The FR-44 Filing Florida Requires After DUI
You have a DUI conviction under Florida Statute 316.193, dated on or after October 1, 2007. The reinstatement letter from Florida DHSMV says FR-44. You called your current carrier and they quoted SR-22. You called three others and two won't write you at all; the third quoted SR-22 again. You're stuck because SR-22 and FR-44 are not interchangeable filings in Florida, and most carriers don't write FR-44 even when they write SR-22.
Florida eliminated SR-22 as a valid filing for DUI offenders when it introduced FR-44 in 2007. The FR-44 is a certificate of financial responsibility that requires substantially higher liability limits than SR-22 — 100/300/50 instead of the state's ordinary $10,000 property damage minimum. DHSMV will reject an SR-22 filing for a DUI conviction. The filing must come from a carrier licensed to write FR-44 in Florida, and only 12 carriers actively write new FR-44 business in this state.
Get FR-44 insurance quotes from carriers that file in Florida and Virginia
FR-44 requires higher liability limits than SR-22 — compare carriers that understand the difference.
Get Your Free QuoteFlorida FR-44 Liability Minimums
100/300/50
Florida FR-44 requires $100,000 bodily injury per person, $300,000 per accident, and $50,000 property damage — ten times the state's ordinary $10,000 property damage floor and substantially higher than the 25/50/10 SR-22 requirement most other states use.
Florida Statute 316.193, DHSMV FR-44 filing requirements
Why Most Carriers Quote SR-22 Instead
Most national carriers flag DUI convictions as high-risk events in their underwriting systems, but their quoting tools default to SR-22 because SR-22 exists in 49 states and FR-44 exists only in Florida and Virginia. The carrier's system knows you need a filing; it does not automatically distinguish between the two. When you request a quote online or over the phone, the system generates an SR-22 quote unless the underwriter manually overrides it to FR-44.
Some carriers write SR-22 but do not write FR-44 at all. Others write both but restrict FR-44 to specific underwriting tiers — they'll file SR-22 for a suspended license due to unpaid tickets, but they won't file FR-44 for a DUI conviction because the elevated liability limits and three-year filing period increase their exposure. The result: you receive a quote, you pay the premium, the carrier files SR-22 electronically to DHSMV, and DHSMV rejects it because your conviction requires FR-44. You're out the premium and still suspended.
The carriers that do write FR-44 in Florida include Geico, Progressive, Acceptance Insurance, Dairyland, Bristol West, Infinity, Kemper, National General, The General, Direct Auto, Clearcover, and Allstate. State Farm and Nationwide publish FR-44 capability on their resource pages but do not actively quote new FR-44 business in all Florida counties. USAA writes FR-44 for eligible members. If the carrier you're calling is not on this list, they either don't write FR-44 or they write it only for existing policyholders, not new applicants.
The carrier you're calling writes SR-22 but not FR-44, or their system defaulted to SR-22 because you didn't specify FR-44 by name — and DHSMV will reject the SR-22 filing without notifying you until you attempt reinstatement.
What the FR-44 Filing Actually Does
When you buy an FR-44 policy, the carrier files an FR-44 certificate electronically to DHSMV within 24-48 hours. DHSMV receives the filing, verifies the liability limits meet the 100/300/50 requirement, and updates your driver record to show active FR-44 compliance. The filing does not reinstate your license automatically — you still need to complete DUI school, pay the reinstatement fee, satisfy any ignition interlock requirement, and apply for reinstatement through your local DHSMV office or Administrative Reviews Office if you're applying for a hardship license during the suspension period.
The FR-44 filing must remain active for three years from your conviction date, not your filing date. If your conviction was January 15, 2025, your FR-44 requirement runs until January 15, 2028 regardless of when you actually filed. If you let the policy lapse, the carrier files an FR-44 cancellation notice to DHSMV, DHSMV suspends your license again, and your three-year clock resets from the date you refile. A lapse of even one day triggers the reset. Most carriers charge a $25-$50 filing fee at policy inception; some charge an additional $15-$25 reinstatement filing fee if you lapse and refile.
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How to Get an FR-44 Quote That DHSMV Will Accept
Call or quote online with a carrier from the list above. State explicitly that you need FR-44, not SR-22. Provide your conviction date, your DUI case number if available, and your current license status. The carrier will pull your driving record through LexisNexis or a similar service and verify the FR-44 requirement with DHSMV's records. If your record shows FR-44 required, the carrier quotes FR-44 automatically. If your record is unclear or the conviction is recent and not yet fully processed by DHSMV, the carrier may quote SR-22 by default — push back and confirm FR-44 before paying.
Expect monthly premiums in the $148-$318 range for a first-offense DUI with no other violations, based on 2026 industry benchmarks from ValuePenguin, Insurify, and MoneyGeek. Rates vary by age, county, vehicle, credit tier, and whether you own the vehicle or need non-owner FR-44. Non-owner FR-44 policies cost less because they cover liability only when you're driving a vehicle you don't own — no collision, no comprehensive, no physical damage coverage. If you don't own a vehicle and won't be driving one regularly, non-owner FR-44 satisfies DHSMV's filing requirement at a lower premium.
If you own a vehicle, you need owner FR-44 with full coverage if you have a loan or lease, or liability-only FR-44 if you own the vehicle outright. The 100/300/50 liability requirement is mandatory regardless of coverage type. You cannot buy a policy with lower limits and add FR-44 on top — the FR-44 is the liability floor, not an add-on. Some carriers let you increase limits to 250/500/100 or higher for a modest premium increase; higher limits reduce your out-of-pocket exposure if you cause a serious accident during your three-year filing period.
Once you receive the quote, confirm the carrier will file FR-44 electronically to DHSMV and ask for the filing confirmation number or a copy of the FR-44 certificate. Most carriers provide a PDF copy within 48 hours of policy inception. Bring that certificate to your DHSMV reinstatement appointment or hardship license hearing. DHSMV's system updates within 3-5 business days of the carrier's electronic filing, but having the paper certificate avoids delays if DHSMV's system lags.
Florida FR-44 Filing Period
3 years
Florida measures the three-year FR-44 requirement from your conviction date under FS 316.193, not from the date you file or reinstate your license. Every day you delay finding coverage after conviction is a day you pay elevated premiums without reducing your total compliance timeline.
Florida Statute 316.193, DHSMV administrative code
What Happens If You File SR-22 by Mistake
DHSMV rejects the SR-22 filing because your conviction requires FR-44. The rejection does not generate an automatic notification to you or the carrier in most cases — you discover the problem when you attempt reinstatement and DHSMV's system shows no valid filing on record. You've paid premiums for a policy that does not satisfy your requirement. The carrier may refund the filing fee but will not refund the full premium because you had active liability coverage during the period, even though the filing type was wrong.
You then need to cancel the SR-22 policy, find a carrier that writes FR-44, buy a new policy, and wait for the FR-44 filing to process. The gap between cancellation and the new FR-44 filing does not reset your three-year clock because DHSMV never accepted the SR-22 filing in the first place — but it does extend your suspension period because you still don't have a valid filing. If you're applying for a hardship license, the Administrative Reviews Office will deny your application until DHSMV's system shows an active FR-44 on file.
Compare FR-44 Carriers Licensed in Florida
Start with Geico, Progressive, and Acceptance Insurance — all three actively write FR-44 in Florida, quote online, and file electronically to DHSMV within 24-48 hours. Geico and Progressive sit in the standard tier and typically offer lower rates for first-offense DUI drivers with otherwise clean records. Acceptance Insurance sits in the non-standard tier and writes drivers with multiple violations, high BAC, or prior lapses that standard carriers decline. If Geico or Progressive decline you, Acceptance is the next call.
Dairyland, Bristol West, Infinity, Kemper, and The General also write FR-44 in Florida and specialize in high-risk drivers. Rates from these carriers typically run higher than Geico or Progressive but lower than some regional non-standard carriers. National General writes FR-44 and offers online quoting; their rates sit between standard and non-standard tiers depending on your full driving profile. Direct Auto and Clearcover both write FR-44 in Florida as of 2026 — Clearcover is a newer carrier with a smaller footprint but competitive rates for drivers who qualify.
Get quotes from at least three carriers before committing. Rates vary by $50-$100 per month for the same driver profile depending on the carrier's underwriting model and their appetite for DUI risk in your county. Confirm each carrier will file FR-44 electronically to DHSMV and ask for the filing confirmation within 48 hours of policy inception. Compare not just the monthly premium but the total three-year cost — some carriers offer lower first-year rates but increase premiums 20-30% at renewal, while others hold rates flat across the three-year period if you stay claims-free.