FR-44 is a financial responsibility certificate that proves a high-risk driver carries the required liability insurance. An FR-44 applies only to drivers in Florida and Virginia. A DUI or DWI conviction suspends a driver's license and raises annual insurance rates by approximately $500. 11,904 people died in alcohol-impaired driving crashes across the United States in 2024, according to NHTSA. Virginia regulators require high-risk drivers to carry 100/200/50 liability coverage. Insurance Navy helps high-risk drivers compare FR-44 quotes. This guide explains FR-44 cost, eligibility, coverage requirements, and SR-22 differences.
Table of contents
- What is an FR-44 Form?
- Who needs a FR-44?
- How much does a FR-44 cost?
- Difference between SR-22 and FR-44 Insurance
- What is an SR-22 Form?
- When Will You Need an SR-22 or FR-44?
- What is State Minimum Liability Coverage?
- What is The Process of Getting an SR-22 and FR-44?
- Is There a Different Process For FR-44 Filing than SR-22?
- What Happens If Your SR-22 or FR-44 Lapses?
- When Can You Stop Filing an SR-22 or FR-44?
- Does an SR-22 or FR-44 Increase Your Car Insurance Rates?
- How to Get Affordable SR-22 or FR-44 Insurance
- Ready for a Fast SR-22 or FR-44 Quote?
- Frequently Asked Questions
- How long do you have to carry an FR-44?
- What is the difference between an SR-22 and an FR-44?
- Is an SR-22 for high-risk drivers?
- Does an SR-22 or FR-44 affect your rates?
The main difference between an SR-22 and an FR-44 is the amount of liability coverage each certificate proves. An SR-22 proves that a driver carries the state minimum liability coverage. An FR-44 proves that a driver carries higher-than-minimum liability coverage. Both filings are certificates of financial responsibility that an insurer files with the state. Neither filing is a type of insurance. A driver may need an SR-22 or FR-44 to keep or reinstate a license after a DUI or DWI conviction.
What is an FR-44 Form?
An FR-44 form and an SR-22 form serve the same purpose and differ in the required liability coverage.
Only Virginia and Florida require FR-44 filings. Although often referred to as "DUI insurance," an FR-44 is not an insurance policy but a certificate showing a driver has the required insurance coverage to meet the state's financial responsibility requirements.
Individuals convicted of a DUI or DWI must get an FR-44 as part of the process to reinstate their driver's license.
It’s the policyholder's auto insurance company that is responsible for filing the FR-44 certificate. The company will submit the required documents to the state regulatory agency, such as the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).
FR-44 forms are only used in Florida and Virginia, while SR-22 is used in other states.
An FR-44 requires higher liability coverage than an SR-22 requires. An FR-44 is a certificate of financial responsibility, and an SR-22 is a certificate of financial responsibility.
Who needs a FR-44?
In Virginia, high-risk drivers may need to file and maintain FR-44 insurance for three years after a serious traffic violation, including:
Causing maiming injuries while driving under the influence
Operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs
Driving with a revoked license due to a previous conviction
Violating federal, state, or local laws similar to the above driving offenses
In Florida, an FR-44 is required for anyone convicted of DUI or driving under the influence of drugs. This certification is required to reinstate a driver's license and must be maintained for three years.
How much does a FR-44 cost?
The filing fee for an FR-44 certificate is usually between $15 and $25. The cost of an FR-44 policy depends on the driver's age, location, and vehicle type. An FR-44 policy costs more than a standard policy because Florida and Virginia require higher liability limits.
Since individuals who need an FR-44 are considered high-risk drivers, they are required to carry higher minimum coverage limits, which means higher insurance premiums.
In Virginia, drivers filing an FR-44 certificate must carry 100/200/50 liability coverage, which is double the state's minimum limits according to the Virginia DMV.
Difference between SR-22 and FR-44 Insurance
Florida requires an FR-44 driver to carry $100,000 in bodily injury liability per person, $300,000 per accident, and $50,000 in property damage liability (100/300/50). Florida's standard minimum liability is 10/20/10, so the FR-44 raises coverage far above the state minimum. The higher required limits make an FR-44 more expensive than an SR-22.
What is an SR-22 Form?
An SR-22 is not a type of insurance, it is a certificate for high-risk drivers to prove they carry the minimum required liability insurance their state requires.
The SR-22 stays on file with their state's DMV for a period of time, usually three years, while their license is reinstated.
SR-22 certification is a nationwide practice since 48 out of 50 states have liability insurance requirements for their drivers.
When Will You Need an SR-22 or FR-44?
SR-22 or FR-44 insurance or certification is required when a driver has been labeled high-risk by an insurance provider after a significant traffic violation. These violations often lead to driver's license suspension and marks on a driving record.
These driving violations that lead to SR-22 requirements are listed below.
Driving under the influence (DUI)
Driving without insurance
Driving without a license
Several speeding tickets or traffic violations and reckless driving
Car insurance fraud
Cases of vehicular manslaughter
Even if you don't own a car, you must purchase a non-owner car insurance policy to file an FR-44.
What is State Minimum Liability Coverage?
One last prerequisite to be aware of is how much the liability coverage requirements of your state are.
In most of the United States, drivers are required to carry auto insurance coverage that can pay for damages and injuries they cause to another driver in an at-fault accident.
This state mandatory liability insurance is often referred to as basic car insurance.
For example, according to the Virginia DMV, Virginia requires drivers to carry $50,000 in bodily injury liability coverage per person, $100,000 in bodily injury liability per accident, and $25,000 in property damage liability coverage per accident (50/100/25) as of January 1, 2025.
Check your state's Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) website for more information on how much basic car insurance you must buy from auto insurance companies to drive legally.
What is The Process of Getting an SR-22 and FR-44?
You may want the insider scoop on what to do and what to expect when filing an SR-22 and FR-44 certification with your DMV. The process is a three-way effort between you, your insurance provider, and your DMV.
The Steps to getting an SR-22 and FR-44 are listed below.
A violation that results in license suspension can be any of the violations listed in the previous section. The most common are driving uninsured or under the influence.
Insurance company may cancel auto insurance policy - In addition to a license suspension from the DMV, your car insurance provider may cancel your auto policy outright. At the very least, you can expect your auto insurance costs to rise significantly after something as serious as a DUI.
Purchase SR-22 insurance from an insurance company - You purchase SR-22 Insurance with your old insurance company or shop around for another. Insurance agents and companies specialize in high-risk driver coverage, so getting as many quotes as possible is best.
High-risk insurance is purchased, and SR-22 is filed with DMV. Your insurance provider will take it from here once you have a policy and an SR-22 certifying that you do. It may seem redundant, but it's necessary so that high-risk drivers don't commit fraud. The auto insurance company then files the SR-22 or FR-44 with the DMV.
DMV reinstates licenses, and SR-22 is required for up to three years. With the SR-22 on record, the DMV reinstates your license, given that you maintain your financial responsibility coverage and SR-22 for the next three years. During that time, the best you can do is to become a safer driver and pay your insurance premiums on time.
Is There a Different Process For FR-44 Filing than SR-22?
No. The FR-44 filing process in Florida and Virginia matches the SR-22 filing process in other states. The driver's license is suspended, they get new high-risk insurance along with an FR-44, then have it filed with the state's DMV.
However, the one difference in practice between Florida and Virginia is that drivers with FR-44s must carry double the minimum liability limit required.
If you live in Virginia, your required coverage limits would jump from 50/100/25 to 100/200/50. These are referred to as high-risk coverage limits.
What Happens If Your SR-22 or FR-44 Lapses?
An SR-22 or FR-44 lapse restarts the filing requirement. Your insurer notifies the state when your policy lapses. The DMV then suspends your license again. You restart the full filing period from the beginning, usually 3 years. You may also owe a license reinstatement fee. Keep continuous coverage and pay your premium on time for the entire filing period to avoid a lapse.
When Can You Stop Filing an SR-22 or FR-44?
You can stop filing an SR-22 or FR-44 after you hold the filing continuously for the full required period, usually 3 years, with no lapses. Ask your insurer to remove the filing at that point. Do not cancel the filing yourself before the period ends, because an early lapse restarts the requirement and can suspend your license again. Your insurance rates often drop after the filing is removed, because your insurer no longer classifies you as a high-risk driver.
Does an SR-22 or FR-44 Increase Your Car Insurance Rates?
An SR-22 or FR-44 filing requirement on your driving record will increase your car insurance rates. Those with a suspended license or DUI report an insurance average rate increase of around $500 for their coverage.
To put this in perspective, say you paid $570 annually for liability insurance coverage. After something like a DUI, your new annual premium will be around $1,150. At the same time, another cost for being issued an SR-22 or FR-44 is the license reinstatement fee that the state DMV charges.
When your coverage, policy, and SR-22 certification are filed, you'll be issued your license back after paying a reinstatement fee of in the range of $145 to $220 according to the Virginia DMV.
The good news is that there is no annual filing fee for your SR-22 or FR-44. You need to maintain a clean driving record and avoid insurance lapses to reduce your auto insurance rates.
SR-22 certification is similar to FR-44 certification. Both can just be equally as expensive, but it is required to have your driver's license reinstated.
How to Get Affordable SR-22 or FR-44 Insurance
An FR-44 costs more than an SR-22 because an FR-44 requires higher liability limits. You can lower the cost of SR-22 or FR-44 coverage with 4 steps:
Compare quotes from insurers that specialize in high-risk filings.
Keep continuous coverage for the full filing period, because a lapse restarts the requirement.
Maintain a clean driving record from the conviction date forward.
Ask about defensive-driving or DUI-program discounts where insurers offer them.
Insurance Navy files SR-22 and FR-44 certificates and quotes high-risk coverage in minutes.
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