How Long Does FR-44 Last in Florida? Duration and Timeline

A DUI conviction in Florida triggers a specific state requirement: you must maintain FR-44 certification for three consecutive years before your driving privileges are fully restored. FR-44 is not a type of insurance — it is a certificate your insurer files with the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, proving you carry liability coverage at higher-than-standard minimums. Florida is one of only two states that require FR-44 instead of the more common SR-22 certificate. FR-44 requires 100/300/50 liability coverage — $100,000 per person for bodily injury, $300,000 per incident, and $50,000 for property damage. This is double Florida's standard minimum requirement. Not all insurance companies offer FR-44 filing. Your current carrier may decline to renew your policy or may not be licensed to file FR-44, which means you will need to move to a non-standard auto insurance carrier that specializes in high-risk drivers. The three-year period begins the day your insurer files the FR-44 certificate with the state — not the day of your conviction, not the day you purchase a policy. If you delay obtaining coverage, you delay the start of your compliance clock. If your FR-44 lapses at any point during the three years, the clock resets and you start over from day one.

Florida law requires 36 consecutive months of FR-44 coverage following a DUI conviction. The state monitors your filing status electronically. If your insurer cancels your policy or you allow coverage to lapse for any reason — even one day — your carrier is required to notify the Florida DHSMV immediately. The state will suspend your license again, and your three-year compliance period restarts from zero once you refile. This means a lapse in month 35 does not cost you one month — it costs you three years. The consequence is not proportional to the gap. Drivers who switch carriers during the FR-44 period must ensure there is no gap between the cancellation date of the old policy and the effective date of the new one. Your new carrier must file the FR-44 certificate before your old policy ends, or the state will record a lapse. Some drivers assume FR-44 is a one-time filing fee. It is not. You must maintain continuous coverage at the FR-44 liability limits for the entire three-year period. If you reduce your coverage below 100/300/50 at any point, your insurer will withdraw the FR-44 certificate and the state will suspend your license.

The FR-44 filing itself typically costs between $15 and $50, paid to your insurance carrier as a one-time administrative fee when they submit the certificate to the state. This fee is separate from your premium. The larger cost comes from the rate increase tied to the DUI conviction itself and the requirement to carry higher liability limits through a non-standard carrier. DUI convictions in Florida typically increase your auto insurance premium by 70% to 130%, depending on your age, prior driving record, and the carrier. A driver paying $1,500 annually before the DUI can expect to pay $2,550 to $3,450 with FR-44 filing. Non-standard carriers that accept FR-44 filings include Progressive, Dairyland, The General, Bristol West, and National General. Not all of these carriers operate in every Florida county, and rates vary significantly by ZIP code and violation details. The premium increase lasts longer than the FR-44 filing requirement. While the state only requires three years of FR-44 certification, the DUI conviction remains on your driving record for 75 years in Florida and will affect your insurance rates for approximately five to seven years. After the three-year FR-44 period ends, you can reduce your liability coverage back to state minimums and shop for standard carriers, but your rates will remain elevated until the violation ages off insurers' rate calculations.

Most standard auto insurance carriers — including State Farm, Allstate, and Geico — either do not offer FR-44 filing or will non-renew your policy at your next renewal date following a DUI conviction. You will need to obtain coverage from a non-standard auto insurance carrier. Non-standard auto insurance refers to coverage offered by carriers that specifically work with high-risk drivers — those with DUIs, violations, lapses, or suspensions on their record. The coverage itself is identical to standard insurance; what differs is the carrier's willingness to write drivers who have been declined or overpriced elsewhere. Carriers that commonly offer FR-44 filing in Florida include Progressive, Dairyland, The General, Bristol West, SafeAuto, Acceptance Insurance, and National General. Not all of these insurers operate statewide, and availability varies by county. Some non-standard carriers require a down payment of 20% to 30% of your six-month premium before they will file the FR-44 certificate. You cannot file FR-44 yourself. The certificate must be submitted electronically by a licensed insurance carrier authorized to do business in Florida. Some drivers attempt to purchase a policy and then allow it to lapse after the state receives the filing. This does not work — Florida monitors your FR-44 status continuously, and your carrier is required to notify the DHSMV within 24 hours of any cancellation or lapse.

Your FR-44 requirement officially ends after three full years of continuous coverage with no lapses. On that date, your insurer is not required to notify the state — the obligation simply expires. You are free to reduce your liability limits back to Florida's standard minimum of 10/20/10, though most drivers choose to maintain higher coverage for their own protection. Once the FR-44 period ends, you can begin shopping for standard insurance carriers again. However, the DUI conviction will still appear on your motor vehicle record and will continue to affect your rates. Expect elevated premiums for approximately five to seven years from the conviction date. After three years with clean driving, some drivers see their rates drop by 20% to 40% even while the DUI remains on record, as insurers reduce surcharges for violations that age beyond certain thresholds. If you move out of Florida during your FR-44 compliance period, the requirement does not transfer. You will need to check your new state's filing requirements — most states use SR-22 instead of FR-44, and some states may not honor the time you have already served under Florida's FR-44 mandate. If you return to Florida before completing three years, the original FR-44 requirement resumes and the compliance clock continues from where it stopped.

1. Obtain FR-44 coverage within 10 days of your DUI conviction or license reinstatement eligibility date. The state will not reinstate your license until it receives electronic confirmation of your FR-44 filing. Every day you wait delays the start of your three-year compliance period. Failure to file within the court-ordered timeframe can result in additional license suspension time. 2. Contact at least three non-standard carriers that offer FR-44 filing in your Florida county within 72 hours. Rates vary by 40% to 80% between carriers for the same driver profile. Request quotes for 100/300/50 liability coverage and confirm the carrier will file the FR-44 certificate electronically with the Florida DHSMV on your policy effective date. If your current insurer offers FR-44, get their quote first — staying with your existing carrier may reduce your rate increase. 3. Set up automatic payment and policy renewal reminders before your first premium due date. A single missed payment that results in cancellation will reset your entire three-year compliance clock to day zero. Configure automatic bank draft or credit card payment if your carrier offers it, and set a calendar reminder 45 days before each renewal date to confirm your policy will continue without interruption. 4. Request written confirmation of your FR-44 filing within five business days of your policy effective date. Contact the Florida DHSMV at 850-617-2000 or check your status online at flhsmv.gov to verify the state has received your FR-44 certificate. If the filing does not appear in the state system within one week, contact your insurer immediately — administrative errors can delay your license reinstatement and extend your compliance timeline. 5. Mark your calendar for 36 months from your FR-44 filing date and begin shopping for standard coverage 90 days before that date. This gives you time to compare rates from standard carriers, who may offer significantly lower premiums once your FR-44 obligation ends. Do not cancel your FR-44 policy until your new policy is active — even a one-day gap in month 35 will restart your three-year clock.