SR-22 insurance in Texas

When Texas requires an SR-22

DPS says you must file an SR-22 if your driving privilege has been suspended because of a crash, if you have a second or subsequent conviction for No Motor Vehicle Liability Insurance, or if a civil judgment has been filed against you. DPS lists other convictions that can trigger the requirement, including driving while intoxicated, drug offenses, and driving while license invalid.

An SR-22 is also required when you place a security deposit with DPS to comply with a crash or crash-default suspension.

The statute behind the second-uninsured-conviction rule is Transportation Code Section 601.231: DPS suspends the license of a person with a prior No Insurance conviction unless the person files and maintains evidence of financial responsibility until the second anniversary of the later conviction.

How long you must keep it: two years, counted from the right date

DPS requires you to maintain a valid SR-22 for two years from the date of your most recent conviction that requires one, or from the date a judgment was rendered against you after a crash.

The clock doesn't restart when you file late. DPS's own example: if you send in the SR-22 a year after your conviction date, you need to keep it for only one more year. A new conviction that requires an SR-22 can extend the requirement.

• Find your conviction or judgment date on your DPS notice or court paperwork.
• Count two years from that date, not from the date you bought the policy.
• Check your status on DPS's License Eligibility page before you drop the filing.

What the SR-22 policy must cover

The certificate confirms at least Texas's minimum liability limits: $30,000 for injury or death of one person, $60,000 for injury or death of two or more people, and $25,000 for property damage in one crash. You can carry higher limits; the SR-22 only proves you meet the floor.

An insurance card or a copy of your policy won't do. DPS says it will not accept an insurance card or policy in place of an SR-22, because the SR-22 is the insurer's own certification filed with the department.

If the policy lapses or is canceled

Your insurer automatically notifies DPS when an SR-22 is canceled, terminated, or lapses. Under Section 601.085, a certified policy can't end before the sixth day after DPS receives the termination notice, unless a newer certified policy replaces it.

If DPS learns your SR-22 lapsed and no replacement was filed before the old policy ended, your driver license and vehicle registration may be suspended again. To reinstate, DPS requires a new SR-22 and a $100 reinstatement fee, plus any other fees you owe.

Driving your own vehicle while you're required to maintain proof and don't is a separate misdemeanor under Section 601.195, punishable by a fine of up to $500, up to six months in county jail, or both.

• Set premium payments to autopay so a missed bill doesn't cancel the policy.
• If you switch insurers, have the new company file its SR-22 before the old policy ends.
• Keep the filing until DPS shows your two years are complete.

Non-owner SR-22: when you don't have a car

Not owning a vehicle doesn't remove the requirement. DPS says you still must file and maintain an SR-22, and it suggests asking an insurer about a Texas non-owner SR-22 policy.

The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) describes a non-owner policy as liability coverage for damage and injuries you cause while driving a borrowed car. It doesn't pay for your own injuries or for damage to the car you're driving, so it fits people who drive occasionally rather than people who have a car at home.

How to get an SR-22 filed

Ask an insurance agent or company for an SR-22. DPS notes that not every insurer offers them, so you may need to ask more than one. The insurer files the form with DPS for you.

Processing can take up to 21 business days, according to DPS, so file well before you need to drive. If you were insured on the date of an uninsured-driving citation, DPS says your insurer can send a letter on company letterhead confirming coverage on that date, and the SR-22 requirement can be waived.

If two companies turn you down, TDI says an agent can place basic coverage through the Texas Automobile Insurance Plan Association (TAIPA), which sells liability, PIP, and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage at state minimum limits.

• Have your DPS notice, driver license number, and conviction or judgment date ready.
• Tell the agent whether you own a car or need a non-owner policy.
• Ask how the company confirms the filing reached DPS.
• Ask what happens to the filing if you add or replace a vehicle.