Nevada Insurance Requirements for Motorcycles

Even if you do not use your motorcycle, if you register it you must also insure it throughout the entire registration period. Your insurance carrier must be licensed to do business in Nevada.

The minimum liability insurance requirements are:

• $15,000 bodily injury coverage for one person in one accident

• $30,000 bodily injury coverage total per accident

• $10,000 property damage coverage per accident

Keep your insurance card with you at all times.

Although the state requires liability insurance only, many riders still prefer to get comprehensive and collision coverage. Check out the different types of insurance coverage available to make sure you get the policy that will work best for you.

How Coverage Affects Helmet Requirements

Nevada has no laws concerning different helmet requirements based on insurance coverage. In the Silver State, motorcycle riders and passengers must wear helmets, no matter what. The state also requires a faceplate or goggles.

Proof of Insurance and Financial Responsibility

The state of Nevada really wants you to carry liability insurance, so it has created the Insurance Verification Program (IVP) to make sure every driver on the road is adequately covered. Even so, it's best to keep your insurance with you at all times.

Nevada's Insurance Verification Program

Under the guidelines of the IVP, state insurance companies send monthly reports to the DMV outlining all the new policies and terminations they've processed throughout the month.

You probably won't have to deal with the IVP as long as you keep your liability coverage current, but if the DMV receives reports that show you terminated a policy and did not purchase a different one, the IVP process rolls into motion.

The purpose of the program is, of course, to verify that you do indeed have coverage on your vehicle. Here's how it plays out:

1. Based on reports from statewide insurance companies, the DMV flags your bike as possibly uninsured.
2. The DMV mails you a verification request. This document gives you 20 days to provide the following information: insurance policy number, your name, the motorcycle's VIN, and the insurance company's name.
3. You either:
   • Provide the requested information by mail, or by filling out the online IVP Verification Response form. After verifying the information, the DMV will notify you that the matter has been resolved.
   • Fail to respond or fail to show proof of insurance within the allotted time. The DMV will then send you a certified letter notifying you that your vehicle registration has been suspended.

If you feel the DMV suspended your registration in error, you have rights. The Office of Administrative Hearings exists solely to handle appeals in cases like these and other situations.

You can also check out your registration status at any time online with the State of Nevada Registration Inquiry tool.

Penalties for Failure to Maintain Financial Responsibility

If you have no proof of insurance coverage, the bottom line is that your registration will be suspended. You won't legally be allowed to ride your motorcycle on public roads until the registration has been reinstated.

And if you attempt to ride without current registration, a law enforcement officer can pull your plates or even impound your bike immediately.

Registration Reinstatement

To reinstate your motorcycle registration, you'll need to:

• Obtain the minimum amount of liability coverage for your bike.

• Pay a $250 reinstatement fee.

Note: If your motorcycle was considered "dormant" during the lapsed period because of mechanical problems or seasonal conditions, you can fill out a Dormant Vehicle Affidavit. Submit the form and proof of the dormancy to the DMV, and the reinstatement fee drops to $50 instead of $250.

You can reinstate your registration by mail, fax, or in person at a DMV office.

You can also visit a self-service kiosk at a DMV location or complete the online Insurance Verification Reinstatement form. These options are available to you only if you meet the following requirements:

• You have the suspension notice that includes an access code or barcode.

• Your new insurance information is in the DMV system, which can take up to a month after your provider sends in the report.

• Your vehicle registration was actually suspended. (There can sometimes be a period of a couple months between an insurance lapse and the actual suspension.)