Insurance for Temporary Tags and Trip Permits: Who Checks, in 13 States

Quick Answer: Do You Need Insurance for a Temporary Tag?

To drive on one, yes, in every state covered here. A temporary tag, temporary plate, in-transit permit or trip permit is a form of registration. It does not suspend the state's compulsory insurance law, so the vehicle must carry at least the state minimum liability cover. Virginia's statute says so in as many words: owning an uninsured vehicle "displaying temporary license plates" and driving it, or letting someone else drive it, is a Class 3 misdemeanor.

What differs is whether anyone checks the insurance before the tag is issued. In some states the dealer must see or record proof first. In others a state or county office checks at the counter. In the rest the permit is issued with no insurance check at all, and the obligation falls on the driver alone.

"No check" never means "no insurance needed". It means nobody verifies it when the paper tag is handed over, so the first check may be a traffic stop or a crash.

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Three Ways States Handle It

1. The seller or the state checks before issuing

New York is the strictest at the counter. An in-transit permit requires an original New York insurance ID card (FS-20 or FS-21), or a temporary card (FS-75) no more than 7 days old and marked "in-transit", together with an in-transit cancellation authorization from the agent. Non-residents may use an out-of-state agent's letter or a binder instead.

Missouri writes the rule into the statute: "No permit shall be issued for a vehicle under this section unless the buyer shows proof of financial responsibility." The same rule applies whether the permit comes from the Department of Revenue, a license office or a dealer.

North Carolina, Delaware and Colorado put the check on the dealer. A North Carolina dealer must have the buyer's Form FR-2 insurance certification before issuing a 30-day marker. Colorado's DMV tells dealers plainly that a customer without insurance "will not be permitted to receive a temporary tag."

2. The check exists, with a narrower scope

New Jersey's dealer insurance check, in effect since 1 August 2018 under P.L. 2017, c. 352, applies to temporary registrations for non-resident buyers. The dealer confirms the vehicle is insured under New Jersey law or under the financial responsibility law of the state where it will be registered.

Maryland frames it as reporting rather than a refusal. The buyer completes a temporary plate application, and on the same day the dealer must electronically send the MVA "the vehicle, owner, insurance, and temporary registration information" from it. Maryland even lets a dealer issue a temporary plate to a buyer who is facing a lapsed-insurance penalty on a different vehicle.

Florida's temporary tag statute (§ 320.131) contains no insurance wording. The check comes in practice at the tax collector's counter for private-sale tags ("Proof of Florida Insurance Coverage is required", per Hillsborough County), and in law at registration, where § 320.02 requires proof of PIP and property damage liability.

3. No check at issuance

In Virginia, the dealer temporary plate statute (§ 46.2-1558) does not require the dealer to see insurance. Instead, it says owners "shall comply with" §§ 46.2-705 to 46.2-707, the insurance sections. Section 46.2-707 then names temporary plates specifically in the uninsured-driving offence. A Virginia trip permit under § 46.2-651 is valid for three days, costs $5, and carries no insurance wording.

Texas (Transp. Code 503.063), Washington (trip permits, RCW 46.16A.320), Georgia (temporary operating permits) and Arizona (A.R.S. 28-2154) likewise issue without an insurance condition in the provision itself. Proof of insurance is checked when the vehicle is registered: Texas Transp. Code 502.046, for example, bars registration without evidence of financial responsibility.

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Driving Off the Lot: The Newly-Acquired-Vehicle Window

Many personal auto policies extend some cover to a newly bought car for a short period, on the strength of the policy on the car it replaces. The length and conditions of that window are set by the policy, not by state law, so it varies from insurer to insurer.

Delaware is the exception that writes it down. Its DMV regulation for dealer temporary plates says: "A vehicle just purchased has an automatic 30 day coverage if the owner's previous vehicle was properly insured." On that basis, a Delaware dealer may accept the ID card for the car just traded in or sold, if it is within 30 days of the purchase.

Outside Delaware, an old car's ID card is not a statutory substitute. Where a state checks at issuance, the dealer or clerk applies that state's own list of acceptable proof.

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What This Means When You Buy a Car

From a dealer

In the dealer-check states (North Carolina, Delaware, Colorado, Missouri), the dealer cannot issue the temporary tag until insurance is shown or certified. Maryland dealers record your insurance details on the application and send them to the MVA the same day.

From a private seller

Private sales usually go through a state or county office instead: a New York in-transit permit, a Missouri temporary permit, a Florida 30-day tag from the tax collector, or a Virginia trip permit. New York, Missouri and Florida's tax collectors check insurance at that counter. Virginia's trip permit statute does not, but driving the car home uninsured is still an offence.

Across state lines

New Jersey's check applies to non-resident buyers and accepts the home state's insurance law. A non-resident buying in New York may use an out-of-state agent's letter or binder. Arizona issues a 90-day nonresident permit with no insurance wording in the statute.

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FAQ

Do you need insurance for a temporary tag?

To drive on it, yes. Temporary tags and permits do not suspend compulsory insurance; Virginia's § 46.2-707 makes driving an uninsured car on temporary plates a Class 3 misdemeanor. Whether the insurance is checked before the tag is issued depends on the state.

Do you need insurance to get a temporary tag in Virginia?

The dealer temporary plate statute does not require the dealer to check it, and trip permits under § 46.2-651 carry no insurance condition. The owner must still insure the vehicle under §§ 46.2-705 to 46.2-707, and driving it uninsured on temporary plates is a Class 3 misdemeanor.

Do you need insurance for an in-transit permit in New York?

Yes. The DMV requires an original New York insurance ID card, or a temporary FS-75 card marked "in-transit" with the agent's cancellation authorization. The permit lasts 30 days and costs $12.50.

Can a dealer give you temporary plates without insurance?

In North Carolina, Delaware, Colorado and Missouri, no. In Maryland the dealer must send your insurance details to the MVA the same day. In Virginia, Texas and Georgia, the statutes and agency guidance reviewed do not require the dealer to check, but you still cannot legally drive uninsured.

Is there a grace period to insure a newly bought car?

That depends on your policy's terms. Delaware is the one state reviewed whose regulation states it: a newly bought vehicle "has an automatic 30 day coverage" if the previous vehicle was properly insured.

How long is a temporary tag valid?

It varies: 30 days in New York, Missouri, North Carolina, Georgia and Florida; up to 60 in Colorado and Maryland (Maryland can add 30 more); 90 days for Arizona's nonresident permit; and three days for a Virginia trip permit.

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Key Takeaways

• Driving on a temporary tag requires insurance in every state reviewed; the tag is registration, not an exemption.
• Dealers must check first in North Carolina, Delaware, Colorado and Missouri; New Jersey checks for non-resident buyers; Maryland dealers report the buyer's insurance to the MVA the same day.
• New York checks at the DMV counter for in-transit permits; Florida's tax collectors do for private-sale tags.
• Virginia, Texas, Washington, Georgia and Arizona issue without an insurance check in the statute, and Virginia names temporary plates in its uninsured-driving offence.
• Delaware's regulation is the only one reviewed that writes a 30-day newly-acquired-vehicle window into law.

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Sources

• New York DMV — In-transit vehicle permits and temporary registrations
• Missouri Revised Statutes § 301.140 — Revisor of Statutes
• 19A NCAC 03D .0221 — NCDOT (2021 readoption text)
• 2 Delaware Administrative Code 2273 — Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles
• Colorado DMV — Dealer-issued temporary permits; C.R.S. 42-3-105
• New Jersey MVC — Temporary tag law change notice (P.L. 2017, c. 352)
• Maryland Transportation Article §§ 13-602, 13-605 and 17-104
• Florida Statutes §§ 320.131 and 320.02; Hillsborough County Tax Collector — Temporary tags
• Code of Virginia §§ 46.2-651, 46.2-705 to 46.2-707, 46.2-1558 and 46.2-1562 (FindLaw copy, current as of 1 January 2026)
• Texas Transportation Code §§ 503.063 and 502.046
• Revised Code of Washington 46.16A.320
• Georgia Department of Revenue — Temporary operating permits
• Arizona Revised Statutes § 28-2154

Last verified: 2026-10

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Important Disclaimer

This guide provides general information about insurance requirements based on publicly available sources as of the "Last verified" date above. It is not legal, insurance, or financial advice. Requirements, penalties, and statutes can change; individual circumstances vary. Always confirm current rules with your state's Department of Insurance or DMV, and consult a licensed insurance professional for advice specific to your situation.