License and SR-22

SR-22 Insurance After a DUI: What It Is and How Long You Need It

What Is SR-22 Insurance and How Long Do You Need It After a DUI?

SR-22 insurance isn't a special kind of policy: it's a certificate your insurance company files with the state to prove you carry at least the required liability coverage, and to warn the state if that coverage ends. Of the 51 jurisdictions checked, at least 29 require some form of this filing after a DUI, and three years is the most common period. Florida and Virginia use a stricter version called the FR-44. Look up your state's rule with the SR-22 and interlock lookup.

Researched and checked by the DUI Help Editorial Team ·October 3, 2026

A person in a white shirt holding a pen beside a folder of papers on a wooden table — Photo: Ron Lach / Pexels

What Is SR-22 Insurance?

SR-22 insurance is a regular auto liability policy with one extra piece: a certificate your insurance company files with the state. The Texas Department of Public Safety describes the SR-22 as a certificate required to verify that you are maintaining motor vehicle liability insurance, filed by your insurance provider. Alaska’s DMV puts it the same way: the insurance company certifies your coverage to the DMV.

The filing does two jobs. It proves you carry at least the coverage the state requires, and it puts the insurer on the hook to tell the state if the policy ends. Alaska requires the insurance company to notify the DMV any time the policy is canceled, terminated or lapses. That notice is what makes an SR-22 different from just carrying a card in your glove box.

People search “what is sr22” because the name sounds like a type of insurance. It’s really a form, and the requirement comes from the state, usually as a condition of getting your license back after a DUI.

Which States Require It After a DUI

Of the 51 jurisdictions checked (50 states and DC), at least 29 require proof of insurance on file after a DUI. Most call it an SR-22. A few use their own form or wording:

Florida and Virginia require the FR-44, a stricter filing explained below.
California uses the California Insurance Proof Certificate (SR 22/SR 1P).
North Carolina requires proof of financial responsibility through an insurer certificate or policy binder, kept for at least 3 years after the license is restored (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-19).
Ohio requires proof of insurance that covers through the end of the suspension, shown at reinstatement.
Hawaii requires proof of financial responsibility before relicensing after an OVUII revocation, except after a first-offense revocation (Haw. Rev. Stat. § 287-20).

The requirement doesn’t always apply to a first offense. Wisconsin doesn’t require an SR-22 after a revocation whose only reason is a first-offense OWI, but it does require one to get an occupational license. Maine requires it before reinstatement after an OUI conviction with a prior OUI conviction within 10 years, and you then keep it for at least 3 years. Iowa doesn’t require it for a zero tolerance revocation.

An SR-22 also shows up as a condition of restricted driving. Alaska’s limited license, Oregon’s hardship permit and Texas’s occupational license all require one. The hardship license guide covers those licenses.

How Long You Need an SR-22

Three years is the most common period. Arizona, Illinois, Indiana, Florida, Nevada, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin all use it. The outliers:

Longest: Alaska requires it for 5 years after the revocation ends for a first DUI or refusal conviction, 10 years for a second, 20 years for a third, and for life for a fourth.
Two years: Iowa (from the first day of your revocation), Missouri (from the start of the suspension or revocation) and Texas (the filing can be cancelled only after the second anniversary of the date it was required, and only if DPS received no suspension-triggering conviction in the preceding two years).
One year: Vermont, after the reinstatement eligibility date for a first DUI conviction or civil suspension. A second or later conviction means 3 years.
Only as long as the suspension: Ohio’s proof of insurance covers through the end of the suspension. Colorado limits it for a single DUI with no accident to the time the license is under restraint, up to 3 years.

The length is only half of it. The other half is when the clock starts, and states disagree:

When the clock starts	Examples
End of the suspension or revocation	Arizona (3 years), Idaho (3 years), Indiana (3 years), Virginia (3 years, FR-44)
Reinstatement of your license	Nevada (3 years), North Carolina (at least 3 years), Florida (FLHSMV: 3 years from reinstatement)
Start of the suspension or revocation	Iowa (2 years), Missouri (2 years), Wyoming (3 years)
Date the proof was first filed or required	Illinois (3 years after first filed), Washington (3 years), South Dakota (3 years)
Date of conviction	District of Columbia (3 years)
Date you become eligible to reinstate	Nebraska (3 years), Wisconsin (3 years), Vermont (1 or 3 years)

A three-year SR-22 that starts at the end of a one-year suspension runs much longer from your arrest date than one that starts on day one. Read your state’s rule closely. In Washington the period is 3 years from the date proof was required (Wash. Rev. Code § 46.29.600).

The full table for every state is below.

SR-22 vs FR-44: Florida and Virginia

Florida and Virginia use the FR-44 for DUI cases. It works like an SR-22 (your insurer files it and certifies coverage) but requires much higher liability limits.

	SR-22 states	Florida FR-44	Virginia FR-44
Who files	Your insurer	Your insurer	Your insurer
Liability limits	The state’s required minimum	$100,000/$300,000 bodily injury and $50,000 property damage, or a $350,000 certificate of deposit or combined single limit	Double the SR-22 limits in Va. Code § 46.2-472
How long	Varies, most often 3 years	At least 3 years (FLHSMV: 3 years from reinstatement)	3 years from the end of the revocation

Florida sets those limits in statute (Fla. Stat. § 324.023). Virginia’s DMV says FR-44 limits are double the SR-22 limits and applies the FR-44 to DUI and maiming while under the influence. See the Florida FR-44 page and the Virginia FR-44 page for each state’s details.

Because the limits are higher, an FR-44 policy covers more, and you should expect to compare quotes carefully.

Filing and How Long by State

Filing and how long, by state
State	Filing and how long
DUI law in Alaska	SR-22, 5 years from the end of the revocation for a first DUI or refusal conviction, 10 years for a second, 20 years for a third, and for life for a fourth
DUI law in Arizona	SR-22, 3 years from the end date of your suspension
DUI law in California	SR-22 (California Insurance Proof Certificate, SR 22/SR 1P)
DUI law in Colorado	SR-22, 3 years from the date last required; for a single DUI, DUI per se, DWAI or revocation with no accident, only as long as the license is under restraint, up to 3 years, starting at reinstatement
DUI law in District of Columbia	SR-22, 3 years from the date of conviction
DUI law in Florida	FR-44, minimum of 3 years (FLHSMV: three years from reinstatement); limits $100,000/$300,000 bodily injury and $50,000 property damage, or a $350,000 certificate of deposit/combined single limit
DUI law in Idaho	SR-22, 3 years, beginning at the end of the suspension period (DUI conviction)
DUI law in Illinois	SR-22, 3 years after the proof is first filed
OWI law in Indiana	SR-22, 3 years following the end of the suspension after an OWI conviction
OWI law in Iowa	SR-22, 2 years from the first day of your revocation (not needed for a zero tolerance revocation)
OUI law in Maine	SR-22, required before reinstatement after an OUI conviction with a prior OUI conviction within 10 years; proof must then be maintained for at least 3 years
DWI law in Missouri	SR-22, 2 years from the starting date of the suspension or revocation
DUI law in Nebraska	SR-22, 3 years from the date of eligibility for reinstatement (court-ordered revocations)
DUI law in Nevada	SR-22, 3 years (36 consecutive months), starting when the license is reinstated; a lapse restarts the 3 years
DWI law in New Hampshire	SR-22
DWI law in North Carolina	proof of financial responsibility (insurer certificate or policy binder), at least 3 years after the license is restored
DUI law in North Dakota	SR-22 (proof of financial responsibility)
OVI law in Ohio	proof of insurance, insurance that covers through the end of the suspension, shown at reinstatement
DUII law in Oregon	SR-22
DUI law in South Dakota	SR-22, 3 years from the date proof was required, if no further qualifying conviction is recorded in that period
DUI law in Tennessee	SR-22, for the length of the suspension or revocation period (for example, a 1-year revocation means a 1-year SR-22 requirement)
DWI law in Texas	SR-22, Filed evidence of financial responsibility may be cancelled only after the second anniversary of the date it was required, and only if DPS received no suspension-triggering conviction in the preceding two years.
DUI law in Utah	SR-22
DUI law in Vermont	SR-22, 1 year after the reinstatement eligibility date for a first DUI conviction or civil suspension; 3 years after the reinstatement eligibility date for a second or later DUI conviction
DUI law in Virginia	FR-44, 3 years from the end of the revocation
DUI law in Washington	SR-22, 3 years from the date proof was required
OWI law in Wisconsin	SR-22, 3 years from the date you are eligible to reinstate; not required after a revocation whose only reason is a first-offense OWI, but required to get an occupational license
DUI law in Wyoming	SR-22, 3 years from the date the suspension or revocation begins; also required for the whole period of an ignition interlock restricted license

From each state's statutes, DMV and court pages, checked October 2026. Each state's page links its sources.

Non-Owner SR-22: If You Don’t Own a Car

You can need an SR-22 without owning a vehicle. Oregon’s DMV says you must file an SR-22 even if you don’t own a vehicle, and it accepts an “operator” SR-22 when the filer doesn’t own the vehicle covered. Alaska’s DMV says you don’t need to own a car to buy this kind of insurance and tells drivers without one to ask their insurance company about a non-owner SR-22 policy. The Texas Department of Public Safety gives the same advice for a Texas non-owner SR-22 policy.

If you sold your car or drive one registered to someone else, ask about this kind of filing before you assume you can skip the requirement. Oregon also lets a vehicle owner file on behalf of an employee or immediate family member.

How the Filing Gets to the State

You don’t file the SR-22 yourself. The usual order:

Buy a policy that meets your state’s minimums and tell the insurer you need an SR-22 (or FR-44) filing.
The insurer files the certificate with the licensing agency. In Texas and Alaska the insurance company files it directly.
The agency records it. Oregon’s DMV records a filing on the date it arrives, and suspends your privileges if it isn’t received by 5:00 p.m. on the last business day before your deadline. Don’t leave it to the last day.
You show proof at reinstatement. Alaska asks for an SR-22 binder dated within 30 days when you reinstate.
You keep the policy in force for the whole period, with no gaps.

Ask the agency to confirm it has the filing before you drive. Nevada’s DMV sends no automatic reminder when the period ends either, so ask for your end date too.

What Happens if Your SR-22 Lapses

A lapse is the most expensive mistake you can make with an SR-22, because the state finds out.

Texas: your driving privileges and vehicle registration may be suspended if DPS is notified that the SR-22 was cancelled, terminated or lapsed and a new one wasn’t filed before the original policy was cancelled.
Nevada: failing to keep continuous SR-22 coverage results in a license suspension and restarts the three-year requirement.
Oregon: the DMV must suspend your driving privileges if you fail to file an SR-22, and you owe reinstatement fees.

To avoid a lapse, pay premiums on time, and if you switch insurers, have the new SR-22 filed before the old policy ends. Keep your address current with the licensing agency so you get its notices.

Finding Affordable SR-22 Insurance

The state sets the coverage you must carry; the premium comes from the insurer, based on your record and the policy. A few steps help keep the cost lower without risking the filing:

Confirm exactly what your state requires (form, coverage limits and length) with the SR-22 and interlock lookup or your state page, such as Texas, Ohio, California or Alaska.
Get quotes from several licensed insurers for the same coverage and filing, so you compare like with like.
Ask about a non-owner policy if you don’t own a car.
Don’t buy before it counts. Nevada’s DMV warns that coverage bought before reinstatement doesn’t count toward its three-year period.
Never let it lapse. A lapse can restart the clock, as in Nevada, and cost more than any discount saves.

You can check that an insurer is licensed with your state’s insurance department before you buy.

What to Do Now

The SR-22 matters when you reinstate or apply for a restricted license. The urgent deadline right after an arrest is the administrative license hearing. Find yours with the DUI deadline calculator.

Then plan the pieces of getting your license back: the hearing or suspension, any hardship license, any ignition interlock and the insurance filing. The first DUI guide and what happens after a DUI walk through the full process. Every state’s rules are on the state-by-state page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I Need an SR-22 if I Don't Own a Car?

Often, yes. Oregon's DMV says you must file an SR-22 even if you don't own a vehicle, and it accepts an operator SR-22 for drivers who don't own the car they drive. Alaska's DMV and the Texas Department of Public Safety both tell drivers without a car to ask an insurance company about a non-owner SR-22 policy.

Can I Buy SR-22 Coverage Before My License Is Reinstated?

Check your state first. Nevada's DMV warns that its three-year SR-22 period begins when your license is reinstated, and that coverage bought before reinstatement won't count toward the requirement. Nevada also sends no automatic reminder when the period ends, so it tells drivers to contact the DMV to confirm the end date.

Does an SR-22 Follow Me if I Move to Another State?

The requirement belongs to the state that imposed it, and its rules decide when it ends. If you move, ask that state's licensing agency what it needs to keep your record clear and confirm the end date in writing. A lawyer licensed in that state can explain how it affects a license in your new state.

Is the SR-22 the Same as the Ignition Interlock Requirement?

No. They are separate conditions that often come together. The SR-22 proves insurance; the interlock is a breath-testing device on your car. Wyoming, for example, requires an SR-22 for the whole period of an ignition interlock restricted license. See the ignition interlock guide.

Does a DUI Stay on My Insurance Record After the SR-22 Ends?

The SR-22 period and your driving record are different clocks. The filing ends when the state's period runs out; the DUI itself can stay on your driving and criminal record much longer. See how long a DUI stays on your record.

Is SR-22 Required After Every First DUI?

Not in every state. Wisconsin doesn't require it after a revocation whose only reason is a first-offense OWI, unless you want an occupational license. Maine requires it before reinstatement after an OUI conviction with a prior OUI in 10 years. Hawaii requires proof of financial responsibility after an OVUII revocation, except after a first-offense revocation.

More on License and SR-22

This guide explains DUI law in plain language from official sources. It isn't legal advice; laws differ by state and change, and a lawyer licensed in your state can advise on your case.