Entry in SR-22 Insurance After a DUI
FR-44 Insurance in Florida and Virginia After a DUI
How the FR-44 differs from an SR-22, the higher liability limits it requires in Florida and Virginia, and what that does to the cost of car insurance after a DUI.
By Daniel Okafor · Senior Editor
Published · Updated
Answer in brief
Florida and Virginia require an FR-44 rather than an SR-22 after a DUI. The form works the same way—your insurer certifies coverage to the state and reports any lapse—but it requires much higher liability limits: 100/300/50 in Florida and double the state minimum in Virginia (100/200/50 since 2025). The combination of a high-risk rate and elevated mandatory limits makes DUI insurance in these two states among the most expensive in the country, and makes comparing providers especially valuable.
Why these two states use a different form
Florida and Virginia decided that drivers convicted of impaired driving should carry more than the ordinary minimum liability coverage for a period after the conviction. Rather than change the SR-22, they created a second certificate—the FR-44—that certifies coverage at the higher required limits. Everything else about the mechanism is the same as an SR-22: the insurer files electronically, promises to notify the state of a lapse, and the requirement runs for three years in both states.
The limits
| State | Ordinary minimum | FR-44 requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | $10,000 PIP + $10,000 property damage (bodily injury liability not required for most drivers) | $100,000 per person / $300,000 per accident bodily injury; $50,000 property damage |
| Virginia | 50/100/25 (since 1 January 2025) | Double the minimum: 100/200/50 |
In Florida the jump is dramatic because the ordinary minimum does not even require bodily injury liability. A driver who previously carried the bare minimum is now buying coverage they never had, at a high-risk rate. In Virginia the proportional jump is smaller but still doubles the mandatory coverage.
What it does to the premium
Two effects combine. The DUI moves you into the high-risk tier, raising the rate per unit of coverage. The FR-44 then requires several times the coverage. A Florida driver who was paying for minimum coverage before a DUI may see a premium several times higher afterwards—not because the insurer is punishing the conviction more than elsewhere, but because the policy is now a very different policy. This is why how much rates increase shows Florida and Virginia at the top of the range.
Non-owner FR-44
Both states allow the FR-44 to be attached to a non-owner policy at the required limits. For a driver without a car, this is the cheaper route to satisfying the requirement and keeping the clock running.
Quote finder
Find auto insurance quotes that fit your situation
Shopping with an FR-44
Because the required limits are high, the difference between insurers' rates for 100/300/50 matters more in dollars than it would at minimum limits. Lead every quote request with "I need an FR-44 filing", request identical limits, and compare at least three providers. The shopping guide covers the method.
Questions & answers
Can I carry an SR-22 instead of an FR-44 in Florida?
Not for a DUI. Florida uses the SR-22 for other offenses and the FR-44 specifically for DUI convictions.
Do the FR-44 limits apply forever?
No. After the three-year period you may reduce limits to whatever you choose above the ordinary minimum—though many drivers keep the higher limits once they are used to them.
Terms: FR-44, SR-22, Liability coverage
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).
- Facts + Statistics: Alcohol-impaired driving — Insurance Information InstituteStatistical dataAlcohol-impaired crash fatalities, BAC thresholds and state ignition-interlock context.
- 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.
- Responsibility.org — Foundation for Advancing Alcohol ResponsibilityConsumer guidanceImpaired-driving data and prevention programmes; state DUI law summaries.
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.
Entry
How Long You Need an SR-22 After a DUI
Typical SR-22 durations after a DUI, when the clock starts, what resets it, and how to confirm the requirement has ended before you drop the filing.
Entry
How Much an SR-22 Costs After a DUI
Separating the SR-22 filing fee from the high-risk premium and the state reinstatement fee, with typical ranges for each and where the real savings are.
Entry
What Happens If Your SR-22 Lapses After a DUI? Penalties and Solutions
Learn what happens when an SR-22 certificate lapses after a DUI, how insurers notify state agencies, and the concrete steps required to reinstate your license.
Parent guide
SR-22 Insurance After a DUI
What an SR-22 is, how it differs from an FR-44, how long you need it, what it costs, and how to get one filed quickly after a DUI.