SR22 State

SR-22 in Alabama

Checked against official Alabama sources · Last reviewed October 5, 2026

Alabama uses the SR-22. State law says you must file proof of insurance before your license is reinstated after a suspension or revocation for a conviction or a forfeited bail, or to end a suspension for an unpaid crash judgment. Your insurer files the SR-22 with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA).

Under state law, you generally keep it for 3 years from the date it was first required. ALEA's reinstatement requirements letter lists the exact date you must keep it until. [1][2][7][8]

Uses SR-22?
Yes
How long
3 years [2]
After a DUI
Not confirmed
Base reinstatement fee
$100 [3]
Minimum liability coverage
25/50/25 [4]

Does Alabama require an SR-22?

Yes. Alabama requires an SR-22 certificate of insurance in some reinstatement cases. ALEA's reinstatement-requirements form includes the line "Must File SR22 Insurance Showing Coverage for Alabama Until" a set date. [1]

Form: SR-22. The statute calls it an insurance carrier's "certificate of insurance" filed as proof of financial responsibility (Ala. Code 32-7-20). [1]

How long do you need an SR-22 in Alabama?

3 years. The proof can be cancelled after three years from the date it was first required, but only if ALEA has received no record of a suspendable conviction in the three years before you ask. [2]

After a DUI

We haven't confirmed this from an official Alabama source yet. Check with Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), Driver License Division.

What does reinstatement cost?

$100 to reinstate a suspended or cancelled license. A revoked license is $175, and alcohol/drug-related suspensions or revocations are $275. [3]

We couldn't confirm whether Alabama charges its own fee to file an SR-22. Your insurer may charge one.

What coverage do you need?

$25,000 bodily injury per person, $50,000 bodily injury per crash, $25,000 property damage per crash (Ala. Code 32-7-6) [4]

What happens if your SR-22 lapses?

Your insurer must notify the state at least 10 days before a certified policy is cancelled or terminated. If your proof no longer meets the requirement, the state must suspend your license and registration until you file new proof. [5]

Don't own a car?

Yes. Alabama law allows an operator's policy, which covers you when you drive vehicles you do not own. The certificate does not have to list a vehicle if the insured person does not own one. [6]

Who has to file one?

If your license is suspended or revoked because of a conviction or a forfeited bail, you have to file proof before it is reinstated (Ala. Code 32-7-18). Proof is also required to end a suspension for an unpaid crash judgment (32-7-15). [7]

Who handles it

Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), Driver License Division [1]

Common questions

When can I stop carrying my SR-22?

State law lets the SR-22 be cancelled 3 years after it was first required, but only if ALEA has no record of a new suspendable conviction in the 3 years before you ask. It also can't be cancelled while a damages lawsuit or unpaid judgment it covers is pending, or if you were in a crash with injury or damage in the past year. [2]

How much does it cost to get my license back?

ALEA charges $100 to reinstate a suspended or cancelled license, $175 for a revoked license, and $275 for an alcohol- or drug-related suspension or revocation. There is an extra $25 fee in drug-related cases and a $150 ignition interlock issuance fee. ALEA takes money orders, cashier's checks, cash, or credit cards, but not personal checks. [3]

Is my vehicle registration affected too?

It can be. Registration reinstatement is separate and handled by the Alabama Department of Revenue. If your vehicle was found uninsured, that fee is $200 for a first violation and $400 for later ones. [4][7]

I don't own a car. Do I still need an SR-22?

Yes, if your case requires one. Alabama law allows an operator's policy, which covers you when you drive cars you don't own. The certificate doesn't have to list a vehicle if you don't own one. [6][9]

What happens if my SR-22 lapses?

Your insurer must tell the state at least 10 days before the policy is cancelled, unless a new SR-22 replaces it. If your proof no longer meets the requirement, the state must suspend your license and registration until you file new proof. [5][10]

Do I need an SR-22 for a hardship license?

If your license was revoked and you're required to carry an SR-22, you must keep it the whole time you hold a hardship license. Other hardship drivers need only regular liability insurance. [11]

Sources

  1. ALEA Driver License Division - Request for Reinstatement Requirements (Form DI-46a, rev. 06/15) (official agency page, accessed Oct 5, 2026)
  2. Ala. Code 32-7-31 - Duration of proof; when proof may be cancelled or returned (Onecle mirror) (statute, accessed Oct 5, 2026)
  3. ALEA - Driver Records, Crash Reports, and Driver License Reinstatements (official agency page, accessed Oct 5, 2026)
  4. Alabama Department of Revenue - Mandatory Liability Insurance (official agency page, accessed Oct 5, 2026)
  5. Ala. Code 32-7-30 - Additional proof may be required (Onecle mirror) (statute, accessed Oct 5, 2026)
  6. Ala. Code 32-7-22 - Motor vehicle liability policy defined; policy provisions (Onecle mirror) (statute, accessed Oct 5, 2026)
  7. Ala. Code 32-7-18 - Proof of financial responsibility required upon certain convictions (Onecle mirror) (statute, accessed Oct 5, 2026)
  8. Ala. Code 32-7-15 - Suspension to continue until judgments paid and proof given (Onecle mirror) (statute, accessed Oct 5, 2026)
  9. Ala. Code 32-7-20 - Certificate of insurance as proof (Onecle mirror) (statute, accessed Oct 5, 2026)
  10. Ala. Code 32-7-24 - Notice of cancellation or termination of certified policy (Onecle mirror) (statute, accessed Oct 5, 2026)
  11. ALEA - Ala. Admin. Code r. 760-X-1-.24, Hardship Driver License (final rule text) (regulation, accessed Oct 5, 2026)

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