SR-22 in Arizona: When the 3 Years Start

Arizona's MVD calls it future financial responsibility. The period is usually 3 years; what varies is the date it starts counting from.

When the requirement applies, and how long it lasts

The Arizona MVD lists these violations and periods:

Violation	How long you keep the SR-22
Alcohol- or drug-related revocation	3 years from the end date of the revocation
DUI suspension from a court conviction	3 years from the end date of the suspension
Implied-consent suspension (refusing an alcohol or drug test)	3 years from the end date of the suspension
Insurance law violation (A.R.S. 28-4135 only)	3 years from the date you become eligible for reinstatement
Nonpayment of a judgment, default judgment	For the term of the judgment plus 2 full years after it's satisfied
Special ignition interlock restricted license (SIIRDL)	For the whole restricted-license period (not required when the SIIRDL is due to Admin Per Se)

A shorter ADOT FAQ says "three years from the date of suspension"; the MVD's detailed page above gives the start date by violation, so check your own notice or the Compliance Report on AZ MVD Now.

Two ways to meet it

1. An SR-22 certificate (the usual route): buy a policy from an Arizona-licensed insurer and ask it to file the SR-22, which it does electronically. If you don't own a vehicle, the MVD says you'll need a non-owner policy.
2. A $40,000 cash deposit with the Arizona State Treasurer's Office, then email the certificate of deposit to the MVD.

What the insurance must cover

Arizona's minimums are $25,000 for bodily injury to one person, $50,000 for two or more people, and $15,000 for property damage.

The $40,000 deposit comes with conditions

The cash alternative isn't just a larger up-front payment. The State Treasurer accepts a deposit only if you can show there are no unsatisfied judgments against you in your county, and the money is held to pay any future crash judgment against you (A.R.S. § 28-4084). You get it back only if no lawsuit is pending, no judgment is unpaid and you haven't had a crash in the previous year (§ 28-4088). For most people, an SR-22 costs far less than tying up $40,000.

If your coverage lapses

Your insurer can't drop an SR-22 policy overnight: under § 28-4081 the policy can't be cancelled until 10 days after the insurer files a notice with the MVD. Once it lapses, the MVD must suspend your privileges until new proof is filed (§ 28-4087), and the MVD says that can happen immediately. To fix it, get new SR-22 coverage filed and pay the $10 suspension fee online at AZ MVD Now or at an MVD or authorized third-party office. Neither the MVD nor the statutes say the three years start over after a lapse, but the gap can leave you driving on a suspended license.

If the SR-22 is for a court judgment

Judgment cases follow their own rules. Your license stays suspended until the judgment is satisfied, and the SR-22 then has to stay on file for two more years (§ 28-4073). You don't necessarily have to pay everything at once: a court order letting you pay in installments, together with an SR-22, lifts the suspension, but missing an installment suspends you again (§ 28-4075).

When it ends, and if you move away

You don't have to do anything when the period ends: the MVD removes the requirement automatically. Your insurer may keep filing after that, so ask it to stop filing once you're done.

The MVD can also waive the requirement early in a few situations (§ 28-4088):

• three years after the proof was first required;
• on the person's death or permanent incapacity to drive;
• if you surrender your license and registration;
• if you're no longer, or never were, an Arizona resident. That out-of-state waiver isn't available for judgments.

If you live elsewhere and still need the filing, an insurer from your own state can file it, as long as it gives the MVD a power of attorney (§ 28-4078). An owner can also file proof for an employee or a member of the household who drives the owner's vehicles (§ 28-4085).

What it costs

The filing itself usually costs $15–$25; the MVD sends questions about it to insurers. The premium is the real cost, and it depends on the insurer and the reason for the SR-22. MoneyGeek's Arizona figures (40-year-old driver, updated September 2026):

Insurer	Minimum coverage with SR-22
Travelers	~$100/month
State Farm	~$113/month
GEICO	~$173/month
Progressive	~$189/month
Allstate	~$206/month

For full coverage the gap is wider. Insurance.com's Arizona estimates (100/300/100 limits, 40-year-old driver) put a driver with an SR-22 after a no-insurance ticket at about $2,337 a year with Travelers, rising to about $4,204 with Farmers, and the average SR-22 driver at about $2,727.

Estimates for one driver profile from two publishers with different coverage assumptions, not quotes.

Related: When does my SR-22 end? (calculator) · Driving without insurance in Arizona · SR-22 requirements in every state