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Arizona vs Washington

Bottom line

Arizona requires more property-damage coverage than Washington ($15,000 vs $10,000). Both require an SR-22 filing for certain violations. Arizona generally has lower license-reinstatement costs.

Official government sources Last verified June 2026 36 fields reviewed Source links on every value

Important differences between Arizona and Washington

The differences drivers should know.

Property damage
Arizona$15,000
Washington$10,000
Arizona requires more property-damage coverage.
UM/UIM requirement
ArizonaOptional — not part of the required minimum. UM/UIM must be offered by the insurer and may be rejected…
WashingtonOffer-and-reject. RCW 48.22.030 requires every liability policy to include UIM coverage — which…
Clock starts from
ArizonaFrom the effective date of the suspension (not the reinstatement date). Judgment-suspension cases vary…
WashingtonFrom the date proof was required (RCW 46.29.600(1)(a)) — not the reinstatement date and not the…
Non-owner SR-22
ArizonaYes — a non-owner SR-22 policy is available for people who don't own a vehicle but must meet the…
WashingtonYes
License reinstatement
ArizonaScenario-dependent. General suspension: $10. Revocation (DUI/major offense): $20 + an age-based…
Washington$75 standard / $170 for DUI or implied-consent reinstatement
Arizona costs less to reinstate.
Registration reinstatement
Arizona$25 registration/license-plate reinstatement on the FR (accident) path (§28-4144). For a no-insurance…
WashingtonN/A
No-insurance, first offense
ArizonaMinimum civil penalty $500 (1st violation), plus a 3-month suspension/restriction of driving privileges…
WashingtonTraffic infraction (not a crime) — monetary penalty set by the Washington Supreme Court penalty…
No-insurance, repeat offense
Arizona2nd within 36 months: minimum $750 + 6-month suspension of license, registration, and plates. 3rd+…
WashingtonSame as first — RCW 46.30.020 sets no first/subsequent distinction; driving uninsured is a single-tier…
DUI suspension
Arizona1st DUI: 90-day administrative (Admin Per Se / implied-consent) suspension; the criminal §28-1381…
Washingtontwo parallel tracks with day-for-day credit (46.61.5055(9)(b)). administrative (implied consent, RCW…
DUI fine range
ArizonaStandard DUI §28-1381: 1st = ≥$250 fine + two mandatory $500 assessments (~$1,250+ before surcharges),…
WashingtonRCW 46.61.5055, by prior offenses in 7 years and BAC tier (gross misdemeanor unless felony). No prior:…
Driving while suspended
ArizonaDriving on a suspended, revoked, canceled, or refused license, or while disqualified, is a class 1…
WashingtonRCW 46.20.342, three degrees. first degree (habitual offender driving under a ch 46.65 revocation):…
CDL consequence
ArizonaPer §28-3312, MVD disqualifies a CDL: 1 year for a first major offense — test refusal (§28-1321),…
WashingtonRCW 46.25.090 (federal FMCSA structure). 1-year disqualification (first major offense): DUI — including…
View full comparison ↓

Recent law changes

Changes verified from official state sources.

Arizona2020-07-01 — minimum liability limits raised from 15/30/10 to 25/50/15 (ARS §28-4009, enacted by HB 2534, 2019).
WashingtonLiability minimums (25/50/10) unchanged since 1980 c 117. Recent amendments to SR-22-relevant sections: DUI felony-offense lookback extended from 10…

Full comparison

Every compared field, with the official source on each value.

Coverage

Bodily injury / person same
Arizona
$25,000
Official source ↗
Washington
$25,000
Official source ↗
Bodily injury / accident same
Arizona
$50,000
Official source ↗
Washington
$50,000
Official source ↗
Property damage
Arizona
$15,000
Official source ↗
Washington
$10,000
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UM/UIM requirement
Arizona
Optional — not part of the required minimum. UM/UIM must be offered by the insurer and may be rejected in writing.
See Arizona sources ↗
Washington
Offer-and-reject. RCW 48.22.030 requires every liability policy to include UIM coverage — which Washington defines broadly to bundle uninsured +…
Full details
Offer-and-reject. RCW 48.22.030 requires every liability policy to include UIM coverage — which Washington defines broadly to bundle uninsured + underinsured + hit-and-run + phantom-vehicle — defaulting to the same limits as the liability coverage, but the named insured or spouse may reject it in writing. PIP is likewise optional: offered on every policy, waivable in writing (RCW 48.22.085).
Official source ↗

SR-22 / FR-44

SR-22 required same
FR-44 required same
Filing duration same
Arizona
3 years
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Washington
3 years
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Clock starts from
Arizona
From the effective date of the suspension (not the reinstatement date). Judgment-suspension cases vary and require contacting MVD.
Official source ↗
Washington
From the date proof was required (RCW 46.29.600(1)(a)) — not the reinstatement date and not the conviction date. tolls, doesn't restart: if the…
Full details
From the date proof was required (RCW 46.29.600(1)(a)) — not the reinstatement date and not the conviction date. tolls, doesn't restart: if the person surrenders the license and reapplies within the window, proof is reestablished for the remainder of the 3 years (46.29.600(3)).
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Non-owner SR-22
Arizona
Yes — a non-owner SR-22 policy is available for people who don't own a vehicle but must meet the requirement after a serious traffic offense.
Official source ↗
Washington
Yes
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Costs

SR-22 filing fee same
Arizona
~$15-25 (charged by the insurer, not ADOT)
See Arizona sources ↗
Washington
~$15-25 (insurer-charged filing fee, not a DOL fee)
See Washington sources ↗
License reinstatement
Arizona
Scenario-dependent. General suspension: $10. Revocation (DUI/major offense): $20 + an age-based application fee ($10 age 50+, $15 ages 45-49, $20…
Full details
Scenario-dependent. General suspension: $10. Revocation (DUI/major offense): $20 + an age-based application fee ($10 age 50+, $15 ages 45-49, $20 ages 40-44, $25 age 39 and under or any age with a Travel ID) + SR-22 + (for alcohol/drug cases) interlock and substance-abuse evaluation. Admin Per Se suspension: additional $50. Financial-responsibility (accident) suspension: $10 driver license + $25 registration/plate (§28-4144(C)(2)(b)).
Official source ↗
Washington
$75 standard / $170 for DUI or implied-consent reinstatement
Official source ↗
Registration reinstatement
Arizona
$25 registration/license-plate reinstatement on the FR (accident) path (§28-4144). For a no-insurance registration suspension, the consumer path is a…
Full details
$25 registration/license-plate reinstatement on the FR (accident) path (§28-4144). For a no-insurance registration suspension, the consumer path is a $50 fee plus current proof of insurance where prior-coverage proof can't be produced.
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Washington
N/A
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Penalties

No-insurance, first offense
Arizona
Minimum civil penalty $500 (1st violation), plus a 3-month suspension/restriction of driving privileges (§28-4135(E)(1)).
Official source ↗
Washington
Traffic infraction (not a crime) — monetary penalty set by the Washington Supreme Court penalty schedule under RCW 46.63.110; the statute (RCW…
Full details
Traffic infraction (not a crime) — monetary penalty set by the Washington Supreme Court penalty schedule under RCW 46.63.110; the statute (RCW 46.30.020(1)(d)) sets no fixed dollar amount and no first/subsequent escalation. The commonly assessed penalty is approximately $550 (court rule, not statute). Showing you were actually insured at the time gets the citation dismissed for a $25 administrative cost (46.30.020(2)).
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No-insurance, repeat offense
Arizona
2nd within 36 months: minimum $750 + 6-month suspension of license, registration, and plates. 3rd+ within 36 months: minimum $1,000 + 1-year…
Full details
2nd within 36 months: minimum $750 + 6-month suspension of license, registration, and plates. 3rd+ within 36 months: minimum $1,000 + 1-year suspension of license, registration, and plates, with SR-22 required on reinstatement (§28-4135(E)(2)-(3)).
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Washington
Same as first — RCW 46.30.020 sets no first/subsequent distinction; driving uninsured is a single-tier traffic infraction with the penalty set by the…
Full details
Same as first — RCW 46.30.020 sets no first/subsequent distinction; driving uninsured is a single-tier traffic infraction with the penalty set by the Supreme Court schedule (46.63.110). No escalation by prior count.
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DUI suspension
Arizona
1st DUI: 90-day administrative (Admin Per Se / implied-consent) suspension; the criminal §28-1381 conviction itself does not revoke on a 1st. 2nd…
Full details
1st DUI: 90-day administrative (Admin Per Se / implied-consent) suspension; the criminal §28-1381 conviction itself does not revoke on a 1st. 2nd within 84 months (§28-1381 or §28-1382): driving privilege revoked at least 1 year; special ignition-interlock restricted license possible after 45 days. Aggravated DUI (§28-1383, felony): revocation with no new license issued for at least 1 year (per §28-1385 period for the child-passenger variant). All convictions carry mandatory ignition interlock (§28-3319).
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Washington
two parallel tracks with day-for-day credit (46.61.5055(9)(b)). administrative (implied consent, RCW 46.20.308 -> periods in 46.20.3101): triggered…
Full details
two parallel tracks with day-for-day credit (46.61.5055(9)(b)). administrative (implied consent, RCW 46.20.308 -> periods in 46.20.3101): triggered by a breath/blood test at or above 0.08 (0.02 under-21) or a refusal; headline periods — test failure suspends at least 90 days, refusal revokes at least 1 year; 30-day temporary license from arrest, 7-day window to request a hearing ($375 fee). conviction-based (46.61.5055(9)): below 0.15 -> 90-day suspension (no prior) / 2-year revocation (1 prior) / 3-year (2+); 0.15 or above -> 1-year / 900-day / 4-year; refusal -> 2-year / 3-year / 4-year. Mandatory IID on all vehicles (46.61.5055(5), 46.20.720) for 1/5/10 years by prior IID restrictions. Revocation grounds also in 46.20.285 (DUI 1-year baseline; vehicular homicide 2 years).
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DUI fine range
Arizona
Standard DUI §28-1381: 1st = ≥$250 fine + two mandatory $500 assessments (~$1,250+ before surcharges), min 10 days jail (suspendable to 1 with…
Full details
Standard DUI §28-1381: 1st = ≥$250 fine + two mandatory $500 assessments (~$1,250+ before surcharges), min 10 days jail (suspendable to 1 with treatment); 2nd = ≥$500 + two $1,250 assessments, min 90 days jail. Extreme §28-1382: BAC 0.15-0.20 = ≥$250 + $250 abatement + two $1,000 assessments, min 30 days jail; super-extreme BAC ≥0.20 = ≥$500, min 45 days jail. Aggravated §28-1383 (felony): ≥$750 + $250 abatement + two $1,500 assessments, mandatory prison (4 or 8 months by priors).
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Washington
RCW 46.61.5055, by prior offenses in 7 years and BAC tier (gross misdemeanor unless felony). No prior: 24 hrs-364 days jail + $350-$5,000 (<0.15); 48…
Full details
RCW 46.61.5055, by prior offenses in 7 years and BAC tier (gross misdemeanor unless felony). No prior: 24 hrs-364 days jail + $350-$5,000 (<0.15); 48 hrs + $500-$5,000 (>=0.15 or refusal). 1 prior: 30 days + 60 days EHM + $500-$5,000 (<0.15); 45 days + 90 days EHM + $750-$5,000 (>=0.15/refusal). 2 priors: 90 days + 120 days EHM + $1,000-$5,000 (<0.15); 120 days + 150 days EHM + $1,500-$5,000 (>=0.15/refusal). 3+ priors in 15 years -> class B felony under ch 9.94A (46.61.502(6)). Minor-passenger enhancements add IID time, jail, and fines. Mandatory minimums are largely non-suspendable.
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Driving while suspended
Arizona
Driving on a suspended, revoked, canceled, or refused license, or while disqualified, is a class 1 misdemeanor (§28-3473). Arizona's general class 1…
Full details
Driving on a suspended, revoked, canceled, or refused license, or while disqualified, is a class 1 misdemeanor (§28-3473). Arizona's general class 1 misdemeanor ceilings are up to 6 months jail and up to a $2,500 fine plus surcharges (ARS §13-707 / §13-802).
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Washington
RCW 46.20.342, three degrees. first degree (habitual offender driving under a ch 46.65 revocation): gross misdemeanor, mandatory minimum jail 10 days…
Full details
RCW 46.20.342, three degrees. first degree (habitual offender driving under a ch 46.65 revocation): gross misdemeanor, mandatory minimum jail 10 days (1st) / 90 (2nd) / 180 (3rd+), non-suspendable; +1-year revocation extension. second degree (suspended for a serious reason — DUI, vehicular homicide/assault, felony-vehicle, hit-and-run, prior DWS, administrative action): gross misdemeanor (up to 364 days / $5,000); +1-year no-new-license. third degree (suspended for administrative/financial reasons, including failure to furnish proof of FR / SR-22 under ch 46.29): misdemeanor (up to 90 days / $1,000); no extension. So driving while suspended solely for an unfiled SR-22 is the lightest tier (3rd degree).
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CDL

CDL consequence
Arizona
Per §28-3312, MVD disqualifies a CDL: 1 year for a first major offense — test refusal (§28-1321), driving a CMV under the influence or with BAC…
Full details
Per §28-3312, MVD disqualifies a CDL: 1 year for a first major offense — test refusal (§28-1321), driving a CMV under the influence or with BAC ≥0.04, leaving the scene, using a vehicle in a felony, causing a fatality by negligent operation, driving a CMV while already disqualified, OR a regular DUI committed in a personal (non-commercial) vehicle (chapter 4, article 3 violation). 3 years if the offense occurred while hauling placarded hazmat. Lifetime for two or more such offenses (reducible to 10 years by rule). Permanent for a controlled-substance trafficking felony or a human-trafficking offense committed with a CMV. Out-of-service-order violations: 180 days / 2 years / 3 years. Railroad-crossing violations: 60 / 120 days / 1 year. Two serious traffic violations in 3 years = 60-day disqualification; three or more = 120 days. CDL alcohol threshold is 0.04. Disqualification begins 10 days after MVD logs the conviction.
Official source ↗
Washington
RCW 46.25.090 (federal FMCSA structure). 1-year disqualification (first major offense): DUI — including a DUI in a non-commercial vehicle (0.08) — or…
Full details
RCW 46.25.090 (federal FMCSA structure). 1-year disqualification (first major offense): DUI — including a DUI in a non-commercial vehicle (0.08) — or CMV at 0.04+ BAC or any THC; refusal; leaving the scene; vehicle used in a felony; CMV-while-disqualified; negligent-operation fatality. 3-year if the offense occurred while transporting hazardous materials. lifetime (reducible to 10 years per federal rule) for a 2nd major offense. lifetime, no reduction: a vehicle used in a controlled-substance manufacture/distribution felony or a human-trafficking offense. Lesser ladders: serious traffic violations (60 days 2nd / 120 days 3rd in 3 years), out-of-service-order violations, railroad-crossing violations. CMV alcohol threshold is 0.04. Important for CDL holders: a DUI in a personal (non-commercial) vehicle still triggers a 1-year CDL disqualification.
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