ACORD Forms
ACORD 50: Insurance Identification Card
The ACORD 50 is the insurance identification card: the proof-of-insurance card that lives in the glovebox. It shows the insurer's legal name and NAIC company number, the policy number and term, the vehicle's year, make, model, and VIN, the named insured, and who issued the card.
What it is
The ACORD 50 is the insurance identification card: the proof-of-insurance card that lives in the glovebox. It shows the insurer's legal name and NAIC company number, the policy number and term, the vehicle's year, make, model, and VIN, the named insured, and who issued the card.
It is not accepted everywhere. The Invest program's instruction guide for the 2007/02 edition lists 18 states where the ACORD 50 is not acceptable, including California, Florida, New York, and Texas; those states require their own card formats. New York goes further: since 2002, its ID cards must be produced through an encrypted barcode program available only from insurance companies, so ACORD does not provide a New York card at all. Check your state's current rules before issuing.
When it's used
- Issuing proof of insurance when a personal or commercial auto policy is bound or renewed, or when a vehicle is added or replaced.
- Reissuing a card the insured lost, in states that accept agency-produced ACORD cards.
- Providing proof of coverage for vehicle registration or a traffic stop, where the state accepts the ACORD format.
Section-by-section walkthrough
Personal or commercial indicator
A checkbox marking whether the card represents a personal lines or commercial lines policy.
Watch for: Leaving it unchecked. It is one box, and it is the first thing an examiner looks for.
State and required remarks
The state the card is issued for, plus remarks lines for any provisions that state requires printed on the card.
Watch for: Skipping state-mandated wording. Some states require specific text on the card, and a card without it is not valid proof.
Company information
The insurer's full legal company name and its NAIC company number. This is the specific company within the group that issued the policy, not the group or trade name.
Watch for: Writing the group brand instead of the issuing company. The NAIC number belongs to one legal entity, and the card has to name that entity.
Policy information
The policy number exactly as the insurer issued it, including prefix and suffix symbols, plus the effective and expiration dates.
Watch for: Truncating the policy number. A DMV or claims lookup on a partial number finds nothing.
Vehicle information
The vehicle's model year, make, model, and VIN.
Watch for: VIN typos. A card with the wrong VIN is not proof of insurance for the vehicle it sits in.
Insured information
The named insured exactly as it appears on the policy declarations page, with the mailing address.
Watch for: A name that does not match the registration. Mismatches invite questions at exactly the wrong moment.
Agency or company issuing the card
The name and address of the producer, agency, or company that produced the card.
In Relay
ACORD Generation is live in Relay. It drafts the ACORD 50 from the client record and the documents you already have, and a person reviews every field before anything goes out. See how →
Common errors
- Issuing an ACORD 50 in a state that requires its own card format.
- Group or trade name in the company field instead of the legal issuing company and its NAIC number.
- Policy number missing its prefix or suffix symbols.
- Card never reissued after a vehicle swap, so the VIN on the card does not match the car.
- Expired card still in the glovebox because renewal cards went out but never made it to the vehicle.
Common questions
Is the ACORD 50 valid in every state?
No. The instruction guide for the 2007/02 edition lists 18 states where it is not acceptable, including California, Florida, New York, and Texas. Those states require their own formats, and New York requires a carrier-issued barcoded card. State rules change, so confirm before issuing.
Can an agency print its own auto ID cards?
Where the ACORD 50 is accepted, agencies typically generate cards through their management system or the carrier portal. In states with their own required formats, the card comes from the carrier, and in New York only the carrier's encrypted barcode program can produce it.
Can Relay help with ACORD forms?
Yes. ACORD Generation is live in Relay: it drafts ACORD forms from the client record and documents you already have, and a person reviews everything before it goes out.
Related forms
Part of the Relay ACORD form library. Updated 2026-07-11. See how we source content.
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