FR-44 in Florida: DUI Insurance Limits, How Long, and What It Takes to Reinstate
An FR-44 is Florida's DUI insurance filing, and the numbers are steep: $100,000 of bodily injury liability for one person, $300,000 per crash, and $50,000 of property damage. Florida requires it after a DUI conviction or a guilty or no contest plea, and you keep it for at least three years from the day your driving privilege is reinstated. Not from the arrest, and not from the conviction.
That last point catches people. A first DUI revocation runs six months to a year, so the FR-44 clock usually starts well after the court date. Florida doesn't require bodily injury coverage to register a car; the state only requires $10,000 of PIP and $10,000 of property damage. Going from that to 100/300/50 is a big jump, and it has to be in place before FLHSMV will give the license back.
Source: s. 324.023; FLHSMV, DUI FAQs (accessed Oct. 25, 2026).
What the FR-44 is, and who needs one
The law behind it is s. 324.023. It applies to any owner or operator of a vehicle that has to be registered in Florida, or is located in Florida, who "regardless of adjudication of guilt" was found guilty of, or pleaded guilty or nolo contendere to, DUI under s. 316.193 after October 1, 2007. That person must "establish and maintain" the higher limits, either with a liability policy or with a certificate of deposit of at least $350,000.
Two words in that sentence matter. "Regardless of adjudication" means a withheld adjudication doesn't get you out of it; the plea is enough. And "in addition to any other financial responsibility required by law" means the FR-44 sits on top of the normal rules. If you own and register a car, you still need PIP and property damage liability on it.
The FR-44 itself is a form, not a type of coverage. Your insurer files it with FLHSMV to certify that your policy carries the higher limits. When FLHSMV set the program up, its 2007 bulletin to insurers said the form would be "similar to Virginia's FR-44," that it was required for reinstatement and had to be maintained for 3 years, and that FLHSMV was adding electronic transaction types for the FR-44 and the FR-46, the form an insurer uses to report a cancellation. It has to come from your insurer.
About the "FR-44 case number" people search for: FLHSMV's suspension notices carry an FR sanction number, and the department says the first digit tells you what kind of financial responsibility sanction you have. The 2007 bulletin calls the DUI conviction cases "FR (4) cases." Your number is on the notice, and you can view a copy of the notice in the MyDMV Portal.
FR-44 limits compared with an SR-22 and a plain registration
Florida has three different liability floors depending on your record. Here's how they line up.
| Register a car (no filing) | SR-22 | FR-44 (DUI) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bodily injury, one person | Not required | $10,000 | $100,000 |
| Bodily injury, two or more people | Not required | $20,000 | $300,000 |
| Property damage liability | $10,000 | $10,000 | $50,000 |
| PIP | $10,000 | $10,000 if you register a car | $10,000 if you register a car |
| Typical trigger | Owning a registered car | Injury crash with no BI, unpaid judgment | DUI conviction or plea after Oct. 1, 2007 |
| How long | Continuously while registered | Usually 3 years | At least 3 years from reinstatement |
| Alternative to a policy | Self-insurance certificate | Deposit or self-insurance | $350,000 certificate of deposit |
Source: s. 324.021; s. 324.023; s. 324.031; FLHSMV, Insurance requirements (accessed Oct. 25, 2026).
Source: ss. 324.021(7) and 324.023, Florida Statutes (2026); FLHSMV, accessed Oct. 25, 2026
Show the numbers
| Item | Minimum |
|---|---|
| FR-44 (DUI) | $300K |
| SR-22 | $20K |
The FR-44 per-crash floor is 15 times the SR-22's. The Florida SR-22 guide covers the 10/20/10 filing in detail; the short version is that an SR-22 follows crashes and judgments, while the FR-44 follows a DUI. During the 2008 changeover, FLHSMV told insurers that SR-22s already filed on DUI cases had to be replaced with FR-44s (by Feb. 2, 2008, per the Jan. 15, 2008 revised bulletin).
There's a wrinkle on the $350,000 figure. The statute describes it as a certificate of deposit. FLHSMV's own DUI FAQ and the 2007 bulletin also describe the requirement as 100/300/50 "or combined single limits of $350,000." If your policy is written with a single combined limit instead of split limits, confirm with FLHSMV that the filing will be accepted before you rely on it.
How long you need the FR-44
The statute says the higher limits "must be carried for a minimum period of 3 years." Then it adds the release valve: if you haven't been convicted of DUI or a felony traffic offense for 3 years from the date your driving privilege was reinstated for the DUI, you're exempt from the section. FLHSMV puts it in plain terms: "The customer must maintain the FR-44 form for three years from the date of reinstatement of their driving privilege."
So count from reinstatement. Here's a hypothetical first-offense timeline, using the minimums in the law. Your dates will differ.
| Step | Example date | What the law says |
|---|---|---|
| Arrest, breath test 0.08 or higher | Month 0 | Officer takes the license and issues a 10-day temporary permit; administrative suspension of 6 months for a first unlawful-BAL case (s. 322.2615). You have 10 days to request a review. |
| Conviction or plea | Month 4 | Court revokes the license for at least 180 days and up to 1 year, effective on the conviction date (s. 322.28). |
| Revocation ends (180-day example) | About month 10 | Reinstate: DUI program enrollment or completion, exams, fees, and the FR-44 on file. |
| FR-44 clock starts | About month 10 | Three years from reinstatement of the driving privilege. |
| FR-44 period ends | About month 46 | Exempt if no DUI or felony traffic conviction in those 3 years (s. 324.023). |
Source: s. 322.2615; s. 322.28; s. 324.023; FLHSMV, DUI FAQs (accessed Oct. 25, 2026).
Months 0 and 4 are made up to show the shape; how long a case takes in court varies. The point is that a first DUI can keep you under the FR-44 for roughly four years from the arrest, even with no other problems. A hardship license changes the math too: FLHSMV's FAQ lists the FR-44 among what you need at reinstatement, whether that's a hardship license or a full one, and the statute ties the 3 years to reinstatement of driving privileges. Ask FLHSMV which date it is using for your record, and write it down.
Getting the license back: revocation periods and hardship
The FR-44 is one item on a longer list. Under s. 322.28, the court revokes the license on conviction, and the length depends on your history. Out-of-state DUI convictions count as priors.
| DUI conviction | Minimum revocation | Hardship license |
|---|---|---|
| First, no bodily injury | 180 days (maximum 1 year) | Possible after DUI school, before the revocation ends |
| First, with serious bodily injury | 3 years | May apply right away (DUI school or advanced driver improvement) |
| Second within 5 years | 5 years | After 1 year |
| Third within 10 years | 10 years | After 2 years |
| Fourth (any time) | Permanent | After 5 years |
Source: s. 322.28; s. 322.271; FLHSMV, Florida DUI and administrative suspension laws (accessed Oct. 25, 2026).
For a first DUI, FLHSMV says you can apply for a hardship license before the revocation expires, with proof that you completed a DUI program (and treatment, if the court referred you). If you wait until the revocation ends, you need proof of enrollment or completion, and if you don't finish the course within 90 days after reinstatement, the license is cancelled until you do. For an administrative suspension after an unlawful breath or blood alcohol level, FLHSMV says you must serve 30 days without a license before hardship eligibility; a first test refusal means 90 days, and there's no hardship license after two or more refusals.
Then the fees. FLHSMV's FAQ lists an administrative fee, a revocation reinstatement fee and the license fees, plus a reinstatement fee between $150 and $500 tied to the insurance requirement. Its fee schedule shows the pieces:
Source: FLHSMV DUI FAQs and 2007 bulletin to insurers ($150/$250/$500); FLHSMV fee schedule (other fees); 3-year count per s. 324.0221(3), Florida Statutes (2026); accessed Oct. 25, 2026
Show the numbers
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Insurance (FR) reinstatement, 3rd or later within 3 years | $500 |
| Insurance (FR) reinstatement, 2nd within 3 years | $250 |
| Insurance (FR) reinstatement, 1st | $150 |
| Administrative fee, alcohol or drug offense | $130 |
| License revocation reinstatement | $75 |
| Hardship hearing filing fee | $12 |
| Service fee that may apply in a tax collector office | $6.25 |
Example: say it's your first DUI and your first insurance-related reinstatement, and you didn't have 100/300/50 on the date of the offense. Using FLHSMV's list, that's $150 + $75 + $130 = $355 before license and exam fees, the DUI program, and the policy. FLHSMV's 2007 bulletin said that if you already had the required limits at the time of the offense, no insurance reinstatement fee applies. That's one practical reason to raise your limits early if a DUI case is pending.
Ignition interlock: separate from the FR-44, often running alongside it
An ignition interlock device (IID) isn't insurance, but it shows up in the same reinstatement. Under s. 322.2715, FLHSMV has to require an IID before issuing a permanent or restricted license to people convicted of the DUIs listed below, on every vehicle they own or lease and routinely drive.
| DUI conviction | Ignition interlock period |
|---|---|
| First | If court ordered (the statute says it "may" be installed for at least 6 continuous months) |
| First, BAL 0.15 or higher or a minor in the car | At least 6 continuous months |
| Second | At least 1 continuous year |
| Second, BAL 0.15 or higher or a minor in the car | At least 2 continuous years |
| Third | At least 2 continuous years |
| Fourth or later | At least 5 years |
Source: s. 322.2715; FLHSMV, Ignition interlock FAQs (accessed Oct. 25, 2026).
Two FLHSMV rules from its IID FAQ are worth knowing. First, interlock time doesn't count until the "P" restriction is on your record and your license is reinstated, so installing the device and waiting doesn't start the clock. Second, if you don't own or routinely drive a vehicle, there's no reinstatement provision: the device has to go in a car you own or routinely operate.
That second rule matters for insurance. Florida law allows an operator's (non-owner) liability policy covering cars you don't own (s. 324.151), and whether an insurer will write one with an FR-44 filing is up to that insurer. If an interlock is part of your sentence, though, you'll need a vehicle to install it in, and that vehicle needs its own coverage.
What Florida law says about the policy itself
A lot of what's written online about FR-44 payment rules isn't in the statutes. Here's what is.
- Six-month minimum term. Insurers must make reinstatement policies available to applicants reinstating after a DUI revocation, subject to their usual underwriting, and those policies "shall be issued for at least 6 months" (s. 627.7275(2)). After issuing one, the insurer notifies FLHSMV that it's in force.
- No cutting limits mid-term. Once the policy takes effect, bodily injury, property damage and PIP can't be reduced below the s. 324.021 or s. 324.023 minimums during the policy period.
- Underwriting still applies. The insurer doesn't have to offer a policy that conflicts with its underwriting guidelines, and it may cancel if you or a household member or regular driver has a license suspended or revoked during the term.
- Down payment. For a new private passenger policy, the general rule in s. 627.7295(7) is that at least 1 month's premium must be collected before the policy starts, with exceptions such as automatic bank or card payment plans.
I didn't find any Florida statute that requires an FR-44 policy to be paid in full or six months in advance. Whether you can pay monthly is the insurer's call, so ask for the payment terms in writing with the quote. Same for any filing charge: Florida's fee schedule doesn't set one.
Keep proof in the car, too. s. 316.646 requires anyone who must carry DUI bodily injury coverage under s. 324.023 to have proof of it while driving.
Moving, or a DUI from another state
Section 324.023 is written around a DUI under Florida's s. 316.193 and vehicles registered or located in Florida. For revocation periods and interlock terms, Florida counts DUI convictions from other states as priors (s. 322.28, s. 322.2715).
If you hold a Florida license and move away, FLHSMV's IID FAQ says the interlock requirement follows you, and "Florida will not clear the driver record until all requirements are met." I couldn't find an FLHSMV page that addresses the FR-44 for people who move, so I won't guess. Before you move, call FLHSMV at (850) 617-2000 and ask what it will accept and how your new state's insurer can file it. Coming the other way, with a DUI on another state's record, the same call is the place to start.
Did anything change in 2026?
Not for the FR-44. The history line on s. 324.023 ends in 2013, and s. 627.7275 was last amended in 2023. The only 2026 change to the DUI statute I found was a technical clean-up in the annual reviser's bill (ch. 2026-14). PIP is still law as well: both 2026 repeal bills, including SB 522, died in committee in March, so bodily injury coverage is still not required just to register a car. The PIP repeal post tracks that, and the 2026 Florida car insurance laws post covers what did change.
What I'd do, step by step
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Case pending | Check your current liability limits. Having 100/300/50 on the offense date avoids the insurance reinstatement fee, per FLHSMV's 2007 bulletin. |
| Within 10 days of the suspension notice | Decide whether to request a review of the administrative suspension (s. 322.2615); talk to your attorney. |
| Before reinstatement | Get a quote from an insurer that files Florida FR-44s; confirm limits (split 100/300/50), term, payment plan and filing charge in writing. |
| At reinstatement | Make sure the FR-44 is on record, DUI school is done or enrolled, and the interlock (if ordered) is installed and the P restriction added. |
| For 3 years | No gaps. Automatic payments. Tell your agent before adding a car or changing insurers. |
| At the end | Confirm with FLHSMV that the 3 years have run before lowering limits. Check status on the Driver License Check. |
Source: s. 324.023; s. 322.2615; FLHSMV bulletin, Dec. 19, 2007; FLHSMV Driver License Check (accessed Oct. 25, 2026).
One more thought. When the FR-44 ends, a lot of people drop straight back to the state minimum. After three years at 100/300/50, it's worth asking whether you want to keep bodily injury coverage anyway, since Florida doesn't require it for most drivers but a serious crash can still leave you personally liable. Our Florida auto insurance page explains the coverages, the Florida umbrella insurance page covers higher liability limits, and the Florida car insurance requirements post covers the base rules. If you have a letter you want to talk through, contact us.
FAQ
What are the FR-44 requirements in Florida?
After a DUI conviction or a guilty or no contest plea after October 1, 2007, Florida requires $100,000 bodily injury liability per person, $300,000 per crash and $50,000 property damage, or a certificate of deposit of at least $350,000, under s. 324.023.
How long do you need an FR-44 in Florida?
At least three years from the date your driving privilege is reinstated after the DUI. You're exempt after 3 years from reinstatement with no DUI or felony traffic conviction.
Does a withheld adjudication still require an FR-44?
Yes. Section 324.023 applies regardless of adjudication of guilt, so a guilty or no contest plea to DUI is enough.
What is the difference between an SR-22 and an FR-44 in Florida?
Both are insurer filings with FLHSMV. An SR-22 certifies 10/20/10 liability, usually after an injury crash without bodily injury coverage or an unpaid judgment. An FR-44 certifies 100/300/50 after a DUI.
Can I get an FR-44 without a car?
Florida law allows an operator's policy that covers cars you don't own, and whether an insurer sells one with an FR-44 is up to the insurer. If you also need an ignition interlock, FLHSMV says there's no reinstatement provision unless you own or routinely drive a vehicle to install it in.
This is general information about Florida law. Your FLHSMV notice, your court order, your policy wording and the statutes control. Confirm your own situation with FLHSMV, a licensed agent or the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, and for questions about a DUI charge or your sentence, talk to an attorney.
Sources
- s. 324.023, Florida Statutes: DUI financial responsibility (FR-44 limits)
- FLHSMV: DUI Frequently Asked Questions (FR-44, reinstatement)
- FLHSMV: Florida DUI and administrative suspension laws
- FLHSMV: Ignition interlock device FAQs
- FLHSMV: Fees (including the $6.25 tax collector service fee)
- FLHSMV bulletin to insurers, Dec. 19, 2007 (FR-44, FR-46)
- FLHSMV revised bulletin to insurers, Jan. 15, 2008 (SR-22 to FR-44 replacement)
- FLHSMV: Insurance requirements
- FLHSMV: Received a letter (FR sanction number)
- FLHSMV: Driver License Check
- s. 316.193, Florida Statutes: DUI
- s. 316.646, Florida Statutes: proof of insurance
- s. 322.2615, Florida Statutes: administrative suspension
- s. 322.271, Florida Statutes: hardship reinstatement
- s. 322.2715, Florida Statutes: ignition interlock
- s. 322.28, Florida Statutes: revocation periods
- s. 324.021, Florida Statutes: minimum limits
- s. 324.0221, Florida Statutes: counting repeat reinstatements within 3 years
- s. 324.031, Florida Statutes: methods of proof
- s. 324.151, Florida Statutes: owner's and operator's policies
- s. 324.181, Florida Statutes: cancellation notice
- s. 324.201, Florida Statutes: return of license
- s. 627.7275, Florida Statutes: reinstatement policies
- s. 627.7295, Florida Statutes: policy term and down payment
- Laws of Florida, ch. 2026-14 (reviser's bill)
- Florida Senate: SB 522 (2026)
This article is for general educational purposes only and is not legal, tax or insurance advice. Coverage depends on the actual policy, its terms, conditions and exclusions, and state law. Maru Insurance · WA License (WAOIC) #1365574 · FL License #G363233 · NPN 22261820.