Car Insurance After a DUI in Florida
You can still get car insurance after a DUI in Florida, but the state needs an insurer to file an FR-44 at 100/300/50 limits before it reinstates your license. Here is how it works and how to pay less.
Yes, you can still get car insurance after a DUI in Florida, and you will need to. The state will not reinstate your license until an insurer files an FR-44 for you, and that policy has to carry Florida’s highest liability limits, 100/300/50. Your rate will rise, so the smartest move is to compare high-risk carriers rather than accept the first quote you see.
Can you still get insurance after a DUI in Florida?
You can. A DUI does not shut you out of the insurance market, it moves you into the high-risk part of it, where a set of carriers still write policies every day for drivers in your situation.
It helps to know what actually happened at the license level. Florida treats a DUI as a serious event, and it links getting your driving privilege back to proof that you carry higher liability coverage. That proof is the FR-44 filing. Until an insurer submits it, the state keeps your license out of good standing, no matter how ready you are to drive. Once the policy is in force and the filing is on record, the path to reinstatement opens up.
None of this means you did something unforgivable. Plenty of careful people get a DUI, and the system, while strict, is built to let you get back on the road with the right coverage in place. For a fuller look at the coverage side, our guide to DUI insurance in Florida walks through what to expect.
Why you need an FR-44, not just an SR-22
After a DUI, Florida requires an FR-44, not the more common SR-22 that other violations trigger. The two forms do the same basic job, they certify to the state that you carry the required liability coverage, but the FR-44 demands far more of it.
An SR-22 in Florida is filed at the state minimum liability. An FR-44 far exceeds the bodily-injury requirement and lands at 100/300/50: $100,000 in bodily injury per person, $300,000 per accident, and $50,000 in property damage. That higher floor is the main reason a post-DUI policy costs more than a typical high-risk policy, and it is not optional. If you have seen conflicting advice online, it is usually because people mix up the SR-22 rule with the FR-44 rule that applies specifically after a DUI.
If you are still weighing which filing your case needs, the difference is worth understanding before you shop. You can also read how much a DUI tends to move your premium in our companion piece on how much a DUI raises insurance in Florida.
How the FR-44 filing actually works
You do not file the FR-44 yourself. Your insurer files it electronically with the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles department once your policy is active, and that electronic submission is what the state watches for.
The sequence is simpler than it sounds. You buy a policy that meets the 100/300/50 limits, you tell the carrier you need an FR-44, and the carrier transmits the certificate to the state. Because it is electronic, many high-risk agencies can get it on record the same day you pay. From there, the state processes your reinstatement on its own timeline. The one thing you must protect is continuity: the filing only counts while the policy behind it stays in force.
A lapse is the trap to avoid. If your policy cancels, even briefly, the insurer reports the gap to the state, and that can undo your progress or restart the requirement. Setting up automatic payments and confirming your renewal dates are small habits that keep the filing clean for the full period.
You are not the one holding the paperwork
Some drivers stress about tracking down and mailing an FR-44 form. You never touch it. The carrier owns the filing and the transmission to the state, so your job is simply to keep the policy paid and active.
What changes about your policy and your rate
Two things change after a DUI: your coverage floor rises to 100/300/50, and insurers reprice you as a higher risk. Together those push your premium up, and there is no way around the direction of that move.
What you can control is how far it moves. Carriers weigh a DUI very differently from one another, so the same driver can receive quotes that are far apart. That spread is exactly why comparing insurers is the single most effective way to keep the number reasonable. It is far more powerful than any single discount. Beyond shopping, keeping your coverage continuous, asking about every discount you might qualify for, and, if you do not own a car, looking at a non-owner FR-44 can all help.
The good news is that a post-DUI rate is usually not permanent. As the DUI ages and you build a clean record, the premium tends to ease, and once the requirement is behind you, you can shop standard rates again.
A DUI sets the direction of your rate, but the carrier you pick sets the distance. Comparing high-risk insurers is the closest thing to a discount you control.
What if you do not own a car right now?
If you do not have a vehicle registered in your name, you can usually satisfy Florida with a non-owner FR-44, and it is typically the least expensive way to get your license back.
This situation is more common after a DUI than people expect. Some drivers sell a car during the process, some were never the registered owner to begin with, and some plan to buy a vehicle later once they are back on the road. A non-owner FR-44 fits all of those cases. It carries the same 100/300/50 liability the state requires, but it covers you as a driver rather than a specific car, so you are not paying to insure a vehicle you do not have.
There are a couple of edge cases worth knowing. If a car is registered to you, even one you rarely drive, most insurers will not write a non-owner policy, because that vehicle needs its own coverage. And if you buy a car later while the filing is active, you will generally switch to an owner policy at that point, keeping the FR-44 continuous through the change so the state never sees a gap. The safe move is to tell your agent your exact situation, including whether you expect to buy a vehicle soon, so the policy is built to flex with you rather than forcing a costly restart.
No car is not a dead end
Being without a vehicle after a DUI does not stall your reinstatement. A non-owner FR-44 keeps the required filing active at the lowest cost, and you can move to an owner policy whenever you are ready to drive your own car again.
How to get covered again, step by step
The fastest way back on the road is a short, ordered checklist. Work through it in sequence and you avoid the delays that trip most drivers up.
- Confirm you need an FR-44. After a DUI in Florida, you almost certainly do, at the 100/300/50 limits.
- Decide owner or non-owner. If no car is registered to you, ask about a non-owner FR-44, which is usually the cheapest way to comply.
- Compare several high-risk carriers. This is where the real savings live, so gather more than one quote before you commit.
- Buy the policy and request the filing. Tell the carrier you need the FR-44 submitted, and many can file it the same day.
- Keep it continuous. Set up autopay and never let the policy lapse, because a gap is reported to the state.
- Complete reinstatement. With the filing on record, finish any remaining state steps to get your license back in good standing.
One clean policy is the whole game
Everything after the filing comes down to keeping one policy active for the required period. Guard that continuity and the rest of the process takes care of itself.
Car insurance after a DUI FAQ
Can I get car insurance right after a DUI in Florida?
Yes. A DUI moves you into the high-risk market, where certain carriers still write policies. You will need one that files an FR-44 at 100/300/50 limits so the state can reinstate your license.
Do I need an FR-44 or an SR-22 after a DUI?
After a DUI, Florida requires an FR-44. It carries 100/300/50 liability, which far exceeds the bodily-injury coverage an SR-22 requires, so it is not the same as the more common SR-22 filing.
Who files the FR-44 with the state?
Your insurer does. Once your policy is active, the carrier files the FR-44 electronically with the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles department. You never file it yourself.
How long do I have to carry the FR-44?
Florida generally requires the FR-44 on file for about three years of continuous coverage. Letting the policy lapse is reported to the state and can restart the requirement.
Will my rate ever come back down?
Usually, yes. As the DUI ages and you keep a clean record with no lapses, your premium tends to ease, and once the FR-44 period ends you can shop standard rates again.
What is the cheapest way to insure after a DUI?
For drivers with no registered vehicle, a non-owner FR-44 is typically the cheapest structure. Beyond that, comparing several high-risk carriers is the biggest way to lower the cost.
Informational only. Not legal, financial, or insurance advice. FR-44 and SR-22 requirements are set by Florida (FLHSMV) and the courts and can change; verify your specific requirement with the FLHSMV. Pricing shown is illustrative, not a quote. FR44 Insurance of Florida is an independent insurance agency and not a government entity.