A plain-language Florida guide for Palm Beach County

SR-22 vs FR-44 in Florida: which filing applies to you and what it certifies

Reviewed by Matt Williams, Licensed Insurance AgentLast reviewed October 3, 2026

The short version

If the state wants proof of insurance before you drive again, SR-22 vs FR-44 in Florida comes down to why: a DUI points to the FR-44 and its higher limits, while an SR-22 certifies bodily injury and property damage liability for reinstatement. Neither one is a policy; each is a filing your insurance company sends the state.

SR-22: vouches for bodily injury and property damage liability.
FR-44: the higher liability limits Florida sets after a DUI.
Not every company makes these filings, so ask before buying.

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Matt Williams, a licensed Florida insurance agent, lays out on BocaRatonInsuranceFL.com what each of the two state filings certifies, so the policy you buy matches what the state asked for the first time.

That matters because the filing comes from the insurance company, not from you. A policy from a company that does not make the filing leaves you insured but still missing the proof the state is waiting for.

Neither filing is a policy: each one is your company vouching for your coverage

You do not buy an SR-22 or an FR-44 on its own. You buy auto insurance from a company willing to file one, and that company sends the filing to the state on your behalf.

The FLHSMV insurance requirements page calls the SR-22 "an insurance filing" and names the two coverages it vouches for, bodily injury liability and property damage liability, as a way to meet reinstatement requirements under Florida's Financial Responsibility Law. The FR-44 does the same kind of job for the higher limits that s. 324.023 sets after a DUI.

Palm Beach County roads in 2024

26,550crashes reported on county roads
16,564people hurt in those crashes
207people who did not survive one
489crashes that involved a motorcycle

Source: FLHSMV Traffic Crash Facts, 2024; figures checked 2026-10-03

An SR-22 is the proof that lets reinstatement move forward

If the state has listed an SR-22 among your reinstatement requirements, the filing is how your company shows the state that the coverage is in place.

What an SR-22 adds to an ordinary Florida policy

For a standard registration, the same FLHSMV page asks for PIP and property damage liability, at least $10,000 of each, and lists bodily injury liability only for vehicles registered as taxis. An SR-22 brings bodily injury liability into the picture, because it is one of the two coverages the filing certifies. The PIP and bodily injury guide explains what each line pays.

What the SR-22 definition leaves out

The FLHSMV page does not say how long an SR-22 must stay on file, which limits it carries or which events lead to one. Take those answers from your own reinstatement requirements, not from a rule of thumb or a friend's case.

An FR-44 follows a DUI and calls for higher limits

The FR-44 is the filing tied to s. 324.023. That statute reaches an owner or operator who has been found guilty of a DUI charge, or who pleaded guilty or no contest to one, whether or not the court adjudicated guilt. On top of any other financial responsibility the law already requires, it calls for the ability to answer for damages at these amounts:

What the statute covers	Amount
Bodily injury or death of one person, any one crash	$100,000
Bodily injury or death of two or more people, any one crash	$300,000
Property damage, any one crash	$50,000

The same section says these higher limits must be carried for a minimum of 3 years. It also exempts the driver once 3 years pass from reinstatement with no new conviction for DUI or a felony traffic offense.

SR-22 vs FR-44 in Florida: Match the Filing First, Then Compare Companies That Make It

The reason behind the requirement picks the filing. What is left to decide is which company writes the policy, and here the first question is simple: does this company file the one you need? Not every insurance company handles these filings, and a quote from one that does not is a quote you cannot use.

That is where an agent who is independent, representing many companies, earns the call. One conversation can check which of several companies make the filing, same day quotes come back to compare, and a licensed agent answers. You explain a suspension or a DUI once, instead of at agency after agency.

Asking does not touch what you have now. A quote does not bind coverage, cancel your current policy or send a filing anywhere. While you compare, keep your coverage continuous: the FLHSMV page tells owners to keep coverage even when a car is not being driven, and to turn in the plate before canceling insurance. For how auto quotes work here, see the Boca Raton auto insurance page.

Have these ready and one call can cover the whole filing

The paperwork that lists your reinstatement requirements, including which filing it names
Your driver license number
The date of the DUI conviction or plea, if an FR-44 applies
Year, make, model and VIN for each vehicle, and where each one is kept overnight
Your current declarations page, if you have a policy now
Each household driver's full name and date of birth

Questions About SR-22 and FR-44 Filings

Is an SR-22 or FR-44 its own insurance policy?

No. Each is a filing the insurance company sends the state about a policy you hold. The policy carries the coverage; the filing certifies it.

How long does an FR-44 have to stay in place?

Section 324.023 says the higher limits must be carried for at least 3 years, and it stops applying 3 years after reinstatement if there is no new DUI or felony traffic conviction. The FLHSMV page gives no SR-22 duration, so rely on your own reinstatement requirements for that one.

Will any insurance company file an SR-22 for me?

Not necessarily. Some companies make these filings and some do not, so ask before you buy. One call can check several companies at once, and a quote does not bind anything.

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