Last updated: October 20, 2026
SR22 insurance Florida drivers search for is often not what the state actually requires. After a DUI, Florida asks for an FR44, a certificate with much higher liability limits. The SR-22 still exists in Florida, but it covers other cases. Both are filings your insurer sends to the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles department (FLHSMV), and both come from the Financial Responsibility Law.
This guide separates the two, then gives the limits, the duration and the fees straight from Florida statutes and FLHSMV pages. For the general comparison across states, see our article on SR22 vs FR44.
SR22 Insurance Florida vs FR44: Which One You Actually Need
Start with the base rule. A normal Florida policy doesn’t have to include bodily injury liability. The state requires $10,000 in personal injury protection (PIP) and $10,000 in property damage liability, according to FLHSMV. The financial responsibility limits are higher: $10,000 per person and $20,000 per crash for bodily injury, plus $10,000 for property damage under Florida Statutes 324.021.
That’s where the SR-22 comes in. FLHSMV describes it as an insurance filing that certifies bodily injury and property damage liability so you can meet the reinstatement rules. Its 2017 procedure manual puts the SR-22 limits at 10/20/10.
The FR44 is a different tool. Florida statute 324.023 applies it to a driver who was found guilty of, or pleaded guilty or no contest to, a DUI under section 316.193 after October 1, 2007. The higher limits follow the conviction, whether or not the court adjudicated guilt. Notably, the statute never uses the letters FR-44. The FLHSMV materials do.
FR44 Limits and Duration Under Florida Law
Under statute 324.023, an FR44 driver must carry $100,000 for injury or death to one person, $300,000 for two or more people and $50,000 for property damage per crash. A certificate of deposit can substitute, but it must be at least $350,000. Those figures are 100/300/50, ten times the base bodily injury limits.
| Filing | Bodily injury, one person | Bodily injury, per crash | Property damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Financial responsibility limits (Statute 324.021) | $10,000 | $20,000 | $10,000 |
| SR-22 (2017 FLHSMV procedure manual) | $10,000 | $20,000 | $10,000 |
| FR44 (Statute 324.023) | $100,000 | $300,000 | $50,000 |
The higher limits must be carried for a minimum of three years. The FLHSMV DUI FAQ measures those three years from the date of reinstatement. The statute also offers an exemption. If you have no DUI or felony traffic conviction for three years after your driving privileges are reinstated, the higher-limit requirement ends.
One practical point saves money. The 2017 FLHSMV manual says you don’t need to file an SR-22 and an FR44 for the same person, because an FR44 covers both sets of limits. If an agent quotes you two certificates, ask why.
A warning about sources. The FLHSMV DUI FAQ prints one limit as “$100,00”, a typo. Use the statute figure of $100,000, and confirm with your insurer before you buy.
When SR22 Insurance Florida Applies Outside a DUI
The SR-22 is still in use for non-DUI financial responsibility cases. FLHSMV says your driving privilege and license plate may be suspended for up to three years when you can’t show responsibility after a crash or an offense. Statute 324.131 requires proof to be maintained for three years, and 324.051 keeps crash-related suspensions in place for three years unless you’re reinstated.
Be careful with comparison sites here. One major site states that Florida doesn’t require an SR-22 filing. FLHSMV documents SR-22 use in Florida, so that statement is too broad. The accurate version is narrower: a Florida DUI leads to an FR44, and other financial responsibility cases can still lead to an SR-22.
If your case started with a suspension, our guide to car insurance after a license suspension explains the order of steps.
How Long Florida Keeps You on the Certificate
Three years is the number in every official source we opened, but the start date differs by case. For a DUI, FLHSMV counts from reinstatement. For financial responsibility cases, the 2017 manual counts from the original suspension date. A lapse-related suspension under statute 324.0221 has its own proof period of two years.
Because the clocks differ, ask FLHSMV for the end date in writing. Then compare it with the general timeline in how long an SR22 stays on your record.
What SR22 Insurance Florida Drivers Pay: Fees and Premiums
Start with the state charges, because they’re fixed. A lapse or no-insurance suspension carries a reinstatement fee of $150 the first time, $250 the second time and $500 for each later one during the three years after the first reinstatement, according to statute 324.0221. A single fee covers both license and registration.
Driver license reinstatement adds more. Under statute 322.21, the service fee is $45 after a suspension and $75 after a revocation. If the action was for a DUI or a test refusal, add $130. FLHSMV doesn’t publish the insurer filing fee, and we found no official figure for it.
| Charge | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Lapse or no-insurance suspension, first time | $150 | Statute 324.0221 |
| Lapse or no-insurance suspension, second time | $250 | Statute 324.0221 |
| Lapse or no-insurance suspension, each later time (within three years of the first reinstatement) | $500 | Statute 324.0221 |
| Driver license service fee after a suspension | $45 | Statute 322.21 |
| Driver license service fee after a revocation | $75 | Statute 322.21 |
| Additional fee when the action was for a DUI or test refusal | $130 | Statute 322.21 |
Premiums are a different story. The sources measure different products, so they aren’t directly comparable:
| Source | Date | Figure |
|---|---|---|
| Insurify | Updated September 22, 2026 | An FR44 averages $167 a month for liability-only coverage that meets the state requirement |
| MoneyGeek | Updated May 25, 2026 | $317 a month for full coverage after a DUI, against $239 with a clean record (a 33% increase) |
| The Zebra | Updated March 24, 2026 | $3,394 a year after a DUI, $1,085 more than before (a 47% increase) |
Our reading: liability-only FR44 quotes look cheaper only because they buy less. If you finance a car, the lender will require full coverage, and the $317 figure is the better guide. For context on national increases, see how much insurance goes up after a DUI.
Suspension, Lapse and Reinstatement
A lapse is expensive in Florida. When the department finds no required coverage, or the insurer reports a cancellation, it must suspend both registration and license under statute 324.0221. FLHSMV says there’s no temporary or hardship license for insurance-related suspensions. So you can’t drive to work while you fix the paperwork.
Insurers also carry a duty here. Statute 627.7275 requires them to make a policy available for reinstatement after a DUI suspension, with liability at least at the 324.021 limits, and the policy must run at least six months. Read what happens when an SR22 lapses before you let any payment slip.
Non-Owner Cover and the Filing Process
Your insurer files the certificate, and the 2017 manual gives insurers 15 working days after issuing it. Insurers with more than 1,000 policies must file electronically. We found no FLHSMV page that addresses non-owner SR-22 or FR44 policies. Statute 324.131 speaks of coverage for each vehicle registered in your name, which points to owner policies. If you own no car, ask insurers directly and read non-owner SR22 insurance explained.
For the full sequence from the first call to the filing, use how to get SR22 insurance.
Three Mistakes That Cost Florida Drivers Money
First, paying for two certificates. As noted above, the FLHSMV manual says an FR44 covers both sets of limits. An agent who sells you an SR-22 and an FR44 for the same driver is selling you duplicate paperwork.
Second, ending coverage on a guess. The three years are a minimum period, and the exemption depends on a clean record after reinstatement. If you cancel early and the department finds a gap, the lapse rules apply and repeat reinstatement fees rise to $250 or $500. Instead, get the end date from FLHSMV and cancel only after it confirms.
Third, ignoring the cancellation form. When a policy ends, the insurer sends a cancellation certificate (the SR-26 for an SR-22 and the FR-46 for an FR44). The manual sets the deadline at 15 days from cancellation. Switching insurers without overlap can therefore create a gap on the state record, even if you were never uninsured for a day. Ask the new company to file before the old policy ends.
These three errors share a cause. Drivers treat the certificate as a one-time purchase, when it’s really a monitored obligation. That’s why it pays to treat SR22 insurance Florida rules as a calendar problem first and a price problem second.
What to Do Next
Ask FLHSMV, in writing, which certificate your case needs and when it ends. Then request FR44 quotes from at least three insurers, and ask each one for the full-coverage price, not only liability. Finally, compare Florida with its neighbor in the FR44 club: SR22 insurance in Virginia follows the same idea with different numbers.
The team at High Risk Auto Guide isn’t a licensed insurance agency. The information in this article is educational and based on official, verified sources as of the date noted. Confirm the details that apply to your specific case with your state’s DMV/BMV or with your own insurance company.
