FR44 is a Florida-specific insurance filing required after a DUI or DWI conviction. It is not a type of insurance product — it is a certificate your insurance company files with the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) proving that you carry a specific minimum level of liability coverage. Florida requires 100/300/50 liability limits for FR44 — that means $100,000 per person, $300,000 per accident, and $50,000 for property damage. This is double the standard minimum insurance requirement in Florida.
When you are convicted of a DUI in Florida, the state suspends your driver's license. To get it back, you must complete several steps set by the DHSMV — one of which is getting an FR44 filed. Until your insurance company transmits the FR44 certificate to the DHSMV, your license will not be reinstated. Most carriers file electronically, and the DHSMV processes these filings quickly. Once it hits their system, you can get your license reinstated.
Not everyone who needs an FR44 owns a vehicle. If you do not own a car, you can get a non-owner FR44 policy — it covers you as a driver regardless of what vehicle you are in. Non-owner policies are significantly cheaper than owner policies and satisfy the DHSMV requirement completely. Florida requires you to maintain continuous FR44 coverage for 3 years from your license reinstatement date. Any lapse — even a single day — resets your clock and can result in another suspension.