SR-22
An SR-22 is a certificate an insurer files with a state motor-vehicle agency proving that the named driver has required motor-vehicle liability insurance. It is not separate insurance and does not pay accident losses by itself. The underlying policy's limits, exclusions, conditions, and state rules determine the protection available.
Also called: sr22, fr-44, sr-22 insurance
An SR-22 is paperwork your insurer sends to the state, not an extra kind of coverage. It proves you carry the liability insurance the state requires, and it is filed after events such as a suspension, an uninsured-driving violation or a judgment, according to the Virginia DMV (opens in a new tab). The liability policy underneath keeps paying under its own limits and terms, and it has to stay active. Your state, the violation and the required period set the details, so a notice from the DMV or a court is the first document to check.
How an SR-22 works with your liability limits
The SR-22 adds no pool of money for accidents; the policy's limits do the paying. Virginia's numbers show how, in an illustration for one state, not a national rule.
Hover or tap a row to highlight it.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Bodily injury, one person | $25,000 |
| Bodily injury, two or more people | $50,000 |
| Property damage | $20,000 |
| Required filing period | 3 years |
These limits and the three-year period come from the Virginia DMV certificate of insurance form (opens in a new tab). With one injured person, the insurer's liability is capped at $25,000 for that person. With two injured people, the cap is $50,000 in total, divided under the policy. For property damage the cap is $20,000.
Say a covered property-damage claim comes to $30,000. The SR-22 does not raise the payout; with a $20,000 limit, liability coverage pays at most $20,000, leaving $10,000 potentially unpaid by that coverage.
You pay the auto-policy premium and any filing charge shown in your quote.
Kinds of SR-22 filings and what each one changes
The filing type depends on whether you own a vehicle and which vehicles the policy covers.
- Owner's SR-22. Covers vehicles you own and list, and you keep the required liability limits on them.
- Operator's SR-22. Applies to a licensed person who does not own a vehicle and covers driving vehicles as the policy defines. It does not insure a vehicle itself.
- Broad form. California (opens in a new tab) describes this as covering vehicles whether you own them or not.
- FR-44. In Virginia, specified DUI-related convictions call for an FR-44 instead of an SR-22, with double the limits: $50,000, $100,000 and $40,000.
Required limits and the filing period vary by state and event.
An SR-22 can raise your total cost, because the violation behind it affects the insurer's rating, eligibility and required limits. The premium and filing charge come from the insurer's quote, and the SR-22 label does not pay a claim any differently.
Collision and comprehensive coverage protect the insured vehicle and do not satisfy the liability requirement on their own, according to the California DMV (opens in a new tab). A policy sold as full coverage still needs the required liability limits.
Where you see an SR-22
An SR-22 belongs to motor-vehicle liability insurance, normally a personal auto policy, or an operator's policy if you do not own a car. It does not ordinarily appear on home, renters, life, health or business-property coverage. You can see it in these places:
- A quote, when the application asks whether a filing is required.
- A binder or new-policy paperwork, when the insurer confirms the filing.
- A declarations page or endorsement schedule, if the insurer lists it there.
- A renewal notice, a DMV notice or a court reinstatement notice.
The insurer sends the filing to the state agency. Ask for the filing date, the state, the policy number, the vehicles or drivers covered and the required end date. In California, the SR-22 form is accepted as proof of financial responsibility (opens in a new tab).
What Connecticut and New York require
Connecticut and New York handle this differently from states that use the SR-22 routinely.
- Connecticut. Public Act 04-257 eliminated the specific requirement to file an SR-22 after certain reckless-driving, evading-responsibility, racing, DUI and fatal-accident offenses, and it kept the commissioner's general authority to require financial responsibility, according to the Connecticut General Assembly analysis (opens in a new tab). Insurance on registered vehicles must still be continuous. Minimum liability limits are $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $25,000 per accident for property damage, according to the Connecticut DMV (opens in a new tab). Registration and insurance-proof rules sit in Chapter 246 of the Connecticut General Statutes (opens in a new tab), including § 14-12b. Our guide to Connecticut SR22 insurance covers the state in more detail.
- New York. Vehicles registered in New York need liability coverage from an insurer licensed by the Department of Financial Services, per New York DMV auto liability insurance rules (opens in a new tab), and insurers report coverage to the DMV through its electronic reporting system (opens in a new tab). If another state ordered the filing, confirm it with that state and your insurer, because a New York insurance card does not stand in for another state's SR-22.
Questions to ask an agent or insurer
Five questions cover the points that differ most from person to person.
- Does my state require an SR-22 for my specific violation, judgment or reinstatement order? The filing is specific to the state and the event.
- Will you file it directly with the DMV, and what effective date will it carry? The certificate has to reach the state agency and cover the required period.
- Do I need an owner's, operator's or broad-form filing? The forms differ by vehicle ownership.
- What liability limits, filing period, premium and filing charge apply? The premium and fee come from the quote.
- What happens if the policy is canceled, nonrenewed or a payment is late? A lapse can lead to an insurer notice to the DMV during the required period.
Frequently asked questions
Does an SR-22 cover my car?
No. Coverage comes from the underlying liability policy, and an owner's, operator's or broad form decides which vehicles and drivers it reaches. Damage to your own car falls under collision or comprehensive coverage, which a separate part of the policy controls.
How long do I have to keep an SR-22?
The state and the triggering event set the period. Virginia requires three years for the circumstances its DMV lists, counted from the suspension, revocation or judgment date. Ask the state motor-vehicle agency and your insurer for the exact end date.
What happens if my SR-22 policy is canceled?
The insurer must notify the Virginia DMV if the policy is canceled during the required period. The driving privilege can be suspended or revoked until a current SR-22 or applicable FR-44 is filed, according to the Virginia DMV (opens in a new tab).
What is the difference between SR-22 and SR-20?
SR-22 is the financial-responsibility filing described here. If a notice, form or quote says SR-20, ask the DMV or the insurer to identify the exact form, its purpose, its limits and its filing period before you buy coverage.