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Direct answer: The federal penalty for not having health insurance has been $0 since 2019. Five places still charge one on your state tax return: California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island and D.C. Vermont requires coverage but has no penalty. Tennessee, Texas and Florida have no penalty.
By the numbers: State health insurance mandate penalties read from state tax agencies Oct. 18, 2026: 5 jurisdictions; tax-year 2025 flat amounts $695 (NJ, RI) to $950 (CA) per adult; Massachusetts 2026 up to $2,532 a year per adult. Source: VaultRubric from state tax agencies
“Pay $950 per adult and $475 per child.” — California Franchise Tax Board
Updated 2026-10-18
Not federally: the Affordable Care Act penalty has been $0 since 2019. But California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island and the District of Columbia charge a penalty on your state tax return if you go without coverage and don't qualify for an exemption.
Six: California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island and D.C. enforce theirs with a tax penalty, and Vermont requires coverage but has no penalty. All other states, including Tennessee, have no mandate.
For tax year 2025, the greater of $950 per adult plus $475 per child (flat amount up to $2,850 for the household) or 2.5% of household income above your California filing threshold, capped at the state average bronze plan premium. A family of four without coverage pays at least $2,850.
For tax year 2025, the greater of $695 per adult and $347.50 per child (up to $2,085) or 2.5% of household income above $10,000 (single) or $20,000 (other filers), capped at $357 a month per person for up to 5 people. The state lists $695 as the minimum for one person and $4,908 as the maximum.
It depends on income: $26 a month per adult at 150.1% to 200% of the poverty level, up to $211 a month ($2,532 a year) above 400%. There's no penalty at or below 150%, for a gap of 3 months or less in a row, or if no affordable coverage was available.
No. Tennessee has no individual mandate, and the federal penalty is $0, so you don't owe a tax penalty for going without health insurance. Outside open enrollment, though, you may have to wait for a special enrollment period to buy a marketplace plan.
State health insurance mandate penalties (CA, DC, MA, NJ, RI; VT no penalty) read from each state's tax agency; checked Oct. 18, 2026.
As of Oct. 18, 2026 · read from state tax agencies · 50 states + DC
There's no federal penalty for going without health insurance (it's been $0 since 2019), but five places still charge one: California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Washington, D.C. You pay it on your state income tax return. Vermont requires coverage but has no penalty. Tennessee, Texas, Florida and the other 44 states have none.
The math:
Sources: Penalty check · By state · Sources
A best fit for the situation described, not financial advice or a buy/sell recommendation. Partner links never change a pick.
Pick your state, filing status, how many people had no coverage all year, and household income.
Read on Oct. 18, 2026 from each state's tax agency, exchange or statute (numbered links in each row). Flat amounts are for a full year without coverage on the tax-year 2025 return (filed in 2026) unless marked; you pay the higher of the flat amount or the income method, up to the cap.
| State | Flat penalty | Income method | Cap | Short gaps / where you pay | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California Franchise Tax Board (FTB) | $950 per adult, $475 per child Family flat max $2,850 (tax year 2025) | 2.5% of household income above your California filing threshold (depends on filing status, age and dependents; e.g. $61,720 for a married couple under 65 with one child, 2025) | Capped at the state average bronze plan premium ($420 a month per person for 2026, up to 5 people, per Covered California) | A gap of 3 months in a row or less is exempt (short coverage gap) Form 540, with FTB 3853 | 1 2 3 4 |
| District of Columbia Office of Tax and Revenue (OTR) / DC Health Link | $795 per adult, $397.50 per child Family flat max $2,385 (tax year 2025) | 2.5% of income above the D.C. filing threshold ($15,000 single, $30,000 married, $22,500 head of household, 2025) | Capped at D.C.'s average bronze plan premium (published by DC Health Link; not shown here) | Short coverage gap exemption (federal-style rules) Form D-40, with Schedule HSR | 1 2 |
| Massachusetts Department of Revenue (DOR) / Health Connector | $26 to $211 a month per adult ($312 to $2,532 a year), by income Tax year 2026 schedule | Set by income as a share of the federal poverty level; none at or below 150% | No more than half the lowest-priced plan you could have bought through the Health Connector | No penalty for a gap of 63 days (3 months) or less in a row Form 1 / Form 1-NR/PY, with Schedule HC | 1 2 |
| New Jersey Division of Taxation | $695 per adult, $347.50 per child Family flat max $2,085 (tax year 2025) | 2.5% of household income above $10,000 (single or married filing separately) or $20,000 (other filers) | Capped at the statewide average bronze premium: $357 a month per person for 2025 ($409 in the 2026 estimator), up to 5 people | If your income is $20,000 or less ($10,000 single/separate) you owe nothing Form NJ-1040, with Schedule NJ-HCC | 1 2 3 4 |
| Rhode Island Division of Taxation | $695 per adult, $347.50 per child Family flat max $2,085 (tax year 2025) | 2.5% of modified AGI above your federal standard deduction ($15,750 single, $31,500 married filing jointly, $23,625 head of household, 2025) | Capped at the average bronze plan amount: $357 a month per person for 2025, up to 5 people | A gap of less than 3 months in a row is exempt (short coverage gap) Form RI-1040 / RI-1040NR, with Form IND-HEALTH | 1 |
| Vermont Department of Taxes | No penalty | No penalty | No penalty | Not applicable Form IN-111 coverage question | 1 2 |
| Income (share of poverty level) | Penalty per adult | Single person income up to |
|---|---|---|
| 150.1% to 200% | $26/month ($312/year) | $31,300 |
| 200.1% to 250% | $51/month ($612/year) | $39,125 |
| 250.1% to 300% | $76/month ($912/year) | $46,950 |
| 300.1% to 400% | $117/month ($1,404/year) | $62,600 |
| Above 400% | $211/month ($2,532/year) | no limit |
At or below 150% of the poverty level ($23,475 for one person): no penalty. Larger households use higher income limits (TIR 26-1 table).
The other 44 states, including Tennessee, Texas, Florida and Georgia, have no individual mandate penalty, and the federal Affordable Care Act penalty has been $0 since 2019. You can still be locked out of a marketplace plan until open enrollment if you go without coverage.
How we built this: we read each state's tax instructions, worksheet, calculator or statute on Oct. 18, 2026, saved a copy with a checksum, and our build checks that every number's quoted words appear in that saved text (63 quotes). The check estimates a full year without coverage for the people you enter: the higher of the flat amount (capped at three adults' worth) or 2.5% of income above the threshold, then the bronze cap where we read it (New Jersey, Rhode Island). California's filing threshold varies too much to model, so it shows the flat amount as a minimum; D.C.'s bronze cap isn't modeled. It runs in your browser with the same rules as our server-side test.
Facts, not tax advice. Exemptions (hardship, affordability, short gaps, low income, certain coverage types) and part-year coverage change what you owe. Use your state's own worksheet or estimator (linked) when you file. 2026 amounts for most states are set when the 2026 forms come out.
Not federally: the Affordable Care Act penalty has been $0 since 2019. But California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island and the District of Columbia charge a penalty on your state tax return if you go without coverage and don't qualify for an exemption.
Six: California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island and D.C. enforce theirs with a tax penalty, and Vermont requires coverage but has no penalty. All other states, including Tennessee, have no mandate.
For tax year 2025, the greater of $950 per adult plus $475 per child (flat amount up to $2,850 for the household) or 2.5% of household income above your California filing threshold, capped at the state average bronze plan premium. A family of four without coverage pays at least $2,850.
For tax year 2025, the greater of $695 per adult and $347.50 per child (up to $2,085) or 2.5% of household income above $10,000 (single) or $20,000 (other filers), capped at $357 a month per person for up to 5 people. The state lists $695 as the minimum for one person and $4,908 as the maximum.
It depends on income: $26 a month per adult at 150.1% to 200% of the poverty level, up to $211 a month ($2,532 a year) above 400%. There's no penalty at or below 150%, for a gap of 3 months or less in a row, or if no affordable coverage was available.
No. Tennessee has no individual mandate, and the federal penalty is $0, so you don't owe a tax penalty for going without health insurance. Outside open enrollment, though, you may have to wait for a special enrollment period to buy a marketplace plan.
Facts, not insurance advice. We don't sell insurance or provide quotes; confirm coverage and requirements with the insurer, an agent or your state insurance department.
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