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California vs Michigan

Bottom line

California requires more property-damage coverage than Michigan ($15,000 vs $10,000). Both require an SR-22 filing for certain violations. California generally has lower license-reinstatement costs.

Official government sources Last verified June 2026 36 fields reviewed Source links on every value

Important differences between California and Michigan

The differences drivers should know.

Bodily injury / person
California$30,000
Michigan$50,000
Michigan requires higher bodily-injury coverage.
Bodily injury / accident
California$60,000
Michigan$100,000
Michigan requires higher bodily-injury coverage.
Property damage
California$15,000
Michigan$10,000
California requires more property-damage coverage.
UM/UIM requirement
California30/60
Michiganoptional. Uninsured Motorist (UM) and Underinsured Motorist (UIM) bodily injury are both optional in…
Filing duration
California3 years of continuous SR-22 filing
Michigan3 years
Clock starts from
CaliforniaSuspension/reinstatement-based
MichiganFrom the date proof was required (MCL 257.528(1)(a)) — NOT the reinstatement date and NOT the…
SR-22 filing fee
California~$15-25 (charged by the insurer, not the DMV)
Michigan~$15-50 (charged by the insurer to add the certificate filing, not a SOS fee)
License reinstatement
California$55 standard reissue; $125 Admin Per Se (DUI) reissue; $15 DMV admin; $100 under-21 Zero Tolerance
Michigan$125 flat
California costs less to reinstate.
Registration reinstatement
California$14 (separate fee, for a no-insurance registration suspension)
MichiganN/A
No-insurance, first offense
California$100-$200 base fine on a first conviction, plus penalty assessments — a civil infraction under CA Veh.…
MichiganMisdemeanor: $200-$500 fine, up to 1 year jail, or both
No-insurance, repeat offense
California$200-$500 for a subsequent conviction within three years, plus penalty assessments — civil infraction…
MichiganSame as first: misdemeanor $200-$500, up to 1 year, or both
DUI suspension
CaliforniaAPS suspension: 4 months (1st); 1 year (2nd within 10 yrs). Refusal: 1 yr / 2 yr revoke / 3 yr revoke.…
Michigansuspension (1st offense, MCL 257.319(8)): OWI 0.08 (625(1)(a)/(b)) = 180-day suspension, no restricted…
DUI fine range
California$390-$1,000 (first offense, VC 23536)
MichiganMCL 257.625 (OWI). 1st (subsec 9): misdemeanor, fine $100-$500 (or $200-$700 if High-BAC), up to 93…
Driving while suspended
CaliforniaMisdemeanor. No-insurance suspension (VC 14601.1): up to 6 months jail and/or $300-$1,000.…
MichiganMCL 257.904. 1st violation: misdemeanor, up to 93 days jail or up to $500, plus registration plates…
CDL consequence
CaliforniaMust downgrade to a Class C license to obtain a restricted license. If not operating a commercial…
MichiganMCL 257.319b. 60 days: 2 serious traffic violations in 36 months. 120 days: 3 in 36 months. 1 year…
View full comparison ↓

Recent law changes

Changes verified from official state sources.

California2025-01-01 — minimums raised to 30/60/15 (SB 1107).
MichiganMinimum liability limits last changed effective July 1, 2020 (250/500 default + 50/100 floor replacing 20/40, per 2019 PA 21/22). Most recent section…

Full comparison

Every compared field, with the official source on each value.

Coverage

Bodily injury / person
California
$30,000
Official source ↗
Michigan
$50,000
Official source ↗
Bodily injury / accident
California
$60,000
Official source ↗
Michigan
$100,000
Official source ↗
Property damage
California
$15,000
Official source ↗
Michigan
$10,000
Official source ↗
UM/UIM requirement
California
30/60
Official source ↗
Michigan
optional. Uninsured Motorist (UM) and Underinsured Motorist (UIM) bodily injury are both optional in Michigan — the DIFS consumer guide lists them…
Full details
optional. Uninsured Motorist (UM) and Underinsured Motorist (UIM) bodily injury are both optional in Michigan — the DIFS consumer guide lists them under optional coverages and its glossary describes both as optional coverages available for purchase. Both are fully optional in Michigan.
Official source ↗

SR-22 / FR-44

SR-22 required same
FR-44 required same
Filing duration
California
3 years of continuous SR-22 filing
Official source ↗
Michigan
3 years
Official source ↗
Clock starts from
California
Suspension/reinstatement-based
Official source ↗
Michigan
From the date proof was required (MCL 257.528(1)(a)) — NOT the reinstatement date and NOT the conviction date. nuance: if the person surrenders the…
Full details
From the date proof was required (MCL 257.528(1)(a)) — NOT the reinstatement date and NOT the conviction date. nuance: if the person surrenders the license/registration and reapplies within the 3-year window, they must reestablish proof for the remainder of the 3 years (257.528(3)) — Michigan tolls the clock rather than restarting it.
Official source ↗
Non-owner SR-22 same

Costs

SR-22 filing fee
California
~$15-25 (charged by the insurer, not the DMV)
See California sources ↗
Michigan
~$15-50 (charged by the insurer to add the certificate filing, not a SOS fee)
See Michigan sources ↗
License reinstatement
California
$55 standard reissue; $125 Admin Per Se (DUI) reissue; $15 DMV admin; $100 under-21 Zero Tolerance
Official source ↗
Michigan
$125 flat
Official source ↗
Registration reinstatement
California
$14 (separate fee, for a no-insurance registration suspension)
Official source ↗

Penalties

No-insurance, first offense
California
$100-$200 base fine on a first conviction, plus penalty assessments — a civil infraction under CA Veh. Code 16029(a), for failing to provide evidence…
Full details
$100-$200 base fine on a first conviction, plus penalty assessments — a civil infraction under CA Veh. Code 16029(a), for failing to provide evidence of financial responsibility (16028(a)). The court may impound the vehicle and order coverage maintained for at least one year.
Official source ↗
Michigan
Misdemeanor: $200-$500 fine, up to 1 year jail, or both
Official source ↗
No-insurance, repeat offense
California
$200-$500 for a subsequent conviction within three years, plus penalty assessments — civil infraction under CA Veh. Code 16029(b). Same…
Full details
$200-$500 for a subsequent conviction within three years, plus penalty assessments — civil infraction under CA Veh. Code 16029(b). Same penalty-assessment multiplier as the first-offense fine; the court may also impound the vehicle.
Official source ↗
Michigan
Same as first: misdemeanor $200-$500, up to 1 year, or both
Official source ↗
DUI suspension
California
APS suspension: 4 months (1st); 1 year (2nd within 10 yrs). Refusal: 1 yr / 2 yr revoke / 3 yr revoke. 30-day temp license after arrest.
Official source ↗
Michigan
suspension (1st offense, MCL 257.319(8)): OWI 0.08 (625(1)(a)/(b)) = 180-day suspension, no restricted license during the first 30 days; High-BAC…
Full details
suspension (1st offense, MCL 257.319(8)): OWI 0.08 (625(1)(a)/(b)) = 180-day suspension, no restricted license during the first 30 days; High-BAC 0.17 (625(1)(c)) = 1-year suspension, no restricted during the first 45 days, then restricted with ignition interlock (BAIID); OWVI (625(3)) = 90 days (180 if drug-related), restricted throughout; under-21 zero tolerance (625(6)) = 30 days (90 with a prior). A restricted license under 319(8) may NOT authorize CMV operation (319(15)). revocation (repeat/serious, MCL 257.303): 2 OWI within 7 years, or 3 within 10 years, or a single OWI causing serious injury/death -> revocation; minimum 1 year, or 5 years if a second revocation within 7 years (303(4)); indefinite, no automatic reinstatement. Restoration requires a DAAD hearing rebutting the habitual-offender presumption by clear and convincing evidence.
Official source ↗
DUI fine range
California
$390-$1,000 (first offense, VC 23536)
Official source ↗
Michigan
MCL 257.625 (OWI). 1st (subsec 9): misdemeanor, fine $100-$500 (or $200-$700 if High-BAC), up to 93 days jail (180 if High-BAC 0.17), up to 360 hrs…
Full details
MCL 257.625 (OWI). 1st (subsec 9): misdemeanor, fine $100-$500 (or $200-$700 if High-BAC), up to 93 days jail (180 if High-BAC 0.17), up to 360 hrs community service. 2nd within 7 years: $200-$1,000 + 5 days-1 yr jail or 30-90 days CS (non-suspendable). 3rd (2+ priors, lifetime lookback - 'Heidi's Law'): felony, $500-$5,000 + 1-5 yrs prison. OWVI (subsec 11): 1st up to $300 / up to 93 days, escalating. Under-21 zero tolerance (subsec 12): 1st up to $250 / 360 hrs CS. OWI causing death (subsec 4): felony up to 15 yrs (up to 20 if High-BAC+prior or emergency-responder death), $2,500-$10,000. Serious impairment (subsec 5): felony up to 5 yrs (up to 10 enhanced), $1,000-$5,000. Child under 16 aboard (subsec 7): enhanced - 1st misdemeanor $200-$1,000; 2nd+ felony. Thresholds: 0.08 standard, 0.17 High-BAC, 0.02 under-21. IID available (625k/625l); vehicle immobilization (904d)/forfeiture (625n) on repeats.
Official source ↗
Driving while suspended
California
Misdemeanor. No-insurance suspension (VC 14601.1): up to 6 months jail and/or $300-$1,000. Reckless/negligent suspension (VC 14601): 5 days-6 months…
Full details
Misdemeanor. No-insurance suspension (VC 14601.1): up to 6 months jail and/or $300-$1,000. Reckless/negligent suspension (VC 14601): 5 days-6 months + $300-$1,000. DUI-related: VC 14601.2.
Official source ↗
Michigan
MCL 257.904. 1st violation: misdemeanor, up to 93 days jail or up to $500, plus registration plates canceled (unless the vehicle was stolen or used…
Full details
MCL 257.904. 1st violation: misdemeanor, up to 93 days jail or up to $500, plus registration plates canceled (unless the vehicle was stolen or used without the owner's knowing permission). 2nd+ (after a prior): up to 1 year or up to $1,000; plates canceled. DWS causing death: felony up to 15 yrs, $2,500-$10,000; causing serious impairment: felony up to 5 yrs, $1,000-$5,000. The SOS imposes an additional like period of suspension on conviction (or 30 days if the suspension was indefinite; 904(10)/(11)); a 2nd+ DWS within 7 years triggers vehicle immobilization (904(17) -> 904d). Emergency life/property exception (904(15)).
Official source ↗

CDL

CDL consequence
California
Must downgrade to a Class C license to obtain a restricted license. If not operating a commercial vehicle at the time of the offense, a $125 reissue…
Full details
Must downgrade to a Class C license to obtain a restricted license. If not operating a commercial vehicle at the time of the offense, a $125 reissue fee applies after a 30-day suspension. A DUI in a commercial vehicle triggers a 1-year CDL disqualification under federal rules.
Official source ↗
Michigan
MCL 257.319b. 60 days: 2 serious traffic violations in 36 months. 120 days: 3 in 36 months. 1 year (first major offense): OWI (625), refusal of…
Full details
MCL 257.319b. 60 days: 2 serious traffic violations in 36 months. 120 days: 3 in 36 months. 1 year (first major offense): OWI (625), refusal of chemical test, leaving the scene, a felony in which a vehicle was used, operating a CMV while disqualified, or a fatality by negligent operation. 3 years: a major offense while the CMV carried placarded hazmat. lifetime (reissue eligible after not less than 10 years + SOS approval): a second major offense from separate incidents. lifetime, no reduction: a CMV used in a controlled-substance manufacture/distribution felony; a major offense after a 10-year reissue; or a terrorism-chapter conviction (MCL 750.543a-z). HazMat endorsement denied/revoked on a federal security-risk notice (USA PATRIOT Act). Out-of-service (319d(4)/319f): 180 days / 2 yrs / 3 yrs ladders. Important for CDL holders (319b(7)): a DUI / refusal / leaving-the-scene / vehicle-felony committed in a NON-commercial vehicle counts against the CDL identically. CDL alcohol threshold is 0.04 (set in 625m). Only post-Jan 1, 1990 violations count.
Official source ↗