California Guide

Car Insurance After a DUI

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Car insurance after a DUI: how we work

After a DUIAfter a DUI, California may require an SR-22. We work with DUI and high-risk drivers.

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After a DUI. After a DUI, California may require an SR-22. We work with DUI and high-risk drivers, without judgment.
How it works. Here's how it works. Tell us the facts, accurately. A licensed California agent handles your quote across 30+ carriers.
The SR-22. If you need an SR-22, the carrier files it with the DMV, same day, once your policy is bound. The filing fee is $9 to $15 per filing, and any agency fee is separate.
Our promise. We can't promise a price or an approval. We can compare your options.
Request a quote. Request your quote at quotemoto.com, or call 800-566-8667.

Car insurance after a California DUI: what to bring to the quote

After a DUI in California, start an insurance conversation with accurate information and your DMV paperwork. A licensed insurance professional can review coverage options and an SR-22 filing if required. The DMV decides your driving privilege; purchasing insurance does not settle every restriction or reinstatement requirement.

You do not need a polished explanation of what happened. You need the dates and documents. Guessing at a violation date, leaving out a suspension or assuming the agent can see every notice makes it harder to get an accurate answer.

Prepare a small document folder

Keep these items somewhere you can find them during the call or application:

Your DMV notices, including the dates and any instructions about proof of insurance.
Relevant court paperwork, so an arrest and a conviction are not described as the same event.
Your current policy documents and any cancellation or nonrenewal notice.
Vehicle details, household drivers, expected mileage and how you use the car.
If you do not own a car, a clear explanation of the vehicles you borrow or regularly use.

Share identifying documents through the provider's appropriate private channel. Do not post your license number or a photo of your DMV notice in LinkedIn comments.

Separate the insurance work from the DMV work

The DMV explains that an administrative action after a DUI arrest is separate from the court process. Requirements vary with the circumstances. Read its DUI guidance alongside your own notice rather than following a general countdown found online.

For example, the DMV's first-offender, alcohol-involved, non-injury guide for drivers 21 and older describes proof of insurance alongside other restriction and reinstatement requirements. That is a defined situation, not a checklist for every DUI case. Repeat offenses, injuries and other circumstances can involve different steps.

Our 42-second DUI insurance video shows how QuoteMoto handles the insurance request. Use it to understand that part of the process, then confirm your driving status and remaining requirements with the DMV.

Ask what the proposed policy actually includes

When a quote arrives, ask which insurer will issue the policy, when coverage would begin and whether the required SR-22 filing is included. Have the agent explain the coverage limits, exclusions and full payment schedule. Keep insurer premiums separate from filing or other fees.

Put the quotes beside each other with the same vehicle, drivers, limits and policy term. If one quote is cheaper, ask what differs. It may be a useful option, but you should know whether you are also changing the protection or the amount due later. The California Department of Insurance's auto guide explains how to review a policy and compare quotes.

Confirm the handoff before you drive

Ask for confirmation of the effective policy and, when required, the insurer's SR-22 submission. Then check with the DMV that you have met the conditions for the driving privilege you are seeking. An agent's filing confirmation is useful evidence; it is not a promise that every DMV requirement has been cleared.

Read the QuoteMoto guide to car insurance after a California DUI, then use its quote-request option if you want licensed review of your situation. QuoteMoto is a comparison and referral service. Premiums and eligibility vary, and neither approval nor reinstatement is guaranteed.

Written by Pedro Mendoza. Licensed California insurance agent, CA Lic. #0J10467.

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What happens to your car insurance after a DUI in California?

After a California DUI conviction, the DMV suspends your license and requires an SR-22 (California Insurance Proof Certificate) for a restricted license or to reinstate, and you keep it on file for 3 years. The DUI stays on your DMV record for 10 years and blocks the Good Driver Discount for those 10 years; the Department of Insurance says that discount is at least 20%. An insurer can cancel only for reasons the Insurance Code lists, and a license suspension is one of them.

DMV DL 1046 A · DMV · Vehicle Code §1808 · Insurance Code §1861.025 · §1861.03(c) · §661 · CDI

The DUI timeline, step by step

For a first offense, 21 or older, alcohol involved, no injury (DMV flyer DL 1046 A). Injury, drug-only and repeat offenses have their own DMV flyers.

Step	What happens	Source
Arrest with 0.08% or more	The officer takes your license and gives you a 30-day temporary license. You have 10 days to ask for a DMV hearing. Then a 4-month suspension starts.	DMV DL 1046 A
Refusing the chemical test	A 1-year suspension for a first offense, 21 or older.	DMV: DUI
Driving during the suspension	A restricted license, either with an ignition interlock device right away or for work and your DUI program after 30 days. Both need proof of DUI program enrollment and an SR-22.	DMV DL 1046 A
Conviction (Vehicle Code §23152)	The DMV suspends your license for 6 or 10 months. It can run at the same time as the arrest suspension.	DMV DL 1046 A
Full reinstatement	Finish the suspension or restriction, complete the DUI program and file an SR-22. Keep the SR-22 for 3 years.	DMV DL 1046 A
On your DMV record	10 years, and 2 points.	Vehicle Code §1808, §12810
Good Driver Discount	Lost for 10 years after a DUI conviction.	Insurance Code §1861.025
A second DUI within 10 years	A 1-year suspension after the arrest.	DMV: DUI

Can your insurance company drop you after a first DUI?

Only for a reason the law allows. Once a California auto policy is issued, the insurer can cancel it or refuse to renew it only for non-payment, fraud or material misrepresentation, or a substantial increase in the hazard insured against. A license suspension during the policy period is also a legal reason to cancel. (Insurance Code §1861.03(c); §661)

If you get a notice you think is wrong, the Department of Insurance takes requests for help. Either way, line up the next policy and its SR-22 before the current one ends, so you are never uninsured. (CDI)

SR-22 and DUI guides

If no company will insure you, the California Automobile Assigned Risk Plan (CAARP) assigns you to one; every California auto insurer must accept CAARP drivers at the same premiums (Department of Insurance). (CDI)

How to Compare Honestly

1.Use the same drivers, vehicles, limits, and deductibles for every request.
2.Report the DUI, any suspension, and the SR-22 requirement accurately.
3.Confirm the price, effective date, and filing timing in writing before paying.
4.Keep coverage active and ask the DMV about the duration of your individual requirement.

California Rating Factors

The primary factors are driving safety record, annual mileage, and years of driving experience, in that order. Credit score is not a California auto rating factor.

Insurance Code 1861.02

Current Liability Minimum

30/60/15: $30,000 per person, $60,000 per accident, and $15,000 for property damage.

Source: California DMV

Related California Rules

DUI car insurance in California: frequently asked questions

Do I need an SR-22 after a DUI in California?

Yes. After a first DUI conviction the DMV requires an SR-22 for a restricted license and to reinstate your license, and you must keep it for 3 years (DMV flyer DL 1046 A). Your insurance company files it with the DMV for you.

How long does a DUI affect car insurance in California?

The DMV reports a DUI for 10 years (Vehicle Code §1808), and for those 10 years you can’t get the Good Driver Discount (Insurance Code §1861.025), which the Department of Insurance says is at least 20%. The SR-22 itself is usually a 3-year requirement.

Can my insurance company drop me after a first DUI in California?

Only for reasons in the Insurance Code: non-payment, fraud or material misrepresentation, or a substantial increase in the hazard insured against (§1861.03(c)). A license suspension during the policy period is also a legal reason to cancel (§661).

How long is your license suspended after a first DUI in California?

After the arrest, 4 months if you are 21 or older and tested 0.08% or higher, or 1 year if you refused the test. After a conviction, the DMV suspends for 6 or 10 months, which can run at the same time. First offenders can apply for a restricted license with an SR-22 (DMV).

What if no company will insure me after a DUI?

Apply to the California Automobile Assigned Risk Plan (CAARP) through a certified agent or broker. It assigns you to an insurer; every California auto insurer must accept CAARP drivers at the same premiums, with installments and no broker’s fee. CAARP: 1-800-622-0954.

Can I get an SR-22 after a DUI if I don’t have a car?

Yes. A non-owner (operator’s) policy covers you when you drive a car you don’t own, and the insurer can file your SR-22 with it.

Insurance after a DUI or as a high-risk driver

A DUI usually brings an SR-22, a higher premium and fewer carriers willing to quote. These guides cover the filing, what it costs, and how to get back to a record insurers price better.