FR-44 for a DUI in Florida
In Florida a DUI conviction triggers an FR-44, not an SR-22. Your insurer files it electronically, your policy must carry 100/300/50 liability, and it stays on file for about three years of continuous coverage.
In Florida, a DUI conviction is what puts you on an FR-44, not the SR-22 most other states use. Your insurance company files the FR-44 electronically with the state, your policy has to carry 100/300/50 liability, and the requirement stays in place for about three years of unbroken coverage.
Why does a DUI mean an FR-44 in Florida?
A DUI conviction is the specific event Florida uses to require an FR-44. Most states would ask for an SR-22 in the same situation, but Florida is one of the few that treats a DUI as serious enough to demand the higher filing. If you have moved here from elsewhere, or you are comparing notes with a friend in another state, that is usually the first surprise: the letters are different, and so are the numbers behind them.
The FR-44 is a certificate of financial responsibility. In plain terms, it is your insurer’s written promise to the state that you are carrying the coverage Florida now expects from you, and that the state will be notified the moment that coverage stops. It is not a policy on its own and it is not a fine. It sits on top of a normal auto policy and confirms that the policy meets the raised requirement.
Because the FR-44 follows a DUI, insurers rate the policy behind it as higher risk. That is normal, it is expected, and it is temporary. None of it means you are stuck with one company or one price. If you want the wider picture of how a DUI reshapes your coverage and your choices, our overview of DUI insurance in Florida walks through it in plain terms.
What changes on your car insurance after a DUI?
Two things change at once, and it genuinely helps to separate them, because people tend to blur them together and assume the worst about both. Your required coverage goes up, and the risk rating on your policy goes up. They are different levers, they come from different places, and only one of them is permanent.
- Higher liability limits. An FR-44 policy must carry 100/300/50: $100,000 in bodily injury per person, $300,000 per crash, and $50,000 in property damage. That is double the bodily-injury figure an SR-22 asks for, which is the core reason an FR-44 policy costs more than an SR-22 one.
- A high-risk rating. The DUI on your record raises the premium on its own, before the higher limits are even added in. This is the part that eases over time as the conviction ages.
- A reporting link to the state. Once the filing is active, any lapse in the policy is reported automatically, and a lapse can restart the clock. The link runs in the background, but it is always there.
It is worth being honest about the first year, because that is when the bill feels heaviest. The DUI is fresh, you have not yet built any clean time on top of it, and the higher limits are new. Every month you drive without a new incident chips away at that. The rate is not a fixed sentence; it is a starting point that moves.
The limits are the point
Florida does not raise your limits to punish you. The higher 100/300/50 floor exists so that if there is a future crash, more of the harm is actually covered. That protects you as much as anyone else on the road, and it is the quiet upside of a rule that arrives at a hard moment.
Who files the FR-44, you or the insurer?
Your insurance company files it, not you. You do not fill out the FR-44 form, you do not mail anything to the state, and you do not stand in a line to submit it. You buy a policy that meets the requirement, you ask the carrier to file, and the certificate goes to the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles office electronically, usually the same day.
That is the part people worry about most and need to worry about least. The paperwork is quick and the filing fee is small, a one-time administrative charge rather than an ongoing cost. The real work on your side is choosing the right policy at the right price, then keeping it active without a gap.
The one thing to confirm before you cancel anything is that the filing has actually been submitted and accepted. Ask your agent to verify it, and keep the confirmation. If you later face a repeat charge, the stakes climb, which is why we cover a second DUI and FR-44 in its own guide.
How long do you have to keep the FR-44?
Florida generally requires the FR-44 to stay on file for about three years of continuous coverage. The word that matters more than any other is continuous. The three years run without gaps, so a single lapse can quietly undo months of time you have already banked and send you back toward the beginning.
The cost usually does not stay flat across those years, which is the encouraging part. As the DUI ages and you build a clean record, your rate tends to ease, and by the time the period ends you can shop the standard market again on much better footing. Many drivers find the third year looks very different from the first.
A drug-based charge follows the same filing but a different evidence path, since there is no breath reading to lean on, which is why we treat a drug-related DUI separately. Whatever the substance, the three-year expectation and the 100/300/50 limits are the constants.
Never let it lapse
A lapse in the policy behind your FR-44 is reported to the state, and it can send you back to the start of the three years. Set up automatic payments, and if you switch carriers, confirm the new filing is active before you cancel the old policy.
How does the FR-44 fit into getting your license back?
For most drivers, the FR-44 is not the goal in itself; it is the coverage piece of getting a suspended license reinstated. Reinstatement usually involves several moving parts, and the FR-44 is the one your insurer handles for you.
The general shape is straightforward, even if the details are case-specific. You resolve the requirements the state and the court set, you buy a compliant policy, and the insurer files the FR-44 so the state can see you are carrying the coverage it now expects. Once that is in place, coverage is no longer what stands between you and driving legally again.
- Line up a policy that meets 100/300/50 before you need to reinstate, so the filing is ready to go.
- Ask the carrier to submit the FR-44 electronically and confirm the state accepted it.
- Keep proof of the filing until you know it has fully processed.
- Do not cancel or shop the policy in a way that creates a gap during this window.
The exact steps, fees, and any court conditions vary by case and are set by the state and the court rather than by your insurer. On the insurance side, the job is simple and within your control: have compliant coverage in place so a paperwork gap never delays your return to the road.
What moves the price, and how do you pay less?
There is no flat FR-44 price, and anyone who quotes you one from memory is guessing. Each insurer weighs a DUI differently, so two drivers on the same street with similar records can be quoted very differently. That spread is not a problem; it is your single biggest opportunity to save.
- Compare carriers. This is the biggest lever by far. High-risk insurers price the same DUI in ways that are surprisingly far apart, so the first quote is rarely the best one.
- Consider non-owner. If no vehicle is registered to you, a non-owner FR-44 is usually the cheapest way to satisfy the state, because it covers only you rather than a specific car.
- Keep coverage continuous. Every lapse costs money and can reset the clock, so continuity is both cheaper and faster.
- Ask about every discount. Prior insurance, paperless billing, and paying in full can all apply even on a high-risk policy.
- Drive clean and revisit. As the DUI ages, re-shopping can capture savings the first policy could not offer.
A DUI sets the rule, but you still choose the carrier. Comparing insurers is where the real savings live, and it is the one part of this that is fully in your hands.
Frequently asked questions
Does every DUI in Florida require an FR-44?
A DUI conviction in Florida generally leads to the FR-44 requirement rather than an SR-22. The FR-44 asks for higher 100/300/50 liability limits and stays on file for about three years of continuous coverage.
Is an FR-44 the same as an SR-22?
No. Both are certificates of financial responsibility, but the FR-44 requires double the bodily-injury liability limits an SR-22 requires in Florida, which is why Florida uses it after a DUI.
Do I file the FR-44 myself?
No. Your insurance company files it electronically with the state once you buy a qualifying policy. You do not send anything to the FLHSMV yourself, and the filing fee is small.
How long will the FR-44 stay on my record?
Florida generally requires it for about three years of continuous coverage. A lapse is reported to the state and can restart that period, so keeping the policy active is essential.
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 requirement ends you can shop standard rates again.
What is the cheapest way to carry an FR-44 after a DUI?
For drivers with no registered vehicle, a non-owner FR-44 is typically cheapest. Beyond that, comparing several high-risk carriers for your exact profile 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.