Does Root File an SR-22?
That is their wording, not ours. Root never uses “we file it for you”. Their page describes requesting it in the app, says the paperwork can take a couple of weeks to reach the state, and lists the states where it is offered. The harder question is whether they will write a policy for your record at all, and at what price.
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What Root says, in its own words
Every statement on this page about what Root does is quoted from Root's own SR-22 page. The central sentence is this: “Root customers can easily get an SR-22 through the app” Nothing here is our characterisation of how they underwrite, because we cannot see that and neither can any other site.
What is settled, and what is not
Strengths
They say it themselves
The filing claim on this page is Root's own sentence, published on their own domain, and it is quoted rather than summarised.
The filing is the easy part
Once a carrier agrees to write you, transmitting the certificate is routine. The state's own fee is small and fixed.
Considerations
Saying they file is not saying they will write you
Whether any carrier will write a given record, in a given state, is underwriting. No carrier publishes who it declines, so the only reliable way to find out is to ask with your record in front of you.
Read the limit in their own sentence
Root never uses “we file it for you”. Their page describes requesting it in the app, says the paperwork can take a couple of weeks to reach the state, and lists the states where it is offered.
How to get a real answer
Three steps, none of which involve trusting a page like this one.
- 01
Ask them directly
If you already hold a Root policy, ask whether they will add an SR-22 filing in your state. That is a question only they can answer.
- 02
Ask what changes at renewal
Adding a filing to an existing policy and being written fresh with one are different decisions, and carriers treat them differently.
- 03
Compare at the same time
Carriers that specialize in high-risk filings say so plainly on their own sites, and comparing costs nothing.
What it costs, and who decides
We have no published Root figure to give you, and would not invent one. The fee below is the STATE's charge, not the carrier's: it is small, fixed, and in the four states that do not use SR-22 at all there is no filing fee because there is no filing. The premium is the part that moves, and it is set against your record by whoever writes the policy.
Root, quoted
What they state
“Root customers can easily get an SR-22 through the app”
What it still does not settle
Whether any carrier will write a given record, in a given state, is underwriting. No carrier publishes who it declines, so the only reliable way to find out is to ask with your record in front of you.
Does Root offer SR-22 insurance?
- Does Root file an SR-22?
- Its SR-22 page opens with “If you need an SR-22, Root can help.” and on state pages it says so in the first person: “You can request your SR-22 directly in the Root app and we'll get it where it needs to go.”
- How do I actually request one?
- Through the app, not by phone: “You can request your SR-22 form directly in the app by tapping on Auto Policy, then Document Requests, and then SR-22.” Root is app-first, and that is worth knowing before you start.
- How long does it take to reach the state?
- Root is unusually candid here, and it is the most useful sentence on their site: “Though it may take a couple weeks for the state to receive the paperwork, your SR-22 begins on your policy start date.” So the cover starts immediately even if the state's record lags.
- What does Root say an SR-22 is?
- “An SR-22 isn't actually auto insurance. SR-22 is a form your insurance company sends to the state's DMV showing that you carry the minimum required coverage.” That matches what the states publish.
- How long will I need it?
- Root says “Typically, an SR-22 is filed with the state for 3 years.” The word “typically” is theirs, and the period is set by your state.
- Why might I need one?
- Root lists an uninsured at-fault accident, a lapse in car insurance, a suspended license, and DUI or DWI convictions.
- What happens if I do not file?
- Root says “If you're required to have an SR-22 and choose not to file one with your insurance company, you could lose your license.”
- What if my policy lapses while the SR-22 is in force?
- Root says you must maintain your state's minimum liability throughout, and that a lapse puts the filing and the license at risk. That reporting duty is what the certificate creates.
- Is Root available in my state?
- Root publishes a state list on its SR-22 page and invites you to pick yours. Worth checking: the SR-22 list and the car-insurance list are not identical: Root sells car insurance in some states that its SR-22 page does not name. Check both rather than assuming.
- Does Root handle the FR-44?
- Its SR-22 material does not commit to the FR-44, which applies only in Florida and Virginia. If you are in either, ask directly.
- Who underwrites a Root policy?
- Root publishes the underwriting companies behind its policies, led by Root Insurance Company. The certificate is filed by whichever entity writes your state.
- Does that mean Root will insure me?
- Whether any carrier will write a given record, in a given state, is underwriting. No carrier publishes who it declines, so the only reliable way to find out is to ask with your record in front of you.
- How much is the filing fee itself?
- $15 to $25 in most states. That is the state's charge for processing the certificate, not Root's price for the policy, and the four states that do not use SR-22 charge nothing because there is nothing to file. What you pay Root is a premium, set against your record.
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SR-22 rules in all 50 states
What the certificate has to show, how long you carry it, and what the state charges are set where you live. The carrier files it; the state decides what it says.
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
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The question a page cannot answer
Whether Root or anyone else will write your record, and what they would charge, comes down to your state and your history. A licensed agent can compare carriers that file SR-22s in your state and tell you what one would cost. It takes about three minutes and the referral is free.
SR-22 Insurance Now is an independent referral service. We are not an insurance agency, we are not affiliated with Root, and Root has not reviewed this page. Quotations are from joinroot.com, read on 2026-08-24.