StateInsuranceRequirements

Home / California / SR-22 & insurance

California SR-22 & Car Insurance Requirements

30/60/15
Minimum limits
BI/person · BI/accident · property
Yes
SR-22 required
financial-responsibility filing
3 years
Carry for
continuous filing
No
FR-44
separate DUI form
↑ 2035-01-01 — minimums rise to 50/100/25 (SB 1107).Compare states →

Minimum liability insurance

$30,0002
BI per person
$60,0002
BI per accident
$15,0002
Property damage
30/603
UM / UIM
January 1, 20252
Current limits since
Scheduled minimums
50/100/252
Scheduled increase under SB 1107.
January 1, 20352
Effective

SR-22 in California

Yes1
SR-22 required
Carry it for
3 years of continuous SR-22 filing4
In an uninsured-collision suspension (up to 4 years total), the SR-22 is maintained for the final 3 years. A lapse resets the clock.
Clock starts
Suspension/reinstatement-based4
The 3-year SR-22 runs with the suspension period rather than from a fixed conviction date; the exact start varies by suspension type.
Non-owner SR-22
Yes1
'Broad coverage' certificate follows the driver in any vehicle.
Filing fee
~$15-25 (charged by the insurer, not the DMV) est.
No1
FR-44 required
N/A1
FR-44 duration

What triggers an SR-22

Yes6
DUI / DWI
Yes4
Driving uninsured
Yes5
License suspension
Too many points
Yes7
Negligent-operator (NOTS) point suspensions.
Which offenses
DUI (VC 23152, a 2-point conviction); uninsured at-fault collision; reckless driving; excessive NOTS points; license suspension/revocation.6
NOTS thresholds (Class C): 4+ pts/12mo, 6+/24mo, 8+/36mo. Commercial (Class A/B): 6/8/10, and commercial-vehicle convictions count 1.5x.

Penalties

Uninsured — first offense
$100-$200 base fine on a first conviction, plus penalty assessments — a civil infraction under CA Veh.8
Full details

$100-$200 base fine on a first conviction, plus penalty assessments — a civil infraction under CA Veh. Code 16029(a), for failing to provide evidence of financial responsibility (16028(a)). The court may impound the vehicle and order coverage maintained for at least one year.

Uninsured — repeat
$200-$500 for a subsequent conviction within three years, plus penalty assessments — civil infraction under CA Veh.8
Full details

$200-$500 for a subsequent conviction within three years, plus penalty assessments — civil infraction under CA Veh. Code 16029(b). Same penalty-assessment multiplier as the first-offense fine; the court may also impound the vehicle.

DUI license suspension
APS suspension: 4 months (1st); 1 year (2nd within 10 yrs). Refusal: 1 yr / 2 yr revoke / 3 yr revoke. 30-day temp license after arrest.6
DUI fine range
$390-$1,000 (first offense, VC 23536)9
Driving while suspended
Misdemeanor.11
Full details

Misdemeanor. No-insurance suspension (VC 14601.1): up to 6 months jail and/or $300-$1,000. Reckless/negligent suspension (VC 14601): 5 days-6 months + $300-$1,000. DUI-related: VC 14601.2.

Drug-offense penalty
N/A for adults.10
Full details

N/A for adults. California repealed former Veh. Code 13202 (the general controlled-substance license suspension) — it is absent from the current code (Div. 6, Ch. 2, Art. 2 now runs 13200, 13200.5, 13201, 13202.5, 13202.8...). The only surviving drug-related court license suspension is 13202.5, which applies only to offenders under 21 (ages 13-20): a 1-year suspension, plus one additional year per successive offense, for specified drug/alcohol offenses. For adults, drug impairment while driving is prosecuted under the DUI statute (Veh. Code 23152(f)/(g)) with no separate drug-conviction license penalty.

Registration suspension
Yes (no-insurance registration suspension; $14 reinstatement).5
Registration reinstatement
$14 (separate fee, for a no-insurance registration suspension)5

Suspension & reinstatement

Yes5
License can be suspended
To reinstate
File SR-22, serve the suspension, and pay the applicable reissue fee(s). DUI suspensions require a state-approved DUI program; IID where applicable.5
Reinstatement fee
$55 standard reissue; $125 Admin Per Se (DUI) reissue; $15 DMV admin; $100 under-21 Zero Tolerance5
Processing time
N/A — not published by the agency
Alternatives to insurance
$75,000 cash deposit with DMV; $75,000 surety bond; DMV self-insurance certificate.1

Commercial drivers (CDL)

Effect on a CDL
Must downgrade to a Class C license to obtain a restricted license.6
Full details

Must downgrade to a Class C license to obtain a restricted license. If not operating a commercial vehicle at the time of the offense, a $125 reissue fee applies after a 30-day suspension. A DUI in a commercial vehicle triggers a 1-year CDL disqualification under federal rules.

Other notes

Worth knowing
California's filing is the SR-22 / SR-1P (the 'California Insurance Proof Certificate').1
Full details

California's filing is the SR-22 / SR-1P (the 'California Insurance Proof Certificate'). Many third-party sites still list California's old 15/30/5 minimums — the current minimums are 30/60/15, effective January 1, 2025. The reinstatement fee depends on the suspension type rather than being a single flat amount.

Compare California with another state

Compare California with:
California vs TexasCalifornia vs FloridaCalifornia vs IllinoisCalifornia vs OhioCalifornia vs MichiganCalifornia vs GeorgiaCalifornia vs WashingtonCalifornia vs Arizona
Open the California comparison hub →

Regulatory change history

  • Most recent2025-01-01 — minimums raised to 30/60/15 (SB 1107).
  • Scheduled2035-01-01 — minimums rise to 50/100/25 (SB 1107).

Sources used on this page

Agency

Statute

This page is an informational summary of California's insurance and financial-responsibility requirements. Regulations change frequently and individual cases vary. This is not legal advice — verify current requirements with California DMV before making decisions.