How much is a ticket for driving without a license?
The cost of a ticket for driving without a license varies considerably between states. On the low end, a driver can expect to pay $100. And on the high end, someone could have to pay as much as $10,000.
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Schimri Yoyo
Licensed Agent & Financial Advisor
Schimri Yoyo is a financial advisor with active insurance licenses in seven states and over 20 years of professional experience. During his career, he has held roles at Foresters Financial, Strayer University, Minnesota Life, Securian Financial Services, Delaware Valley Advisors, Bridgemark Wealth Management, and Fidelity. Schimri is an educator eager to assist individuals and families in ach...
Licensed Agent & Financial Advisor
UPDATED: Jan 27, 2025
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UPDATED: Jan 27, 2025
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right cheap car insurance coverage choices.
Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident car insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one car insurance company and cannot guarantee quotes from any single company.
Our insurance industry partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare cheap car insurance quotes from many different companies please enter your ZIP code on this page to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
On This Page
- The cost of a ticket for driving without a license can vary considerably depending on the state you’re in, with $100 being the minimum
- In many states, the cost of a ticket for driving without a license increases with subsequent offenses
- In addition to a fine, some states penalize driving without a license with imprisonment or community service
How much is a ticket for driving without a license? The cost of a ticket for driving without a license varies considerably based on your state. In addition to a fine, many states also have other penalties for driving without a license — including jail time in some cases. Driving with an expired license or driving alone with a learner’s permit can also result in a fine or other penalties.
It’s worth keeping in mind that the total cost of driving illegally can be greater than the ticket itself. Car insurance rates can also go up if someone has driving without a license on their criminal record. Likewise, some car insurance companies may refuse to cover a driver with a poor driving record. In some cases, driving without a license can even limit someone’s coverage options to high-risk car insurance.
In this article, we’ll help you find out how much a ticket for driving without a license costs in your state. We’ll also look at what other penalties drivers can face for driving without a license, as well as what happens if you’re caught driving with an expired license.
How much does a ticket for driving without a license cost?
While driving without a license carries some serious penalties in all states, the exact cost of a ticket for driving without a license varies considerably between states — with fine amounts ranging from $100 (in Alaska, Kansas, Oklahoma, and West Virginia) to as much as $10,000, which is the maximum fine for a conviction of driving without a valid driver license in Indiana. Take a look at the table below for a summary of ticket costs for driving without a license in each state. This table is based on information compiled by the National Conference of State Legislatures.
| State | Ticket cost |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $100 – $500 and additional $50 fine |
| Alaska | No fine (may be penalized with community service or imprisonment) |
| Arizona | No fine (may be penalized with community service or imprisonment) |
| Arkansas | No more than $500 |
| California | $300 – $1,000 for first offense; $500 – $2,000 for subsequent offense |
| Colorado | No more than $500 |
| Connecticut | $150 – $200 for first offense; $200 – $600 for subsequent offense |
| Delaware | $500 – $1,000 for first offense; $1,000 – $4,000 for subsequent offense |
| Florida | $500 for first offense; $1,000 for second offense; $5,000 fine for subsequent offense |
| Georgia | No more than $500 for first offense; $1,000 – $2,500 for second or third offense; $2,500 – $5,000 for subsequent offense |
| Hawaii | $250 – $1,000 for first offense; $1,000 for second offense; $2,000 for subsequent offense |
| Idaho | No more than $1,000 for first and second offense; no more than $3,000 for subsequent offense |
| Illinois | No more than $2,500 for first offense; up to $25,000 for subsequent offense |
| Indiana | No more than $10,000 |
| Iowa | $250 – $1,500 |
| Kansas | At least $100 |
| Kentucky | No fine (may be penalized with community service or imprisonment) |
| Louisiana | No more than $500 for Class D or E license; no more than $5,000 for Class A, B, or C; additional fines of $300 – $500 for subsequent offense |
| Maine | $250 for first offense; $500 for subsequent offense |
| Maryland | No more than $1,000 |
| Massachusetts | $500 – $1,000 |
| Michigan | No more than $500 for first offense; no more than $1,000 for subsequent offense |
| Minnesota | No more than $1,000 |
| Mississippi | $200 – $500 |
| Missouri | No fine (may be penalized with community service or imprisonment) |
| Montana | No more than $500 |
| Nebraska | No fine (license revoked for 1 – 2 years) |
| Nevada | No more than $1,000 |
| New Hampshire | No more than $1,000 |
| New Jersey | $500 for first offense; $750 for second offense; $1,000 for subsequent offense |
| New Mexico | No more than $1,000 |
| New York | $200 – $500 for first offense; no less than $500 for subsequent offense |
| North Carolina | No more than $200 |
| North Dakota | $1,500 for first, second, and third offense; $3,000 for subsequent offense |
| Ohio | No more than $1,000 for first offense; $1,000 for subsequent offense |
| Oklahoma | $100 – $500 for first offense; $200 – $750 for second offense; $300 – $1,000 for subsequent offense |
| Oregon | $220 – $2,000 |
| Pennsylvania | $200 for first offense; $1,000 for second offense; $2,500 for subsequent offense |
| Rhode Island | $250 – $500 for first offense; $350 – $500 for second offense; $500 – $1,000 for subsequent offense |
| South Carolina | $300 for first offense; $600 for second offense; $1,000 fine for subsequent offense |
| South Dakota | No more than $2,000 for revoked license; no more than $500 for suspended or canceled license |
| Tennessee | No more than $500 for first offense; no more than $2,500 for subsequent offense |
| Texas | No more than $500 for first offense; no more than $2,000 for subsequent offense |
| Utah | $1,000 |
| Vermont | No more than $5,000 for first offense; $5,000 for sixth or subsequent offense |
| Virginia | No more than $2,500 |
| Washington | No more than $5,000 |
| West Virginia | $100 – $500 for first or second offense; $150 – $300 for subsequent offense |
| Wisconsin | $50 – $200 for suspended license; no more than $2,500 for revoked license |
| Wyoming | No more than $750 |
What happens if you’re caught driving with an expired license?
If you’re caught driving with an expired license, you may face the same penalties as someone driving without a license or with a suspended license, depending on the state you’re in. If you’re lucky, you may get off with a warning or have penalties waived — as long as you renew your license and can provide proof that you’ve done so by a certain date.
In other cases, you’ll face harsher penalties, which can include the following:
- A fine of $100 or more depending on your state
- Arrest
- Impoundment of your vehicle
Is there a way to drive without a license legally? Unless you count driving with a learner’s permit and an experienced driver in the car, there isn’t really a way to drive without a license legally — with the possible exception of emergency situations. (For more information, read our “Can you get car insurance with a permit?”).
What to Remember About Tickets for Driving Without a License
- Depending on the state, the cost of a ticket for driving without a license can cost between $100 and $10,000. In many states, ticket costs rise with subsequent offenses.
- Driving without a license can also result in community service, impoundment of your vehicle — and even jail time — depending on the state.
- Many states have separate penalties for people who drive with a suspended or revoked license.
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Schimri Yoyo
Licensed Agent & Financial Advisor
Schimri Yoyo is a financial advisor with active insurance licenses in seven states and over 20 years of professional experience. During his career, he has held roles at Foresters Financial, Strayer University, Minnesota Life, Securian Financial Services, Delaware Valley Advisors, Bridgemark Wealth Management, and Fidelity. Schimri is an educator eager to assist individuals and families in ach...
Licensed Agent & Financial Advisor
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about car insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything car insurance-related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by car insurance experts.