A court or DMV letter says you need SR-22 insurance, and your license waits on it. Call now, and a licensed agent gets your SR-22 filed today.
What SR-22 means
SR-22 is the name of a state form. It is a "certificate of financial responsibility." One state DMV says it plainly: an SR-22 is not an insurance policy. It is a promise from your insurer to the state.
That promise has one sharp edge. If your policy is canceled, the insurer must tell the DMV. Most states suspend the license again when the SR-22 stops while it is still required.
So the state watches your policy for a set number of years. One missed payment can cost you your license again.
Who needs an SR-22
The state decides, not you and not the insurer. You will know because a court, DMV or BMV letter names the form. One state can require it after a second or later conviction for no insurance. Certain crashes and court judgments from a crash can trigger it too.
The usual reasons across states:
- A DUI, DWI or OWI conviction.
- Driving with no insurance, or a lapse while a car was registered.
- A license suspended for points.
- An uninsured crash or an unpaid crash judgment.
A few states use a stricter form after a DUI, the FR-44. It needs higher limits. Your notice will say SR-22, FR-44 or proof of financial responsibility. Read it to the agent on the call, and they go through it with you for free.
What SR-22 insurance costs
You pay three separate things. The insurer's filing fee is small and charged once. The state's reinstatement fee is also charged once. The premium is the big one, and you pay it every month for years.
| Cost | Who charges it | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Filing fee | Your insurer | Small, added once to the policy |
| Reinstatement fee | The state | Set by your state, $100 in one state |
| Premium | Your insurer | Set by quote, every month |
The premium rises because of the reason behind the SR-22, not the form. A DUI moves it more than a lapse. To keep the premium down, the agent quotes the companies that file in your state on the same call.
How long you need it
Two to three years is the common range, and your state sets it. Some states count two years from the conviction or the judgment. Others require three years. At least one counts three years from the date you become eligible to reinstate. Every state's form, period and minimum cover sit in one table: SR-22 requirements by state.
A lapse is the costly mistake. A state can suspend the license again once it hears the filing stopped. A lapse or a new conviction can restart the period in most states. Keep the policy paid, and the filing stays on record the whole time.
How to get it filed today
Four steps get SR-22 insurance filed, and three of them happen on one call with us.
- Read your notice and note the exact form it names.
- Call us. A licensed agent quotes companies that file electronically in your state.
- Buy the policy, and the agent sends the SR-22 to the state.
- The agent confirms the filing posted to your driving record.
Electronic filing is what makes it fast. In one state, electronic filings usually reach the driver record in one to two working days. Paper is slower, and a paper certificate can take up to 30 days.
Without a car, a non-owner policy can carry the SR-22 for less. Have your license number and notice in hand, then call now to get it filed.
Not sure the notice means you? See who needs an SR-22, state by state.