Felony DUI in New Hampshire: SR-22 and Insurance After Conviction

New Hampshire charges felony DUI (Class B felony) on your third offense within 10 years or when any DUI involves serious bodily injury to another person. The conviction triggers a mandatory 3-year SR-22 filing requirement, measured from your conviction date, not from the day your license is reinstated or your suspension ends. This timing distinction matters: if your license is suspended for 12 months and you wait to file SR-22 until reinstatement, you've added a full year to your filing obligation. Felony DUI also carries minimum jail sentences (17 days to 3 years depending on offense count and injury), fines up to $4,000, and ignition interlock device (IID) installation for the full 3-year SR-22 period. You cannot reinstate your license without both SR-22 proof of insurance on file with the New Hampshire DMV and IID installation confirmation from an approved vendor. Most drivers miscalculate their SR-22 end date because they assume the clock starts when they get their license back. New Hampshire DMV tracks from conviction date. If you were convicted on March 1, 2023, your SR-22 obligation ends March 1, 2026, regardless of when you actually filed or reinstated.

The SR-22 certificate itself costs $25–$50 as a one-time filing fee paid to your insurer. Your carrier submits the form electronically to the New Hampshire DMV on your behalf. The real cost is your monthly premium: felony DUI typically triggers a 90–150% rate increase over your pre-conviction premium, with total annual costs ranging from $2,400 to $5,200 depending on your county, vehicle, and coverage limits. New Hampshire requires minimum liability coverage of 25/50/25 ($25,000 bodily injury per person, $50,000 per accident, $25,000 property damage). Expect to pay $180–$320/mo for state minimum SR-22 coverage through a non-standard carrier after felony DUI. If you add comprehensive and collision to meet a lender's requirements, monthly premiums rise to $280–$450/mo. Carriers recalculate your rate at each annual renewal. If you complete your 3-year SR-22 period with no new violations and no lapses, expect your rate to drop 20–35% once the SR-22 requirement is removed and the felony DUI ages beyond 5 years on your record. Estimates based on available industry data; individual rates vary by driving history, vehicle, coverage selections, and location.

Most mainstream carriers — State Farm, Geico, Allstate, Progressive — will file SR-22 for existing customers but typically non-renew your policy at the end of your current term. New felony DUI convictions require the non-standard insurance market. Carriers actively writing SR-22 policies for felony DUI in New Hampshire include Bristol West, Dairyland, The General, Direct Auto, and National General. Carrier availability varies by county. Dairyland writes statewide but restricts felony DUI policies to drivers over age 25 with no additional moving violations in the past 24 months. Bristol West accepts repeat-offense DUI but requires proof of IID installation before binding coverage. The General writes felony DUI with no age restriction but applies a $500–$750 annual surcharge for the first 3 years post-conviction. You cannot purchase SR-22 insurance from a carrier that does not operate in New Hampshire. If you move out of state during your 3-year filing period, your New Hampshire SR-22 requirement follows you. Your new state's DMV will honor the New Hampshire filing, but you must notify your carrier of the address change within 30 days to avoid an administrative lapse that resets your filing clock to zero.

New Hampshire mandates ignition interlock device (IID) installation for all felony DUI convictions, covering the full 3-year SR-22 period. You must install the device before license reinstatement and maintain it for the entire filing duration. Your SR-22 policy must list the IID-equipped vehicle, and your insurer must be notified of the device within 10 days of installation. IID installation costs $75–$150, with monthly monitoring fees of $60–$90 paid directly to the device provider. Most non-standard carriers do not surcharge for IID installation, but they require proof of device activation (form provided by the installer) before issuing the SR-22 certificate. If you remove the IID before your 3-year period ends, the DMV receives an automatic alert and your license is re-suspended immediately. Some drivers lease a second vehicle without IID for work or family use. New Hampshire allows this, but your SR-22 policy must cover both vehicles, and the IID-equipped vehicle must remain registered and insured for the full 3 years. If you cancel coverage on the IID vehicle, your SR-22 filing lapses and your filing clock resets to day one.

Your insurer notifies the New Hampshire DMV within 24 hours if your SR-22 policy cancels, lapses, or is non-renewed without replacement coverage. The DMV suspends your license immediately — no grace period, no warning letter. Your 3-year SR-22 filing requirement resets to zero from the date you file a new SR-22 certificate, meaning a single lapse can add 3 full years to your total obligation. Most lapses occur during policy transitions: you cancel your old policy before your new SR-22 policy's effective date, creating a coverage gap of 1–3 days. Non-standard carriers require proof of continuous coverage to avoid this. Request an overlap period when switching carriers — pay for 5–10 days of dual coverage to ensure no gap appears on your DMV record. If your license is suspended for SR-22 lapse, you must pay a $100 reinstatement fee, refile SR-22, and restart your 3-year clock. New Hampshire does not prorate or credit time served before the lapse. A lapse on day 1,000 of a 1,095-day requirement means you owe another 1,095 days from the new filing date.

New Hampshire requires four actions before license reinstatement after felony DUI: complete your court-imposed jail sentence or probation terms, complete the Multiple Offender Program (16-week DUI education course), pay all fines and DMV reinstatement fees ($100 standard reinstatement plus $100 DUI administrative fee), and file SR-22 proof of insurance with IID installation proof. You cannot reinstate until all four are complete. The Multiple Offender Program costs $675 and runs 16 weeks with mandatory weekly attendance. Missing more than 2 sessions disqualifies you and requires full re-enrollment. The program administrator files a completion certificate directly with the DMV, but processing takes 7–10 business days. Do not schedule your DMV reinstatement appointment until you receive written confirmation from the DMV that your program completion is on file. Once reinstated, your license carries IID and SR-22 restrictions for 3 years. You must carry your SR-22 certificate or policy declarations page in your vehicle at all times. New Hampshire does not issue a restricted or hardship license during the suspension period for felony DUI — your license is fully suspended until you meet all reinstatement conditions.

New Hampshire requires SR-22 filing even if you do not own a vehicle. You must purchase a non-owner SR-22 policy, which provides liability coverage when you drive a vehicle you do not own — borrowed cars, rental cars, or employer vehicles. Non-owner SR-22 policies cost $45–$85/mo for state minimum liability limits after felony DUI. Non-owner policies do not cover vehicles you own, lease, or register in your name. If you later purchase a vehicle during your 3-year SR-22 period, you must notify your insurer within 10 days and convert to a standard owner SR-22 policy. Failing to notify your carrier creates a coverage gap that triggers an SR-22 lapse and license re-suspension. Non-owner SR-22 does not satisfy IID requirements. If your felony DUI conviction includes an IID mandate, you must have access to an IID-equipped vehicle registered in your name or in a household member's name with you listed as a covered driver. Non-owner policies alone will not reinstate your license if IID is required.