In Louisiana the reasons requiring the financial responsibility certificate, the SR-22, can vary as well as the length of time in which it must be held. To find out if you only need to carry it 3 years and if this length of time began at the time which your license was revoked or when you actually first file the form you will need to contact the Louisiana Department of Public Safety (DPS).

Since this has to do with license reinstatement you way want to contact the Motor Vehicle Reinstatement offices which can assist you with insurance cancellations, suspensions and reinstatements.

A revocation or suspension of your driver's license have basically the same affect on the privilege to drive, you are not allowed to do so since your license is not valid. The usual real differences between the two are the penalties for being convicted of driving while suspended or revoked and the requirements for reinstatement.

The LA DPS doesn't specifically state this but in general when a driving privilege is suspended you are not allowed to drive for a specific amount of time (restraint period) and when eligible you may reinstate your driving privilege and be issued a new license with no additional testing.

In contrast when your driving privilege is revoked after serving your restraint period you are allowed to reinstate your driving privilege and in most instances you must re-test (both written and drive) to be issued a new license.