An FR-44 is a certificate your insurer files with the state to prove you carry car insurance at higher-than-normal liability limits. It exists in only two states, Florida and Virginia, and it is almost always ordered after a DUI. If you have been told you need one in Florida, it helps to know that an FR-44 is less a kind of insurance than a filing attached to a policy that meets stricter limits.
This guide explains what an FR-44 actually is, how it differs from the better-known SR-22, who has to carry one and where, what it does to your premium, and how the filing works from start to finish.
Key Takeaways
- An FR-44 is a certificate your insurer files with the state to prove you carry liability coverage at higher-than-normal limits.
- The FR-44 is used in only two states, Florida and Virginia, and is almost always ordered after a DUI.
- Unlike an SR-22, which certifies the state’s standard minimum limits, an FR-44 certifies substantially higher liability limits.
- Florida requires an FR-44 policy to carry bodily injury liability of $100,000 per person and $300,000 per accident, plus $50,000 in property damage, written as 100/300/50.
- Virginia requires double its ordinary minimum, which rose to 50/100/25 on January 1, 2025, so an FR-44 policy must carry 100/200/50.
- An FR-44 is generally required for three years, and a lapse during that period can restart the clock.
What Is FR-44 Insurance?
FR-44 is not a separate policy. It is a form, a certificate of financial responsibility, that your insurance company files with the state to confirm you carry liability coverage at the elevated limits the state requires after a serious offense. The insurance part is an ordinary auto policy. The FR-44 is the paperwork that proves the policy meets those higher limits.
Two things make an FR-44 stand out. First, it is used only in Florida and Virginia. Every other state handles the same situation with an SR-22. Second, it demands substantially higher liability limits than the state’s ordinary minimum, so the policy behind it costs more than a basic one. Understanding those two features answers most of what drivers want to know about the form.
For most drivers, the practical picture is straightforward. You keep or buy a normal auto policy, you raise it to the limits the state requires, and your insurer sends the state a form confirming it. The FR-44 does not add coverage for your own car or change how claims are handled. It is a compliance step that proves, on paper, that you carry enough liability protection after a serious offense.
FR-44 vs SR-22: The Key Difference
An FR-44 and an SR-22 do the same job. Both certify to the state that you are financially responsible and carry the required coverage. They are not interchangeable, though, and the difference comes down to the limits each one certifies.
- An SR-22 certifies that your policy meets the state’s standard minimum liability limits.
- An FR-44 certifies that your policy meets higher limits, well above the standard minimum.
That gap in required limits is the entire point. States reserve the FR-44 for their most serious offenses, usually a DUI, on the reasoning that a driver with that history should carry more liability protection for the people around them. Because Florida and Virginia are the only states that use the FR-44, a driver convicted anywhere else deals with an SR-22 instead. If you later move out of Florida or Virginia, your new state will typically switch you to its own SR-22 process.
What Limits Does an FR-44 Require?
The state sets the required limits, and the insurer’s job is to file the certificate confirming your policy meets them. They are notably higher than a normal minimum policy. Under Florida law (Fla. Stat. § 324.023), a driver convicted of DUI must carry bodily injury liability of $100,000 per person and $300,000 per accident, plus $50,000 in property damage liability, written as 100/300/50. That is a large jump, because Florida’s ordinary minimum does not even require bodily injury liability at all. Under Code of Virginia § 46.2-316, Virginia’s FR-44 requirement is double the state’s ordinary minimum liability limits. That minimum rose to 50/100/25 on January 1, 2025 under Code of Virginia § 46.2-472, so an FR-44 policy must now carry double those amounts, 100/200/50, that is $100,000 in bodily injury per person, $200,000 per accident, and $50,000 in property damage. Because a state can change these figures, confirm the current requirement with the Virginia DMV before you rely on a specific number.
Whichever state applies to you, the policy behind the FR-44 has to meet these higher limits for the full filing period. If the coverage ever drops below them, the state is notified, which is why the limits matter as much as the filing itself.
Who Needs an FR-44, and in Which States
You need an FR-44 only if a court or the state orders one, and only in Florida or Virginia. In practice, the requirement is tied to alcohol- and drug-related driving offenses. Common triggers include:
- a DUI or DWI conviction,
- refusing a breath or chemical test during a DUI stop,
- driving on a license already suspended for a prior DUI,
- and, in Florida, certain alcohol- or drug-related vehicular offenses.
Florida is one of the two states that use the FR-44, so these questions come up for Florida drivers in particular. Virginia is the only other one. If your offense happened in any other state, you are almost certainly looking at an SR-22 rather than an FR-44, even if the underlying charge was the same.
How an FR-44 Affects Your Rate
The FR-44 filing itself is inexpensive, usually a small one-time fee. The cost that catches drivers off guard comes from two other places: the higher liability limits the policy must carry, and the DUI conviction that triggered the filing in the first place.
A DUI is one of the steepest rate increases in auto insurance, and it is the violation, not the paperwork, that drives the premium. The Insurance Information Institute lists your driving record among the core factors that determine what you pay, and a DUI is one of the heaviest marks a record can carry. Raising your liability limits to 100/300/50 adds more on top, because more coverage costs more than a minimum-limits policy would.
The increase is not permanent. A DUI and its FR-44 requirement generally affect your rate for the length of the filing and the time the conviction stays on your record. Other violations follow a similar pattern: the effect is largest at first and eases as the incident ages, provided you avoid new ones. Comparing quotes matters more than usual here, because insurers price a DUI and the required higher limits very differently from one another.
It also helps to separate the two costs in your mind. The higher limits are a fixed requirement you cannot avoid while the FR-44 is active, and they buy you more protection in exchange. The DUI surcharge is the part that fades, so the same policy that feels expensive in the first year usually eases by the time the filing period ends.
It also helps to treat the filing as a fixed stage rather than an open-ended cost. Because the requirement runs for a set period and then ends, many drivers get through it by keeping the policy active and continuous, avoiding new violations, and comparing their options at each renewal to see whether a better rate has opened up as the conviction ages. Because the cost comes mostly from the violation rather than the filing itself, the same steps that lower a DUI surcharge over time also ease the price of the policy behind the FR-44.
How to File an FR-44
You do not file an FR-44 yourself. Your insurance company files it electronically with the state once you have a policy that meets the required limits. The process usually looks like this:
- Buy or adjust a policy that meets the FR-44 limits for your state.
- Ask your insurer to submit the FR-44 filing to the state on your behalf.
- Keep the policy active and continuous for the full required period.
That last step matters most. If the policy lapses or is canceled during the filing period, the insurer notifies the state, which can restart the clock or suspend your license again. Keeping coverage continuous is the single most important thing you can do while an FR-44 is on file.
How Long Do You Have to Carry an FR-44?
In both Florida and Virginia, the FR-44 is generally required for three years. The start date is usually tied to your conviction or to the reinstatement of your driving privileges, so exactly when the three years begin depends on your case. The practical takeaway is the same either way: keep the policy continuous for the whole period. A missed payment or a lapse can reset the clock and leave you starting the three years over.
What Happens If Your FR-44 Lapses?
A lapse during the filing period is the mistake to avoid. Because your insurer reports the FR-44 to the state, a cancellation or a missed payment does not go unnoticed. The state can suspend your license again and reset the three-year clock, which means starting the requirement over from zero. A short gap can undo months of progress.
That is why paying on time and keeping the policy active matter more with an FR-44 than with an ordinary policy. If money is tight, it is worth adjusting your coverage or payment plan before you skip a payment, since the consequences of a lapse here are steeper than the savings from missing one. If you are not sure whether your coverage still meets the required limits, contact GoAuto to check.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is FR-44 the same as SR-22?
No. Both are financial-responsibility filings, but an SR-22 certifies your state’s standard minimum liability limits, while an FR-44 certifies higher limits. Only Florida and Virginia use the FR-44; every other state uses the SR-22.
Which states require an FR-44?
Only Florida and Virginia. If your offense happened in any other state, you would typically need an SR-22 instead, even for the same type of charge.
How long does an FR-44 stay on file?
Usually three years in both Florida and Virginia. If your policy lapses during that time, the state is notified and the period can restart.
Does an FR-44 make my insurance more expensive?
The filing itself is inexpensive, but the DUI behind it and the higher required limits do raise your premium. The increase eases over time as the conviction ages, as long as you keep continuous coverage and avoid new violations.
What This Means for You
If you have been ordered to carry an FR-44, the requirement is manageable once you understand it. It is a filing rather than a mystery product: a normal policy raised to higher limits, with your insurer confirming it to the state. It applies only in Florida and Virginia, it usually lasts three years, and the cost comes mostly from the DUI behind it rather than the paperwork.
The two things within your control are keeping the policy continuous and comparing your options at the required limits, since insurers price the same situation differently. Do those two things, avoid new violations, and the FR-44 becomes a temporary step rather than a lasting problem.
About GoAuto
GoAuto Insurance writes auto coverage across its licensed states, with a focus on the state-minimum liability coverage that drivers are required to carry. Because what applies to you depends on your state, your record, and your individual situation, the reliable way to see your options and what they cost is to get a quote. You can start a policy or ask questions about your coverage directly with GoAuto.
Sources
- Insurance Information Institute, What Determines the Price of My Auto Insurance Policy?
- Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Florida Insurance Requirements
- Florida Statutes § 324.023, Financial Responsibility for Bodily Injury or Death
- Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, Financial Responsibility Certifications
- Code of Virginia § 46.2-472, Coverage of Owner’s Policy
- Code of Virginia § 46.2-316 (FR-44 double-limit requirement)