SR-22 Insurance After a DUI

A DUI conviction is the most common reason drivers are ordered to carry an SR-22. It brings two separate costs: the state's requirements before you can drive again, and several years of much higher premiums. This page covers both.

The legal limits

Every state sets a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit of 0.08% for drivers aged 21 and over, except Utah, where it has been 0.05% since December 30, 2018. Every state has a limit of 0.02% or lower for drivers under 21, and commercial drivers lose their commercial license above 0.04% (NHTSA). A DUI can also involve drugs, including prescription medicine, and refusing a chemical test brings its own penalties under state “implied consent” laws.

What the state will require

The details vary by state and by whether it is a first or repeat offense, but after a DUI you can usually expect some combination of:

a license suspension or revocation;
an SR-22 filing (or an FR-44 in Florida and Virginia) before your license is reinstated;
a DUI education or treatment program;
an ignition interlock device on any car you drive, which matters for your insurance options (see below);
fines, court costs and a reinstatement fee.

How long the filing lasts

Three years is the most common SR-22 period (Progressive, updated April 9, 2026). Repeat offenses can carry longer periods in some states. Florida requires its FR-44 for three years after a DUI conviction (Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles).

The filing has to stay in place the whole time. If your policy lapses, the insurer tells the state, your license is suspended again, and many states restart the period.

Florida and Virginia: the FR-44

These two states use the FR-44 instead of an SR-22 after a DUI, with much higher liability limits:

State	FR-44 liability limits	Source
Florida	$100,000 / $300,000 bodily injury, $50,000 property damage	Florida HSMV
Virginia	Double the state minimum: $100,000 / $200,000 / $50,000 (minimums are $50,000 / $100,000 / $25,000 from January 1, 2025)	Virginia DMV

What insurance costs after a DUI

In Insure.com's 2026 analysis, a driver with one DUI conviction paid an average of $4,174 a year ($348 a month). The SR-22 filing itself added little: the same analysis found premiums rose about 9% on average when an SR-22 was filed. Most of the increase comes from the DUI on the record, not from the form (Insure.com, May 11, 2026).

Prices after a DUI vary widely between companies. Among the insurers in that analysis:

Insurer	Average annual premium after a DUI
USAA (military members and their families only)	$2,842
Progressive	$2,981
Travelers	$3,005
Nationwide	$3,639

Source: Insure.com, “Average SR-22 insurance cost,” published May 11, 2026. National averages; your quote depends on your state, age, vehicle and the rest of your record.

If you don't own a car, a non-owner SR-22 policy is far cheaper: $1,040 a year on average with a DUI on record (CarInsurance.com, 2026). It isn't available if you have been ordered to drive with an ignition interlock device.

Ignition interlock and your policy

If the court orders an ignition interlock device, it has to be fitted to the car you drive. That generally rules out a non-owner policy, because borrowed and rented cars won't have the device. Plan on an owner's policy on the car with the device, and tell your insurer about the device when you buy it.

Keeping the cost down

Compare widely. The gap between the cheapest and the most expensive insurer for a DUI driver often runs to hundreds or thousands of dollars a year. Your current insurer may not renew you, or may not file SR-22s at all.
Review your cover. On an older car that is paid off, collision and comprehensive may cost more than they could ever pay out. Keep liability at or above what the state requires; dropping it is not an option while the filing is in place.
Complete required programs promptly. Reinstatement often depends on them, and every month without a license is a month you can't start rebuilding your record.
Never let it lapse. A lapse means a new suspension, new fees and, often, a new filing period on top of a higher premium.
Shop again when the filing ends and again as the conviction ages. The surcharge fades over time, but only a new quote will show it.

For more on pricing, see SR-22 insurance cost, or get quotes with the quote form, which asks about SR-22 filings.

More on SR-22

SR-22 insurance explained — what it is, who needs one and how long it lasts
SR-22 insurance cost — what drives the price and how to bring it down
Non-owner SR-22 insurance — for drivers who don't own a car

Written by the CarInsuranceHub.com editorial team. Last updated September 2026. SR-22 rules are set by each state and change from time to time; the DMV or court that ordered your filing has the final word on what you need.