Do All States Require FR-44 Insurance?

No. Only Florida and Virginia require FR-44 insurance.

This type of certificate is typically mandated after a DUI or other serious driving offense and carries higher liability requirements than an SR-22. All other states use SR-22 or other mechanisms

Florida FR44 Virginia FR44

What Is FR-44 Insurance?

An FR-44 is a certificate of financial responsibility filed with your insurance company — like the better-known SR-22, but with much higher liability requirements.

It’s used to prove that high-risk drivers (often with DUI convictions) are carrying the state-mandated minimum coverage — or more.

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A Brief History of the FR-44

The FR-44 was introduced as a tougher alternative to the SR-22 in response to growing concerns about repeat DUI offenders and alcohol-related traffic accidents.

  • Virginia was the first state to implement the FR-44 in 2008, following legislation aimed at strengthening consequences for DUI-related offenses.

  • Florida followed shortly after, enacting its version of FR-44 legislation in 2009, again targeting serious driving offenses.

The primary difference:
FR-44 requires double or more the liability coverage compared to SR-22.

Why Only Florida and Virginia?

Both states saw that many DUI offenders were meeting only the bare minimum SR-22 insurance, which didn’t cover the financial damages in serious accidents.

These two states:

  • Decided to create a stricter financial burden on DUI offenders

  • Required higher minimum coverage amounts to ensure victims were better protected

  • Introduced FR-44 as a deterrent to repeat offenses

Other states chose instead to stick with SR-22 filings, or to enforce penalties through license suspensions, ignition interlock requirements, and fines.

📊 FR-44 Coverage Requirements
State Type Liability Minimums Duration
Florida FR-44 $100,000 / $300,000 BI, $50,000 PD ~3 years
Virginia FR-44 $100,000 / $200,000 BI, $40,000 PD ~3 years
Other SR-22 Varies by state, typically lower 1–5 years

What If You Move Out of State?

Even if you move away from Florida or Virginia:

  • You must maintain your FR-44 for the full required period

  • You may register a vehicle and get insurance in your new state

  • But you must still keep the FR-44 policy active with a Florida/Virginia insurer

You can't transfer an FR-44 — it’s tied to the state that issued it.

Summary

  • Do all states require FR44 Insurance - Only Florida and Virginia require FR-44 filings.

  • FR-44 is stricter than SR-22, used mostly for DUI-related offenses.

  • It exists because both states wanted greater financial accountability.

  • Other states still use SR-22, ignition interlocks, and fines instead.

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