The District's three years start at conviction, not reinstatement
DC DMV counts the SR-22 period from the date of conviction. Its IID Program FAQ says you keep the SR-22 policy for three years from that date. The reinstatement application page applies the same window. DC-licensed drivers must show SR-22 proof if their conviction falls within the last three years.
After a DUI: interlock first, SR-22 alongside
There is no wait-out option in the District. After an alcohol or drug driving conviction, you must join the Ignition Interlock (IID) Program before the license comes back. The IID FAQ sets revocation at six months for a first DUI, one year for a second and two years for a third. Refusing a test means one, two or three years.
The enrollment page asks for an application, a signed penalty agreement and proof of a state-certified alcohol or drug program. Add the SR-22, an interlock from an approved vendor and the $50 enrollment fee. A revoked license also needs the $115 reinstatement fee, and you must meet DC Clean Hands requirements.
Speeding 30 over now brings an SR-22 too
DC's Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) program covers aggravated reckless driving. The ISA FAQ lists the triggers. They include speeding 30 or more over the limit, or 20 or more over with an injury, a collision, or $1,000 in property damage.
The device limits the gas pedal at the speed limit but never brakes for you. You stay enrolled one year for a first conviction, two for a second and three for a third. Miss the 30-day enrollment window and DMV revokes the license and suspends your registrations until you join.
Per the ISA enrollment page, the SR-22 rule matches the DUI program: three years from conviction. Fees are $50 to enroll and $20 for a license marked with the S restriction.
What the certificate tells the District
D.C. Code § 50-1301.34 applies the proof rule to drivers convicted of certain motor vehicle offenses and to those with unpaid crash judgments. Under § 50-1301.54, an insurer licensed in the District files a written certificate that your liability policy is in force. It names the covered vehicles, unless the policy belongs to someone who owns no car.
That clause is why a non-owner SR-22 works here. Without a car, the ISA page lets you install the device in someone else's DC-registered vehicle, with a supplement form.
District insurance minimums and what a lapse triggers
The DC DMV insurance page sets these floors: $25,000 per person and $50,000 per crash for injuries, and $10,000 for property damage. Uninsured motorist cover is also required, at $25,000/$50,000 for injuries and $5,000 for property with a $200 deductible.
Insurers must tell DC DMV about every cancellation. DMV then sends an insurance verification notice, and you or your insurer answer it through DCIVS. Without continuous coverage, the registration is suspended and fines grow over time. Turn in your tags before you drop a policy.