The Filing Fee Is Not the Cost
Arizona drivers searching for SR-22 cost answers land on the filing fee first: $15 to $50 depending on the carrier, paid once at submission. That number gives you the filing. It does not tell you what you will pay each month to maintain the coverage the filing proves you carry.
The actual cost is your monthly liability premium under high-risk classification. Arizona MVD requires SR-22 to prove you maintain at least the state minimum liability coverage: $25,000 bodily injury per person, $50,000 per accident, $15,000 property damage. Once a carrier files SR-22 on your behalf, you are flagged as high-risk for three years. Your monthly premium reflects that flag.
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Get Your Free QuoteArizona SR-22 Monthly Premium
$85–$220/mo
High-risk liability premiums in Arizona after DUI or suspension conviction. Clean-record drivers in the same coverage tier pay $45–$75/mo. The SR-22 filing requirement multiplies the base rate by carrier risk model.
Carrier rate filings reviewed Jan 2025
How Arizona Carriers Price SR-22 Risk
Arizona operates an at-fault tort system. When you cause an accident, your liability coverage pays the other party's damages up to your policy limits. A suspended driver with an SR-22 requirement signals to carriers: higher probability of future claims, higher severity of loss, three-year mandatory reporting obligation to MVD.
Carriers price this risk by moving you from standard or preferred tier into non-standard tier. Standard-tier carriers in Arizona (Geico, State Farm, Allstate) often decline SR-22 applicants entirely or price them out. Non-standard carriers (Acceptance, Bristol West, Dairyland, GAINSCO, Infinity, The General) specialize in this segment and offer lower premiums than standard carriers would, but still significantly higher than clean-record rates.
Your specific rate depends on violation type. First-offense DUI in Arizona costs more than a points-based suspension. Uninsured-accident suspension costs more than failure-to-appear. Carriers model each trigger differently because claims probability differs by trigger. A driver suspended for unpaid tickets presents different risk than a driver suspended for refusing a chemical test under Arizona's implied consent law (A.R.S. §28-1321).
Arizona's 12-month implied consent suspension for test refusal carries higher premiums than the 90-day Admin Per Se DUI suspension—carriers read refusal as higher long-term risk.
Monthly Premium by Violation Type
DUI / Admin Per Se suspension: $140–$220/mo for first offense. Aggravated DUI (A.R.S. §28-1383) or second offense pushes toward the ceiling. If ignition interlock is required under A.R.S. §28-3319, some carriers add an administrative surcharge. Progressive, Geico, Dairyland, and The General write SR-22 DUI cases in Arizona; Acceptance and Bristol West are typically cheapest for first-offense DUI.
Points-based suspension: $100–$150/mo. Arizona suspends at 8 points in 12 months. Carriers read this as pattern risk rather than single-event risk. GAINSCO, Infinity, and Kemper write this segment. If Traffic Survival School (TSS) completion was required, some carriers discount slightly—verify eligibility when quoting. Uninsured-accident suspension: $85–$140/mo. Lower than DUI because the violation is financial rather than impairment-based. Geico, Progressive, and National General write this trigger. If you are reinstating after an uninsured lapse (A.R.S. §28-4144 registration suspension), you avoid the higher-risk DUI pricing tier.
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Three-Year Filing Period and Premium Decay
Arizona requires SR-22 for three years from the date MVD specifies in your reinstatement notice. The filing fee is one-time, but the high-risk premium classification lasts the full period. Some carriers reduce premiums slightly in year two or three if no new violations occur, but most hold the rate flat until the SR-22 obligation expires.
If your SR-22 lapses before the three-year period ends—because you miss a payment, cancel the policy, or switch carriers without filing continuity—Arizona MVD suspends your license again immediately under A.R.S. §28-4135. Reinstatement after lapse requires a new $10 reinstatement fee, a new SR-22 filing, and the three-year clock restarts from the new filing date.
Carriers report lapses to MVD electronically within 24 hours. No grace period applies. The consequence of missing one monthly payment is immediate suspension and restart of the entire three-year obligation. Autopay eliminates this risk.
Arizona SR-22 Filing Period
3 years
Measured from reinstatement date, not conviction date. If you lapse coverage during this period, the three-year clock restarts from the new filing date and MVD suspends your license immediately.
A.R.S. §28-4135
Non-Owner SR-22 for Suspended Drivers Without Vehicles
Arizona accepts non-owner SR-22 filings for drivers who do not own a vehicle but need to satisfy the SR-22 requirement for reinstatement. Non-owner policies provide liability coverage when you drive a borrowed or rented vehicle. They do not cover a vehicle you own, lease, or regularly use.
Non-owner SR-22 premiums in Arizona run $40–$85/mo—roughly half the cost of owner SR-22 because the carrier insures occasional use rather than primary use. Geico, Progressive, Dairyland, GAINSCO, The General, and USAA write non-owner SR-22 in Arizona. If you plan to purchase a vehicle before the three-year period ends, you must convert to an owner policy and file a new SR-22 for that vehicle before driving it. Driving an owned vehicle under a non-owner policy voids coverage and triggers lapse.
Compare Arizona SR-22 Carriers Now
Arizona SR-22 rates vary by $50–$100/mo between carriers for the same driver profile. Acceptance and Bristol West typically quote lowest for DUI cases. GAINSCO and Dairyland quote lowest for points-based and uninsured-accident cases. Geico and Progressive write both segments but price higher than non-standard specialists. Request quotes from at least three non-standard carriers before selecting. The filing fee is negligible—the monthly premium difference over three years is $1,800 to $3,600.