Monroe County is unlike any other county in Florida — the Florida Keys, a 113-mile chain of coral islands connected by the Overseas Highway (US-1), ending at Key West, the southernmost point in the contiguous United States. With 82,000 permanent residents and millions of visitors annually, Monroe County combines a world-famous tourist destination with one of the most unique geographic enforcement environments in the country. The 16th Judicial Circuit handles FR44/DUI cases exclusively from Monroe County — it is Florida’s only single-county judicial circuit.

The Overseas Highway: Florida’s Only Road Out

Monroe County’s most distinctive enforcement characteristic is its geography. There is only one road connecting the Keys to the mainland: US-1 (the Overseas Highway) via Card Sound Road or the 18-mile stretch of US-1 through Homestead. Every driver leaving the Keys must use one of these routes — creating natural enforcement concentrations at the Card Sound Bridge toll and the US-1/Homestead transition that have no equivalent in any other Florida county.

Key West / Duval Street: Key West’s Duval Street is one of the most famous bar streets in the United States — a mile-long concentration of bars, restaurants, and entertainment venues that operates around the clock. Key West’s philosophy of “live and let live” and its Mardi Gras-adjacent bar culture generate significant DUI enforcement. The Key West Police Department and Monroe County Sheriff both patrol the Old Town area. Fantasy Fest (October) and Spring Break concentration in the Keys generate annual enforcement spikes.

Islamorada / Marathon / Key Largo: The Upper and Middle Keys each have their own restaurant and bar corridors — Islamorada’s Somewhere in Time, the Lorelei, and Holiday Isle; Marathon’s waterfront dining on US-1; Key Largo’s Caribbean Club and waterfront fish camps. US-1 through these communities is the only road and generates enforcement along its entire length.

Boating Under the Influence (BUI) — Unique to Monroe

Monroe County has Florida’s highest rate of BUI (Boating Under the Influence) arrests — a separate but related offense that can trigger FR44 requirements if the BUI conviction results in license revocation under Florida statutes. The Keys’ recreational boating culture, proximity to the Florida Reef, and extensive backcountry and offshore fishing fleet create a waterway enforcement environment unlike anywhere else in Florida. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) actively enforces BUI on Keys waters.

FR44 Requirements — 16th Judicial Circuit (Monroe)

All Florida DUI (and qualifying BUI) convictions require FR44 filing: $100,000/$300,000 bodily injury and $50,000 property damage, 3 years continuous from reinstatement. The 16th Circuit — Florida’s only single-county circuit — processes all Monroe cases through the Key West Courthouse. FLHSMV office in Marathon handles Keys-area filings.

FR44 Insurance Costs in Monroe County

Location	FR44 Annual Cost (est.)
Key West	$1,400 – $2,800
Marathon / Big Pine Key	$1,300 – $2,600
Islamorada / Key Largo	$1,300 – $2,600
Non-owner (no vehicle)	$340 – $700

Monroe County FR44 rates are higher than most Florida counties due to: high vehicle value concentration, island logistics for claims processing, and the premium Miami-Dade adjacent insurance market that influences Keys pricing.

Getting FR44 in Monroe County / The Florida Keys

MyFloridaFR44.com files FR44 for all Monroe County communities including the full Keys chain from Key Largo to Key West. Same-day electronic filing with FLHSMV. We handle BUI-related FR44 requirements as well as standard DUI cases.