Arizona Car Insurance Requirements
Arizona law requires every registered vehicle to carry at least 25/50/15 liability insurance: $25,000 in bodily injury coverage per person, $50,000 per accident, and $15,000 in property damage coverage, the limits in force statewide since July 1, 2020.
Arizona's minimum liability limits explained
Every motor vehicle driven or registered in Arizona must be covered by a liability insurance policy that meets the state minimum of 25/50/15. Those three numbers stand for the three separate dollar limits the law requires:
- $25,000 bodily injury liability per person — the most your insurer will pay for one person's injuries or death in an at-fault accident you cause.
- $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident — the total available for all injured people combined when two or more are hurt in the same crash.
- $15,000 property damage liability per accident — the most paid for damage you cause to other people's property, such as their vehicle, a fence, or a building.
These limits took effect for policies issued or renewed on or after July 1, 2020, under Arizona Revised Statutes section 28-4009. Before that date the minimum was the older 15/30/10 standard, and some third-party tables still list the outdated figure — but every policy sold in Arizona today must meet 25/50/15. The requirement applies broadly: passenger cars, trucks, motorcycles, mopeds, and even golf carts operated on public roads all need liability coverage from a company authorized to do business in Arizona.
How Arizona's at-fault (tort) system works
Arizona is a tort, or at-fault, state. That means the driver who causes a collision is legally and financially responsible for the harm that results. If you are at fault, your bodily injury and property damage liability coverage pays the other party's medical bills and repair costs up to your policy limits. If another driver causes the crash, you (or your insurer) pursue a claim against that driver's liability policy.
Because Arizona is not a no-fault state, there is no mandatory personal injury protection (PIP). States such as Michigan, New Jersey, and Massachusetts require PIP and route your own injury claims through your own policy first; Arizona does not work that way. Instead, injured parties can recover directly from the at-fault driver, and Arizona follows a comparative-negligence rule so damages can be apportioned when more than one driver shares blame. This makes carrying adequate liability limits especially important, since you can be sued personally for any accident costs that exceed your coverage.
Key data
| Factor | Filed value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum bodily injury liability per person | $25,000 | Arizona Department of Transportation (MVD) · Jul 2026 |
| Minimum bodily injury liability per accident | $50,000 | Arizona Department of Transportation (MVD) · Jul 2026 |
| Minimum property damage liability per accident | $15,000 | Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions (DIFI) · Jul 2026 |
| Minimum civil penalty for driving without insurance (first offense) | $500 | Arizona State Legislature (Arizona Revised Statutes) · Jul 2026 |
Required versus optional coverages
The only coverage Arizona law forces you to buy is liability — bodily injury and property damage — at the 25/50/15 minimum. Everything else is optional, but some protections are valuable enough that most drivers should consider them:
- Uninsured and underinsured motorist (UM/UIM): Not required, but your insurer must offer it in writing, and you must reject it in writing if you do not want it. UM/UIM pays for your injuries when an at-fault driver has no insurance or not enough. Given that a meaningful share of Arizona drivers are uninsured, this is one of the most cost-effective add-ons available.
- Medical payments (MedPay): Optional coverage that pays medical bills for you and your passengers regardless of fault. It functions as a light substitute for the PIP that Arizona does not require.
- Collision and comprehensive: Not required by the state, but almost always required by a lender or lessor if your vehicle is financed. Collision pays for damage to your own car in a crash; comprehensive covers theft, hail, fire, flooding, and animal strikes.
If you own your car outright, you can legally drive with liability only. If you have a loan or lease, expect the lienholder to require full coverage.
Penalties for driving without insurance
Arizona enforces its insurance mandate through the Motor Vehicle Division (MVD), and the penalties escalate quickly. A first offense for failing to maintain the required coverage carries a civil penalty of at least $500, with higher fines for repeat violations, and the MVD suspends your vehicle registration and license plate. Police routinely ask for proof of insurance at traffic stops and crash scenes, and officers may remove your license plate on the spot if you cannot show valid coverage.
A second offense within roughly three years raises the fine and lengthens the suspension, and a third offense pushes fines to $1,000 or more with a one-year suspension. To restore a suspended registration you must pay a reinstatement fee, show proof of current insurance, and — critically — file an SR-22 certificate. The costs of a single serious at-fault accident while uninsured, however, dwarf any fine: you become personally liable for the other party's medical bills and vehicle damage, and your wages and assets can be pursued to satisfy a judgment.
SR-22 filings in Arizona
Unlike a handful of states that do not use the form, Arizona does require SR-22 certificates. An SR-22 is not an insurance policy; it is a document your insurer files with the MVD certifying that you carry at least the state-minimum liability coverage. It is typically triggered after a lapse in insurance, an uninsured accident, a DUI, or another financial-responsibility violation that led to a suspension.
Once required, you must keep the SR-22 continuously in force for three years. If the underlying policy lapses or is canceled during that window, your insurer notifies the MVD and your license and registration are suspended again — restarting the clock. Not every insurer offers SR-22 filings, and drivers who need one are usually rated as higher risk, so premiums tend to rise. Shopping specifically among carriers that specialize in SR-22 business can substantially reduce the added cost.
How much coverage you really need
The 25/50/15 minimum is a legal floor, not a recommendation. Modern medical and vehicle-repair costs can exhaust these limits with a single moderately serious crash. A short hospital stay can easily exceed $25,000 for one person, and $15,000 of property damage may not cover a late-model SUV or pickup you total. When damages exceed your limits, you pay the difference out of pocket, and the injured party can sue you for the shortfall.
Many advisors suggest liability limits of at least 100/300/100 — $100,000 per person, $300,000 per accident, and $100,000 property damage — for drivers with assets to protect. Raising limits from the state minimum to these higher levels usually costs far less per month than most people expect, because the bulk of a premium pays for that first layer of coverage. Adding uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage at matching limits closes the gap left by Arizona's many uninsured drivers. If you have significant savings, home equity, or future earnings, an umbrella policy on top of higher auto limits provides additional protection against a catastrophic judgment.
Proof of insurance and registration
Arizona ties insurance directly to vehicle registration. Insurers report active policies to the MVD electronically, and the state cross-checks registrations against coverage records. If the MVD cannot verify that your vehicle is insured, it can send a warning and ultimately suspend your registration even without a traffic stop. You must carry evidence of insurance — a paper or electronic card showing the insurer, policy number, and effective dates — in the vehicle and present it on request. Keeping continuous coverage, and avoiding even short lapses between policies, is the simplest way to stay in good standing and avoid reinstatement fees and SR-22 filings.
How to compare Arizona car insurance quotes
Because Arizona lets carriers set their own rates within filed guidelines, the price for identical 25/50/15 coverage can vary widely from one insurer to the next. To compare fairly, get quotes from several companies using the same coverage limits, deductibles, and optional coverages so you are comparing like for like. Decide up front whether you want only the state minimum or higher liability plus UM/UIM and MedPay, then request each quote at those exact levels.
Look beyond the headline premium: check each carrier's complaint record with the Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions and the NAIC, confirm the company is authorized to write policies in Arizona, and ask about discounts for bundling, safe driving, telematics, paid-in-full, and good-student status. If you need an SR-22, confirm the insurer files them and ask whether there is an added fee. Re-shop your policy every year or two, and especially after a move, a new vehicle, or a change in your driving record, since the lowest-cost carrier for your profile changes over time.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum car insurance required in Arizona?
Arizona requires liability limits of 25/50/15: $25,000 bodily injury coverage per person, $50,000 bodily injury per accident, and $15,000 property damage per accident. These limits have applied to all policies issued or renewed since July 1, 2020, under ARS 28-4009. They are a legal minimum, not a recommended amount of protection.
Is Arizona a no-fault or at-fault state for car insurance?
Arizona is an at-fault (tort) state. The driver who causes a crash is financially responsible for the resulting injuries and property damage, and injured parties can claim against the at-fault driver's liability policy. Arizona does not require personal injury protection (PIP) and is not a no-fault state like Michigan or New Jersey.
Is uninsured motorist coverage required in Arizona?
No, uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage is not mandatory in Arizona, but insurers must offer it and you must decline it in writing. Because a significant number of Arizona drivers are uninsured, UM/UIM is one of the most valuable optional coverages you can add, and it pays for your injuries when an at-fault driver has no or insufficient insurance.
Does Arizona require an SR-22?
Yes. Arizona uses SR-22 certificates. If your license or registration is suspended for lack of insurance, a DUI, or another financial-responsibility violation, your insurer must file an SR-22 with the MVD and you must keep it in force for three years. If the policy lapses during that period, your license and registration are suspended again.
What happens if I drive without insurance in Arizona?
A first offense carries a civil penalty of at least $500 plus suspension of your registration, license plate, and driving privileges. Repeat offenses bring higher fines and longer suspensions, up to $1,000 and a one-year suspension. To reinstate, you must pay a fee, prove current coverage, and file an SR-22 for three years.
Is the Arizona state minimum enough coverage?
For most drivers, no. The 25/50/15 minimum can be exhausted by a single serious accident, and any costs above your limits come out of your own pocket and can be pursued through a lawsuit. Many advisors recommend at least 100/300/100 liability plus matching uninsured motorist coverage, which usually costs far less per month than drivers expect.
Sources cited
- Arizona Department of Transportation (MVD) — captured Jul 2026
- Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions (DIFI) — captured Jul 2026
- Arizona State Legislature (Arizona Revised Statutes) — captured Jul 2026
- Insurance Information Institute - Automobile Financial Responsibility Laws by State — captured Jul 2026
- NAIC - Understanding Auto Insurance (Consumer) — captured Jul 2026
