Florida FR-44 Insurance: Requirements, Limits, Duration
Short answer
Florida FR-44 is a certificate of financial responsibility that Florida requires after a DUI conviction. Under Fla. Stat. § 324.023, the driver must carry bodily-injury liability of $100,000 per person / $300,000 per accident and property-damage liability of $50,000 (100/300/50) continuously for at least three years. These are double the Florida state minimum of 10/20/10 and five to ten times what a typical SR-22 requires in other states. The filing is not an insurance policy itself: it is a certificate your insurer files electronically with Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) certifying that your policy carries the elevated limits.13
What matters about your Florida FR-44
- DUI trigger. FR-44 is Florida’s post-DUI financial-responsibility requirement under Fla. Stat. § 324.023. Non-alcohol violations usually trigger SR-22 rather than FR-441.
- Elevated limits. 100/300/50 is the statutory floor for FR-44 compliance. A policy at the regular Florida minimum (10/20/10) does not satisfy FR-44, no matter how long you’ve carried it.
- Three-year duration. The three years run continuously from the reinstatement date. A policy lapse during the period is a compliance failure that most carriers (and FLHSMV’s record) treat as restarting or extending the clock.
- Non-owner FR-44 exists. If you no longer own a vehicle but still need to maintain FR-44 compliance (because you drive a borrowed or household-shared car), non-owner FR-44 policies are offered by several Florida carriers.
- Alternative compliance is impractical. Fla. Stat. § 324.031(2) allows a $350,000 certificate of deposit with FLHSMV instead of insurance. Almost no individuals use this path2.
What the statute actually says
Fla. Stat. § 324.023 (added effective October 1, 2007) sets the elevated limits for anyone whose driving privilege was revoked for driving under the influence under Fla. Stat. § 316.193 (or a comparable statute). Specifically, the driver must provide proof of bodily-injury liability insurance of at least $100,000 per person and $300,000 per incident, plus property-damage liability of at least $50,000 per incident1. The requirement attaches at the point FLHSMV restores the driving privilege, and continues for at least three years from that reinstatement date.
The companion statute, § 324.031, specifies the methods a driver can use to prove this financial responsibility. The common path is through an insurance policy whose carrier files the FR-44 certificate with FLHSMV. The alternative paths (CD, bond, self-insurance) exist in the statute but are rarely used2.
FR-44 vs SR-22: the practical differences
The two certificates look similar in structure (both are filings certifying your policy carries the required limits), but the triggers, limits, and jurisdictions differ.
| Topic | Florida FR-44 | SR-22 in other states |
|---|---|---|
| Where it exists | Florida and Virginia only. | Most U.S. states (not FL, not VA for alcohol violations which use FR-44 instead). |
| Trigger | DUI conviction in Florida on or after October 1, 2007 (and certain alcohol-related offenses). Not required for most non-alcohol violations. | A broader range of violations: driving uninsured, at-fault accidents without coverage, repeat traffic offenses, driving on a suspended license. Alcohol offenses in most SR-22 states also trigger SR-22. |
| Liability limits required | Elevated: 100/300/50 in Florida (double the FL state minimum of 10/20/10). Virginia FR-44 requires 50/100/40. | Typically the state minimum limits (varies by state: Texas 30/60/25, Arizona 25/50/15, Alabama 25/50/25, etc.). |
| Duration | Three years in Florida, counted continuously from the reinstatement date. A policy lapse during the three years restarts the clock at some carriers. | Varies by state (two years in Texas, three in California, five in Georgia and some others). Lapses restart or extend the period under most states’ rules. |
| What the filing is | Certificate of financial responsibility filed by your insurer electronically with FLHSMV. Not an insurance product; your policy carries elevated limits that your insurer certifies. | Certificate of financial responsibility filed electronically with the state DMV / DPS. Same structure as FR-44 but at lower limits. |
| Alternative compliance | Certificate of deposit of $350,000 with FLHSMV under Fla. Stat. § 324.031(2) in lieu of insurance. Rarely used by individuals. | Self-insurance in some states (cash bond, surety bond, or state-approved certificate of deposit). Rarely used by individuals. |
For the national-coverage overview of FR-44 see our FR-44 coverage guide. For the national SR-22 overview see our SR-22 coverage guide.
How Florida FR-44 compliance actually works
- DUI conviction and driving-privilege revocation. Florida’s administrative suspension and the court-imposed penalties attach when the DUI case concludes. FLHSMV records the conviction and the required reinstatement conditions4.
- You buy a policy that meets 100/300/50. Not every carrier writes FR-44. Common Florida FR-44 carriers include non-standard specialists; mainstream carriers vary on whether they write new FR-44 business or only continue existing customers through a DUI conversion.
- Your carrier files the FR-44 with FLHSMV electronically. You do not file the certificate yourself. The carrier generates and transmits it as part of policy issuance. Some carriers charge a filing fee (often around $15 to $25) in addition to the elevated- limit premium.
- FLHSMV receives the filing and clears the reinstatement. You then pay any reinstatement fees FLHSMV requires and complete any court-ordered conditions (ignition interlock, DUI school, probation terms).
- You maintain 100/300/50 for three years without lapse. If the policy cancels mid-term for non-payment, the carrier is required to notify FLHSMV, which can suspend the driving privilege again. Most carriers treat a lapse as restarting the three-year clock on the new policy.
- After three continuous years, the FR-44 requirement ends. You can revert to standard Florida minimum limits if you choose (though keeping higher limits is usually a sound choice regardless). Your carrier is no longer obligated to file the certificate going forward.
What Florida FR-44 insurance tends to cost
Three cost drivers stack on an FR-44 policy:
- The DUI itself. A Florida DUI conviction is a major rating event. Carriers apply a surcharge that typically lasts three to five years from the conviction date and is unrelated to the FR-44 requirement.
- The elevated 100/300/50 limits. Going from 10/20/10 to 100/300/50 is a larger-than-linear increase. The elevated limits alone can roughly double or more the liability-portion of a Florida premium before any DUI surcharge.
- The FR-44 filing fee. A one-time or annual filing fee charged by the carrier (not FLHSMV) for transmitting and maintaining the certificate. Usually a small line item (around $15 to $25) relative to the premium itself.
Different carriers price the FR-44 risk differently. The same driver can see materially different quotes between mainstream carriers that reluctantly write FR-44 and non-standard specialists that specialize in it. For carriers that write post-DUI business, our best car insurance for high-risk drivers shortlist is the comparison set.
Common misconceptions
- "FR-44 is an insurance product." It is not. FR-44 is a certificate filed by your insurer with FLHSMV that documents the limits your policy carries. The underlying product is a Florida auto policy at 100/300/50 limits1.
- "FR-44 lasts forever." No. The statutory requirement is three years of continuous coverage, running from the reinstatement date1.
- "Any Florida policy at 100/300/50 is FR-44." Not without the filing. The carrier must transmit the FR-44 certificate to FLHSMV; buying the elevated limits alone does not satisfy the requirement.
- "FR-44 and SR-22 are interchangeable." They are not. The limits differ, the states differ, and in Florida the FR-44 requirement specifically applies to DUI convictions; non-alcohol violations in Florida that require financial-responsibility proof use a different mechanism.
- "If I move out of Florida, I don’t need FR-44 anymore." Moving does not automatically terminate the Florida requirement. Your new state’s own filing (SR-22, or Virginia FR-44) may apply, and the Florida FLHSMV record follows the driver.
What to do after a Florida DUI conviction
- Confirm the FR-44 obligation on your FLHSMV record. The driving-privilege-reinstatement information will state whether FR-44 is required and from when the three-year window runs3.
- Shop multiple carriers at 100/300/50. Non-standard specialists sometimes beat mainstream carriers on post-DUI quotes materially. Our high-risk shortlist is the comparison set.
- Confirm the carrier will file FR-44. Not every carrier writes new FR-44 business. Ask explicitly before you bind.
- Maintain the policy without lapse. Set up autopay. A non-payment cancellation during the three-year window typically restarts the clock on your next policy.
- Document the end of the three years. Confirm with FLHSMV that the FR-44 obligation has been satisfied before dropping to standard Florida minimum limits.
For the broader Florida regulatory picture, see our Florida car insurance state guide. For the companion PIP decision Florida drivers also make, see our Florida PIP guide. For post-DUI situation guidance, see our car insurance after a DUI page.
Shopping Florida FR-44 coverage? Compare at least three carriers at the 100/300/50 limits.
Compare car insurance quotesYesWeSure may receive compensation when readers use quote- comparison links. See our advertiser disclosure and editorial standards.
Common follow-up questions
How long do I need FR-44 in Florida?
Three years of continuous compliance from the reinstatement date, under Fla. Stat. § 324.023. A lapse mid-term typically restarts the clock1.
Can I drive legally while waiting for the FR-44 filing to clear?
No. Your driving privilege remains suspended until FLHSMV has the FR-44 filing on record and you have satisfied any other reinstatement conditions. Driving during this gap is driving on a suspended license, which is a separate offense.
Can I buy a non-owner FR-44 policy if I don’t have a car?
Yes. Several Florida carriers offer non-owner FR-44 policies that provide the elevated 100/300/50 liability limits without covering a specific titled vehicle. This path works for a driver whose license has been reinstated but who doesn’t own a car.
What happens if my FR-44 policy lapses mid-term?
The carrier is required to notify FLHSMV, which typically suspends the driving privilege. You must reinstate again with a new FR-44 filing, and most carriers (and the FLHSMV compliance record) will treat the three-year clock as restarting from the new reinstatement date.
Does Florida FR-44 transfer if I move to another state?
The Florida requirement does not disappear automatically when you move. Your new state’s financial- responsibility rule may require its own filing (SR-22 in most states, FR-44 in Virginia). The Florida FLHSMV record follows the driver. Verify with FLHSMV and your new state’s DMV before relying on a cross-state transfer.
Sources
- Florida Statute § 324.023. Financial responsibility for bodily injury or death. Elevated liability limits of 100/300/50 for drivers convicted of DUI on or after October 1, 2007, maintained for at least three years. (The Florida Senate)
- Florida Statute § 324.031. Methods of proving financial responsibility (certificate of insurance, certificate of deposit of $350,000, self-insurance). (The Florida Senate)
- Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV): Driver license financial responsibility reinstatement information (FR-44 filing requirement after DUI conviction) (Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles)
- FLHSMV: DUI consequences and administrative suspension (post-DUI reinstatement procedure that references the FR-44 requirement) (Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles)
- YesWeSure: SR-22 car insurance coverage overview (YesWeSure)
- YesWeSure: FR-44 coverage overview (national context) (YesWeSure)
Florida statutes and FLHSMV procedures can change by legislative revision. Verify current rules with FLHSMV and a licensed Florida attorney before relying on any specific procedure. Last reviewed .