§ 800. Maintenance of financial responsibility
[Subsection (a) as currently effective; see also subsection (a) contingently amended
set out below.]
(a) No owner of a motor vehicle required to be registered, or operator required to be
licensed or issued a learner’s permit, shall operate or permit the operation of the
vehicle upon the highways of the State without having in effect an automobile liability
policy or bond in the amounts of at least $25,000.00 for one person and $50,000.00
for two or more persons killed or injured and $10,000.00 for damages to property in
any one crash. In lieu thereof, evidence of self-insurance in the amount of $115,000.00
must be filed with the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles and shall be maintained and
evidenced in a form prescribed by the Commissioner. The Commissioner may require that
evidence of financial responsibility be produced before motor vehicle inspections
are performed pursuant to the requirements of section 1222 of this title.
[Subsection (a) as contingently amended by 2015, No. 50, § 6; see also subsection (a) currently effective set out above.]
(a) No owner of a motor vehicle required to be registered, or operator required to be
licensed or issued a learner’s permit, shall operate or permit the operation of the
vehicle upon the highways of the State without having in effect an automobile liability
policy or bond in the amounts of at least $25,000.00 for one person and $50,000.00
for two or more persons killed or injured and $10,000.00 for damages to property in
any one crash. In lieu thereof, evidence of self-insurance in the amount of $115,000.00
must be filed with the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles and shall be maintained and
evidenced in a form prescribed by the Commissioner. The Commissioner may adopt rules
governing the standards for insurance identification cards. The Commissioner may also
require that evidence of financial responsibility be produced before motor vehicle
inspections are performed pursuant to the requirements of section 1222 of this title.
(b) A person who violates subsection (a) of this section shall be assessed a civil penalty
of not more than $500.00, and such violation shall be a traffic violation within the
meaning of chapter 24 of this title.
(c) Every operator of a vehicle required to be registered shall have proof of financial
responsibility as required by subsection (a) of this section when operating a vehicle
on the highways of this State. A person may prove financial responsibility using a
portable electronic device; however, use of a device for this purpose does not in
itself constitute consent for an enforcement officer to access other contents of the
device. An operator cited for violating this subsection shall not be convicted if
the operator sends or produces to the issuing enforcement agency within seven business
days after the traffic stop proof of financial responsibility that was in effect at
the time of the traffic stop.
(d) A person who violates subsection (c) of this section shall be subject to a civil penalty
of not more than $100.00. (Added 1985, No. 77, § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1986; amended 1987, No. 163 (Adj. Sess.), eff. April 29, 1988; 1989, No. 84, § 5; 1997, No. 117, § 33, eff. Jan. 1, 1999; 2011, No. 46, § 6; 2013, No. 67, § 14; 2013, No. 189 (Adj. Sess.), § 13; 2015, No. 50, § 6; 2019, No. 14, § 62, eff. April 30, 2019; 2023, No. 85 (Adj. Sess.), § 279, eff. July 1, 2024.)