- What is an SR22?
- Why do I have to carry an SR-22?
- How do I get an SR-22 Form?
- Are there different types of SR-22 forms?
- How much does SR-22 insurance cost a month?
- How much does SR-22 insurance cost near me?
- SR-22 certificate requirements by state
- How long do I have to carry the SR-22?
- What will happen if I do not carry SR-22 insurance?
- The best SR-22 insurance companies
- Getting cheap SR-22 insurance quotes
- Who has the cheapest SR-22 insurance?
- SR-22 FAQS
- The final verdict: The best SR-22 insurance online
Here you'll learn everything you need to know about how SR22 filings work, how to get one in place and how to find affordable SR-22 insurance coverage.
- SR-22 is a form often required by the state after certain driving-related convictions, to guarantee that you have the required car insurance coverage.
- SR-22 is not a type of car insurance.
- Driving-related convictions, like a DUI, that result in the need for an SR-22 can also result in a 31% to 375% increase in insurance rates.
- Farmers and Progressive offer the lowest insurance rates for SR-22 high-risk drivers.
- Avoid the need for an SR-22 by maintaining a clean driving record.
What is an SR22?
An SR-22 form is a car insurance company’s guarantee that a driver is carrying the insurance coverage mandated by their state.
This can be required if you're convicted of a driving-related charge -- usually, a DUI, driving without insurance or reckless driving. Drivers required to get an SR22 are typically considered high-risk drivers.
The form by itself doesn't raise your insurance rates. Rather, it's the conviction that triggered the requirement that causes your premiums to soar.
Is SR22 considered car insurance?
No. Many motorists mistakenly believe the SR22 is an auto insurance policy, but that’s not the case. It is simply a certificate of financial responsibility that your insurance company files on your behalf with the state.
The form, usually filed electronically, provides the state with proof of responsibility by showing that you have the required insurance coverage in effect. The state-mandated coverage may be the same as your state minimum liability requirements, or they may have higher limits. The exact auto insurance policy requirements differ by state.
Jump ahead:
How do I get a form?
How much does it cost?
Why do I need it?
How long do I need it?
Why do I have to carry an SR-22?
All states except Delaware, Kentucky, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania may require a driver to obtain an SR-22.
Some of the reasons your state may require an SR-22 certificate of financial responsibility include, but aren’t limited to, the following:
- Failure to carry liability insurance on your vehicle
- Conviction for driving without insurance
- Driving uninsured and being involved in a motor vehicle accident
- DUI, DWI or other major alcohol offense convictions
- Serious moving violation (such as reckless driving) convictions
- Accumulating too many DMV points
- Being termed a habitual traffic offender
- Needing to apply for a hardship or probationary permit (while license is suspended)
- Reinstating your license after a suspension or revocation
How do I get an SR-22 Form?
If you need an SR-22, you can only get it from an insurance company. The purpose of the form is to show that you've obtained and will maintain certain insurance coverage. There is no other way to get the SR-22; you can't get the form without buying an auto insurance policy.
To obtain an SR-22, you must go through an auto insurance company that offers the filing (not all do) and buy a policy with at least the minimum limits that the state notified to carry. Once you have the form filed, you’ll need to maintain the related insurance coverage for the state-mandated period. The time period varies, but most commonly, it’s for three years.
The form must be filed with the state as a certificate of financial responsibility to verify that you have the mandated insurance coverage and limits. Your car insurance company sends you a copy of the form to keep as proof. However, most states have it stored electronically in their records so that law enforcement or the Department of Motor Vehicles can look it up if needed.
Are there different types of SR-22 forms?
There are three main types of SR-22 certificates and your insurance company can help you determine which one you need.
- Owner certificate: covers cars you own
- Owner-operator certificate: covers any car you drive, regardless of the owner
- Non-owner certificate: covers you when you do not own a car but are required to have an SR-22
How much does SR-22 insurance cost a month?
A policy with an SR-22 filing for one DUI conviction costs about $230 a month, or $2,760 a year, on average, based on a rate analysis by CarInsurance.com's staff of experts.
There is also a fee for processing the form. An insurance company filing the SR-22 form on your behalf may charge you a one-time filing fee of between $15 and $50 (typically, it’s $25).
However, the cost of the auto insurance policy associated with the SR-22 varies and generally costs much more than a policy without one.
An SR-22 filing with a DUI can hike your rates by an average of 89%, according to a CarInsurance.com analysis. But it could be as much as 375% or as little as 31%, depending on your state and other factors.
The insurance policy associated with an SR-22 doesn’t have a set premium. It’s calculated according to standard rating factors, such as your driving record, your geographical location and the type of vehicle you drive.
If your driving record shows that you're a risky driver, due to a major offense such as a DUI, your rates are likely to be higher, whether or not an SR-22 is required.
The biggest issue for some is the cost of SR-22 insurance, which can be fairly expensive, and “isn’t even car insurance,” explains Bradley W. Lane, Ph.D, transportation expert and associate professor at the University of Kansas.
How much does SR-22 insurance cost near me?
The only way to determine exactly how much your SR-22 insurance policy actually costs is to get a personalized quote. It pays to shop around; one insurance company may look at a DUI very differently than another, for example.
However, the chart below shows the average yearly car insurance cost by state for filing an SR-22 with one DUI, based on a CarInsurance.com rate analysis.
SR-22 costs by state
State | Average Rate | SR-22 Rate | Percent Increase | Dollar Increase |
---|---|---|---|---|
Alaska | $1,246 | $1,945 | 56% | $699 |
Alabama | $1,304 | $2,470 | 89% | $1,166 |
Arkansas | $1,556 | $2,732 | 76% | $1,176 |
Arizona | $1,399 | $3,579 | 156% | $2,180 |
California | $1,783 | $5,119 | 187% | $3,336 |
Colorado | $1,675 | $2,992 | 79% | $1,317 |
Connecticut | $1,980 | $3,113 | 57% | $1,133 |
DC | $1,887 | $2,945 | 56% | $1,058 |
Delaware | $1,838 | $3,525 | 92% | $1,687 |
Florida | $2,250 | $3,780 | 68% | $1,530 |
Georgia | $1,815 | $3,378 | 86% | $1,563 |
Hawaii | $1,255 | $4,464 | 256% | $3,209 |
Iowa | $1,073 | $1,915 | 78% | $842 |
Idaho | $1,019 | $1,799 | 77% | $780 |
Illinois | $1,176 | $2,217 | 89% | $1,041 |
Indiana | $1,057 | $1,561 | 48% | $504 |
Kansas | $1,412 | $2,310 | 64% | $898 |
Kentucky | $1,611 | $2,714 | 68% | $1,103 |
Louisiana | $2,228 | $3,612 | 62% | $1,384 |
Massachusetts | $1,616 | $3,198 | 98% | $1,582 |
Maryland | $1,541 | $2,025 | 31% | $484 |
Maine | $884 | $1,331 | 51% | $447 |
Michigan | $2,368 | $8,324 | 252% | $5,956 |
Minnesota | $1,339 | $2,611 | 95% | $1,272 |
Missouri | $1,288 | $2,237 | 74% | $949 |
Mississippi | $1,504 | $2,531 | 68% | $1,027 |
Montana | $1,589 | $2,726 | 72% | $1,137 |
North Carolina | $1,170 | $5,563 | 375% | $4,393 |
North Dakota | $1,123 | $2,003 | 78% | $880 |
Nebraska | $1,287 | $2,307 | 79% | $1,020 |
New Hampshire | $1,156 | $2,008 | 74% | $852 |
New Jersey | $1,419 | $3,851 | 171% | $2,432 |
New Mexico | $1,498 | $2,735 | 83% | $1,237 |
Nevada | $1,578 | $2,489 | 58% | $911 |
New York | $1,214 | $1,854 | 53% | $640 |
Ohio | $959 | $1,700 | 77% | $741 |
Oklahoma | $1,469 | $2,198 | 50% | $729 |
Oregon | $1,325 | $2,296 | 73% | $971 |
Pennsylvania | $1,438 | $2,330 | 62% | $892 |
Rhode Island | $2,011 | $3,627 | 80% | $1,616 |
South Carolina | $1,353 | $2,379 | 76% | $1,026 |
South Dakota | $1,250 | $2,247 | 80% | $997 |
Tennessee | $1,339 | $2,348 | 75% | $1,009 |
Texas | $1,644 | $2,701 | 64% | $1,057 |
Utah | $1,212 | $2,009 | 66% | $797 |
Virginia | $993 | $1,693 | 70% | $700 |
Vermont | $1,166 | $1,786 | 53% | $620 |
Washington | $1,307 | $2,211 | 69% | $904 |
Wisconsin | $1,147 | $1,794 | 56% | $647 |
West Virginia | $1,467 | $2,767 | 89% | $1,300 |
Wyoming | $1,577 | $2,747 | 74% | $1,170 |
Will my insurance rates go down when I am no longer required to carry an SR-22?
Depending on the reason for your SR-22 requirement, your rates may go down after you are no longer required to carry an SR-22 but that is not guaranteed and also depends on other factors, such as additional traffic violations.
For more severe violations, such as a DUI conviction, it may take longer for your rates to go down.
SR-22 certificate requirements by state
There are currently only eight states that do not require an SR-22. Those are:
- Delaware: requires an FR-19 instead
- Kentucky
- Minnesota
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- Oklahoma
- Pennsylvania
All other states require an SR-22 and some even have additional requirements.
- Florida: requires SR-22 and FR-44
- Maryland: requires SR-22 and FR-19
- Virginia: requires SR-22 and FR-44
To find out under what circumstances your specific state requires the SR-22, contact your department of motor vehicles.
How long do I have to carry the SR-22?
In most states, you must carry the SR-22 for three years. The period varies from one to five years. In some places, the period varies by the offense.
The start date for counting how long you must carry the SR-22 also varies by state. Your state’s department of motor vehicles can tell you how long you need to carry the SR-22 and from what date.
The clock may start with the offense date, conviction date, suspension date or date of your driver’s license reinstatement.
Don’t cancel an SR-22 before your filing period is up or your state may penalize you. If insurance associated with an SR-22 is removed or canceled, the insurer must file an SR-26 that informs the state of the cancellation.
The state can then take actions against you that typically include the loss of your driver’s license and/or vehicle registration.
How do I cancel my SR-22 once my three years are up?
What will happen if I do not carry SR-22 insurance?
If you do not carry the required insurance coverage for an SR-22, the insurance company is required to notify the state Department of Motor Vehicles.
The motor vehicle department could suspend or revoke your license and you may be required to pay fines or penalties depending on your state.
If you made a mistake and failed to pay your insurance renewal on time and your policy lapses, contact your insurance agent immediately to resolve the issue.
The best SR-22 insurance companies
Not all insurance companies file SR-22s. But many major carriers are SR-22 insurance companies, meaning they can provide policies and file the forms with state or legal entities on your behalf.
This partial list can serve as a springboard if you are researching SR-22 insurance companies:
- Dairyland
- Safe Auto
- Infinity
- Direct
- Progressive
- Geico
- The General
- Allstate
- State Farm
- Nationwide
SR-22 costs by company
Below are SR-22 insurance quotes for a policy for a driver with a DUI broken down by the company. You can see how much you can expect to pay, on average, for coverage with SR-22 requirements, for these major carriers.
Company | Annual Cost | Monthly Cost |
---|---|---|
Farmers | $1,369 | $114 |
Progressive | $1,412 | $118 |
Geico | $1,552 | $129 |
State Farm | $1,728 | $144 |
Nationwide | $2,146 | $179 |
Allstate | $2,559 | $213 |
*Average Rate of SR22 policy with DUI

Getting cheap SR-22 insurance quotes
The best way to get cheap SR-22 insurance quotes is to do what you would to find a low-cost standard policy – compare car insurance quotes from multiple companies.
If you are buying a new policy, be sure to ask if the company files SR-22 forms before you spend time getting a quote. Even though you’ll pay more for coverage attached to an SR-22, you can still save by comparison shopping. Comparing auto insurance quotes is one of the most effective ways to save on insurance, whether you are a high-risk driver looking for coverage or you have a clean driving record.
That's because auto insurance companies use their own unique formulas for pricing, so prices vary significantly among carriers. You'll see how much rates vary for an SR-22 with a DUI in the rate charts below. The most expensive carriers can be up to $1,000 or so more than the cheapest.
Who has the cheapest SR-22 insurance?
Farmers has the cheapest SR-22 rates with an average cost of $114 per month, and Progressive places second with $118 a month.
Based on a rate analysis by CarInsurance.com’s experts, the cheapest companies, Farmers and Progressive, are about $1,200 less than the most expensive carrier.
SR-22 FAQS
The final verdict: The best SR-22 insurance online
It is best to practice safe and responsible driving and avoid the need for this insurance form. But if you do end up in that situation, compare insurance quotes to see where you can get your best deal.
In situations in which this form is mandated, we found some of the best rates available online at Progressive and Farmers.
“The extra cost burden is particularly troublesome for low-income people, who already live near a level of ‘transportation poverty,’ since quite a bit of transportation expenses are constant across incomes,” says Lane.
The added cost of SR-22 insurance may force some into abandoning driving for public transit, which, as Lane stresses, sometimes offers little to no accessibility.
“Commuting to work becomes a more time consuming and more expensive chore, which puts further pressure on the time and monetary budgets of these people and makes it additionally difficult to advance out of a low-income living situation,” adds Lane.