In Nevada, having liability insurance is an obligation for all vehicles, regardless of the number of wheels they have. Having insurance means that you have established financial responsibility and are able to pay for any damages your vehicle may cause in the case of an accident. However, you still need to know the type of your vehicle in order to obtain the right insurance.

Two-Wheeled Vehicles

State law defines motorcycle this way:

• A motorized vehicle with a seat for the driver and operating on a maximum of three wheels is a motorcycle. Power cycles belong in this category but not tractors or mopeds. Motorcycles require registration and insurance.
• A vehicle similar to a bike but that contains a small motor with less than two horsepower and fewer than 50 cc displacement is a moped. Mopeds also cannot run faster than 30 mph and don’t require registration and insurance.

Contact the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) at one of the following numbers for more info on this subject:

Las Vegas area: (702) 486-4DMV (4368)
Reno/Sparks/Carson City: (775) 684-4DMV (4368)
Rural Nevada: (877) 368-7828, toll-free

Motorcycle Insurance Requirements

The minimum liability insurance requirements in the state of Nevada are:

• $10,000 property damage coverage per accident.
• $15,000 bodily injury coverage for one person in one accident.
• $30,000 bodily injury coverage total per accident.

Don’t forget to carry your insurance card with you whenever you ride a motorcycle. Although the state requires liability insurance only, many riders still prefer to get comprehensive and collision coverage.

Check out the form at the top of this page. You can use it to get insurance and it can also help you save money on motorcycle insurance for the future.

Helmet Requirements

Motorcycle riders and passengers in Nevada must wear helmets, at all times. A faceplate or goggles are also required.

Establishing Financial Responsibility

Purchasing motorcycle liability insurance is what you must do in this state in order to establish financial responsibility. Buying self-insurance is the other option. However, to be able to get self-insurance you must own 11 or more vehicles.

Proof of Insurance

The state of Nevada has created the Insurance Verification Program (IVP) to make sure every driver on the road has the proper coverage. However, keep your insurance with you whenever you operate a motorcycle.

Insurance Verification Program

As long as you maintain liability insurance you probably won’t have to deal with the IV. 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 to verify that you have insurance on your vehicle. See how this works:

• Based on reports from statewide insurance companies, the DMV will flag your bike as possibly uninsured according to reports from Nevada insurance companies.
• You will be mailed a verification request by the DMV. You will be given 20 days to provide the following information: insurance policy number, your name, the motorcycle’s VIN, and the insurance company’s name.
• Your options are:
  • 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 given time. The DMV will then send you a certified letter notifying you that your vehicle registration has been suspended.

The Office of Administrative Hearings handles appeals in case you think DMV suspended your registration in error. You can also check out your registration status at any time online with the State of Nevada Registration Inquiry tool.

Penalties

You could be facing registration suspension for not having proof of insurance. Also you won’t legally be allowed to operate your ride on Nevada roads until the registration is reinstated.

Registration Reinstatement

You’ll have to do the following if you want to get your motorcycle registration back:

• Obtain the minimum amount of liability insurance for your ride.
• Pay a $250 reinstatement fee.

The registration can be reinstated by mail, by fax, mail, 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. You will be allowed to do that only if you meet the following requirements:

• Your new insurance information is in the DMV system, which can take up to a month after your provider sends in the report.
• You have the suspension notice that includes an access code or barcode.
• Your vehicle registration was actually suspended. (Sometimes there can be a period of a couple of months between an insurance lapse and the actual suspension.)

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 you will have to pay $50 instead of $250 for the reinstatement fee.

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