Last Updated on July 2, 2025
After being convicted of a DUI or other serious driving crime resulting in a driver’s license suspension, you must file an SR22 form with the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to get back on the road. Those who drive motorcycles must obtain the similar SR1P document. These forms indicate that you have obtained suitable financial coverage in case you get into an accident, which is why these insurance policies are typically called SR22 insurance. Here’s what you should know about these policies.
What is SR22 Insurance?
SR22 insurance is a type of policy you must obtain before filing the SR22 form with the DMV in order to start driving again after your license was suspended after a DUI, reckless driving conviction, or other serious driving issue. Because companies are often wary of covering individuals with convictions for these dangerous driving behaviors on their record, these policies are also sometimes called “high-risk insurance.”
Liability insurance for those with a DUI conviction typically costs around $350 a month, or $4,200 a year. Insurance brokerages can assist people in obtaining SR22 coverage. Sometimes, it may be cheaper to keep your existing insurance and find another insurance company to maintain a minimum financial responsibility policy for the SR22.
How to File SR-22 Documentation in California
After your driver’s license is suspended or revoked, you can only have it reinstated or obtain a restricted license once the DMV receives a copy of your SR22 form. To get this form, you’ll first need to find a company willing to insure you despite this major red flag on your driving record. Not all insurance companies offer such a service and those that do typically charge higher premiums to those who need it.
Once you have obtained an SR22 insurance policy, the insurance company will automatically send the certificate electronically to the DMV on your behalf. The company may charge you $25-$50 to file this form on your behalf, but you only need to file it once as long as you have no lapses in your coverage. The DMV will also charge you a $125 reissue fee before reinstating your driving privileges.
Will I Need SR22 Insurance?
Most people who need these policies have been convicted of drunk driving. Even if you weren’t convicted of a DUI, but the DMV suspended your license for having a BAC of 0.08 or above, you have to still get an SR22 to drive again. Though drunk driving is the most common reason people need SR22 insurance, other reasons include:
- getting into an accident while uninsured
- losing your license after the DMV declared you a negligent operator for racking up too many points on your record
- being convicted of reckless driving
- failing to report an auto accident to the DMV
You will usually be notified that you need to obtain SR22 car insurance when you are convicted by a judge for a qualifying criminal driving offense or are informed about the loss of your driver’s license by the DMV. If you have any questions about whether or not you need SR22, you can ask your defense attorney or call the DMV.
How Long Will I Need SR22 Insurance in California?
California drivers convicted of a DUI and most other offenses resulting in a license suspension must maintain SR22 insurance for 3 years. However, you will need to have it for 4 years if your license was suspended after getting in an accident without valid car insurance.
If you lost your license after being convicted of a driving offense in a criminal court, the insurance company will typically continue to charge them higher premiums throughout the 10 years that the conviction remains on your driving record. Additionally, you cannot obtain a good driver discount from your insurance company for 10 years after a DUI.
What Happens if I Don’t Get SR22 Insurance?
Although there is no criminal penalty for discontinuing your SR22 insurance requirements, you must maintain this insurance in California if you wish to keep your license. In most cases, you will need to eventually obtain a SR22 policy before you can have your license reinstated, even if you wait years before you start driving again.
If you stop paying your premiums or cancel your insurance before your mandatory SR22 period is over, the insurance company will send the DMV an SR26, and your license will be suspended until you turn in another SR22. If a driver is caught after the filing of the SR26, and they have not yet obtained another SR22 form and met California state insurance requirements, they can be charged with driving on a suspended license, which could leave them behind bars for 6 months.
What Will Happen to my SR22 if I Move Out of State?
California’s SR22 form is only valid in California. While you can drive in any state with these insurance policies, if you move to a new state, you will need to obtain a new SR22 in that state. Before moving, you will want to secure a new insurance policy that meets your new state’s policy requirements. If your new state is one of the few locations that does not require you to secure high-risk insurance after a license suspension, you must obtain a policy that meets the California state requirements.
Once your new policy starts, your new insurance company will file for an SR22 (or the equivilent FR44) in your new state and request the California DMV to release your SR22 in this state.
Failing to obtain a new policy before canceling your SR22 policy in California can result in their declaring you to have a lapse in coverage, which could cause your license to be suspended again.
What Happens When I No Longer Need my SR22?
It is up to you to remember when your SR22 requirements have been met. If you have any questions about when it is over, you can ask the DMV. When the date has passed, you can ask your insurance company to remove the SR22 policy. Your rates are likely to go down at this point, but this is not guaranteed.
Can You Avoid Getting SR22 Insurance?
You do not need SR22 insurance or the associated DMV form SR22 form if you are not planning on driving, but eventually, to get your license back after it was suspended, you will be subject to these insurance requirements. You must also obtain this type of auto insurance policy if you want to secure a restricted license with or without the installation of an ignition interlock device.
Even if you only intend to use a vehicle belonging to another person or your employer, you must obtain a non-owner SR22 insurance policy first. These policies cannot be purchased if you or someone else in your home owns a car, or if you are required to use an ignition interlock device.
Your DUI lawyer can advise you on how to get your license back in the most timely fashion after a criminal driving charge.
If you have any questions about SR22 documents, insurance, and your right to drive after a DUI in California, please contact attorney Peter M. Liss at (760) 643-4050.
