SR-22 in Texas: Who Needs It, How Long, and How to File

Texas keeps it simple: 2 years, counted from your most recent conviction. The details that trip people up are what counts as a trigger, what happens if you file late, and what a lapse costs.

What an SR-22 is in Texas

An SR-22 is a certificate your insurance company files with the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) confirming you carry at least the state's minimum liability insurance. It's required by the Safety Responsibility Act, Chapter 601 of the Texas Transportation Code. It isn't a separate kind of policy, but not every insurer offers it, so you may need to shop around. DPS won't accept an insurance card or a copy of your policy in its place.

Who needs an SR-22 in Texas

DPS's enforcement guide (form DL-176) lists two families of suspensions that require one:

One exception worth knowing: a suspension for a crash or a judgment in another state doesn't require a Texas SR-22.

How long you need it

You must keep a valid SR-22 on file for 2 years. When the clock starts depends on the reason:

• for a conviction, from the date of your most recent conviction;
• for a court judgment after a crash, from the date the judgment was rendered;
• for a crash suspension, from the date of the collision.

The clock doesn't restart if you file late: per DPS, if you file an SR-22 a year after your conviction, you only need to keep it for one more year. A new conviction that requires an SR-22 can extend the period. And the requirement doesn't simply switch off: under Transportation Code § 601.056, DPS can release it after the second anniversary only if you've had no conviction in the previous two years, and there's no pending damages suit, unpaid judgment or injury crash in that time.

What it has to cover

The SR-22 certifies Texas's minimum liability limits: $30,000 for injury or death of one person, $60,000 for two or more people, and $25,000 for property damage per crash.

Filing and reinstating your license

1. Get the SR-22 from an insurer. The insurer files it with DPS for you.
2. Allow time for processing. DPS says it can take up to 21 business days to process an SR-22. You can check whether it has arrived on the DPS License Eligibility page.
3. Pay the reinstatement fee. It's $100 for a Safety Responsibility suspension and $100 for other departmental suspensions such as DWLI. A breath or blood test refusal or failure (an ALR suspension) has its own $125 fee. You can pay online on the License Eligibility page.

No car? You still need one

Not owning a vehicle doesn't exempt you. DPS says you're still required to file and maintain an SR-22, and suggests asking insurers about a Texas non-owner SR-22 policy, which covers you when you drive a car you don't own.

If you don't live in Texas

A nonresident can file a certificate from an insurer authorized in their own state or in the state where the vehicle is registered. If that insurer isn't licensed in Texas, it has to give DPS a power of attorney (§ 601.084). We didn't find an official DPS rule on what happens to an active Texas SR-22 when you move out of the state, so check with DPS before cancelling it.

What happens if it lapses

Your insurer automatically notifies DPS if the SR-22 is cancelled, terminated or lapses, and a certified policy can't end until 6 days after DPS receives that written notice, unless a replacement policy is certified (§ 601.085). Unless a new SR-22 is filed before the old policy ends, your license and vehicle registration can be suspended again, and you'll need a new SR-22 plus another $100 reinstatement fee. Paying on time for the full 2 years is the cheapest way through it.

Alternatives to an SR-22

Texas law accepts other forms of proof, though few people use them:

• a deposit of $55,000 in cash or securities with the Comptroller, or in cash or a cashier's check with the county judge (not accepted if there's an unpaid judgment against you in your county);
• a surety bond backed by two individuals who own Texas real estate worth at least twice the bond;
• a certificate of self-insurance (§ 601.124).

Separately, a security deposit of at least $1,000, up to the minimum liability limits, can resolve a crash suspension; it's returned on the second anniversary of the collision if no one has sued.

What it costs

The filing itself usually costs $15–$25. The premium depends heavily on why you need the SR-22:

*USAA is only available to military members, veterans and their families. MoneyGeek's figures are for a 40-year-old driver with good credit; Insurance.com's for a 40-year-old with 100/300/100 limits. Estimates, not quotes.

Related: When does my SR-22 end? (calculator) · Driving with a suspended license in Texas · Driving without insurance in Texas · Car insurance after a DWI in Texas · SR-22 requirements in every state

More Texas guides

• Car insurance after a DUI in Texas
• DUI under 21 in Texas
• Driving without insurance in Texas
• Driving with a suspended license in Texas
• Car insurance for teen drivers in Texas
• Teen car insurance by age (16, 17 and 18) in Texas
• Car insurance for senior drivers in Texas