Virginia FR-44 insurance: double the minimum, three years of proof
Virginia FR-44 doubles the state minimum: $100,000/$200,000/$50,000 since 2025. Learn the triggers, the three-year clock, and how the DMV filing works.
The 2025 limit change
Virginia Code § 46.2-316(C) ties the FR-44 to double the limits in § 46.2-472. For policies effective on or after 1 January 2025, the standard minimum is 50/100/25, so the FR-44 requirement is:
| Coverage | Standard minimum | FR-44 requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Bodily injury / person | $50,000 | $100,000 |
| Bodily injury / accident | $100,000 | $200,000 |
| Property damage | $25,000 | $50,000 |
If you are reading a guide that quotes 50/100/25 for a Virginia FR-44, it predates the change. A policy written at those limits will not support a filing today.
Virginia and Florida are not interchangeable. A Virginia FR-44 at 100/200/50 does not meet Florida’s 100/300/50 requirement, and a Florida policy at 100/300/50 exceeds Virginia’s requirement but still has to be filed correctly with the Virginia DMV.
Which offenses trigger it
Virginia limits the FR-44 to DUI-related convictions, which is narrower than most drivers assume:
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, § 18.2-266.
- DUI resulting in the maiming of another person, § 18.2-51.4.
- Driving on a license forfeited for a DUI-related offense, § 18.2-272.
- A comparable out-of-state, federal, or local conviction.
Driving uninsured, an unsatisfied judgment, or failing to maintain coverage calls for an SR-22 at standard limits — not an FR-44. Filing the wrong certificate does not clear the requirement, and the DMV will not refund the time you spent waiting.
How the three-year clock stacks
This is where Virginia differs most from what drivers expect. The three-year FR-44 period begins when you become entitled to a license again — after the revocation period ends, not at conviction.
| Scenario | Revocation | FR-44 period | Approximate total |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-offense DUI | 1 year | 3 years | ~4 years |
| Second offense (within 10 years) | 3 years | 3 years | ~6 years |
| Restricted license | Varies | 3 years, may begin earlier | Case by case |
Virginia also requires ignition interlock for DUI convictions, and VASAP completion gates full reinstatement for first and second offenses. Those run on separate timelines from the insurance filing, which is why the total time off the road is usually longer than the FR-44 period alone.
Filing with the DMV
The certificate is transmitted electronically by your carrier to the Virginia DMV. You cannot file it yourself. To make the process work on the first attempt:
- Confirm the DMV record shows FR-44, not SR-22, and confirm the required limits.
- Ask the agent for a policy that meets 100/200/50 and is flagged for FR-44 filing.
- Pay the premium in full — carriers will not transmit on an unpaid policy.
- Give the carrier your driver’s license number and the case or order number.
- Pay the DMV reinstatement fee, which typically falls between $145 and $220 depending on the offense.
- Check your record online before driving.
If you live out of state during the filing period, Virginia allows some non-residents to substitute a letter on the insurer’s letterhead rather than an electronic filing. Ask the DMV before assuming the standard process applies.
If you move or change carriers
The requirement belongs to the state that imposed it. Moving to another state does not end it, and a new state’s ordinary policy will not necessarily satisfy the original filing. The practical approach is to keep an FR-44-compliant policy in force until the original three years expire, and to tell both carriers the exact effective dates when you switch.
Any cancellation — non-payment, a carrier non-renewal, or a voluntary switch — produces a termination notice to the DMV and a new suspension until a replacement certificate is on file. Even a single uninsured day can restart the clock, so bind the new policy first and cancel the old one second.
Frequently asked questions
What are the Virginia FR-44 limits in 2026?
$100,000 per person and $200,000 per accident for bodily injury, plus $50,000 property damage — double the state minimum that took effect 1 January 2025.
Is an FR-44 required after a first DUI in Virginia?
Yes. A first-offense DUI carries a one-year revocation followed by three years of FR-44 coverage, so roughly four years of compliance in total.
Can I use an SR-22 instead?
No. Virginia requires the FR-44 for DUI-related convictions. An SR-22 covers non-DUI suspensions at standard limits.
Does the FR-44 end when the revocation ends?
No. The revocation and the filing period are separate. The three-year FR-44 clock starts when you become entitled to a license again.
