Cheapest SR-22 Insurance in California: What It Costs in 2026

SR-22 insurance in California costs about $215 a month ($2,574 a year) for a basic policy with 30/60/15 liability in a typical large city, in RateFoundry estimates calculated from four insurance programs’ filed rates on October 10, 2026, for a driver whose record is otherwise clean. The SR-22 filing itself adds only $9 to $15 per SR-22 filing, the fee insurers file with the state; any agency fee is separate.

. Sources: RateFoundry estimates from filed rates (QuoteMoto Cost Index); California Department of Insurance 2026 premium survey; California DMV.

If your quote depends on ownership status, a filing requirement, or minimum-coverage shopping, compare California non-owner car insurance options, review California SR-22 insurance requirements, and check cheap California car insurance coverage paths.

Same-day SR-22 filing once the policy is bound
30/60/15 minimum coverage, current 2026 California requirement
Free to compare · quotes in minutes
Call Now

Speak to an agent

Compare Quotes & Save

Compare rates in just minutes

Start My SR-22 Quote

By continuing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions

By submitting, you agree to receive text messages from QuoteMoto related to your insurance quote, reminders, and account updates at the phone number you provide. Message and data rates may apply. Message frequency varies. Reply STOP to unsubscribe or HELP for help.

Review Available Insurance Quotes

Progressive Insurance
Allstate Insurance
Farmers Insurance
Kemper Insurance
Liberty Mutual Insurance
Nationwide Insurance

Compare equivalent coverage and verify every provider and policy term

How much is SR-22 insurance in California in 2026?

About $215 a month, or $2,574 a year, for a basic policy with 30/60/15 liability and one SR-22 filing in a typical large California city. That is the middle of four RateFoundry estimates, calculated from the rates four insurance programs filed with the California Department of Insurance and run on October 10, 2026, for a single driver licensed 7 years with no tickets or accidents and the state survey’s basic limits (30/60/15 liability plus medical payments and uninsured-motorist coverage), taking the median of California’s 30 largest cities. Adding the SR-22 raised each estimate by only that program's filed fee: $9 to $15 per SR-22 filing, the fee insurers file with the state; any agency fee is separate.

Annual estimates for the same driver and basic policy (30/60/15 liability) with one SR-22 filing, 12-month term. RateFoundry, run October 10, 2026. Programs in alphabetical order, not a ranking. Estimates, not quotes.
Insurance program (insurer)Filed SR-22 fee, per filingTypical city, with SR-22 (median of 30)About per monthRange across 30 cities
Aegis SHIELDAegis Security (Triton General MGA)$9$2,414$201$1,688 (Chula Vista) to $3,579 (Glendale)
Aspire AdvantageAspire General Insurance Company$10$2,364$197$1,860 (Chula Vista) to $4,571 (San Francisco)
Aspire SavingsAspire General Insurance Company$15$2,519$210$1,541 (Oceanside) to $7,119 (Los Angeles)
Infinity SPECInfinity Insurance Company$15$3,135$261$2,096 (Chula Vista) to $5,744 (Los Angeles)

Treat the dollar amounts as rough. When we priced the state survey’s own driver, Aspire Advantage’s estimates came out a median 17% above the premiums Aspire reported to the state and Infinity SPEC’s a median 16% below Infinity’s, so the order of these programs is not a reliable ranking. Four other programs RateFoundry has filed tables for (Bridger, Coast National, National General and Root) could not price this driver, so they have no number here. A DUI, an accident or a ticket on your record raises the price at every insurer. City-by-city estimates, the CSV and the full method are in QuoteMoto’s California Car Insurance Cost Index.

What is the cheapest SR-22 insurance in California?

No insurer is cheapest for every driver. Because the SR-22 adds the same small filed fee at each program, the cheapest SR-22 policy is the cheapest policy an insurer will sell for your record, car and ZIP code. Prices for the same driver differ far more between insurers than the filing does: in Los Angeles (ZIP 90012) the four estimates ran from $3,411 to $7,119 a year, in Chula Vista from $1,688 to $2,096, and in the typical city the highest estimate was 50% above the lowest. Get quotes from several insurers for your own record, with the same 30/60/15 limits, so the prices compare.

Through QuoteMoto, SR-22 coverage starts from $12 a month for qualifying drivers, the advertiser-confirmed starting rate as of October 7, 2026.

Starting rates only. Actual premiums vary. Eligibility, coverage terms and fees may apply. These advertiser-reported offers are not independently verified lowest-market prices or guaranteed policy quotes.

Comparing this information with community experiences? Read our reality check on cheap California SR-22 discussions on Reddit.

What makes SR-22 insurance expensive: the record, not the form

The SR-22 form is cheap. Insurers charge for the driving record behind it. These are the sourced figures:

  • Filed SR-22 fee: $9 to $15 per SR-22 filing, the fee insurers file with the state; any agency fee is separate (Aegis SHIELD $9, Aspire Advantage $10, Aspire Savings and Infinity SPEC $15, from their California rate filings).
  • One at-fault accident: raised the same insurer’s basic-liability premium by a typical 45% across California’s 30 largest cities in the California Department of Insurance’s 2026 premium survey.
  • One ticket, or a ticket plus an accident: +26% and +98% in the same survey. The survey has no DUI or SR-22 driver.
  • DMV reissue fee after a DUI suspension: $125, paid with proof of insurance before the DMV reinstates the license (California DMV).

See the survey’s record effects.

California-specific: 30/60/15 and the Proposition 103 rating factors

California minimum liability rose to 30/60/15 on January 1, 2025 under SB 1107: $30,000 bodily injury per person, $60,000 per accident and $15,000 property damage. The SR-22 certifies that your policy carries at least those limits. Under Proposition 103, the mandatory rating factors are driving safety record, annual mileage and years of driving experience, and credit scores are not a rating factor. The rules apply to SR-22 policies the same as to standard policies. Source: Insurance Code 1861.02.

How does an SR-22 get filed with the California DMV?

Your insurer files it, not you or the court. California’s form is the California Insurance Proof Certificate (SR 22/SR 1P), which the DMV requires after a DUI conviction and after a crash without insurance. The DMV’s SR 104 pamphlet says not to send it a copy of your policy. If the policy cancels during the proof period, the insurer must notify the DMV within 10 days after the cancellation becomes final (Vehicle Code 16433), and the DMV suspends the license again until new proof is filed. SR-22 filing guide: forms and steps.

DMV sources: driver handbook, alcohol and drugs, collisions without insurance, SR 104.

Can an SR-22 be filed the same day in California?

Yes. Same-day SR-22 filing: once the policy is bound, the carrier files the SR-22 electronically with the California DMV. Timing depends on the insurer and on when the policy is bound, so confirm the filing before you drive. How to check that the DMV has your SR-22.

Non-owner SR-22 in California: when you don’t own a car

If you don’t own a car, the policy you need is a non-owner (operator) policy with an SR-22. It covers you when you drive a car you borrow or rent and covers no car of your own. Through QuoteMoto, non-owner SR-22 coverage starts from $12 a month for qualifying drivers (advertiser-confirmed starting rate). The RateFoundry estimates above are for an owned car and don’t apply to non-owner policies. See SR-22 without a car.

After a DUI: from arrest to license reinstatement, in 5 steps

  1. 1

    DUI arrest: 10 days to request a DMV hearing

    California's Administrative Per Se law requires the DMV to suspend your driving privilege. The officer may take your license and give you a temporary license for 30 days, and you may request a DMV administrative hearing within 10 days from the date of your arrest.

  2. 2

    The criminal case is separate

    The DMV hearing is about your driving privilege; the criminal case decides guilt. The court does not file the SR-22. Your insurer does.

  3. 3

    Conviction: the DMV's reinstatement requirements

    If you are convicted of a DUI, the DMV suspends or revokes your license, and you must complete a DUI program, file a California Insurance Proof Certificate (SR 22/SR 1P) and pay any license reissue or restriction fees; you may also be required to install an ignition interlock device (IID). After a DUI suspension, the reissue fee is $125.

  4. 4

    SR-22 filing the same day the policy is bound

    Buy a policy that includes the SR-22. Same-day SR-22 filing: once the policy is bound, the carrier files the SR-22 electronically with the California DMV.

  5. 5

    Keep the proof on file for the whole period

    Usually three years. The DMV says proof of insurance must be filed and maintained for three years after a suspension for having no insurance (Vehicle Code 16430), and a cancellation during that period suspends the license again. Check your DMV notice for your exact dates before canceling or changing coverage.

DMV sources: driver handbook, DUI, financial responsibility.

SR-22 quotes by California city

Where you live changes the price, as the city estimates above show. These are SR-22 pages for 30 large California cities.

What to handle alongside the SR-22

DUI criminal defense

Criminal defense and the DMV hearing are separate from the SR-22 filing. The DMV hearing decides your driving privilege, not guilt.

DUI program

After a DUI conviction, the DMV requires you to complete a DUI program before it reinstates your license. Your court or DMV notice says which program applies to you.

DMV hearing: 10 days

You may request a DMV administrative hearing within 10 days from the date of your arrest. The officer may give you a temporary license for 30 days.

California SR-22 frequently asked questions

How much does SR-22 insurance cost in California in 2026?

About $215 a month ($2,574 a year) for a basic policy with 30/60/15 liability and an SR-22 in a typical large California city, in RateFoundry estimates from four insurance programs' filed rates (October 10, 2026), for a driver whose record is otherwise clean. The SR-22 filing fee is $9 to $15 per SR-22 filing, the fee insurers file with the state; any agency fee is separate. A DUI, an accident or a ticket raises the price: in the state's 2026 premium survey, one at-fault accident raised premiums by a typical 45%.

Which insurer is cheapest for SR-22 in California?

It depends on your record and ZIP code. In RateFoundry's estimates the SR-22 added the same $9 to $15 at each program, while the four programs' prices for the same driver ran from $3,411 to $7,119 a year in Los Angeles, and in the typical city the highest was 50% above the lowest. Compare quotes from several insurers with the same limits.

Does California allow credit-based pricing on SR-22 policies?

No. California's mandatory auto rating factors are your driving safety record, annual mileage and years of driving experience (Insurance Code 1861.02, from Proposition 103), and credit scores are not a rating factor. The same rules apply to policies with an SR-22.

What is California's minimum liability coverage for SR-22?

California requires 30/60/15 effective January 1, 2025 (SB 1107): $30,000 bodily injury per person, $60,000 bodily injury per accident and $15,000 property damage. The SR-22 certifies that your policy carries at least these liability limits.

How fast can a California SR-22 be filed with the DMV?

Same-day SR-22 filing: once the policy is bound, the carrier files the SR-22 electronically with the California DMV. Timing depends on the insurer and on when the policy is bound, so confirm the DMV received the filing before you drive.

How long do I have to keep SR-22 in California?

Usually three years. The DMV says proof of insurance must be filed and maintained for three years after a suspension for having no insurance (Vehicle Code 16430). If the policy cancels, the insurer must notify the DMV within 10 days after the cancellation becomes final (Vehicle Code 16433), and the DMV suspends the license again until new proof is filed.

What does non-owner SR-22 cost in California?

Through QuoteMoto, non-owner SR-22 coverage starts from $12 a month for qualifying drivers (advertiser-confirmed starting rate as of October 7, 2026); actual premiums vary. It covers you when you drive a car you borrow or rent and covers no car of your own. RateFoundry doesn't price non-owner policies, so the estimates on this page don't apply to it.

Why does SR-22 insurance cost so much more than the filing fee?

Because the fee pays only for the filing: $9 to $15 per SR-22 filing, the fee insurers file with the state; any agency fee is separate. Insurers charge separately for the record that led to the SR-22. In the California Department of Insurance's 2026 premium survey, one at-fault accident raised the same insurer's basic-liability premium by a typical 45%, one ticket by 26%, and a ticket plus an accident by 98%. The survey has no DUI driver.

Will switching SR-22 insurers cause a lapse?

Not if the new policy and its SR-22 start before the old policy ends. When a policy with an SR-22 cancels, the insurer notifies the DMV, and the DMV suspends the license until new proof is on file. Start the new policy first, confirm the new filing, then cancel the old one.

What violations require SR-22 in California?

The DMV requires it to reinstate your license after a DUI conviction and after a crash without insurance. Your DMV notice says whether you need it and for how long.

Do I need an attorney to file SR-22 in California?

No. Your insurer files the SR-22 with the DMV. A lawyer can help with the criminal case or the DMV hearing, which are separate from the filing.

Compare my SR-22 rate

Free to compare, with licensed California agents. Same-day SR-22 filing: once the policy is bound, the carrier files the SR-22 electronically with the California DMV.

Compare my SR-22 rate