Penalties for Driving Without a License

• In California, being caught driving without a license will usually result in a fine, payment of court fees and payment of towing and impound fees. In the case of a minor, if the vehicle is their parent's car it makes no difference and the car will still be impounded even though they are not the legal owner. In addition the incident will go on the minor's record and they will be delayed from obtaining a license once they reach the eligible age to do so.
  
  

Typical Fines and Fees

• Fines for driving without a valid license range from state to state and can be as low as $100 or as high as $2,000 as of April 2010. But most states hover around the $200 mark. Fees associated with towing and impounding may be $100 to $250 a tow plus a per mile fee and between $50 to $100 a day impound fee. Court and lawyer fees also vary from state to state as well.
  
  

Insurance

• The largest issue facing minors in the long term who get caught driving with no license is that their insurance rates may be affected permanently. When the minor finally receives his license and purchases insurance on a vehicle, the incident that occurred as an unlicensed minor will definitely affect the premium paid. This could result in life long higher insurance premiums.
  
  

Punishment

• Minors can face six months to one year imprisonment in a juvenile corrections facility for driving without a license. However in actuality that sentence will likely be argued down to community service, of which the hours required will vary. Others people may also be affected by an unlicensed minor driving. Charges against the owner of the vehicle for allowing the incident to occur and/or charges against the parents for negligence may also be laid.
  
  

Lawsuits

• Since the unlicensed minor should technically not be on the road, this will play a significant role should there be an accident. For example, if the minor is stopped at a red light and a drunk driver runs the red and slams into the minor's car, the minor and their family can then be sued by the drunk driver. It sounds hard to believe but the minor should not have been in a car at that spot, so the drunk driver actually has a strong case. In addition insurance does not cover unlicensed minors.