Arizona law requires the vehicle owners to carry proof of insurance in their vehicle as evidence of financial responsibility. Government plated vehicles, including university owned vehicles are exempt from this requirement. This exemption is set forth in Arizona Revised Statutes §28-4003, which states the following:
This chapter does not apply to a motor vehicle that is either: 1. Owned by the United States, this state or a political subdivision of this state.
Some police officers may not be aware of this exemption for government vehicles, and request a driver to present evidence of financial responsibility (insurance) anyway. To avoid problems on the road, this document may be presented to describe how university vehicles are insured.
The University of Arizona is an entity of the State of Arizona, and is insured against loss under a program of self-insurance administered by the Arizona Department of Administration Risk Management Section. This insurance program, as authorized by Arizona Revised Statutes §41-621, provides liability insurance coverage for university vehicles and their drivers while operated within the course and scope of employment and/or authorization.
University of Arizona vehicles are registered with the State of Arizona and are issued government license plates, which document state ownership. In addition to the government plate, university vehicles have official markings including "The State of Arizona for Official Use Only." Registration of government vehicles does not expire as described in Arizona Revised Statutes §28-2511. For this reason, registration and title documents for university vehicles do not indicate an expiration date, and license plates are not marked with the month or year of expiration.
Questions about these provisions may be directed to the UA Department of Risk Management and Safety at (520) 621-1790.
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