Guide to SR-22s in Virginia

Your car insurance in Virginia will increase by an average of 18 percent if you are required to get an SR-22, which is a certificate proving you have insurance in accordance with the state’s minimum limits.

Having an SR-22 signals to insurance companies that you are a high-risk driver, so they charge you a higher insurance premium in anticipation of future losses. In contrast, someone with no driving violations on their record will see lower rates for liability insurance and other coverages.

Here are the convictions in which the state would require you to get an SR-22:

• Unsatisfied judgments
• Failure to provide proof of insurance for insurance monitoring
• Falsifying a certification of insurance
• Suspension due to:
  • Driving without insurance
  • Voluntary or involuntary vehicular manslaughter
  • Perjury regarding motor vehicle registration or a driver’s license application
  • Motor vehicle felony
  • A second conviction of operating, or permitting someone else to operate, a vehicle with passengers for rent or hire without a license
  • Failure to stop and exchange information at the scene of an accident that resulted in injury or death to another person, also known as a hit-and-run¹

Your insurance company can file the SR-22 with the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) electronically by using this application: https://www.dmv.virginia.gov/webdoc/pdf/US532e.pdf. Once it is filled out, it can be submitted using the following methods.

• Email: useagreement@dmv.virginia.gov
• Fax: 804-367-2536

You’ll have to pay a $25 application fee and maintain your SR-22 for three years following your license reinstatement date. The form will cover your car only, not any car you drive, as car insurance follows vehicles, not drivers.

Being a high-risk driver means higher insurance costs necessarily. But there are ways to keep your premiums as low as possible, even with an SR-22.

Take a Defensive Driving Class

Virginia will assign points to your license for various driving offenses, like involuntary manslaughter, driving under the influence, and speeding. Fortunately, the state gives you the opportunity, every two years, to have five points removed from your driving record by taking a defensive driving course.

The class could be court-ordered or optional for those 55 and older (senior drivers). The eight-hour class costs $100. Find a course at https://www.dmv.virginia.gov/drivers/#clinics.asp.

Ask for Discounts

Depending on the insurance company, you may be able to get discounts for:

• Bundling home and auto insurance
• Having multiple vehicles on your policy
• Enrolling in paperless billing
• Paying your policy in full

Ask your insurance agent which discounts apply to you.

Get Minimum Coverage

Even though car insurance isn’t a requirement in Virginia, if you choose to have it or are forced to, you must follow minimum liability limits, which happen to be the cheapest option for coverage. For the most savings, don’t add any additional coverages, and stick to the lowest possible limits, as detailed below.

Raise Your Deductible

If you have collision and comprehensive coverage, which apply to property damages from collisions, theft, vandalism, and other incidents, raise your deductible to lower your premium.

Along with New Hampshire, Virginia is one of two states that do not require auto insurance. Of course, that’s not the case if you have to get an SR-22, which is proof you have minimum coverage. In that case, you’d need an insurance policy with the following liability limits.⁴

Want to learn more about when insurance is required in Virginia? Read our guide to FR-44s, which require higher liability limits compared to SR-22s. Or continue reading our frequently asked questions below to learn more about SR-22s in Virginia.