Minimum car insurance in District of Columbia.
What District of Columbia requires, in plain words, and why the minimum may not be enough.
The minimum limits
In District of Columbia, the minimum liability limits are written 25/50/10 (in thousands): $25,000 for injury to one person, $50,000 for injury to everyone in one accident, and $10,000 for property damage.
How the system works
District of Columbia is generally an at-fault (tort) state, so the driver who causes a crash is responsible for the other party’s losses. That is why liability limits matter so much.
Tort (at-fault) state. UM bodily injury required at 25/50; UM property damage $5,000 ($200 deductible).
What the minimum means in practice
Say a crash you cause injures three people. The District of Columbia minimum pays at most $25,000 to any one of them and $50,000 in total, shared between all three. Any medical bills above that could become your responsibility. Property damage stops at $10,000.
If you drive without insurance in District of Columbia
The District sets a civil fine of $500 (or a license suspension of up to 30 days, or both) for operating an uninsured vehicle, rising 50% for each later offense. A vehicle not insured while registered is fined $150 for 1 to 30 days plus $7 per day after that, capped at $2,500 per violation.
Proof of insurance
Insurers must notify DC DMV when a policy ends, the DMV then sends a verification notice, and proof can be submitted through the DC Insurance Verification System; failing to show proof on demand carries a $30 civil fine.
Also worth knowing in District of Columbia
A vehicle with a suspended registration or reciprocity sticker may be immobilized by the DMV or the Metropolitan Police Department.
Your state regulator
DC Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking is the official place for consumer questions and complaints about insurers.
Sources we checked (October 2026)
Requirements change. We checked the pages below. Confirm with your state insurance department or an agent.
Questions
Is District of Columbia a no-fault state?
District of Columbia is generally an at-fault state.