What is an FR-19?
The FR-19 is a form that motorists in Delaware and Maryland must file with their motor vehicle department. It can only be issued by a car insurance company and certifies that you carry at least the state’s minimum liability auto insurance coverage on your registered vehicle.
The FR-19 is not the same as an SR-22 form. The SR-22 is required in many states to verify that you have specific car insurance coverage and that the insurance company will alert the state if you cancel that coverage. The FR-19 only verifies that you currently have insurance (and, if requested, that you were also insured at a previous point).
An SR-22 is typically required due to serious offenses, such as driving without insurance or driving under the influence (DUI), and must remain in effect with the state for three or more years. There is no such requirement with the FR-19 since it just verifies coverage is in place.
Delaware FR-19 requirements
The FR-19 is used in Delaware to prove to the state that you have had continuous coverage on a registered vehicle. Delaware’s Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) audits drivers to check for uninsured motorists – and get them off the road.
If the Delaware DMV audits you for proof of insurance, you must contact your car insurance company to ask for the FR-19 form (also known as an insurance certification form). Your insurer will then certify on the form that your vehicle was insured on the verification date, and that coverage is still in effect.
If you can’t provide proof of Delaware car insurance with the FR-19 because when audited your vehicle was uninsured, then the vehicle’s registration and the driver’s licenses of all listed owners will be suspended for six months. The DMV may also fine you up to $1,500 for the first offense and $3,000 for each subsequent violation within three years.
You will also be hit with an insurance lapse fee of $150 for the first $30 days, then $5 per each extra day up to $2,500. To reinstate your registration and license, you’ll need to pay reinstatement fees for each and provide proof of insurance for the previous uninsured vehicle.
Delaware doesn’t utilize the SR-22 form, so if you’ve been convicted of a serious offense or involved in an auto accident, you may also be required to file an FR-19 form to show proof of insurance.
Maryland FR-19 requirements
Maryland car insurance certification is completed through the FR-19 to verify insurance was active during a certain time period on a registered vehicle. The Maryland form is only valid for 30 days; if you don’t get it in on time, you’ll need your insurer to fill out a new FR-19.
You must provide the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) verification of car insurance with an FR-19 for the following situations:
- When you register a newly titled car and the MVA notifies you that verification of insurance is needed.
- If your previous auto insurer informed the MVA your policy has been canceled, and the MVA notifies you that new insurance verification is necessary.
- If you receive a notification from the MVA requesting verification insurance (typically due to audit).
- If you receive a letter from the MVA for accumulating at least three driving points.
The state requires verification of auto insurance, like Delaware, to help identify and remove uninsured drivers from the roadway.
Contact your car insurance agent if you’ve been asked to supply the Maryland MVA with an FR-19 form. Maryland insurance companies must provide the FR-19 forms free of charge to all policyholders upon request. The form should be faxed or submitted electronically to the MVA by your insurance company or agent.
You will face penalties if you cannot provide an FR-19 form when requested because the vehicle isn’t insured or there’s a lapse in coverage. Maryland charges an uninsured motorist penalty fee for each lapse of insurance of $150 for the first 30 days, then $7 for each day after. Your vehicle’s registration will also be suspended. Once you have insurance back in place, you’ll have to pay a restoration fee to reinstate your registration.
In Maryland, you cannot reinstate a suspended registration or register any new vehicles until all car insurance violations are cleared.
The bottom line: If your state has asked you to send in an FR-19 form, talk to your insurance company. Your insurer is the only one that can fill out the form for you.
— Penny Gusner contributed to this story.
Resources & Methodology
Sources
- Delaware DMV. “Vehicle Services FAQs.” Accessed December 2022.
- Maryland Department of Transportation. “Maryland Vehicle Insurance Certification.” Accessed December 2022.
- Maryland Department of Transportation. “Frequently Asked Questions.” Accessed December 2022.
- Maryland Department of Transportation. “Uninsured Vehicle Owners Could.” Accessed December 2022.
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