What is the FS-1 Form in North Carolina?

Some drivers in North Carolina require an FS-1 form.

The FS-1 form is unique to North Carolina. It’s a simple form you can get from your car insurance company.

Most states call this form a certificate of insurance. In North Carolina, however, it’s called an FS-1 form.

You can obtain the form from any insurance company to show proof of coverage. If you are required to get an FS-1 form, then you can approach an insurance company, buy FS-1 car insurance coverage, and show the form when registering or titling your vehicle.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation (DOT) states that when titling or registering your vehicle in North Carolina you must show proof of insurance. That proof of insurance could be a traditional policy number. Or, it could be an FS-1 form.

Keep reading to discover everything you need to know about the FS-1 form in North Carolina, including how the form works and what it does.

What is the FS-1 Form?

The FS-1 is a document required for certain drivers in North Carolina.

If you have allowed your car insurance coverage to lapse, then you may be required to provide an FS-1 document. This document proves you have insurance coverage.

The FS-1 form proves that you are financially responsible. Other states use SR-22 documents to prove financial responsibility – say, if you’re convicted of a DUI or DWI. By showing the FS-1 form, you are proving you are financially responsible and thus legally able to drive in North Carolina.

No other state but North Carolina uses the FS-1 form. It’s only required for drivers in North Carolina. Other states have similar documentation under different names. They call these forms “certificates of insurance”, for example.

How Do FS-1 Forms Work in North Carolina?

The FS-1 functions as a certificate of insurance. You can get an FS-1 form from your car insurance company to prove you are covered by insurance.

• When titling or registering your car in North Carolina – or in any other state – you must provide proof of insurance. Proof of insurance can be:
• The name of your insurance company and your policy number
• A certificate of insurance document, like an FS-1 form

If you cannot provide proof of insurance, then you cannot title or register your vehicle in North Carolina.

Car Insurance Requirements in North Carolina

North Carolina requires drivers to have certain minimum amounts of car insurance to legally drive. Any car insurance you buy in North Carolina will at least meet these minimum amounts. Many drivers also choose to exceed these minimum amounts for added coverage.

North Carolina requires the following minimum amounts of car insurance:

• $30,000 of bodily injury liability coverage per person
• $60,000 of bodily injury liability coverage per accident
• $25,000 of property damage liability coverage
• $30,000 of uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage per person
• $60,000 of uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage per accident
• $25,000 of uninsured motorist property damage liability coverage

Any policy you buy in North Carolina will match these minimum amounts. When you get an FS-1 form from an insurance company, it guarantees that you have at least met these minimum amounts of car insurance coverage.

Who Needs an FS-1 Form?

You may be asked to provide an FS-1 form if your car insurance coverage has lapsed. If you failed to pay car insurance premiums, for example, then your car insurance coverage may have lapsed.

Or, if you failed to renew your policy, or if your insurer canceled your policy, then your insurance has also lapsed.

When your car insurance lapses, your insurer is required to notify the North Carolina DMV. The insurance company tells the DMV that they are no longer providing car insurance to you. You are no longer an insured driver, which means you cannot legally drive on the road in North Carolina.

In this situation, the DMV will mail a letter asking you to prove you have car insurance. The DMV may ask you to prove you had car insurance on specific dates, for example.

To prove you had car insurance on specific dates, you can provide an FS-1 form or other proof of insurance.

Or, if you cannot prove you had car insurance on those specific dates, then you may be required to pay a $50 fine to the state of North Carolina. If this is the second or third time your car insurance has lapsed, then fines can be even higher. Drivers who have repeatedly let their car insurance lapse may have their licenses suspended for 30 to 60 days.

If the DMV is preparing to fine you for a lapse in car insurance coverage, and you want to avoid the fine, contact the DMV immediately. Explain why your car insurance lapsed. If there’s a legitimate reason for the lapse, then your license may not be suspended.

How to Obtain an FS-1 Form

If you need an FS-1 form to prove you had car insurance coverage on specific dates, then contact your insurance company.

All insurance companies in North Carolina know what an FS-1 form is and how it works.

Contact your insurance agent or insurance company to request the FS-1 form. Then, submit that FS-1 form to the DMV to prove you had insurance on specific dates.

Final Word

The FS-1 form is a proof of insurance document specific to North Carolina. The form verifies that you have car insurance coverage.

If you have let your car insurance lapse, then your insurer will notify the DMV. The DMV will know that you don’t currently have car insurance coverage, and you will be required to provide proof of coverage. You can submit the FS-1 form to prove you still have insurance.

Contact your insurance company today to request an FS-1 form and avoid further penalties from the North Carolina DMV.