In this article 9 sections
Florida uses two certificates. An SR-22 proves the standard financial responsibility limits of $10,000/$20,000/$10,000 and is required, for example, after an at-fault injury crash without bodily injury coverage. An FR-44 is required after a DUI conviction (after October 1, 2007) and proves $100,000/$300,000/$50,000.
Both must be kept continuously for 3 years. Florida’s basic registration requirement is only $10,000 PIP and $10,000 property damage, so many drivers first meet bodily injury liability rules through an SR-22 or FR-44.
Rules come from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (insurance requirements, crash and DUI pages) and Chapter 324, Florida Statutes (sections 324.021, 324.0221 and 324.023). FLHSMV and the Florida statute sites blocked direct connections in October 2026; their wording was confirmed through indexed official text. NextCarReview does not sell insurance or file SR-22 forms, quotes no average premiums and does not rank insurers; see our sourcing policy.
This is general information, not legal advice; rules change, so check your state DMV and your own suspension or court notice.
Florida is one of only two states in this series that use the FR-44, a certificate built for drunk-driving cases with liability limits many times the state’s ordinary requirement. Understanding which form applies to you, and why, starts with Florida’s unusual baseline: the state does not require bodily injury liability coverage just to register a car. For the general mechanics of SR-22 filings, see our SR-22 insurance explainer.
What Insurance Does Florida Require Without an SR-22?
Before you can register a vehicle with at least four wheels in Florida, FLHSMV requires proof of $10,000 in Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and $10,000 in Property Damage Liability (PDL). PIP pays 80% of necessary and reasonable medical expenses up to $10,000 for a covered injury regardless of who caused the crash (FLHSMV). Failing to maintain the required insurance can lead to suspension of your license and registration and a reinstatement fee of up to $500.
Bodily injury liability coverage, which pays for injuries you cause to others, is not part of that registration requirement. Florida’s Financial Responsibility Law (Chapter 324) requires it after specific events, and the SR-22 and FR-44 are how drivers prove they carry it.
Who Needs an SR-22 in Florida?
FLHSMV’s crash guidance explains the most common case: if the at-fault driver was charged with a moving violation and injuries or possible injuries were noted on the crash report, Chapter 324 requires the at-fault owner and driver to have had full liability coverage in effect at the time of the crash. If they did not, the owner/driver must purchase and maintain at least $10,000/$20,000/$10,000 coverage and an SR-22 filing for three years from the designated suspension date (FLHSMV). Those limits match the financial responsibility amounts defined in section 324.021, Florida Statutes (s. 324.021).
| Certificate | When Florida requires it | Required limits | How long |
|---|---|---|---|
| SR-22 | Financial responsibility cases, such as an at-fault injury crash without bodily injury coverage | $10,000 / $20,000 bodily injury; $10,000 property damage | 3 years |
| FR-44 | DUI conviction after October 1, 2007 | $100,000 / $300,000 bodily injury; $50,000 property damage | Minimum 3 years |
Who Needs an FR-44, and What Limits Apply?
Section 324.023, Florida Statutes, applies to every owner or operator of a vehicle required to be registered in Florida who has been found guilty of, or pleaded guilty or no contest to, driving under the influence after October 1, 2007. Those drivers must establish and maintain the ability to pay $100,000 for bodily injury to or death of one person, $300,000 for two or more people, and $50,000 for property damage in any one crash, for a minimum of 3 years (s. 324.023). The statute exempts an owner or operator who has gone 3 years from reinstatement without a new DUI or felony traffic conviction.
FLHSMV’s DUI guidance reflects the same rule: drivers convicted of DUI after October 1, 2007 must obtain an FR-44 with those limits and keep it for three years (FLHSMV DUI FAQ). Compared with Florida’s $10,000 property damage minimum, the FR-44 requires five times the property damage coverage and adds large bodily injury limits.
How Long Do You Need an SR-22 or FR-44 in Florida?
Three years in both cases. FLHSMV says SR-22 and FR-44 filings must be maintained continuously for 3 years from the original suspension date of the financial responsibility case, and section 324.023 sets a minimum 3-year period for the DUI limits. The start date on your FLHSMV notice is the one that counts.
How Do You File, and What If It Lapses?
- Confirm from your FLHSMV notice whether you need an SR-22 or an FR-44.
- Buy a policy with at least the required limits from an insurer that files that form in Florida. For an FR-44, that means at least 100/300/50.
- Have the insurer file the certificate with FLHSMV and keep a copy.
- Pay reinstatement fees and complete other requirements, such as DUI school or an ignition interlock for DUI cases.
- Keep the policy continuous for the full 3 years.
Florida law requires insurers to report renewals, cancellations and nonrenewals of PIP and property damage liability policies to the department, and the department suspends the license and registration of an owner whose required PIP/PDL security is not in force (s. 324.0221). For an SR-22 or FR-44 holder, FLHSMV also requires the filing to be maintained continuously for 3 years, so a lapse breaks that requirement. Set up automatic payments and, if you switch insurers, have the new filing in place before the old policy ends.
Moving to or From Florida With an SR-22 or FR-44
If Florida imposed the requirement, do not assume it ends when you move: ask FLHSMV in writing before cancelling a certificate, and ask your new insurer whether it can file an FR-44 or SR-22 for Florida. If you move to Florida with another state’s SR-22 requirement, that state’s rules continue to govern its case, while you will also need Florida PIP and PDL to register a car here.
How Can You Keep Costs Down?
No state agency publishes an average SR-22 premium, and NextCarReview does not rank insurers. What you can control is the comparison: ask several insurers whether they file the form your state requires, request quotes for identical limits, and ask about any filing fee in writing. Our guide to comparing auto insurance quotes explains how to line up like-for-like coverage, and the auto insurance calculator shows how a driving-record change moves an estimate. If a crash led to the requirement, our overview of when to talk to an auto accident attorney covers the liability side.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between an SR-22 and an FR-44 in Florida?
Both are certificates an insurer files with FLHSMV. An SR-22 certifies the standard financial responsibility limits of $10,000/$20,000 bodily injury and $10,000 property damage. An FR-44 is required after a DUI conviction (after October 1, 2007) and certifies much higher limits of $100,000/$300,000 bodily injury and $50,000 property damage.
How long do you need an FR-44 in Florida?
Section 324.023, Florida Statutes, requires the higher DUI limits for a minimum of 3 years, and FLHSMV says SR-22 and FR-44 filings must be maintained continuously for 3 years from the original suspension. Check your FLHSMV notice for your start date.
Who needs an SR-22 in Florida?
FLHSMV says that if an at-fault driver was charged with a moving violation in a crash with injuries or possible injuries and did not have bodily injury liability coverage, the owner/driver must buy at least $10,000/$20,000/$10,000 coverage and file an SR-22 for three years from the suspension date.
Does Florida require bodily injury liability insurance?
Not to register a car. FLHSMV requires $10,000 of Personal Injury Protection and $10,000 of Property Damage Liability to register a four-wheel vehicle. Bodily injury liability becomes required under Chapter 324 after certain crashes and convictions, which is where SR-22 and FR-44 filings come in.
What happens if my Florida insurance lapses?
FLHSMV can suspend your driver license and registration for failing to maintain required insurance, with a reinstatement fee of up to $500. For SR-22 or FR-44 holders, a lapse can also restart the financial responsibility problem, so keep the policy continuous for the full period.
⚠️ Professional Notice:
Florida rules summarized from FLHSMV pages and Chapter 324, Florida Statutes, as of October 2026. FLHSMV and Florida statute sites could not be loaded directly when checked; wording was confirmed from indexed official text.
This is general information, not legal advice. Financial responsibility rules change through legislation and agency rules; the notice you receive from your state controls. NextCarReview.com does not receive compensation from insurers or filing services.
SR-22 & High-Risk Insurance Guides
More in this series:
Data Sources and Verification
- FLHSMV: Florida insurance requirements
- FLHSMV: Involved in a crash?
- FLHSMV: DUI frequently asked questions
- Florida Statutes s. 324.023 (financial responsibility after DUI)
- Florida Statutes s. 324.021 (definitions and minimum limits)
- Florida Statutes s. 324.0221 (insurer reporting; suspension)
- Florida Statutes Chapter 324 (Financial Responsibility)
Morgan Reyes is the founder and editor-in-chief of NextCarReview, which Morgan launched in August 2024. A 2022 graduate of Columbia University, Morgan is based in New York and writes and edits the site’s reviews, comparisons and buying guides. Morgan does not road-test vehicles. Every article is built from published primary data: EPA FuelEconomy.gov ratings, NHTSA crash ratings, recalls and owner complaints, IIHS results, and manufacturer specifications and pricing, with each figure cited and checked before publication. Contact: admin@nextcarreview.com
