What happens if the car is uninsured in Sweden?
QUICK ANSWER
An active vehicle in Sweden must have motor insurance. If it doesn't, the Swedish Motor Insurers' Committee (TFF) charges a motor insurance fee for every day the vehicle is uninsured. If the car is uninsured right now, the first step is always to take out insurance, or make an off road notification for it if it isn't going to be used.
Can you legally drive an uninsured car?
No. An active vehicle is subject to the motor insurance requirement under the Traffic Damage Act, and driving an uninsured vehicle in traffic is an offense – regardless of whether you knew the insurance was missing. The exception is a vehicle that's off the road: it needs no motor insurance, but also can't be driven in traffic at all, with a few exceptions such as travelling to and from a roadworthiness inspection.
What does it cost to have an uninsured car?
TFF charges a daily fee that varies by vehicle type, and steps down the longer the vehicle has been uninsured. Even a short period can end up costing more than you'd expect, since the fee sits well above a normal insurance premium – that's a deliberate design, so it never pays off to take the risk. Want an estimate for your own vehicle? Use the TFF fee calculator.
I forgot to insure the car – what do I do?
Prioritize stopping new fee days before anything else. Take out motor insurance with an insurance company in your own name – most can be signed up with online, any time of day. If the vehicle isn't going to be used at all, you can make an off road notification for it with the Swedish Transport Agency instead. Only after that is it time to work out why it went wrong, for example a gap at an ownership change.
Does a car that isn't used still need insurance?
Yes, as long as it's active in the vehicle register, whether or not it's actually driven. The only thing that removes the insurance requirement is actively filing an off road notification for the vehicle. See charged for a car that's off the road for the most common pitfalls around off road notifications specifically.
I've already received a fee from TFF
If the fee has already arrived, the next step is understanding which situation is behind it. See common situations where the fee has already arrived to find yours and what you can do about it.
Sources: Swedish Motor Insurers' Committee, the fee for uninsured vehicles. Traffic Damage Act (1975:1410) §2. Last checked: 2026-09-21.