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§ 46.2-707 Operation of uninsured vehicle; false evidence of insurance; penalty

Any person who owns an uninsured motor vehicle (i) licensed in the Commonwealth, (ii) subject to registration in the Commonwealth, or (iii) displaying temporary license plates provided for in § 46.2-1558 who operates or permits the operation of that motor vehicle is guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor. Any person who is the operator of such an uninsured motor vehicle and not the titled owner and who knows that such motor vehicle is uninsured is guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor. The Commissioner or his duly authorized agent, having reason to believe that a motor vehicle is being operated or has been operated on any specified date, may require the owner of such motor vehicle to verify insurance in a method prescribed by the Commissioner as provided for by § 46.2-706. The refusal or neglect of the owner to provide such verification shall be prima facie evidence that the motor vehicle was an uninsured motor vehicle at the time of such operation. Any person who falsely verifies insurance to the Commissioner or gives false evidence that a motor vehicle sought to be registered is an insured motor vehicle, shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor. However, the foregoing portions of this section shall not be applicable if it is established that the owner had good cause to believe and did believe that such motor vehicle was an insured motor vehicle, in which event the provisions of § 46.2-609 shall be applicable. Any person who owns an uninsured motor vehicle (i) licensed in the Commonwealth, (ii) subject to registration in the Commonwealth, or (iii) displaying temporary license plates provided for in § 46.2-1558 shall immediately surrender the vehicle’s license plates to the Department, unless the vehicle’s registration has been deactivated as provided by § 46.2-646.1. Any person who fails to immediately surrender his vehicle’s license plates as required by this section is guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor. Abstracts of records of conviction, as defined in this title, of any violation of any of the provisions of this section shall be forwarded to the Commissioner as prescribed by § 46.2-383. The Commissioner shall suspend the driver’s license and all registration certificates and license plates of any titled owner of an uninsured motor vehicle upon receiving a record of his conviction of a violation of any provisions of this section, and he shall not thereafter reissue the driver’s license and the registration certificates and license plates issued in the name of such person until such person pays a noncompliance fee of $600 to be disposed of as provided for in § 46.2-710 and furnishes proof of financial responsibility in the future as prescribed by Article 15 (§ 46.2-435 et seq.) of Chapter 3. However, when three years have elapsed from the date of the suspension herein required, the Commissioner may relieve such person of the requirement of furnishing proof of financial responsibility in the future. When such suspension results from a conviction for presenting or causing to be presented to the Commissioner false verification as to whether a motor vehicle is an insured motor vehicle or false evidence that any motor vehicle sought to be registered is insured, then the Commissioner shall not thereafter reissue the driver’s license and the registration certificates and license plates issued in the name of such person so convicted for a period of 180 days from the date of such order of suspension, and only then when all other provisions of law have been complied with by such person. The Commissioner shall suspend the driver’s license of any person who is the operator but not the titled owner of a motor vehicle upon receiving a record of his conviction of a violation of any provisions of this section and he shall not thereafter reissue the driver’s license until 30 days from the date of such order of suspension.

History

This law was first created in 1958. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 407 of that year’s edition of “Acts of Assembly,” the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1958 “Acts” aren’t available online. It has been modified 14 times. Those modifications are cataloged by “The Acts of Assembly,” a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly’s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1960, chapter 188; in 1966, chapters 181 and 568; in 1972, chapter 552; in 1973, chapter 25; in 1977, chapter 196; in 1978, chapter 605; in 1984, chapters 399 and 780; in 1986, chapter 527; in 1989, chapter 727; in 1996, chapters 474 and 489; in 2013, chapters 673 and 789; in 2019, chapters 149 and 193; in 2023, chapter 538; in 2025, chapters 163 and 177.

1958, c. 407, § 46.1-167.3; 1960, c. 188; 1966, cc. 181, 568; 1972, c. 552; 1973, c. 25; 1977, c. 196; 1978, c. 605; 1984, cc. 399, 780; 1986, c. 527; 1989, c. 727; 1996, cc. 474, 489; 2013, cc. 673, 789; 2019, cc. 149, 193; 2023, c. 538; 2025, cc. 163, 177.

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