How do I get my SR-22 removed in South Dakota?

Drivers need SR-22 insurance in South Dakota after being convicted of a serious traffic violation, such as reckless driving or DUI. These drivers are considered “high risk” and are required to file an SR-22 certificate with the state to prove they have at least the minimum amount of car insurance required by South Dakota law. Drivers in South Dakota must maintain their SR-22 filing for 3 years.... read full answer

Your first speeding ticket won’t necessarily guarantee that you need an SR-22. South Dakota only requires an SR-22 for specific traffic offenses, or accidents that cost more than a certain dollar amount.

Drivers in South Dakota Need SR-22 Insurance After:

• Driving without insurance
• DUI or DWI conviction
• Reckless driving
• Refusing a breathalyzer
• Repeated traffic violations
• At-fault accident causing injuries or death

Since each of these violations is serious, insurance companies consider drivers who need an SR-22 to be high-risk customers. That means if you are required to buy SR-22 coverage, insurance companies will charge you more in premiums to offset what they see as the added risk of covering you.

SR-22 insurance in South Dakota costs $350 per year on average, plus a filing fee of $15 to $25 for the SR-22 form your insurer submits on your behalf. In contrast, car insurance for drivers without an SR-22 costs an average of $304 per year.

Cheapest SR-22 Insurance in South Dakota

• Farmers Mutual of Nebraska: $185 per year... read full answer
• USAA: $194 per year
• Auto Owners: $214 per year
• Geico: $253 per year
• State Farm: $291 per year

An SR-22 is a state-issued form verifying that a driver is carrying the minimum amount of car insurance coverage required by the state after they are convicted of a serious violation like DUI or reckless driving. Because an SR-22 designates the policyholder as high-risk, their insurance premium goes up while it’s on file with the state. Drivers in South Dakota who need to file an SR-22 will also lose any discount related to good driving that they may have previously qualified for.

The effect of an SR-22 on the cost of insurance is only temporary, though. In South Dakota, drivers only need to have their SR-22 on file for 3 years. After that, the driver’s premium will start to go back down, assuming they drive responsibly.

To learn more, check out WalletHub’s guide to SR-22 insurance.

Post-DUI insurance rates are 6% to 347% higher than premiums for drivers with clean records, depending on the state and insurance company. For example, Progressive only raises rates by an average of 6% after one DUI, while customers with Nationwide will see their premiums increase by about 125%. Similarly, a DUI affects insurance rates differently between states. Drivers in Maryland see the smallest increase in rates after a DUI, at only 28% on average. Rates in North Carolina, on the other hand, jump by an average of 347% – the most in the country.... read full answer

Insurance rates rise after a DUI because it indicates that a driver is riskier to cover and more likely to file an expensive claim. However, the good news is that most drivers will see their rates return to normal after 3-5 years, which is how far back insurance companies usually look at driving records. So even if a DUI remains on your driving record for longer, it will only affect your insurance rates for a few years if you practice safe driving habits. The only exception is that you might still be unable to qualify for good-driver discounts beyond the lookback period, depending on your state and insurance company.