Clips From the Clerk
Motorist Insurance Identification Database (MIIDB)
The Motorist Insurance Identification Database (MIIDB), also known as Drive Insured, is an online tool used by the Colorado Department of Revenue (DOR). Its purpose is to help law enforcement, County DMV offices, and other state and local governmental entities quickly confirm the current insurance status of motor vehicles registered in Colorado.
The database works by regularly comparing two main sets of data:
- Vehicle registration records from the DMV.
- The most up-to-date policy information provided by insurance companies.
The MIIDB is provided with vehicle registration updates from the DMV daily and insurance policy updates from insurance companies weekly, at a minimum. The MIIDB performs the matching process and reports all vehicle insurance status changes to the DMV daily.
The MIIDB was created by the Colorado General Assembly in 1998 (C.R.S. 42-7-601 through 606). The main reason for its creation is to address and reduce the problem of uninsured drivers in Colorado.
By keeping track of insured vehicles, the system helps officials:
- Verify that all drivers meet the state's mandatory insurance requirements.
- Confirm the financial responsibility of drivers after a traffic stop or crash.
The database works by matching your vehicle's Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) with policy data. Because commercial vehicles are exempt from this specific type of tracking by state law, policies covering commercial vehicles are not required to report VINs to the MIIDB. The system therefore focuses on identifying the insurance status of privately registered vehicles. Commercial Motor Vehicles insurance requirements are tracked by other systems.
You must carry proof of insurance while driving in Colorado, and while electronic versions are accepted, you should have a physical copy available in case of a crash or a technology failure. The MIIDB is a verification system and is not a substitute for carrying proof of insurance. If you were pulled over and issued a citation for not having proof of insurance, within seven days of receipt of the Affidavit and Notice of Suspension, you must:
- Provide proof of insurance at the time of the offense to the DMV;
- Obtain SR22 insurance; or
- Request a hearing through the DMV
If you do not provide anything to the DMV and/or do not, your license will be suspended on the 8th day. If you request a hearing in a timely manner, you may be granted a temporary permit, which would allow you to drive until the day of the hearing.
Proof of current insurance is required to request a hearing. The only issue at the hearing is whether you had a valid insurance policy in effect on the day you were issued the citation.
If your license is suspended, you will have to obtain SR22 insurance to reinstate it. On a second suspension, your driving privileges will be suspended for four months, and on a third or subsequent suspension, your driving privileges will be suspended for eight months.
Under CRS Section 42-4-1409, driving without a valid insurance policy is a Class 1 misdemeanor traffic offense. The penalties escalate significantly with each offense.
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