2.4 No-Fault Insurance, Vehicle Registration & Fuel-Efficient Operation

2.4 No-Fault Insurance, Vehicle Registration & Fuel-Efficient Operation

Quick Answer: Every Minnesota vehicle driven on public roads must carry no-fault and liability insurance, and valid proof of insurance must be in the vehicle at all times. Failing to produce it for an officer can get your license and registration revoked. Getting back on the road after an insurance revocation costs a $30 reinstatement fee plus a written test, a new license application, and an insurance certificate from your insurer. A conviction for operating an uninsured vehicle can mean a $1,000 fine, 90 days in jail, and revocation for up to one year. New residents have 60 days to register a vehicle with DVS.

Insurance and registration look like paperwork topics, but the Minnesota Driver's Manual puts them squarely in the traffic-laws chapter, and the penalties attached to them are among the harshest in the manual for a non-alcohol offense.

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1. The No-Fault Insurance Mandate

Minnesota is a no-fault state. Owners of motor vehicles driven on public roads must carry both:

• No-fault coverage — pays your own medical and economic losses regardless of who caused the crash
• Liability coverage — pays for injuries and property damage you cause to other people

You must have valid proof of insurance in the vehicle at all times. This is not a "produce it later" requirement: failing to provide proof when a law enforcement officer asks can lead to revocation of your driver's license and your vehicle registration.

Motorcycle Insurance Is Different

Motorcycle operators must carry liability insurance covering property damage and injuries to other people. For motorcycles, no-fault and uninsured-driver coverage are optional. You may separately insure the motorcycle itself against damage, loss or theft.

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2. What Happens When You Drive Uninsured

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|              MINNESOTA UNINSURED-VEHICLE CONSEQUENCES                       |
|                                                                             |
|   ADMINISTRATIVE                                                            |
|   • Driver's license revoked                                                |
|   • Vehicle registration and license plates revoked                         |
|   • Driving privileges revoked for up to ONE YEAR                           |
|                                                                             |
|   CRIMINAL (upon conviction)                                                |
|   • Fine of up to $1,000                                                    |
|   • Up to 90 days in jail                                                   |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+

Reinstatement After an Insurance Revocation

If your driving privileges are revoked for lack of insurance, you must complete all four of these steps:

1. Pass a written test — yes, the knowledge test again
2. Pay a $30 reinstatement fee, in addition to any court fines or citations
3. Apply for a new driver's license
4. Submit an insurance certificate from your insurance company

Notice how this compares to an alcohol-related revocation, which carries a $680 reinstatement fee. The insurance reinstatement fee is $30, and it is the same $30 charged for other non-alcohol revocations.

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3. Registering Your Vehicle

If you are a Minnesota resident, every motor vehicle you drive on public roads must be registered with DVS.

• New residents get 60 days after becoming a resident to register their vehicles in Minnesota
• To register, bring the current vehicle title or registration card and your driver's license or other valid identification to your nearest deputy registrar's office

Remember that operating an uninsured vehicle can result in revocation of the license plates and registration, not just the driver's license — the vehicle itself is taken off the road.

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4. Minnesota's Cell Phone Law (Hands-Free)

The manual places the cell phone rule in the same chapter. You may not use a wireless communication device to compose, read or send electronic messages while driving — that includes emails, text messages and instant messages — and you may not access the internet. This applies even while stopped in traffic.

Three exceptions:

1. Using the device to get emergency assistance
2. Reporting a crash or crime
3. Using the device in voice-activated or hands-free mode

If you are convicted of two or more violations, you must pay a $275 fine in addition to the court-specified fine. It is also illegal to wear headphones or earphones in both ears simultaneously while driving.

Remember the sharper rule from Section 1.2: drivers under 18 with an instruction permit or provisional license may not use a cell phone at all — handheld or hands-free — except to call 911 in an emergency.

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5. Fuel-Efficient Driving Techniques

The Minnesota Driver's Manual devotes a short section of Chapter 2 to fuel efficiency, and it splits the advice into two categories.

Keep Your Car in Good Condition

• Tune your engine properly
• Keep tires properly inflated
• Use the recommended grade of motor oil

Drive Efficiently

• Plan and combine errands into one trip
• Drive sensibly — avoid speeding, rapid acceleration and sudden braking
• Observe the speed limit
• Remove unnecessary heavy items from your vehicle
• Use cruise control on the highway
• Use overdrive gears
• Whenever possible, take public transportation, carpool, rideshare, bike or walk

These overlap heavily with safe-driving habits: smooth acceleration and braking, correct tire pressure, and steady highway speeds all reduce both fuel burn and crash risk.