GetFastRates.com
Does Your State Still Charge a Penalty for Going Without Health Insurance?
The federal penalty for going without health insurance dropped to $0 in 2019 -- but a handful of states never followed suit, and still charge their own.
If you've heard that "there's no penalty for not having health insurance anymore," that's true federally, but not everywhere. New Jersey, California, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Washington DC each run their own individual mandate with a real dollar penalty for residents who go without qualifying coverage. Here's how to check whether yours is one of them.
The federal penalty is $0 -- but a few states kept theirs
Congress reduced the federal individual mandate penalty to $0 starting with the 2019 tax year. In response, several states created or kept their own state-level mandate and penalty, separate from anything federal.
Most of these states use the same basic structure
New Jersey, California, Rhode Island, and DC each charge whichever is greater: a flat dollar amount per adult and child in the household (capped at a family maximum), or a percentage of household income above the tax filing threshold.
- Massachusetts uses a different, income-and-age-banded schedule instead
- Households with income below the filing threshold are generally exempt entirely in most of these states
If your state isn't listed, you likely owe nothing for this specific reason
The large majority of states have no individual mandate penalty at all today. Going without coverage there won't trigger this particular state tax penalty, though it still leaves you exposed to the medical costs themselves.
Your next step
See whether your state has a mandate and roughly what the penalty could be for your household.
Common questions
Which states currently charge their own mandate penalty?
New Jersey, California, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Washington DC currently assess a penalty for residents who go without qualifying health coverage. Vermont has a mandate on the books but doesn't currently charge a penalty for it.
Are there exemptions?
Yes -- common exemptions include short coverage gaps (often under 3 months), financial hardship, religious objections, and household income too low to require filing a tax return. Each state's exact exemption list differs.
Does this affect my federal taxes too?
No -- these are state-level penalties assessed on your state tax return, separate from the $0 federal individual mandate penalty.
Questions are easier by phone.
Call 855-367-1095 to talk through your situation with licensed insurance help.
- Licensed insurance help
- No guaranteed eligibility, pricing, or availability
- Educational starting point
Information on this site is educational and does not guarantee eligibility, enrollment, pricing, or availability. It is not a recommendation to buy any specific plan or policy.