How Long Do You Need an SR-22 in Illinois?

In Illinois you need an SR-22 for three years. That is the rule on the Illinois Secretary of State SR-22 page. Your policy has to be paid and active for the whole time.

The three years sound simple. What happens along the way is where drivers get caught.

What is an SR-22, again?

An SR-22 is a form your insurance company sends to the Secretary of State. It proves you have at least the liability cover Illinois asks for. It is not a separate kind of insurance.

The state asks for one after things like a crash without insurance, a revoked license, or three or more tickets for driving uninsured.

What happens if your policy lapses?

If your policy ends or gets cancelled, the insurance company has to tell the state. It does this with a form called an SR-26.

Once the state gets that form, your license is suspended again, until a new SR-22 is on file. A late payment can undo months of progress.

How early should you renew?

The Secretary of State asks you to renew at least 45 days before your policy ends. If your agency has not heard from you 15 days before it ends, it has to tell the state.

Mark your renewal date on a calendar the day your SR-22 is filed. Then call us a couple of months before it comes up.

How long does the filing take?

The state says the SR-22 can take up to 30 days to process. You will get a copy from the insurance company and a letter from the Secretary of State.

If you have a deadline on your letter, do not wait. Call as soon as you get it.

What if you move out of Illinois?

If you move to another state, you can ask Illinois to waive the SR-22 with an Out of State Affidavit. The state lists this form on its SR-22 page.

There is a catch. If you move back to Illinois within three years, the SR-22 rule comes back too.

What happens after three years?

Once your three years are up, the state no longer needs the filing. Your record does not change overnight, though, so your price may not drop right away.

That is a good time to have us compare companies again. A policy without the filing may open up options you did not have before.

SR-22 help in Schaumburg

We help drivers in Schaumburg and the northwest suburbs file SR-22s, in English and in Spanish. Our page on SR-22 insurance in Schaumburg explains who needs one and what to bring when you call.

Call us at (847) 238-3861 or stop by the office on Roselle Road. We are open Saturdays too.