California Car Insurance Requirements: Minimum Coverage, Proof and Low-Cost Options

California requires every vehicle operated or parked on its roads to be covered by insurance, which the state calls financial responsibility. The minimum liability coverage is 30/60/15: $30,000 for injury or death to one person, $60,000 for injury or death to more than one person and $15,000 for property damage ¹.

California's minimum limits

Source: California Department of Motor Vehicles, citing Insurance Code section 11580.1b ¹.

These limits took effect on January 1, 2025. Before that, California's minimum was 15/30/5 ². If you have not looked at your policy since then, check that your declarations page shows at least 30/60/15.

Liability coverage pays other people. As the DMV puts it, it compensates someone other than the policyholder for injury or property damage. Collision and comprehensive coverage, which protect your own car, do not meet the requirement ¹.

Four ways to meet the requirement

Most drivers buy a liability policy, but California accepts four forms of financial responsibility ¹:

1. A motor vehicle liability insurance policy
2. A cash deposit of $75,000 with the DMV
3. A self-insurance certificate issued by the DMV
4. A surety bond for $75,000 from a company licensed to do business in California

When you have to show proof

You must carry evidence of insurance in the vehicle at all times and provide it ¹:

• when law enforcement asks for it
• when you renew the vehicle's registration
• when the vehicle is involved in a traffic collision

Insurance companies in California are required by law to report coverage on private-use vehicles to the DMV electronically ¹. In practice this means the state usually knows whether a registered vehicle is insured without you sending anything.

What happens without insurance

If the DMV does not receive proof of insurance for a vehicle, its registration is suspended. The vehicle may not be operated or parked on public roadways until proof is submitted, which can be done online ¹.

The risk goes beyond registration. A driver who causes a crash without insurance is personally responsible for the damage. The Insurance Research Council estimated that 17.0 percent of California drivers were uninsured in 2022 ², which is also a reason to consider uninsured motorist coverage for yourself.

Cancelling or parking a car

You must notify the DMV before you cancel insurance on a registered vehicle. If the vehicle is not being driven and is not parked on a California roadway, you can file an Affidavit of Non-Use and then cancel the policy. When registration renewal comes due, you must either pay the fees or place the vehicle on planned nonoperation status ¹.

If you cannot afford insurance

California runs the Low Cost Automobile Insurance Program for drivers who cannot afford standard liability insurance. The DMV directs drivers to mylowcostauto.com or 1-866-602-8861 for eligibility and enrollment ¹.

Is the minimum enough?

The minimum is what the law requires, not what a serious crash costs. With a $15,000 property damage limit, causing a total loss of a newer vehicle could leave you owing the difference. Our guide to liability car insurance explains how to choose limits, and cheapest car insurance shows what a minimum policy leaves uncovered.

What California drivers pay

According to the NAIC, California's average expenditure was about $1,454 per insured vehicle in 2024, close to the national average of $1,431, and its average liability premium was about $760. The NAIC describes California's 2024 figures as preliminary ³. For what drives individual prices, see how much car insurance costs.

The bottom line

Carry at least 30/60/15, keep proof in the car, and tell the DMV before you cancel. To compare California with other states, see car insurance requirements by state, or return to the main car insurance guide.