which normally means a ban of at least six months. Our guide to 12 points and totting up explains how that works.
Your car
The police can seize a vehicle that is being driven without insurance, straight away. To get it back you need valid insurance and have to pay the recovery and storage charges. If nobody claims it, usually within 14 days, it can be sold or destroyed.
Your fine, on your income
At court the fine is a share of your weekly income after tax, and there is no upper limit. Put your figures in for an estimate. Nothing you type leaves this page.
How the court gets from your income to a fine is explained on the court fine calculator page.
Is there a defence?
This is a strict offence: if there was no insurance, you are guilty even if you did not know. But check these before you plead:
- Were you actually covered? Mistakes on the insurance database do happen. Find your policy documents and the dates.
- Were you covered by someone else’s policy? For example as a named driver. Some policies let you drive other cars, but usually only with third-party cover and with conditions. Check the exact wording.
- Were you driving for your employer? An employee driving their employer’s vehicle for work, who did not know and had no reason to think it was uninsured, has a defence.
If you genuinely believed you were insured, for example because a broker or employer told you so, that is not a defence. But it can be a special reason, which lets the court decide not to give you any points. It has to be proved with evidence.
After a conviction
The conviction stays on your driving record for four years, shown as the code IN10. Insurers will ask about it, and cover will usually cost more for some years.
What should I do now?
- Find your insurance documents, or anything that shows what you were told about your cover.
- Check how many points you already have with the DVLA’s view your driving licence service.
- Reply to any letter by its deadline. If it is a Single Justice Procedure Notice, our guide to the 21 days explains your options.
Check your own case →About two minutes. It goes straight to the questions about driving without insurance. Your answers stay on your device.
Common questions
How many points do you get for driving without insurance?
Six to eight, or the court can ban you instead. A fixed penalty, if the police offer one, carries 6 points.
How much is the fine for driving without insurance?
The fixed penalty is £300. At court there is no upper limit. The fine usually starts at about one and a half weeks' take-home pay, less up to a third for an early guilty plea, and a victim surcharge and court costs are added.
Can you be banned for driving without insurance?
Yes. The court can ban you instead of giving points. In the most serious cases, such as never having passed a test and then causing a collision, the usual ban is 6 to 12 months.
I thought I was insured. Is that a defence?
Not on its own. But if you genuinely believed you were covered, for example because you were told so, it can be a special reason for the court not to give you any points.
Will a new driver lose their licence for driving without insurance?
Usually, yes. Six points within two years of passing your test means the DVLA takes the licence away. If you are a new driver, take advice before you accept a fixed penalty or enter a plea.
How long does IN10 stay on my licence?
Four years. Insurers will ask about it, and it usually makes cover more expensive.
Sources: Road Traffic Act 1988, sections 143, 144A and 165A; Sentencing Council, No insurance; New Drivers Act 1995; Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988, section 35. This page is information about the law in England and Wales, not legal advice on your case. Law stated as at 24 September 2026.