North Carolina, like most other states, requires drivers to carry liability insurance to legally drive in the state. In order to prove you are carrying the proper insurance coverage, you must file a FS-1 form with the North Carlina DMV.
An FS-1 form is a certificate of insurance only used in North Carolina and issued by your insurance company. Your insurance company files the form electronically with the state DMV. It proves a driver carries the minimum liability insurance required in the state. An FS-1 form also provides proof of insurance if you’re involved in an accident or when you register your vehicle.
Learn more about the FS-1 form and North Carolina insurance requirements, including how to get and submit the form.
- North Carolina is the only state that uses an FS-1 form is proof of car insurance. Your agent issues the form electronically to the NCDMV.
- Drivers are required to carry a minimum of 30/65/25 in liability insurance to legally drive in North Carolina. Drivers must also carry uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.
- Drivers who have not filed a FS-1 form with the NCDMV may be fined and could see their insurance premiums skyrocket if they are involved in an accident and are not carrying the required coverages.
What is an FS-1 form in North Carolina?
Liability insurance is required coverage in North Carolina — it pays out to cover any medical, legal or property damage expenses you are responsible for after an accident. This coverage must be continuous and not lapse. The FS-1 form proves you have car insurance coverage.
According to Jennifer Keel, director of vehicle services at the North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV) the FS-1 form is sent electronically from an insurance company. The FS-1 certifies that insurance coverage was active for a certain date on a specific vehicle — including the year, make, model and vehicle identification number (VIN).
North Carolina is currently the only state that uses an FS-1 form, as proof that drivers carry the minimum bodily injury and property damage car insurance limits of 30/60/25.
These limits are:
- $30,000 for bodily injury for one person
- $60,000 for bodily injury for two or more people
- $25,000 for property damage
North Carolina also requires insurance coverage for uninsured/underinsured motorists on all policies. In most cases, the state minimums are not enough coverage if you are responsible for a serious accident. Once your coverage limits are exceeded, you will have to cover any additional expenses out of pocket.
North Carolina allows drivers to self-certify insurance coverage
When a driver is involved in a traffic violation or accident in North Carolina, they can verbally self-certify their coverage by providing the name of their insurance company and policy number. Police can verify coverage via the NCDMV where the FS-1 form must be on file.
Insured drivers must have an FS-1 form provided by their insurance agent on record at the NCDMV. However, if insurance coverage has lapsed in the past or the driver has had a DUI or a previously suspended or revoked license, they may need to carry another form of insurance such as an SR-22 policy, which is called a DL-123 in North Carolina.
Generally, showing a police officer a current insurance policy and a DL-123 insurance form are acceptable forms of proof of insurance outside of an FS-1 form.
A DL-123 (known as an SR-22 in other states) is a form that your insurer must file with the state proving that you are carrying the proper amount of insurance. If you let the coverage lapse, your insurer notifies the state which will typically result in your license being suspended or re-suspended depending on the reason you are required to carry a DL-123 in the first place.
Drivers are often required to carry a DL-123 for:
- Drivers with a DUI violation who must show proof of coverage.
- Drivers whose coverage has lapsed.
- Drivers who use the FS-1 in addition to an insurance card to demonstrate proof of coverage.
- Drivers who are new to the state.
When do you need an FS-1 form in North Carolina?
The FS-1 form is an official insurance certification necessary for operating a motor vehicle in North Carolina. It must be on file with the NCDMV and available as proof of coverage if you’re involved in a traffic violation or need to title or register your vehicle.
Keel says you also need an FS-1 form when the NCDMV receives notification of a lapse in your coverage, upon issuance of a new or replacement policy, and upon reinstatement of a policy. Additionally, if your insurance was canceled, you’d need an FS-1 form.
In the instance of an insurance coverage lapse, your car insurance company will contact the NCDMV. This can result in fees and potential suspension of your license in the state. North Carolina’s Department of Insurance takes safe driving seriously and has implemented a safe driver incentive plan, demonstrating how much car insurance rates can increase based on violation.
How to submit an FS-1 form
Once you’ve purchased car insurance in North Carolina, your insurance company will submit an FS-1 form to the NCDMV electronically. This is added to your driving record immediately, police can access it if you are pulled over. You can also provide proof of insurance coverage to the NCDMV by requesting your insurance agent submit the FS-1 form electronically.
FAQs: The FS-1 form in North Carolina
Since North Carolina is the only state to use an FS-1 form, there have been a number of frequently asked questions about how they are processed and what happens if one isn’t submitted.
How do you get an FS-1 form?
Once you have purchased an auto insurance policy, your insurer will provide you with certification of insurance — the FS-1 form. Once you have received it, you are officially insured in North Carolina. Your insurer will also submit the form electronically to the NCDMV.
Can I submit the FS-1 form online?
An FS-1 form can only be submitted electronically from your car insurer. The NCDMV will not accept it any other way, so you can’t submit one online.
What happens if I don’t submit an FS-1 form?
North Carolina take car insurance coverage very seriously, and car insurance companies are responsible for ensuring the NCDMV is notified immediately of driver coverage status, including insurance cancellations and lapses.
If you don’t submit an FS-1 form, you don’t have current car insurance in the state, which leads to a lapse in coverage. Keel says civil penalties are levied if you don’t submit an FS-1 form. Fees are based on how many lapses occurred within the past three years—from $50 to $150—and restoration fees are $50.
NCDMV will send a liability insurance termination notification to the vehicle’s registered owner, who has 10 days from the date printed on the notice to respond. Failure to respond may result in the revocation of the vehicle’s license plate, as well as civil penalties, late fees, interest and collections.
In addition to penalties issued by the state, an insurance lapse will result in a much higher premium on your new policy. Insurance companies consider lapses in coverage a risk factor and will charge a higher premium for coverage.
According to the NCDMV, the penalties for a lapse in car insurance coverage are as follows:
- Subsequent insurance lapses: $150
- First insurance lapse: $50
- Second insurance lapse: $100
- Restoration fee: $50
Resources & Methodology
Sources
- North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV). “Insurance requirements.” Accessed August 2024.
- North Carolina Department of Insurance (NCDOI). “Safe driver incentive plan‘. Accessed August 2024.
Methodology
CarInsurance.com editors in 2024 collected rates from Quadrant Information Services for a 40-year-old driving a Honda Accord LX with a full coverage insurance policy with limits 100/300/50 and $500 comprehensive and collision deductibles. The data comes from the 2022 auto problems report. We analyzed 5,000,736 records, 1,467 ZIP codes and 548 cities nationwide.
Ask the Insurance Expert
Laura Longero
Executive Editor
Laura Longero is an insurance expert and Executive Editor at CarInsurance.com, where she specializes in helping consumers navigate the complexities of the financial and insurance industries. She has 15 years of experience educating people about finance and car insurance. Prior to joining CarInsurance.com, she worked as a reporter and editor at the USA Today Network. Her expertise provides readers with practical guidance, helping them make informed choices about their financial and insurance needs.
Ask the Insurance Expert
John McCormick
Editorial Director
John is the editorial director for CarInsurance.com, Insurance.com and Insure.com. Before joining QuinStreet, John was a deputy editor at The Wall Street Journal and had been an editor and reporter at a number of other media outlets where he covered insurance, personal finance, and technology.
Ask the Insurance Expert
Leslie Kasperowicz
Executive Editor
Leslie Kasperowicz is an insurance educator and content creation professional with nearly two decades of experience first directly in the insurance industry at Farmers Insurance and then as a writer, researcher, and educator for insurance shoppers writing for sites like ExpertInsuranceReviews.com and InsuranceHotline.com and managing content, now at CarInsurance.com.
Ask the Insurance Expert
Nupur Gambhir
Managing Editor
Nupur Gambhir is a content editor and licensed life, health, and disability insurance expert. She has extensive experience bringing brands to life and has built award-nominated campaigns for travel and tech. Her insurance expertise has been featured in Bloomberg News, Forbes Advisor, CNET, Fortune, Slate, Real Simple, Lifehacker, The Financial Gym, and the end-of-life planning service.