New Jersey § 39:6b-2

§ 39:6b-2.

An owner or registrant of a motor vehicle registered or principally garaged in this

State who operates or causes to be operated a motor vehicle upon any public road or

highway in this State without motor vehicle liability insurance coverage required

by P.L.1972, c. 197 ( C.39:6B-1 et seq. ), and an operator who operates or causes a motor vehicle to be operated and who knows

or should know from the attendant circumstances that the motor vehicle is without

motor vehicle liability insurance coverage required by P.L.1972, c. 197 ( C.39:6B-1 et seq. ) shall be subject, for the first offense, to a fine of not less than $300 nor more

than $1,000 and a period of community service to be determined by the court. The court , in its discretion, also may suspend the person's right to operate a motor vehicle over the highways of this State

for a period of up to one year from the date of conviction; provided, however, the period of license suspension

may be reduced or eliminated if the person provides the court with satisfactory proof

of motor vehicle liability insurance at the time of the hearing. Upon subsequent conviction, the person shall be subject to a fine of up to $5,000

and shall be subject to imprisonment for a term of 14 days and shall be ordered by

the court to perform community service for a period of 30 days, which shall be of

a form and on terms as the court shall deem appropriate under the circumstances, and the court, in its discretion, may suspend the person's right to operate a motor vehicle

over the highways of this State for a period of up to two years from the date of the conviction . In deciding the duration of any suspension of the person's right to operate a motor

vehicle pursuant to this section, the court shall consider the circumstances of the

violation and whether the loss of driving privileges will result in extreme hardship

and alternative means of transportation are not readily available. After the expiration of the suspension , the person may make application to the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor

Vehicle Commission for a license to operate a motor vehicle, which application may

be granted at the discretion of the chief administrator. The chief administrator's discretion shall be based upon an assessment of the likelihood

that the individual will operate or cause a motor vehicle to be operated in the future

without the insurance coverage required by this act. A complaint for violation of this act may be made to a municipal court at any time

within six months after the date of the alleged offense. Failure to produce at the time of trial an insurance identification card or an insurance

policy which was in force for the time of operation for which the offense is charged

creates a rebuttable presumption that the person was uninsured when charged with a

violation of this section.