Does New Jersey require an SR-22?
Checked against official New Jersey sources · Last reviewed October 6, 2026
New Jersey law no longer provides for an SR-22 or any other certificate filed by your insurer. The part of the state's Motor Vehicle Security-Responsibility Law that let drivers prove financial responsibility with an insurer's certificate was repealed in 1979.
New Jersey's Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) handles license suspensions and restorations. If your vehicle insurance is cancelled and MVC suspends you, it asks for proof of current New Jersey insurance, such as an insurance ID card or declarations page. You also pay a $100 restoration fee for each suspended privilege. [1][2][4]
Does New Jersey require an SR-22?
No. New Jersey law no longer provides for the SR-22. Its Motor Vehicle Security-Responsibility Law once let drivers give proof of financial responsibility by filing an insurer's certificate (section 18 of the 1952 act, N.J.S.A. 39:6-40), but that section was repealed in 1979. [1]
What does reinstatement cost?
$100 restoration fee per privilege suspended (license and registration each, so $200 if both are suspended) [2]
What coverage do you need?
Standard Policy: as low as $35,000 bodily injury per person, $70,000 per accident, $25,000 property damage. The cheaper Basic Policy, which DOBI says meets the legal minimum, has $5,000 property damage and no bodily-injury liability unless you add the $10,000 option. [3]
What happens if your insurance lapses?
If your vehicle's insurance is cancelled, your insurer's report leads MVC to send a suspension notice. You clear it with proof of current NJ insurance (ID card, declarations page, or reinstatement letter, showing the VIN) or proof you no longer have the vehicle, plus the $100 restoration fee per suspended privilege. [4]
Who handles it
New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC); auto insurance itself is regulated by the Department of Banking and Insurance (DOBI) [2]
Common questions
Does New Jersey require an SR-22?
No. New Jersey law no longer provides for the SR-22 or an equivalent insurer-filed certificate. Its Motor Vehicle Security-Responsibility Law once allowed proof of financial responsibility by an insurer's certificate (N.J.S.A. 39:6-40), but that section was repealed in 1979. When MVC needs proof of insurance, you send it yourself. [1]
What counts as proof of insurance for MVC?
MVC's rule accepts a valid insurance ID card, a temporary insurance document, the policy's declarations page, an insurance binder, a notice of policy reinstatement, or a certificate of self-insurance, among other proof MVC accepts. You can send it by mail, email, fax, or in person. Sending forged or altered proof can bring a suspension of up to two years. [5]
How much does it cost to restore my license?
The restoration fee is $100 for each privilege that was suspended. If both your license and your registration were suspended, that's $200. You can pay online, at a Regional Service Center, or by mail. [2]
My insurance was cancelled and I got a suspension notice. What do I send?
Send a copy of a current New Jersey insurance ID card, the declarations page, or a Notice of Policy Reinstatement letter. It must show the vehicle's VIN, and the policyholder must be the registered owner. If you no longer have the vehicle, you can send proof of that instead, such as a plate surrender receipt. MVC says processing takes about 5-7 working days. [4]
Is there a surcharge for not having insurance?
Yes. Failing to keep liability insurance on your vehicle carries a $250 surcharge, charged each year for three years. It is separate from the restoration fee. [6]
Can a court reduce a no-insurance suspension?
The MVC driver manual says a court may reduce or eliminate a no-insurance license suspension if you show proof of liability insurance at your hearing. [7]
What extra costs come with a DUI in New Jersey?
MVC lists surcharges of $1,000 a year for 3 years for a first or second DUI, and $1,500 a year for 3 years for a third or later. If you don't pay them, your license can be suspended indefinitely. You also pay Intoxicated Driver Resource Center fees, $100 each to two state funds, fines, and the $100 restoration fee. [2]
What is the minimum insurance in New Jersey?
The state insurance department says the Basic Policy meets the legal minimum. It includes $5,000 of property damage coverage and no bodily injury liability unless you add the $10,000 option. A Standard Policy starts at $35,000 per person and $70,000 per accident for bodily injury, plus $25,000 for property damage. [3]
Sources
- N.J. Legislature, New Jersey Statutes (official database) - N.J.S.A. 39:6-48, which refers to proof of financial responsibility by an insurer's certificate under section 18 of P.L.1952, c.173 (39:6-40); the Legislative Counsel's Table of Contents in the same database lists 39:6-31 to 39:6-34, 39:6-40, 39:6-41 and 39:6-43 to 39:6-47 as repealed by P.L.1979, c.169, s.5 (statute, accessed Oct 6, 2026)
- NJ MVC - Suspensions and Restorations (official agency page, accessed Oct 6, 2026)
- NJ Department of Banking and Insurance - New Jersey Auto Insurance Buyer's Guide (2026) (state agency publication, accessed Oct 5, 2026)
- NJ MVC - Uninsured Motorist Enforcement Frequently Asked Questions (official agency page, accessed Oct 5, 2026)
- N.J.A.C. 13:18-6.5 - Proof of insurance; submission of fictitious proof (Cornell LII mirror of the NJ Administrative Code) (regulation, accessed Oct 6, 2026)
- N.J.A.C. 13:19-13.2 - Surcharges for three-year period; administrative violations (Cornell LII mirror of the NJ Administrative Code) (regulation, accessed Oct 6, 2026)
- NJ MVC - New Jersey Driver Manual (official agency page, accessed Oct 5, 2026)