District of Columbia SR-22 requirements after a DUI
District of Columbia requires an SR-22 filing for 3 years after a DUI, counted from the date of conviction.
What District of Columbia says
DC DMV lists 'Obtain and maintain SR-22 Insurance' as an IID Program enrollment requirement; the policy must be maintained for three years from the date of conviction.
“Obtain and maintain SR-22 Insurance SR-22 Insurance can be purchased from any insurance provider.”
Ignition interlock statute (see the state page): D.C. Code § 50-2201.05a
At a glance
| Filing required after a DUI | Yes |
|---|---|
| Form | SR-22 |
| Filing period | 3 years |
| License reinstatement fee | $115 |
| Licensing agency | District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles (DC DMV) |
Which filing, and what triggers it
Form: SR-22
DC DMV calls it 'SR-22 Insurance', obtained from the driver's current or another insurance provider (the FAQ says no different policy is needed) and required for enrollment in the DC DMV Ignition Interlock Device (IID) Program. D.C. Code § 50-1301.54 describes the filing as the written certificate of an insurance carrier authorized to do business in the District, filed with the Mayor; DC DMV administers the requirement through its IID Program. DC DMV does not state whether the insurer files electronically or on paper.
“10. Do I need a different insurance policy for SR-22 Insurance? You do not need a different policy for the SR-22 Insurance. You can reach out to your current insurance provider and let them know you need to obtain SR-22 Insurance.”
What triggers it
Conviction. D.C. Code § 50-1301.37(a) directs the DMV to suspend the license and registration of a person convicted of DUI (§ 50-2206.11), DUI in a commercial vehicle (§ 50-2206.12) or operating while impaired (§ 50-2206.14), and § 50-1301.38(a)(2) makes providing and maintaining proof of financial responsibility a condition of reinstatement. DC DMV separately lists 'Obtain and maintain SR-22 Insurance' as an IID Program enrollment requirement, and its FAQ says any DC credential holder convicted of an alcohol/drug-related driving offense by a court or revoked administratively must participate in the IID Program.
“(a) The DMV shall suspend, in accordance with the requirements of § 50-1301.38 , the license and registration of any person who was convicted ... for a violation of, the following offenses: (1) Driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol or a drug, as described in § 50-2206.11”
How long it stays on file, and from when
3 years, counted from the date of conviction.
DC DMV states three years from the date of conviction (IID Program Enrollment Requirements page and FAQ 11). The DMV's 2015 IID Program application form states SR-22 insurance is required for the duration of enrollment in the IID program, including extensions. The statute (§ 50-1301.38(a)(2)) says 'provides and maintains' without a duration; § 50-1301.68 allows cancellation only on death, incapacity or surrender of the license and registration. Neither source uses the word continuous.
“Obtain and maintain SR-22 Insurance SR-22 Insurance can be purchased from any insurance provider. Once obtained, you must maintain the insurance policy for three years from your date of conviction.”
If the policy is cancelled or lapses
No DC DMV page describes what happens if the SR-22 policy is cancelled or lapses, and D.C. Code § 50-1301.58 (notice of cancellation or termination of a certified policy) is shown as repealed. § 50-1301.67 provides that whenever proof on file no longer fulfills its purpose the Mayor shall require other proof, and § 50-1301.38(a) keeps the license suspended until proof is provided and maintained. No source states an insurer notice form (SR-26) or that the three-year period restarts.
“Whenever any proof of financial responsibility filed under the provisions of this chapter no longer fulfills the purposes for which required, the Mayor shall, for the purpose of this chapter, require other proof as required by this chapter.”
Non-owner and out-of-state policies
| Non-owner (operator) policy | Accepted |
|---|---|
| Out-of-state insurer or resident | Accepted |
D.C. Code § 50-1301.53 allows proof 'with respect to a person who is not the owner of such a vehicle' to be given by a certificate of insurance, and § 50-1301.54 waives the vehicle-designation requirement when the policy is issued to a person who is not the owner of a motor vehicle. DC DMV's IID FAQ addresses drivers without a District-registered vehicle only for interlock installation (another person's registered vehicle with a supplement form), not for the SR-22.
“Proof of financial responsibility when required under this chapter, with respect to such a vehicle or with respect to a person who is not the owner of such a vehicle may be given by filing: (1) A certificate of insurance, as provided in § 50-1301.54 or 50-1301.55”
For nonresidents, D.C. Code § 50-1301.55 lets a nonresident file the certificate of an insurer authorized in the state where the vehicle is registered (or where the nonresident resides if no vehicle is owned), provided the carrier executes a power of attorney for service of process and agrees in writing that the policy conforms to District law. DC DMV's enrollment page addresses 'New resident converting out-of-state license' with the same SR-22 requirement, and § 50-1301.37(c)(2) has the DMV forward a nonresident's conviction record to the licensing state.
“A nonresident may give proof of financial responsibility by filing with the Mayor a written certificate or certificates of an insurance carrier authorized to transact business in the state in which the vehicle, or vehicles, owned by such nonresident is registered”
Liability limits the filing certifies
Minimum limits: 25/50/10
D.C. Code § 50-1301.35(3) defines proof of financial responsibility as proof that the vehicle is insured under Chapter 24 of Title 31 (the compulsory insurance law); § 31-2406(b) and (c) set minimums of $10,000 property damage and $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident third-party liability, and § 31-2406(f)(2) requires uninsured motorist coverage of $25,000/$50,000 bodily injury and $5,000 property damage. DC DMV's Vehicle Insurance page lists the same minimums. No DC source states higher limits for the SR-22.
“The minimum amount of property damage liability insurance coverage that a named insured shall purchase is $10,000 for property damage in any 1 accident. ... shall be $25,000 per person injured in any 1 accident and $50,000 for all persons injured in any 1 accident.”
How the filing is confirmed
DC DMV's IID Program pages list obtaining and maintaining SR-22 insurance among the enrollment requirements submitted through the IID online portal (or by contacting the IID Program by e-mail if the license is revoked); the FAQ says the insurer may request the citation/case number of the conviction. The DMV Reinstatement Application (Mar. 2023) states that high-risk insurance may be required at reinstatement if the conviction occurred within the last three years. No DC DMV page describes an online lookup confirming the filing is on record.
Agency page: dmv.dc.gov
“Apply via the online portal. If your license has been revoked, you do not have access to the online portal. ... Acknowledge and sign the IID Program Penalties/Violations agreement. ... Obtain and maintain SR-22 Insurance”
Financial-responsibility statute
“the person's license and registration shall remain suspended, and the person shall be ineligible for a new or renewed license or registration, until the person: ... (2) Provides and maintains proof of financial responsibility; (3) Pays a $100 reinstatement fee”
How an SR-22 works in general — who files it, why premiums differ, and what an SR-26 is — is explained in the glossary; everything above is specific to this state and quoted from its sources.
Questions about SR-22 in District of Columbia
- How long must SR-22 insurance be kept after a DUI conviction in the District of Columbia?
- DC DMV's IID Program Enrollment Requirements page and its FAQ state that once obtained, the SR-22 insurance policy must be maintained for three years from the date of conviction. D.C. Code § 50-1301.38(a)(2) makes providing and maintaining proof of financial responsibility a condition of reinstating a license suspended after a DUI conviction under § 50-1301.37.
- Which DC offenses trigger the financial-responsibility filing?
- D.C. Code § 50-1301.37(a) requires the DMV to suspend the license and registration of a person convicted of DUI (§ 50-2206.11), DUI in a commercial vehicle (§ 50-2206.12) or operating while impaired (§ 50-2206.14), among other offenses, and § 50-1301.38 conditions reinstatement on proof of financial responsibility. DC DMV's FAQ states that any DC credential holder convicted of an alcohol/drug-related driving offense or revoked administratively must participate in the IID Program, which requires SR-22 insurance.
- What insurance limits does a DC SR-22 certify, and can a driver without a car file one?
- D.C. Code § 50-1301.35(3) defines proof of financial responsibility as insurance under Chapter 24 of Title 31; § 31-2406 sets minimums of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury and $10,000 for property damage, plus uninsured motorist coverage. § 50-1301.53 allows proof to be given for a person who is not the owner of a vehicle, and § 50-1301.54 waives vehicle designation for such a policy.
- Does DC require an SR-22 to enroll in the IID program?
- Yes. The DC DMV IID Program Enrollment Requirements page lists 'Obtain and maintain SR-22 Insurance,' which can be purchased from any insurance provider and must be maintained for three years from the date of conviction.
Sources
- DC DMV - IID Program Enrollment Requirements (SR-22 three years from conviction; online portal)
- DC DMV - IID Program Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ 9-11 on SR-22; mandatory enrollment)
- DC DMV - Vehicle Insurance (minimum coverage table)
- DC DMV - Reinstatement Application publication page
- DC DMV - Reinstatement Application (English, updated Mar. 2023) PDF
- D.C. Code Title 50, Chapter 13, Subchapter V - Proof of Financial Responsibility (section list) - D.C. Law Library
- D.C. Code § 50-1301.35 Definitions ('proof of financial responsibility')
- D.C. Code § 50-1301.37 Suspension of license and registration upon conviction of certain offenses
- D.C. Code § 50-1301.38 Requirements for reinstatement of license and registration
- D.C. Code § 50-1301.53 Alternate methods of giving proof
- D.C. Code § 50-1301.54 Certificate of insurance as proof
- D.C. Code § 50-1301.55 Certificate filed by nonresident as proof of financial responsibility
- D.C. Code § 50-1301.67 Requirement of other proof of financial responsibility
- D.C. Code § 50-1301.68 Cancellation of certificate; waiver of filing proof
- D.C. Code § 31-2406 Availability of required and optional insurance and benefits (minimum limits)