Guide
DUI Car Insurance Rules by State
Which states require an SR-22 or FR-44 after a DUI, how long the filing lasts, which states have no filing requirement, and where lookback periods are longest.
By Marisol Vega · Research Writer
Published · Updated
Answer in brief
Most states require an SR-22 filing after a DUI, usually for three years. Florida and Virginia require an FR-44 with higher liability limits instead. Delaware, Kentucky, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania do not use SR-22 filings, though they impose other reinstatement conditions. California stands out for a ten-year good-driver exclusion. Requirements change; confirm yours against the notice you received.
Three groups of states
For insurance purposes, states fall into three groups after a DUI conviction. The majority require an SR-22 certificate at state-minimum liability limits for a set period. Two states—Florida and Virginia—require an FR-44, which demands higher limits. Eight states do not use SR-22 filings at all and rely on other reinstatement conditions. Within each group the duration, the start date of the clock and the consequences of a lapse differ.
| Group | States | Filing | Typical duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| FR-44 states | Florida, Virginia | FR-44 with elevated limits (FL 100/300/50; VA 100/200/50) | 3 years |
| No-SR-22 states | Delaware, Kentucky, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania | None; other reinstatement conditions apply | n/a |
| SR-22 states | All other states and D.C. | SR-22 at state minimum limits | Mostly 3 years; 2–5 in some |
States with notably long pricing effects
The filing period and the pricing period are different things. A few states keep the conviction in play for insurers well beyond three years:
- California — DUI excludes you from the mandatory good-driver discount for ten years.
- Several western and mountain states keep DUI convictions on the driving record for ten years or more, which lets insurers with long lookbacks continue to rate them.
- Florida and Virginia — the FR-44's elevated limits raise the cost of the mandatory coverage itself, not just the rate.
States with no SR-22 requirement
Not needing an SR-22 does not mean the conviction is ignored. In the eight no-SR-22 states, insurers still see the conviction on your record and rate it; what you avoid is the filing mechanism and the automatic notification if your policy lapses. Reinstatement in these states typically involves a fee, proof of insurance at the time of reinstatement, and often an education programme or interlock. If you move from a no-SR-22 state to an SR-22 state during the period that would have been covered, the new state may impose its own requirement.
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Minimum liability limits in high-population states
Because an SR-22 requires state-minimum liability, the minimum in your state sets the floor for what you must buy. Minimums are rising in several states; these figures are current as of our last review and are expressed as bodily injury per person / per accident / property damage, in thousands.
| State | Minimum limits | Filing after DUI |
|---|---|---|
| California | 30/60/15 | SR-22, 3 years; 10-year good-driver exclusion |
| Texas | 30/60/25 | SR-22, 2 years |
| Florida | PIP $10k + PDL $10k (standard); FR-44 100/300/50 after DUI | FR-44, 3 years |
| New York | 25/50/10 + PIP | No SR-22 |
| Pennsylvania | 15/30/5 | No SR-22 |
| Illinois | 25/50/20 | SR-22, 3 years |
| Ohio | 25/50/25 | SR-22, 3–5 years |
| Georgia | 25/50/25 | SR-22A, 3 years |
| North Carolina | 50/100/50 | No SR-22 (DL-123 proof instead) |
| Michigan | 50/100/10 (PDL out-of-state); PIP choice | SR-22, typically 3 years |
| Virginia | 50/100/25; FR-44 100/200/50 after DUI | FR-44, 3 years |
Entries in this guide
Specific questions answered in more depth.
Questions & answers
I moved to a state that doesn't use SR-22s. Do I still need mine?
Usually yes, for the remainder of the period required by the state that imposed it. You need an insurer licensed in your new state that can file to the original state.
Which states have the longest DUI insurance impact?
California's ten-year good-driver exclusion is the longest explicit rule. States that keep the conviction on the record for ten or more years also allow long-lookback insurers to keep rating it.
Is an SR-22A different from an SR-22?
Georgia (and formerly Texas and Missouri) uses the SR-22A, which requires the premium for the filing period to be paid in advance rather than in instalments. The proof function is the same.
Terms used in this guide
- SR-22
- A certificate of financial responsibility that an insurer files with a state to prove a driver carries at least the minimum required liability coverage. Required after a DUI in most states, usually for three years.
- FR-44
- The certificate Florida and Virginia require after a DUI instead of an SR-22. It works the same way but requires substantially higher liability limits.
- Financial responsibility
- The legal requirement to be able to pay for damage you cause while driving, satisfied in practice by carrying liability insurance at or above state minimums. SR-22 and FR-44 filings are proof of financial responsibility.
- Lookback period
- How many years into your driving record an insurer looks when rating you. Three and five years are common; the conviction stops affecting your premium once it is outside the period.
Sources and references
Legal figures on this page (minimum limits, filing periods, statutory benefits) are checked against the primary law or the state insurance regulator listed below. Links and figures last verified Nov 2026.
- Alcohol and drugs — Insurance Institute for Highway SafetyIndependent researchImpaired-driving crash risk, BAC laws and ignition-interlock effectiveness.
- Automobile financial responsibility limits by state — Insurance Information Institute (2023)Statistical dataCompulsory coverages and minimum liability limits by state (table dated December 2023 — several states have raised limits since; see statute entries).
- Responsibility.org — Foundation for Advancing Alcohol ResponsibilityConsumer guidanceImpaired-driving data and prevention programmes; state DUI law summaries.
- Consumer insurance information — National Association of Insurance CommissionersConsumer guidancePlain-language guides from the body of state insurance regulators; links to every state's insurance department and complaint process.
- How much auto coverage do I need? — Insurance Information InstituteConsumer guidanceWhy state minimums are a floor; choosing liability limits that protect assets; when collision and comprehensive are worth keeping.
- What is covered by a basic auto insurance policy? — Insurance Information InstituteConsumer guidanceDefines bodily injury and property damage liability, MedPay, PIP, uninsured/underinsured motorist, collision, comprehensive and glass coverage.
- Is it legal to drive without insurance? — Insurance Information InstituteConsumer guidanceEvery state requires drivers to demonstrate financial responsibility; in most states insurance is the mandatory way to do so.
- What if I can't find auto coverage? — Insurance Information InstituteConsumer guidanceHow the non-standard market and state assigned-risk plans insure drivers the voluntary market declines.
Practical guidance on this page is original editorial work. Cited sources support factual statements and do not endorse this site. Dollar ranges described as typical or illustrative are editorial estimates, not figures from these sources.
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