Do I Need FR-44 After a DUI in Tampa?
Yes. A Florida DUI conviction requires an FR-44 with 100/300/50 limits for Tampa drivers, kept about three years from reinstatement. Hillsborough County DUI cases run through the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit at the Edgecomb Courthouse.
Yes. In Florida a DUI conviction triggers the FR-44 requirement, and that applies to Tampa drivers. You must carry a policy with 100/300/50 liability limits and keep the FR-44 on file for about three years of continuous coverage from the day your license is reinstated. Hillsborough County DUI cases are handled in the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit at the George E. Edgecomb Courthouse, 800 E. Twiggs St, Tampa.
Do you need FR-44 after a Tampa DUI?
Yes. A DUI conviction in Florida requires an FR-44, which is why it applies to drivers across Hillsborough County. The FR-44 is the state’s proof that you carry the higher 100/300/50 liability limits, and it is tied to getting your license back after the DUI.
For the broader picture on coverage after a conviction, see our statewide guide to DUI insurance in Florida, and the Tampa FR-44 hub for local offices and steps.
It helps to know why the FR-44 exists in the first place. A DUI is treated as one of the most serious events on a driving record, so Florida wants proof that a driver returning to the road carries more liability protection than a standard policy provides. The FR-44 is that proof. It is less an extra penalty stacked on the case than the state’s way of confirming, on paper, that the higher coverage is actually in place before you drive Tampa’s roads again.
Where are Tampa DUI cases handled?
Hillsborough County DUI cases are handled in county court within the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, at the George E. Edgecomb Courthouse, 800 E. Twiggs St in downtown Tampa. That is the court side of the process; the insurance filing is separate and runs through your carrier and the FLHSMV.
It helps to see the two systems side by side. The court, through the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit at the Edgecomb Courthouse, deals with the DUI charge itself and any penalties. The FR-44 lives entirely on the insurance and licensing side, where your carrier files proof of the higher limits with the state. They connect at the end, because you generally cannot get your license reinstated until both the court requirements and the filing are in place.
Court and filing are two different tracks
Your DUI case moves through the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit at the George E. Edgecomb Courthouse, while your FR-44 is filed electronically by your insurer with the FLHSMV. Keep them straight: clearing the court requirements and filing the FR-44 both have to happen before your license is reinstated.
How does FR-44 fit reinstatement in Tampa?
The FR-44 is one of the pieces required to get your license back. Reinstatement after a DUI generally means completing DUI school, submitting your documentation, filing the FR-44, and paying the state’s reinstatement fees. In Tampa you handle the in-person side at a Hillsborough County Tax Collector driver-license office, or online when your suspension qualifies.
Sequencing these steps saves frustration. The FR-44 cannot go on file until you have a policy, and the license cannot be reinstated until the filing is on record, so the natural order is to secure coverage, confirm the filing, then handle the reinstatement itself. Working through them in that order is the difference between one smooth process and several trips back to square one at the East Tampa or Plant City counter.
- Complete DUI school and gather the required documentation
- Have your carrier file the FR-44 electronically with the FLHSMV
- Reinstate at a Hillsborough County Tax Collector office or online, if eligible
- Keep the policy continuous once it is in place
The reinstatement fees are set by the state and paid as part of getting your license back, and they are separate from your insurance premium. Because they are handled through the FLHSMV and the Hillsborough County Tax Collector rather than your carrier, it is worth confirming what your specific case owes before you go, so nothing at the counter comes as a surprise. Lining up DUI school, your documents, and the FR-44 in advance is what lets the reinstatement itself go quickly.
How long do you need FR-44 after a Tampa DUI?
You generally keep the FR-44 on file for about three years of continuous coverage, measured from the day your license is reinstated, not the day of the arrest. Letting the policy lapse is reported to the state and can restart the clock, so staying continuous is the priority.
That start date catches people off guard, so it is worth repeating: the clock begins at reinstatement. Time spent suspended before you reinstate does not count toward the three years. The practical lesson is that reinstating sooner starts the period sooner, and once it is running, protecting it with unbroken coverage is what carries you to the finish without resetting.
It also helps to know that the cost rarely stays flat across those three years. The requirement itself does not shrink, but as the DUI ages and your Hillsborough County record stays clean, what carriers charge to carry the 100/300/50 limits tends to ease. So the same period that feels like a burden at the start usually gets lighter toward the end, and when it closes you can shop the standard market again with far more options than a high-risk filing allows.
The three-year FR-44 period in Tampa runs from reinstatement, and a lapse can send you back to the start, so the goal is never a gap in coverage.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need FR-44 after a DUI in Tampa?
Yes. A Florida DUI conviction requires an FR-44 with 100/300/50 limits, and that applies to Tampa drivers. It is tied to reinstating your license after the DUI.
Where are Tampa DUI cases heard?
In the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, at the George E. Edgecomb Courthouse, 800 E. Twiggs St, Tampa. The court case is separate from the FR-44 insurance filing.
How long must I keep FR-44 after a Tampa DUI?
Generally about three years of continuous coverage, measured from the day your license is reinstated. A lapse is reported to the state and can restart the period.
What does reinstatement involve in Tampa?
Generally completing DUI school, submitting documentation, filing the FR-44, and paying the state's reinstatement fees, then handling the in-person step at a Hillsborough County Tax Collector office or online if eligible.
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.