Do You Have to Have an SR-22 After a DUI?

DUI or driving under the influence is the act of operating a vehicle while intoxicated. This is a violation punishable by law, which is dealt with through severe penalties. It is also considered a criminal offense in almost all states of America and in most countries.

An SR-22 is an official form used to show evidence of financial responsibility. This document is normally required by the court or individual state laws from a person who committed traffic violations, especially serious ones. This provides evidence of the capacity to meet the liability requirements set by your state. SR-22 is considered state-specific. The requirements differ and this means that one requirement may or may not be applicable from one state to another. SR-22 is described in many forms depending on the state where you are located. It can be called SR-22 form, SR-22 certificate, SR-22 bond, SR-22 filing, SR-22 insurance, SR-22 Certificate of Financial Responsibility. This document is usually needed when a person is caught driving without insurance specifically when the person is involved or worse is at-fault in traffic accidents, driving with a revoked or suspended license, when he repeatedly commits traffic violations in a short span of time and any serious traffic violation especially DUI or driving under the influence.

For example, when you are caught driving while intoxicated and unable to show any liability insurance, you will be required to provide this certificate of financial responsibility. But how long do you have to have an SR-22 after a DUI?

You will be required to maintain SR-22 status depending on the gravity of the violation but the time period usually differs by state. In general, the minimum period normally goes for 3 consecutive years. DUI violation is considered a serious offense which also results in severe penalties. It can greatly affect driving records as well as insurance premiums. DUI or Driving under the influence is one of the main reasons why filing of SR-22 is imposed or mandated by most states. In DUI cases, an offender is required to carry SR-22 for a 3-year period. In the state of Virginia, you have to carry the SR-22 for 3 years after DUI; in Ohio it’s 3 years for first offense, 5 years for repeated offenses; and in Tennessee, you have to carry SR-22 for five years. Some states have different specified minimum periods for carrying the SR-22 before it expires, but a 3-year period is the most common requirement. For the span of 3 years while you are maintaining an SR-22 status, you will be considered as a high risk driver which naturally means you will have limited privileges and high auto insurance premiums.

After the reinstatement of your license, the SR-22 will start running and for 3 consecutive years you will be required to maintain the SR-22 status. When you have an SR-22 certification, you are categorized as a high risk driver and you should maintain a clean driving record in order to prevent revocation of SR-22 privilege. Although most states set SR-22 as a requirement, SR-22 is not mandatory to states like Minnesota, Kentucky, Delaware, New Mexico, New york, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania.

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