Registration, Mandatory Insurance, and the Annual Safety Inspection
Key Takeaways
- Two license plates are issued for registered vehicles; trailers and motorcycles get one plate plus a rear validation tag
- Plates must be securely fastened at least 12 inches from the ground and kept clearly legible
- Guam's minimum insurance is $25,000 bodily injury per person, $50,000 per accident, and $20,000 property damage
- Operating without the mandated insurance carries a mandatory $500 fine from the Traffic Division of the Superior Court
- Safety inspection is required on original registration, annually, and after a collision requiring extensive repairs, at a statutory $15 fee
Registration, Mandatory Insurance, and the Annual Safety Inspection
Quick Answer: Every motor vehicle, trailer, semi-trailer, and dolly driven on Guam highways must be registered - including motorcycles and motorized bicycles. Registration renews annually in the month shown on the sticker at the top left corner of the license plate. Guam requires mandatory automobile insurance of $20,000 property damage, $25,000 bodily injury per person, and $50,000 per accident, and a safety inspection on original registration, annually, and after a collision requiring extensive repairs. The statutory inspection fee is $15, inclusive of the $3 OVIS component.
What must be registered, and how it is plated
Any motor vehicle, trailer, semi-trailer, pole or pipe dolly, and any dolly used to support part of the weight of a semi-trailer must be registered to be driven or moved upon the highways of Guam. That sweep includes motorcycles and bicycles equipped with a motor - mopeds and scooters are not exempt.
| Requirement | Rule |
|---|---|
| Number of plates | Two for all vehicles required to be registered |
| Trailers and motorcycles | One plate plus a validation tag placed on the rear plate |
| Mounting | Securely fastened so the plate cannot swing |
| Height | At least twelve (12) inches from the ground |
| Condition | Clearly visible, free of foreign materials, clearly legible |
| Renewal | Annually, in the month on the sticker at the top left hand corner of the plate; renewable online at myguamtax.com |
The renewal month is printed on the plate itself, so there is no single island-wide renewal date - a common wrong answer.
Mandatory automobile insurance
Guam's mandatory insurance law is 16 GCA Chapter 19. Its stated purpose is to guarantee adequate protection for victims of vehicle accidents who are injured in Guam or while riding in a vehicle operated in Guam. Sec. 19102 requires each owner of a vehicle that must be registered in Guam to keep insurance continuously in effect for the whole registration period - not just on the day you register.
Sec. 19104 sets the minimum limits, and these are the numbers the exam asks for:
| Coverage | Minimum |
|---|---|
| Property damage liability | $20,000 for property damage in any one accident |
| Bodily injury liability - per person | $25,000 for each person injured in any one accident |
| Bodily injury liability - per accident | $50,000 in aggregate for all persons injured in any one accident |
The Guam Business Automobile Tariff effective March 15, 2024 carries the same $25,000 / $50,000 / $20,000 structure. These are minimums, and the Director is directed to review them biennially after public hearing. A learner's permit or intermediate license does not change any of this - the duty attaches to the owner and the registration, so the vehicle a supervised teen drives must carry the same coverage.
How the insurance rule is enforced
- At registration (Sec. 19103(1)): you must certify on a DRT form that the required insurance is in effect. The Director may ask your insurer to verify within 10 business days, and may require you to submit proof within 15 days. The Director shall refuse to register a vehicle if the certification is not made.
- Insurer reporting (Sec. 19103(4)): insurers must electronically notify DRT of any issuance, cancellation, or non-renewal within 10 working days of its effective date.
- After a cancellation (Sec. 19103(5)(b)): DRT notifies the insured, who then has 30 days to buy a new policy or reinstate the old one. Failure means a $500 fine and impoundment, with release only on proof of insurance.
- Suspension and revocation (Sec. 19103(3)): DRT shall suspend or revoke the license or registration of anyone convicted under the chapter, who knowingly operates or permits operation of an uninsured vehicle, or who falsely certifies. After a revocation, no new registration or license issues for six (6) months, and the Guam Police Department may immobilize the vehicle.
- Driving uninsured (Sec. 19106(b)): a mandatory $500 fine imposed by the Traffic Division of the Superior Court of Guam.
- Proof of insurance (Sec. 19107): every driver must produce proof on request during a traffic stop. Knowingly presenting documentation for a vehicle that is not properly insured is a petty misdemeanor; if you are at fault in a crash causing $5,000 or less in loss it is a misdemeanor, and if the loss exceeds $5,000 it is a third-degree felony.
Sec. 19105 also carries an insurance-side crash report: a driver in an accident causing damage to another person's property in excess of $250, or bodily injury or death, must report it to the Director's office (or to the Guam Police Department) within 10 days. Keep that separate from the police report required by 16 GCA Sec. 3502.
The annual safety inspection
Under 16 GCA Sec. 3601, every motor vehicle, trailer, semi-trailer, and pole or pipe dolly must be inspected by an official inspection station and hold a certificate of safety inspection and approval:
- Upon an original application for registration;
- Annually, at the time designated by the Director of Revenue and Taxation; and
- Following a collision or other accident in which the vehicle was involved, if extensive repairs are necessitated. The investigating officer may remove the safety decal on the spot if the damage looks extensive enough to require substantial repairs.
New-vehicle waiver: a new vehicle purchased for non-commercial use from a dealer licensed to do business on Guam is exempt from inspection for the initial registration and the next two renewals, in exchange for a one-time $30 processing fee paid with the initial registration fees.
If the vehicle fails: the driver receives a notice of deficiencies and the vehicle is marked with a decal. From that point you may drive it only as necessary to get it to your residence, place of business, or a garage - and an officer may require temporary repairs before you proceed. The owner must fix the deficiencies and resubmit the vehicle for inspection within five (5) days. The Director may suspend the registration of any vehicle without a current certificate, without the required decal, or not resubmitted within those five days.
Window tint: under Sec. 3601(e), a vehicle whose sun-screening device does not comply with 16 GCA Sec. 3209(c) cannot be issued a passing certificate.
What the inspection costs
Sec. 3602(b)(1) sets the fee at $15.00 per inspection, inclusive of the administrative fee known as the Official Vehicle Inspection Safety (OVIS) fee, which is calculated at 20% of the current fee and may not fall below the existing $3.00. Treat $15 as the statutory base rather than an eternal price: Sec. 3602(a)(2) lets the Director review the fee every two years and raise it by up to 10% of the fee that was in force on December 31, 2014, after publishing notice at least 60 days before the increase takes effect. The handbook likewise states $15. Confirm the currently posted figure at the inspection station before you go, and answer $15 on the test.
Which set of figures states Guam's minimum mandatory automobile insurance limits under 16 GCA Sec. 19104?
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