In Nevada, you need to purchase an SR-22 from an insurance company in order to reinstate your driver’s license following a DUI (or certain other violations). Then you need to maintain the SR-22 for three years, which can amount to thousands of dollars.
However, if we can get your charges dismissed and win your DMV hearing, you may be able to avoid a license suspension and the need to get an SR-22 altogether.
In this article, our Las Vegas DUI attorneys explain what an SR-22 is in Nevada, when it is needed, and how to get it. Click on a topic to jump to that section:
- 1. What is SR-22?
- 2. When do I need it?
- 3. How do I get it?
- 4. How long do I need it?
- 5. What if I lose my car insurance?
- 6. What about DUI motorcycle cases?
- 7. What if I live out-of-state?
- 8. How can I avoid SR-22?
- 9. How much does it cost?
- Additional Resources
1. What is SR-22?
In Nevada, an SR-22 is issued by a car insurance provider that serves as “proof of financial responsibility” for high-risk drivers. It verifies you carry the minimum coverage of liability insurance required to maintain driving privileges in Nevada, which is:
- $25,000 for the bodily injury or fatality of one person,
- $50,000 for the bodily injury or fatality of two or more people, and
- $20,000 for property damage.
If you have your driver’s license revoked by the Nevada DMV, you usually have to file an SR22 with the DMV before you can get it reinstated.1 It is irrelevant whether or not you own a vehicle: Non-owner SR-22 forms are available.
2. When do I need it?
If you get a DUI in Nevada, you must obtain an SR-22 to reinstate your driver’s license once the suspension period ends.2 The length of a driver’s license suspension depends on whether you had previous DUIs within the last seven years:
- A first-time DUI carries a 185-day driver’s license suspension.
- A second-time DUI carries a 1-year driver’s license suspension.
- A third-time DUI carries a 3-year driver’s license suspension.3
DUIs are not the only reason you may need an SR-22. You may also need it following:
- Speed racing,
- Point suspensions,
- Falling into child support arrears,
- Causing a car accident without insurance, or
- Driving with an insurance policy that has been expired for more than 90 days.4
If you do not get an SR-22, your driver’s license remains suspended indefinitely.
SR22 is necessary after causing a car accident without insurance.
3. How do I get it?
Contact your car insurance agent and request an SR-22. There is usually a filing fee. The insurer then notifies the Nevada DMV that you have an SR-22.5
4. How long do I need it?
In Nevada, you must maintain SR-22 insurance for three years from the date you reinstate your license.6
Note that the Nevada DMV does not notify you when your SR-22 period ends. Therefore you should contact the DMV if you are uncertain about when you no longer need an SR22.
5. What if I lose my car insurance?
If your car insurance lapses or gets canceled before your SR-22 period ends, the insurance company will issue an SR-26 form to the Nevada DMV. An SR-26 indicates a discontinuation in auto insurance coverage.
At that point, the DMV will notify you by certified mail that they will suspend your driver’s vehicle registration in 10 days unless you can secure new insurance and another SR-22.
Unfortunately, a lapse or cancellation in insurance coverage “restarts the clock” for SR-22 coverage. So for example if your insurance gets canceled two years into a three-year SR-22 period, you would need to get a new SR-22 for another three years.7
The DMV will not reinstate your license following a drunk driving case without an SR-22.
6. What about DUI motorcycle cases?
If you had a DUI with a motorcycle in Nevada, the SR-22 can usually be satisfied through motorcycle insurance. Though contact the DMV first to confirm.
7. What if I live out-of-state?
People with out-of-state licenses will usually have to follow similar SR-22 rules in their home state. Contact your home state DMV for more information.
The same rules apply if you move from Nevada. You would still need to fulfill your SR-22 filing period for Nevada despite no longer living here.
8. How can I avoid SR-22?
The best way to avoid having to purchase an SR-22 in Nevada is to retain criminal defense counsel as soon as possible following the traffic citation or arrest.
First, we would request a DMV hearing to contest your driver’s license suspension. If the hearing is successful, you may no longer be required to get the SR-22.
Drivers with SR22 are considered “high risk.”
9. How much does it cost?
In Nevada, SR-22 usually costs $260 to $380 a month plus a one-time filing fee of around $25, depending on the insurance carrier. Insurers that usually have the cheapest SR-22 rates are:
- State Farm,
- USAA,
- Allstate,
- Geico, and
- Travelers.
Having SR-22 does not itself cause your insurance rates to increase. It is your underlying traffic/moving violation, such as
- DUI,
- reckless driving,
- driving without insurance,
- driving on a suspended license, or
- multiple at-fault collisions.
Depending on your insurance carrier, a traffic violation can cause your premium rates to skyrocket by more than half. See our article on how DUIs affect car insurance.
Ask if your carrier provides discounts for taking a defensive driving class. They may also be able to bundle your SR-22 insurance with other policies.
An experienced criminal defense attorney maximizes your odds of avoiding a license suspension in the first place.
Additional Resources
For more general information about SR-22 insurance, refer to these resources:
- Credit Karma – discusses what you can expect to pay a month.
- US News and World Report – goes over basic details, including the difference between SR-22 and FR-44.
- Forbes Advisor – provides links to various insurance companies and their current rates.
- CNBC – lists all the circumstances under which you have to obtain SR-22 insurance.
- Nevada DMV – outlines the penalties for failing to maintain auto insurance.
Also read our article on how to reinstate your driver’s license in Nevada.
Legal References:
- NRS 485.3091; see also Langston v. Department of Motor Vehicles (1994) 110 Nev. 342, 871 P.2d 362.
- NRS 485.3075.
- NRS 483.460.
- Insurance, Nevada DMV. NRS 485.105.
- Same.
- NRS 485.3092.
- Same.