How Long Do You Need an SR-22? Filing Periods by State, and What Restarts the Clock

Last checked October 1, 2026

Part of our guide to car insurance by driver profile.

Key takeaways

• Most states on this page set the SR-22 term at three years. Texas and Missouri usually set two. Ohio and Oregon cut some terms to one year in 2025 and 2026.
• The term is not always counted from the same date. States start it from the conviction, the suspension, the date you become eligible to reinstate, or the day the DMV receives the form.
• If the policy behind your SR-22 cancels, the insurer tells the state, your license can be suspended again, and in Nevada the term may start over.
• Your state's letter to you is the final word. Use the table below to know what to ask, not to replace that letter.

An SR-22 is a certificate your insurer files with the state saying you carry at least the required liability coverage. The question everyone asks after the first filing is simple: when can I stop? The honest answer is that it depends on your state, your offense and, in several states, the exact date your offense happened. Below is what each state's own DMV or statute says, as of October 1, 2026.

How many years is an SR-22 required in each state?

These terms come from each state's official page. Where a state publishes different terms for different offenses, we list the ones it publishes.

Two states on our list do not publish a term on their main SR-22 page. Colorado's DMV says you may need an SR-22 "when you reinstate from specific suspensions and/or revocations" and leaves the length to your notice. Florida's FR-44, its heavier DUI filing, runs three years from reinstatement according to FLHSMV; we cover that in SR-22 vs FR-44.

When does the SR-22 clock start?

This is where people lose months. Four different starting points appear in the table:

1. Conviction date. Texas counts two years from the date of the conviction that required the filing. Utah says three years from the date of conviction, typically.
2. Suspension date. Missouri counts most two-year terms from the starting date of your suspension or revocation.
3. Eligibility or end date. Wisconsin counts three years from the date you are eligible to reinstate. Virginia counts from the suspension or revocation end date. California's three years begin at the end of the suspension.
4. Receipt date. Oregon says a filing begins on the date DMV receives the certificate, if it arrives during regular business hours.

If your state counts from eligibility and you wait six months to reinstate, those six months may not count. If it counts from the conviction, the clock may already be running before you file. Read your notice for the phrase that names the start date.

Do the recent law changes in Ohio and Oregon apply to me?

Only if your dates fall on the right side of the cutoff.

Ohio. The BMV now lists a one-year SR-22 or bond requirement for non-compliance suspensions. For a first non-compliance offense added to your record before April 9, 2025, the requirement is three years. For a second or later offense added within a five-year period before that date, it is five years. The BMV's 12-point suspension page says suspensions starting after April 9, 2025 carry a one-year requirement.

Oregon. A December 9, 2025 memo from the Oregon Division of Financial Regulation explains Senate Bill 840. Drivers convicted of driving uninsured had to file an SR-22 for three years. For convictions on or after January 1, 2026, that becomes one year. Drivers involved in uninsured accidents still face a three-year filing.

Do not self-shorten your term: If you think a new law cut your requirement, ask the DMV to confirm the end date on your record before you cancel anything. Cancelling early triggers a cancellation notice to the state, and the state acts on its own records, not on your reading of the statute.

What resets or extends an SR-22?

A lapse is the big one. The state pages we checked that address cancellation all say the insurer reports it to the state.

• Illinois says that if the SR-22 expires or is cancelled, the insurer must notify the state with an SR-26 cancellation certificate, and the driving record will be suspended until the filing is reinstated. Illinois also tells drivers to renew at least 45 days in advance.
• Colorado says the insurer will notify the DMV that the SR-22 is no longer in effect, and your license will be suspended for that reason alone.
• Texas says your license and registration may be suspended if the DPS learns your SR-22 was cancelled and no new one was filed before the original policy cancelled.
• Nevada warns that if your policy cancels during the requirement, you may have to start the three-year requirement over.

What happens after a lapse, including the SR-26 notice and refiling, is covered step by step in what happens if your SR-22 lapses.

Switching insurers is safe only if you overlap. Colorado puts it plainly: get a new SR-22 filed before the old one expires.

Do I need an SR-22 if I do not own a car?

Often, yes. The requirement attaches to your driving privilege, not to a vehicle. Most drivers in that spot buy a non-owner policy with an operator's filing. Our guide to an SR-22 without a car walks through how that works and what each state publishes about it.

Wisconsin publishes one exit for people who stop driving entirely: you can avoid the additional fees by surrendering your license to the DMV before cancelling the insurance, while the SR-22 policy is still in effect.

How does a DUI change the term?

A DUI can bring a longer or heavier filing. Missouri lists a two-year SR-22 after alcohol-related point suspensions. Virginia requires an FR-44, not an SR-22, after a DUI conviction, and keeps the same three-year term. Florida requires an FR-44 for three years from reinstatement. The filing term is only one of the clocks a DUI starts; the others, including how long it stays on your driving record, are in how long a DUI affects insurance.

How do I find my exact end date?

1. Find the notice or order that required the SR-22. It usually names the statute and the start event.
2. Match the start event to the four types above.
3. Count forward the number of years your state lists.
4. Call or log in to your state DMV and ask for the end date on your record. Ask whether any cancellation notice was ever received, because a past lapse can move it.
5. Keep the policy active through that date. Ask your insurer to confirm, in writing, when the filing will be released.

FAQ

Is an SR-22 always three years? No. Of the states on this page, Texas and most Missouri suspensions use two years, and Ohio and Oregon use one year for certain recent cases. Three years is common, not universal.

Does the SR-22 clock pause if my policy lapses? States describe it as a new suspension, not a pause. Nevada says the requirement may start over. Illinois says the suspension stays until the filing is reinstated.

Can I cancel my SR-22 the day the term ends? Confirm the end date with your DMV first. The state relies on its own record of the start date and any cancellation notices.

If I move states, does my SR-22 requirement follow me? New Hampshire tells out-of-state residents who owe it an SR-22 that if they do not file it, their privilege to drive in New Hampshire is suspended and their home state is notified. Assume the original state's requirement continues until that state releases it, and ask it directly.

Does the SR-22 term start when I buy the policy? Only in states that count from receipt of the form, like Oregon. Others count from a conviction, a suspension or an eligibility date.

Sources

All accessed October 1, 2026.

• Illinois Secretary of State, "Financial Responsibility (SR-22) Insurance."
• Texas Department of Public Safety, "Financial Responsibility Insurance Certificate (SR-22)."
• California DMV, "Financial Responsibility (Insurance)."
• Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles, "SR-22 and Insurance Information."
• Nevada DMV, "Nevada Liability Insurance Requirements."
• Wisconsin Department of Transportation, "SR22 Certificate."
• Oregon DMV, "SR-22 Information," and Oregon Division of Financial Regulation, SB 840 memo dated December 9, 2025.
• Utah Driver License Division, "SR22 Insurance."
• New Hampshire DMV, "Insurance Requirements/SR-22 FAQs."
• Virginia DMV, "A Guide to Reinstating Your Virginia Driving Privilege" (DMV 292).
• Missouri Department of Revenue, "License Reinstatement Requirements" and "Insurance Information."
• Ohio BMV, "Non-Compliance Suspension" and "12-Point Suspension."
• Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, "DUI Frequently Asked Questions."

Source links:

• Wisconsin Department of Transportation, “SR22 Certificate (proof of insurance/financial responsibility)”
• Oregon Division of Financial Regulation, “Memorandum: DMV Notice, Senate Bill 840 Insurance Provisions”
• Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, “A Guide to Reinstating Your Virginia Driving Privilege (DMV 292)”
• Missouri Department of Revenue, “Insurance Information”
• Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles, “12-Point Suspension”

Filing terms are set by each state and change. This page is general information, not legal advice. Your state's notice controls.