South Carolina SR-22 requirements after a DUI
South Carolina requires an SR-22 filing for 3 years after a DUI.
What South Carolina says
SR-22 (Certificate of Insurance). S.C. Code § 56-9-500 provides that whenever SCDMV suspends or revokes a license 'upon receiving a record of conviction,' the license and registration remain suspended and no license may be issued 'until he shall give and thereafter maintain proof of financial responsibility'; § 56-9-550 provides that proof may be furnished by the insurer's certificate filed with SCDMV, and § 56-9-620(1) allows cancellation of the proof three years after it was required if no further qualifying conviction occurred. SCDMV describes this filing as a 'Certificate of Insurance (SR-22)' filed by the insurance company and, for uninsured-driving suspensions, states it runs 'for three years starting with the date of suspension.' No SCDMV page located expressly enumerates DUI as an SR-22 trigger; the requirement is derived from the statute's application to conviction-based suspensions.
“nor shall any license be thereafter issued to that person nor shall any motor vehicle be thereafter registered in the name of that person until permitted under the motor vehicle laws of this State and not then until he shall give and thereafter maintain proof of financial responsibility.”
Ignition interlock statute (see the state page): S.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-2941
At a glance
| Filing required after a DUI | Yes |
|---|---|
| Form | SR-22 |
| Filing period | 3 years |
| License reinstatement fee | $100 |
| Licensing agency | South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (SCDMV); Ignition Interlock Device Program administered by the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services (SCDPPPS) |
How an SR-22 filing works
An SR-22 is a certificate of financial responsibility. The driver does not file it; the insurer does, electronically, with the state licensing agency, confirming that a policy meeting the state's minimum liability limits is in force. Most insurers charge a one-time filing fee, and a driver who needs one may find that fewer carriers offer it or that premiums are higher.
The filing must stay on file for the period the state sets. If the policy is cancelled or lapses during that period, the insurer notifies the state (an SR-26), and the license is typically suspended again until a new filing is made — which can restart the period.
The period usually starts at reinstatement, not at the arrest or conviction, though states differ; where the state specifies the start date, the note on this page says so.
Questions about SR-22 in South Carolina
- Does South Carolina require an SR-22 after a DUI?
- S.C. Code § 56-9-500 provides that when SCDMV suspends a license upon a record of conviction, no license may be issued until the person gives 'and thereafter maintain[s] proof of financial responsibility,' which under § 56-9-550 may be an insurer's certificate filed with SCDMV; § 56-9-620 allows cancellation after three years without a further qualifying conviction. SCDMV refers to this filing as a Certificate of Insurance (SR-22).
Sources
- S.C. Code Title 56, Chapter 1 (contains § 56-1-390 reinstatement fee; § 56-1-400 ignition interlock restricted license)
- S.C. Code Title 56, Chapter 9 (Motor Vehicle Financial Responsibility Act — §§ 56-9-500, 56-9-550, 56-9-620)
- SCDMV — License Reinstatement
- SCDMV — Pay Reinstatement Fees
- SCDMV — Facts About Driving Uninsured (SR-22 description)
- SCDMV — news: SCDMV to Offer Driver Suspension Eligibility Week (SR-22 'if required')
- SCDPPPS — Financial Assistance (Ignition Interlock Device Fund)