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Home / Texas / SR-22 & insurance
Texas SR-22 & Car Insurance Requirements
Yes
SR-22 required
financial-responsibility filing
2 years
Carry for
continuous filing
No
FR-44
separate DUI form
Minimum liability insurance
UM / UIM
Optional — not part of the required minimum (insurers must offer; driver may reject in writing). est.
January 1, 20112
Current limits since
N/A2
Effective
SR-22 in Texas
Yes1
SR-22 required
Carry it for
2 years1
A lapse resets the clock and re-suspends the license. A new SR-22-triggering conviction can extend it.
Clock starts
Date of most recent conviction (or judgment date for a crash judgment)1
A coverage lapse resets the 2-year clock.
Filing fee
~$15-25 (charged by the insurer, not DPS) est.
What triggers an SR-22
Yes3
DUI / DWI
Driving uninsured
Yes (2nd or subsequent No-Insurance conviction)4
Yes5
License suspension
Too many points
No6
Texas's Driver Responsibility Program (points/surcharges) was repealed 9/1/2019; DPS no longer assesses DRP points.
Which offenses
DWI/DUI;4
Full details
DWI/DUI; drug or controlled-substance offenses; Driving While License Invalid (DWLI); 2nd+ No-Insurance conviction (a 1st alone doesn't require SR-22, and it's waived if you prove you had insurance); uninsured at-fault crash with $1,000+ damage; unsatisfied civil judgment from a crash.
Penalties
$175-$3502
Uninsured — first offense
Uninsured — repeat
$350-$1,0002
A 2nd+ conviction also triggers a 2-year FR (SR-22) requirement and possible 180-day vehicle impoundment ($15/day fee).
DUI license suspension
Adult: up to 2 years. Minor (<21): 1 year (18 months for subsequent); 90-day possible with interlock community supervision.3
DUI fine range
Texas 'DWI' (Penal Code Ch.7
Full details
Texas 'DWI' (Penal Code Ch. 49), by prior convictions. Ch. 49 sets the offense class and minimum jail; dollar maxima come from the Penal Code Ch. 12 class ranges. 1st DWI (49.04) = Class B misdemeanor, min 72 hours jail (6 days if open container), up to $2,000 — elevated to Class A (up to $4,000) if BAC 0.15+ (49.04(d)). 2nd DWI (49.09(a)) = Class A misdemeanor, min 30 days, up to $4,000. 3rd+ DWI (49.09(b)) = 3rd-degree felony, 2-10 years, up to $10,000. DWI with child passenger <15 (49.045) = state jail felony, up to $10,000. IID required for a 2nd+ within 5 years (49.09(h)); entitlement to use the substance is no defense (49.10).
Driving while suspended
DWLI: additional suspension period, then reinstatement needs an SR-22 (2 yrs) plus the $100 fee.5
Full details
DWLI: additional suspension period, then reinstatement needs an SR-22 (2 yrs) plus the $100 fee. Operating during a registration suspension (Sec. 601.371): $100-$500 fine and 72 hours-6 months jail; a repeat is a Class A misdemeanor. Operating without required FR (Sec. 601.195): up to $500 and/or up to 6 months jail.
Drug-offense penalty
90-day license suspension; 15-hour Drug Education Program (TDLR-approved); $100 reinstatement fee; SR-22 maintained 2 years from conviction.8
Registration suspension
Yes (a lapse re-suspends both license and registration).1
Registration reinstatement
Included in the single $100 fee (Sec. 601.376(c))2
Suspension & reinstatement
Yes3
License can be suspended
To reinstate
Submit a valid SR-22;9
Full details
Submit a valid SR-22; pay the $100 fee; serve the suspension; complete any required program (12-hr/32-hr alcohol or 15-hr drug); for crash/judgment cases provide an SR-22A (policy prepaid 6+ months).
Reinstatement fee
$100 (flat)1
One $100 fee covers reinstatement regardless of the number of licenses/registrations.
Up to 21 business days4
Processing time
Alternatives to insurance
Surety bond (Sec.2
Full details
Surety bond (Sec. 601.121); $55,000 deposit with the Comptroller (Sec. 601.122) or the county judge (Sec. 601.123); self-insurance for an owner of more than 25 vehicles (Sec. 601.124).
Commercial drivers (CDL)
Effect on a CDL
A DWI conviction disqualifies a CDL. A Texas occupational license is valid for non-commercial vehicles only.3
Other notes
Worth knowing
Texas uses the SR-22, plus the SR-22A (policy prepaid 6+ months) for crash or judgment suspensions;6
Full details
Texas uses the SR-22, plus the SR-22A (policy prepaid 6+ months) for crash or judgment suspensions; the crash-suspension damage threshold is $1,000. After two years with no lawsuit or judgment, an Affidavit of No Suit Filed (SR-60) plus the fee allows reinstatement. Two common points of confusion: the SR-22 requirement after a DWI is 2 years from the conviction date (per Texas DPS), not the 3 years some sites state; and the old annual 'surcharges' no longer exist — the Driver Responsibility Program was repealed on September 1, 2019 (HB 2048).
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Open the Texas comparison hub →Regulatory change history
- Most recent2019-09-01 — Driver Responsibility Program (surcharges) repealed (HB 2048).
- ScheduledNone known.
Sources used on this page
Statute
Other
This page is an informational summary of Texas's insurance and
financial-responsibility requirements. Regulations change frequently and individual cases vary.
This is not legal advice — verify current requirements with Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) before making decisions.