Are your required to get SR22 car insurance automatically if you are convicted of driving under the influence?

Paul

Manhattan, NY

Since the laws in all States di, the answer would NO. It is not always a requirement to get SR22 when you get convicted of DUI. In most states an SR22 car insurance is required to have your license reinstated and not as part of your penalties for DUI conviction. So if you get convicted of DUI and your license is suspended, you may be required to obtain an SR22 car insurance as part of your reinstatement process.

The following states does not require SR22 car insurance:

• Delaware
• Kentucky
• Minnesota
• New Mexico
• Oklahoma
• Pennsylvania
• New York (does not require SR22 filings)
• North Carolina (does not require SR22 filings)

Instead of SR22 car insurance, there is also an FR44 that is similar with SR22 that is required after DUI convictions. This FR44 has higher liability limits compared to SR22 and used in Florida and Virginia.

Check with the Department of Motor Vehicle in your state to know if DUI conviction will require an SR22 car insurance.

Recently, I got a DUI in New York but having a New Jersey license and most likely, I will be charge with DWAI. Someone told me that in NY, the DUI will remain on my record for seven years but my lawyer informed me that in New York, it will remain on my record for lifetime. Can you please tell me if I the DUI record ill be removed after 7 years?

Jim

Islip, NY

The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles states that convictions for moving violations, accidents, and the suspensions or the revocations of your driver license stay on your driver record for a different amount of time.

According to the NYS DMV a conviction that is alcohol-related or drug-related (for example, DWI, DUI DWAI) stays on a driver record for exactly ten years. If a motorist is convicted of the same infraction during that ten years, the motorist can receive additional penalties.

There are other accidents and infractions of a major type that can stay on a motorist record for more than ten years. In addition, a NY revocation or suspension of a driver license that was not cleared or not terminated stays on a driver record indefinitely.

If NJ placed this New York offense on your NJ driving record then you may also be receiving penalties in your New York . In NJ a DUI conviction will stay a permanent part of your NJ driving record.