Florida FR-44 insurance: the 100/300/50 rule, start to finish
Florida FR-44 requires 100/300/50 liability for three years after a DUI. See who must file, how the FLHSMV process works, and how to avoid a lapse.
What Florida requires
An FR-44 in Florida certifies that you carry liability coverage of $100,000 per person and $300,000 per accident for bodily injury, plus $50,000 for property damage — usually written 100/300/50. Florida also accepts a combined single limit of $350,000 in place of the split limits.
The requirement comes from Florida Statutes § 324.023, which applies to drivers convicted of DUI under § 316.193. The certificate is filed electronically by your insurance company with the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV). You never submit it yourself.
Contrast matters here. A standard Florida policy carries $10,000 PIP and $10,000 property damage liability. The FR-44 policy is a completely different product at a completely different price.
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Bodily injury / person | $100,000 |
| Bodily injury / accident | $300,000 |
| Property damage | $50,000 |
| Alternative | $350,000 combined single limit |
| Duration | 3 continuous years from reinstatement |
| Filing channel | Electronic, carrier to FLHSMV |
Who has to file
The trigger is a DUI conviction, including cases where the court enhances the penalty because of a high blood-alcohol level or a minor in the vehicle. Reckless driving without alcohol normally does not trigger an FR-44 — that is an SR-22 situation if the state requires any filing at all.
Two details cause most of the confusion:
- The certificate follows the driver, not the car. If you sell your vehicle during the filing period, you still need an FR-44-compliant policy — a non-owner policy will do.
- Enhanced DUI cases can extend the practical timeline. The three years runs from reinstatement, and reinstatement may be pushed out by court requirements, ignition interlock, or DUI school.
Your reinstatement notice from the FLHSMV names the certificate required. If it says FR-44, an SR-22 filing will be rejected and will not lift the suspension.
How the filing actually happens
Order of operations matters more than most people expect. The state will not accept a certificate for a policy that is not active and paid.
- Buy a policy that meets 100/300/50 (or $350,000 CSL) and tell the agent it must be FR-44 eligible.
- Pay the premium. A pending payment blocks the transmission.
- The carrier transmits the certificate to the FLHSMV, usually within one to two business days.
- Pay the state reinstatement fee and complete DUI school or treatment if ordered.
- Verify your driving record shows the filing before you drive.
Keep the confirmation your insurer provides. If a traffic stop happens before the state’s database updates, that document is your evidence of compliance.
What it costs in Florida
Two costs get conflated: the filing fee and the premium. The filing fee is a one-time administrative charge, typically $15 to $50. The premium is the real number, and it is driven by the limits rather than by the certificate itself.
Because 100/300/50 is far above the Florida minimum, carriers price the policy as non-standard business. Owner policies commonly run several hundred dollars a month for drivers with a recent DUI; non-owner policies at the same limits are cheaper because there is no rated vehicle, but still well above an ordinary non-owner policy. Industry surveys in 2026 put non-owner FR-44 coverage in the range of roughly $150 to $200 a month, with wide variation by county and driving record.
The expensive mistake is a lapse, not the premium. A cancelled policy produces an FR-46 termination notice, a new suspension, and — in most cases — a fresh three-year clock.
Lapses and the three-year clock
The clock begins on the date your driving privilege is reinstated, not the conviction date. Three continuous years later, the requirement ends — assuming no new DUI conviction and no gap in coverage.
If the policy cancels for any reason, including a missed payment, the insurer must notify the FLHSMV. The result is an automatic suspension until a new FR-44 policy is filed. Many drivers then discover that the retention period restarts from the new filing date.
Practical protections: put the policy on autopay, keep a card on file with a comfortable limit, and do not cancel an old policy until the replacement is bound and the new filing is confirmed. If you switch carriers mid-period, ask both companies to confirm the effective dates so there is no uninsured day.
Frequently asked questions
Does Florida require an FR-44 or an SR-22 after a DUI?
Florida requires an FR-44 after a DUI conviction. The SR-22 is used in Florida for some non-DUI suspensions, but it will not satisfy an FR-44 requirement.
What are the Florida FR-44 limits in 2026?
$100,000 bodily injury per person, $300,000 per accident, and $50,000 property damage — or a $350,000 combined single limit.
How long do I need FR-44 coverage in Florida?
Three continuous years from the date your license is reinstated.
Can I get an FR-44 without owning a car?
Yes. A non-owner policy at 100/300/50 can support the filing. It covers liability while driving vehicles you do not own.
Does the FR-44 cover my own injuries or my car?
No. It certifies liability coverage for injuries and damage you cause to others. It does not include collision or comprehensive coverage.
