SR-22 Filing Period: How the Clock Actually Runs
- An SR-22 is a form your insurer files with the state — it is not a separate insurance policy.
- Expect a one-time filing fee (often $15–$50) plus a premium increase that reflects the underlying violation.
- You must keep the policy continuous for the state's full requirement period, usually 1–3 years.
The filing period — commonly two to three years, set by state and violation — runs continuously from the date the state records the filing as active, not from the date of the violation or the court order. Three practical consequences follow. First, delay is expensive twice: driving on a suspended license is illegal, and every month before you buy the policy extends the requirement end-date equally. Second, the clock does not pause for insurer changes, moves within the state, or vehicle changes — only for lapses, which restart it. Third, the end date is your job to discover: insurers do not always notify you when the requirement expires. Mark the date, confirm it with the DMV near the end, then request filing removal so the premium re-rates downward. State-specific durations: 50-state requirements.