How Long Does a DUI Affect Car Insurance? The Three Clocks, State by State
Part of our guide to car insurance by driver profile.
Key takeaways
- A DUI starts at least three separate clocks: how long it shows on your state driving record, how long it counts as a prior offense, and how long you must keep an SR-22 or FR-44 on file.
- Insurers mostly look back three to five years at your driving record, according to the NAIC. Some state rules reach further: California bars a DUI from its Good Driver Discount for 10 years.
- Records can show a DUI much longer than insurers price it. New York displays most alcohol and drug convictions for 15 years; California, 10.
- The filing term is shorter: two years in Texas and Missouri for most cases, three years for an FR-44 in Florida and Virginia.
"How long will this DUI follow me?" has no single answer because it is not one rule. It is several rules, written by different agencies, each with its own start date. Once you separate them, the timeline gets much easier to plan around.
What are the three DUI clocks?
- The record clock. How long your state's driving record displays the conviction. Insurers order that record, called a Motor Vehicle Report.
- The lookback clock. How long a DUI counts as a prior if you are charged again. This drives criminal and license penalties, not premiums directly.
- The filing clock. How long you must keep an SR-22, or in some states a heavier FR-44, on file before your license stays clear.
There is a fourth, informal clock: how far back your insurer looks when it prices your policy. The NAIC's consumer guide lists "your driving record, and the driving records of others covered by your insurance policy, during the last three to five years" as a rating factor. The NAIC's buying guide adds that insurers generally ask for three years of driving history and check it with a Motor Vehicle Report.
How long does a DUI stay on your driving record, by state?
This table brings together what each state's own pages say. A blank means the state page we checked did not publish that figure, so we did not fill it in.
| State | Shows on driving record | Counts as a prior offense | Filing after a DUI |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 10 years (DMV handbook) | 10 years: second offense within 10 years brings a two-year revocation | Not stated on the pages checked |
| New York | 15 years for most alcohol and drug convictions (some 5 years) | 10 years for repeat DWI penalties | Not stated on the pages checked |
| Florida | Not stated on the pages checked | Second conviction within 5 years: minimum 5-year revocation. Third within 10 years of the second: minimum 10 years. Fourth at any time: permanent | FR-44 for 3 years from reinstatement |
| Virginia | Not stated on the pages checked | 10 years: a second or later DUI within ten years brings ignition interlock on every vehicle for at least 12 months | FR-44 for 3 years from the suspension or revocation end date |
| Arizona | Not stated on the pages checked | 84 months for a repeat test refusal (24-month suspension); 7 years for a second offense (24 months of ignition interlock) | Not stated on the pages checked |
| Missouri | Not stated on the pages checked | Not stated on the pages checked | SR-22 for 2 years from the start of the suspension or revocation |
| Texas | Not stated on the pages checked | Not stated on the pages checked | SR-22 for 2 years from the date of conviction |
Notice how far apart the numbers are. A New York DWI can still display on an abstract 15 years later. A Texas SR-22 can be gone in two.
How long does a DUI raise your insurance rate?
No state publishes a rule that says "your premium returns to normal after X years," because insurers file their own rating plans. What you can pin down is the window most insurers use and any state rule that reaches further.
The general window is the NAIC's: three to five years of driving record. California adds a hard rule on top. Under Insurance Code section 1861.025, you qualify for a Good Driver Discount policy only if, during the 10 years before your application or renewal, you have not been convicted under the DUI sections of the Vehicle Code (23140, 23152 or 23153). That is a decade without the discount, no matter how an individual insurer weighs the conviction otherwise. The same section also requires three years licensed and limits violation points in the previous three years.
Separately, the Insurance Information Institute notes that a history of collisions, violations or DUI convictions can make coverage difficult and extremely expensive to get from standard private insurers. Triple-I points drivers in that spot to non-standard insurers that specialize in high-risk drivers, or to a state assigned risk plan. Triple-I says assigned risk premiums are substantially higher than private coverage, but that they provide coverage regardless of driving history.
Plan around the filing date, not the record date: The SR-22 or FR-44 end date is the first milestone you control. Keep the filing continuous until then, because a lapse can restart or extend it. After the filing ends, shop again at each renewal as the conviction ages through the three to five years insurers commonly use.
What is the difference between an SR-22 and an FR-44 after a DUI?
Both are certificates your insurer files with the state. The FR-44 requires more coverage. Virginia says FR-44 limits are double the SR-22 limits in Code of Virginia section 46.2-472, and it requires an FR-44 after a DUI conviction. Florida requires an FR-44 after a DUI conviction occurring after October 1, 2007, with bodily injury liability of $100,000 per person and $300,000 per accident and $50,000 property damage, or a $350,000 combined single limit, under section 324.023 of the Florida Statutes. (Florida's own FAQ page prints the per-person figure as "$100,00," a typo; the combined limit and statute confirm $100,000.)
We compare the two filings in detail in SR-22 vs FR-44, and list SR-22 terms for more states in how long you need an SR-22.
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Does a DUI follow you if you do not own a car?
The filing does. It attaches to your license, not a vehicle. If your car was sold or you never had one, a non-owner policy can carry the SR-22 or FR-44. Our guide to non-owner car insurance explains who these policies cover and what they leave out.
Is a DUI treated like an at-fault accident by insurers?
They are different events with different records. A DUI is a conviction; an accident is a claim and, sometimes, a violation. Both appear in the three-to-five-year window the NAIC describes, but state rules treat them differently. California's discount rule, for example, uses a 10-year window for DUI and a three-year window for violation points and at-fault injury accidents. For the accident side, see how long an accident affects insurance.
What should you do in the first year after a DUI?
- Get your state's notice and find each date. Revocation length, filing type, filing term and the event that starts it.
- Ask your current insurer before you assume it will renew. Triple-I lists DUI convictions among the reasons standard insurers decline drivers.
- Buy the filing once and keep it continuous. Overlap any switch so the old certificate is not cancelled before the new one posts.
- Order your own driving record so you see what an insurer sees. New York's abstract guide explains which items appear and for how long.
- Put calendar reminders at the filing end date and at three and five years after the conviction, and requote at each.
FAQ
How long does a DUI stay on your driving record? It depends on the state. California's DMV says 10 years. New York's DMV says most alcohol and drug convictions display for 15 years, with some at 5 years.
How many years do insurance companies look back for a DUI? The NAIC says insurers generally use three years of driving history, and lists the last three to five years as a rating factor. State rules can add to that, like California's 10-year Good Driver Discount bar.
How long do I need an SR-22 after a DUI? Two years in Texas and Missouri for most cases. Virginia and Florida require an FR-44 for three years.
Does a DUI count against me if I move to another state? Your new state may see your record when you apply for a license there, and your old state's filing requirement typically continues until that state releases it. Ask both DMVs before you cancel anything.
Will my premium go back down on its own? Not automatically at any published date. Ask for a requote after the filing ends and as the conviction ages past three and five years.
Sources
All accessed October 1, 2026.
- NAIC, "A Consumer's Guide to Auto Insurance," and "Best practices for buying auto insurance."
- California Legislature, Insurance Code section 1861.025.
- California DMV, Driver's Handbook Section 9, and "Driving Under the Influence (DUI)."
- New York State DMV, DS-242.1, and "Penalties for Alcohol or Drug-Related Violations."
- Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, "Florida DUI and Administrative Suspension Laws," and "DUI Frequently Asked Questions."
- Virginia DMV, DMV 292, and "Financial Responsibility Certifications."
- Arizona Department of Transportation, MVD, "Driving Under the Influence (DUI)."
- Missouri Department of Revenue, "License Reinstatement Requirements."
- Texas Department of Public Safety, "Financial Responsibility Insurance Certificate (SR-22)."
- Insurance Information Institute, "What if I can't find auto coverage?"
- National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), “A Consumer's Guide to Auto Insurance”
- National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), “Does your vehicle have the right protection? Best practices for buying auto insurance”
- California Legislature, “California Insurance Code Section 1861.025”
- California DMV, “California Driver's Handbook, Section 9: Alcohol and Drugs”
- New York State DMV, “DS-242.1: Description of Standard Abstract of Driving Record”
- Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, “DUI Frequently Asked Questions”
- Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, “A Guide to Reinstating Your Virginia Driving Privilege (DMV 292)”
- Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I), “What if I can't find auto coverage?”
This page is general information, not legal advice. DUI penalties and filing rules change; your court order and DMV notice control.