Florida FR-44 insurance is a certificate of financial responsibility that proves you carry auto liability coverage at limits of $100,000 per person and $300,000 per crash for bodily injury, plus $50,000 for property damage.1The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 324.023 – Financial Responsibility for Bodily Injury or Death The state requires it after a DUI conviction, and you must keep it active for three years from the date your driving privileges are reinstated. Any lapse during that window can restart the clock.
When You Need an FR-44
Florida Statute 324.023 triggers the FR-44 requirement for anyone found guilty of, or who pleads guilty or no contest to, driving under the influence under Section 316.193. The rule covers DUI convictions on or after October 1, 2007, and it applies across the board — a standard impaired-driving charge, DUI causing serious bodily injury, and DUI manslaughter all fall under it.2Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. FR (4) Cases – Increased BIL/PDL Limits for DUI Cases
The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) notifies you once the conviction is final. You cannot reinstate your license, and you cannot even qualify for a hardship license, without an FR-44 on file. The requirement applies even if you do not own a car; in that case you need a non-owner FR-44 policy.
The Required Coverage Limits
Every FR-44 policy must meet what insurers call the “100/300/50” split limits:
- $100,000 for bodily injury or death of one person in a single crash
- $300,000 for bodily injury or death of two or more people in a single crash
- $50,000 for property damage in a single crash
Florida also accepts a combined single limit of $350,000 as an alternative. Either option satisfies the statute.3Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. DUI Frequently Asked Questions
These numbers are roughly ten times what standard Florida drivers carry. The ordinary minimums are $10,000 in personal injury protection and $10,000 in property damage liability; bodily injury liability is not required for standard drivers at all.4Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Insurance Requirements Going from zero required bodily injury coverage to $100,000/$300,000 is the main reason FR-44 premiums run so high.
FR-44 Is Not the Same as SR-22
Florida uses two financial responsibility certificates and they are not interchangeable. An SR-22 covers non-DUI situations such as driving uninsured or being in an uninsured accident, and it only has to meet the state’s standard minimum limits. An FR-44 is exclusively for DUI convictions and demands the much higher 100/300/50 limits. If you file an SR-22 when the state is expecting an FR-44, your suspension will not clear.
How to Get an FR-44 Policy
Finding a Carrier
Not every insurer writes FR-44 policies. You need a company licensed in Florida that handles high-risk filings. If your current insurer won’t do it, you’ll be shopping among carriers that specialize in non-standard auto insurance. The insurer transmits the FR-44 to the DHSMV directly — you cannot file it yourself.
To start, have your full legal name, date of birth, Florida driver’s license number, and the case or citation number from your DUI conviction ready. If you own a vehicle, you’ll also need the VIN and garaging address. Confirm the case information is correct so the filing links to the right record. A mismatch delays reinstatement.
Non-Owner FR-44 Policies
If you don’t own a car, a non-owner FR-44 provides the required bodily injury and property damage liability without being tied to a specific vehicle. It covers you when driving borrowed or rented cars for personal use. It does not include collision or comprehensive coverage, and it will not cover a car you own or regularly use for work. The DHSMV treats it the same as an owner policy for reinstatement.
What It Costs and How You Pay
FR-44 insurance is expensive, and the actual premium varies with driving history, age, location, and carrier. Many insurers require the full six- or twelve-month premium upfront instead of monthly installments. That is an industry practice rather than a legal requirement, and it exists because a lapsed policy triggers automatic license suspension. Some carriers offer payment plans, but they are the exception in this market. Plan for a substantial upfront payment when you budget for reinstatement.
How Long the Filing Takes to Clear
Once the premium is paid, your insurer transmits the FR-44 certificate electronically to the DHSMV. From the point the department receives the data, expect roughly 24 hours before the FR-44 appears on your record.5Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Advisory Bulletin – Processing Time for Electronic Filing of SR22s and FR44s Add whatever time your insurer takes to transmit the filing in the first place, which varies by company. You can confirm the update through the DHSMV’s online driver license check.
The Three-Year Clock and What a Lapse Costs
The FR-44 must stay active for three consecutive years from the date your driving privileges are reinstated — not from the conviction date, and not from the day you bought the policy.3Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. DUI Frequently Asked Questions That distinction matters because the conviction date and the reinstatement date are often months apart.
Coverage cannot lapse for any reason during those three years. If your policy is cancelled or expires without renewal, your insurer is required to notify the DHSMV. The state then suspends your license and vehicle registrations. Reinstating after a lapse means more fees and, potentially, a reset of the three-year clock to the new reinstatement date. Two years of continuous coverage can be erased by a single missed payment.
At the end of the three years, you become exempt from the FR-44 requirement, provided you have not been convicted of another DUI or felony traffic offense in that period.1The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 324.023 – Financial Responsibility for Bodily Injury or Death Once exempt, you can switch to a standard Florida policy with normal liability limits.
What Else Reinstatement Requires
Filing an FR-44 is one piece of getting your license back, not the whole process. Treating it as the only step is a common and expensive mistake. Before reinstating driving privileges, the DHSMV requires all of the following:3Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. DUI Frequently Asked Questions
- DUI school. If you reinstate after the revocation period ends, proof of enrollment is required at reinstatement and you have 90 days to finish. Failure to complete it cancels your license until you do. You can only attend a program in the county where you live, work, or go to school.
- Substance abuse evaluation and treatment, if the court referred you. Proof of completion is needed before you apply for reinstatement or a hardship license.
- Reinstatement fees. A $130 administrative fee for alcohol-related offenses, plus a revocation reinstatement fee ranging from $150 to $500, plus standard license fees.6Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Fees
- Required exams. You may need to retake the written knowledge test and vision exam.
Depending on your blood alcohol level and whether this is a repeat offense, a court may also order an ignition interlock device on every vehicle you own or operate. Second and subsequent DUIs come with their own conditions, including longer revocation periods and mandatory interlock, which sit alongside the FR-44 obligation rather than replace it.
If You Move Out of State
Moving does not erase your Florida FR-44 obligation. The Driver License Compact, which most states participate in, lets jurisdictions share conviction and licensing records. When you apply for a license in your new state, your Florida DUI conviction and the outstanding FR-44 requirement travel with you.
To satisfy the Florida requirement from out of state, you typically need FR-44 coverage from an insurer licensed in Florida; a policy written only in your new state will not count. The filing must remain active for the full three years no matter where you live. A lapse can prompt the DHSMV to flag your record, which may block your new state from issuing or renewing your license.