{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/33.2-500.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/33.2-500.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/33.2-500.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/33.2-500.html"}],"law_id":83043,"edition_id":1,"section_id":83043,"structure_id":13753,"section_number":"33.2-500","catch_line":"Definitions","history":"2004, c. 783, \u00a7 33.1-56.1; 2008, cc. 167, 280; 2013, c. 195; 2014, c. 805; 2015, c. 73; 2016, c. 753.","full_text":"As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning:\n\t\t“High-occupancy requirement” means the number of persons required to be traveling in a vehicle for the vehicle to use HOT lanes without the payment of a toll. Emergency vehicles, law-enforcement vehicles being used in HOT lanes in the performance of law-enforcement duties, which shall not include the use of such vehicles for commuting to and from the workplace or for any purpose other than responding to an emergency incident, patrolling HOT lanes pursuant to an agreement by a state agency with the HOT lanes operator, or the time-sensitive investigation, active surveillance, or actual pursuit of persons known or suspected to be engaged in or with knowledge of criminal activity, and mass transit vehicles and commuter buses shall meet the high-occupancy requirement for HOT lanes, regardless of the number of occupants in the vehicle.\n\t\t“High-occupancy toll lanes” or “HOT lanes” means a highway or portion of a highway containing one or more travel lanes separated from other lanes that (i) has an electronic toll collection system; (ii) provides for free passage by vehicles that meet the high-occupancy requirement, including mass transit vehicles and commuter buses; and (iii) contains a photo-enforcement system for use in such electronic toll collection. HOT lanes shall not be a “toll facility” or “HOV lanes” for the purposes of any other provision of law or regulation.\n\t\t“High-occupancy vehicle lanes” or “HOV lanes” means a highway or portion of a highway containing one or more travel lanes for the travel of high-occupancy vehicles or buses as designated pursuant to \u00a7 33.2-501.\n\t\t“HOT lanes operator” means the operator of the facility containing HOT lanes, which may include the Department of Transportation or some other entity.\n\t\t“Mass transit vehicles” and “commuter buses” means vehicles providing a scheduled transportation service to the general public. Such vehicles shall comprise nonprofit, publicly or privately owned or operated transportation services, programs, or systems that may be funded pursuant to \u00a7 58.1-638.\n\t\t“Owner” means the registered owner of a vehicle on record with the Department of Motor Vehicles or with the equivalent agency in another state. “Owner” does not include a vehicle rental or vehicle leasing company.\n\t\t“Photo-enforcement system” means a sensor installed in conjunction with a toll collection device to detect the presence of a vehicle that automatically produces one or more photographs, one or more microphotographs, a videotape, or other recorded images of each vehicle’s license plate at the time it is detected by the toll collection device.\n\t\t“Unauthorized vehicle” means a motor vehicle that is restricted from use of the HOT lanes pursuant to subdivision 4 a of \u00a7 33.2-503 or does not meet the high-occupancy requirement and indicates with its electronic toll collection device that it meets the applicable high-occupancy requirements.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":297633,"text":"As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning:\n\t\t“High-occupancy requirement” means the number of persons required to be traveling in a vehicle for the vehicle to use HOT lanes without the payment of a toll. Emergency vehicles, law-enforcement vehicles being used in HOT lanes in the performance of law-enforcement duties, which shall not include the use of such vehicles for commuting to and from the workplace or for any purpose other than responding to an emergency incident, patrolling HOT lanes pursuant to an agreement by a state agency with the HOT lanes operator, or the time-sensitive investigation, active surveillance, or actual pursuit of persons known or suspected to be engaged in or with knowledge of criminal activity, and mass transit vehicles and commuter buses shall meet the high-occupancy requirement for HOT lanes, regardless of the number of occupants in the vehicle.\n\t\t“High-occupancy toll lanes” or “HOT lanes” means a highway or portion of a highway containing one or more travel lanes separated from other lanes that (i) has an electronic toll collection system; (ii) provides for free passage by vehicles that meet the high-occupancy requirement, including mass transit vehicles and commuter buses; and (iii) contains a photo-enforcement system for use in such electronic toll collection. HOT lanes shall not be a “toll facility” or “HOV lanes” for the purposes of any other provision of law or regulation.\n\t\t“High-occupancy vehicle lanes” or “HOV lanes” means a highway or portion of a highway containing one or more travel lanes for the travel of high-occupancy vehicles or buses as designated pursuant to \u00a7 33.2-501.\n\t\t“HOT lanes operator” means the operator of the facility containing HOT lanes, which may include the Department of Transportation or some other entity.\n\t\t“Mass transit vehicles” and “commuter buses” means vehicles providing a scheduled transportation service to the general public. Such vehicles shall comprise nonprofit, publicly or privately owned or operated transportation services, programs, or systems that may be funded pursuant to \u00a7 58.1-638.\n\t\t“Owner” means the registered owner of a vehicle on record with the Department of Motor Vehicles or with the equivalent agency in another state. “Owner” does not include a vehicle rental or vehicle leasing company.\n\t\t“Photo-enforcement system” means a sensor installed in conjunction with a toll collection device to detect the presence of a vehicle that automatically produces one or more photographs, one or more microphotographs, a videotape, or other recorded images of each vehicle’s license plate at the time it is detected by the toll collection device.\n\t\t“Unauthorized vehicle” means a motor vehicle that is restricted from use of the HOT lanes pursuant to subdivision 4 a of \u00a7 33.2-503 or does not meet the high-occupancy requirement and indicates with its electronic toll collection device that it meets the applicable high-occupancy requirements.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":13753,"edition_id":1,"name":"High-Occupancy Vehicle Lanes and High-Occupancy Toll Lanes","identifier":"5","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12830,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:45:47","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:45:47","permalink":{"id":206111,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13753,"identifier":"5","token":"33.2\/II\/5","url":"\/33.2\/II\/5\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12830,"edition_id":1,"name":"Modes of Transportation: Highways, Bridges, Ferries, Rail, and Public Transportation","identifier":"II","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12806,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:55","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:55","permalink":{"id":205369,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12830,"identifier":"II","token":"33.2\/II","url":"\/33.2\/II\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12806,"edition_id":1,"name":"Highways and Other Surface Transportation Systems","identifier":"33.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:54","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:54","permalink":{"id":204785,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12806,"identifier":"33.2","token":"33.2","url":"\/33.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":83043,"structure_id":13753,"section_number":"33.2-500","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/33.2-500\/","token":"33.2\/II\/5\/33.2-500","metadata":false},{"id":80087,"structure_id":13753,"section_number":"33.2-501","catch_line":"Designation of HOV lanes; use of such lanes; penalties","url":"\/33.2-501\/","token":"33.2\/II\/5\/33.2-501","metadata":false},{"id":73601,"structure_id":13753,"section_number":"33.2-502","catch_line":"Designation of HOT lanes","url":"\/33.2-502\/","token":"33.2\/II\/5\/33.2-502","metadata":false},{"id":54759,"structure_id":13753,"section_number":"33.2-503","catch_line":"HOT lanes enforcement","url":"\/33.2-503\/","token":"33.2\/II\/5\/33.2-503","metadata":false},{"id":64332,"structure_id":13753,"section_number":"33.2-504","catch_line":"Release of personal information to or by HOT lanes operators; penalty","url":"\/33.2-504\/","token":"33.2\/II\/5\/33.2-504","metadata":false},{"id":82578,"structure_id":13753,"section_number":"33.2-505","catch_line":"Exclusion of HOT lanes from certain other laws","url":"\/33.2-505\/","token":"33.2\/II\/5\/33.2-505","metadata":false}],"next_section":{"id":80087,"structure_id":13753,"section_number":"33.2-501","catch_line":"Designation of HOV lanes; use of such lanes; penalties","url":"\/33.2-501\/","token":"33.2\/II\/5\/33.2-501","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/33.2-500\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2004. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 783<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. It has been modified 5 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 2008, chapters 167<\/a> and 280<\/a>; in 2013, chapter 195<\/a>; in 2014, chapter 805<\/a>; in 2015, chapter 73<\/a>; in 2016, chapter 753<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":85660,"section_number":"33.2-2612","catch_line":"Additional tolling authority of the Commission","order_by":null,"url":"\/33.2-2612\/"},{"id":80400,"section_number":"46.2-819.9","catch_line":"Agreements for enforcement of tolling violations against nonresidents","order_by":null,"url":"\/46.2-819.9\/"},{"id":75137,"section_number":"46.2-888","catch_line":"Stopping on highways; removing motor vehicle from roadway","order_by":null,"url":"\/46.2-888\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":80087,"section_number":"33.2-501","catch_line":"Designation of HOV lanes; use of such lanes; penalties","order_by":null,"url":"\/33.2-501\/"},{"id":54759,"section_number":"33.2-503","catch_line":"HOT lanes enforcement","order_by":null,"url":"\/33.2-503\/"},{"id":71974,"section_number":"58.1-638","catch_line":"Disposition of state sales and use tax revenue","order_by":null,"url":"\/58.1-638\/"}],"permalink":{"id":206113,"object_type":"law","relational_id":83043,"identifier":"33.2-500","token":"33.2\/II\/5\/33.2-500","url":"\/33.2-500\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/33.2-500\/","token":"33.2\/II\/5\/33.2-500","dublin_core":{"Title":"Definitions","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 33.2-500","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning:\n\t\t“High-occupancy requirement<\/span>” means the number of persons required to be traveling in a vehicle for the vehicle to use HOT lanes without the payment of a toll. Emergency vehicles, law<\/span>-enforcement vehicles being used in HOT lanes in the performance of law<\/span>-enforcement duties, which shall not include the use of such vehicles for commuting to and from the workplace or for any purpose other than responding to an emergency incident, patrolling HOT lanes pursuant to an agreement by a state agency with the HOT lanes operator<\/span>, or the time-sensitive investigation, active surveillance, or actual pursuit of persons known or suspected to be engaged in or with knowledge of criminal activity, and mass transit vehicles<\/span> and commuter buses<\/span> shall meet the high-occupancy requirement<\/span> for HOT lanes, regardless of the number of occupants in the vehicle.\n\t\t“High-occupancy toll lanes<\/span>” or “HOT lanes” means a highway<\/span> or portion of a highway<\/span> containing one or more travel lanes separated from other lanes that (i) has an electronic toll collection system; (ii) provides for free passage by vehicles that meet the high-occupancy requirement<\/span>, including mass transit vehicles<\/span> and commuter buses<\/span>; and (iii) contains a photo-enforcement system<\/span> for use in such electronic toll collection. HOT lanes shall not be a “toll facility<\/span>” or “HOV lanes<\/span>” for the purposes of any other provision of law<\/span> or regulation.\n\t\t“High-occupancy vehicle lanes<\/span>” or “HOV lanes<\/span>” means a highway<\/span> or portion of a highway<\/span> containing one or more travel lanes for the travel of high-occupancy vehicles or buses as designated pursuant to \u00a7 33.2-501<\/a>.\n\t\t“HOT lanes operator<\/span>” means the operator of the facility containing HOT lanes, which may include the Department<\/span> of Transportation or some other entity.\n\t\t“Mass transit vehicles<\/span>” and “commuter buses<\/span>” means vehicles providing a scheduled transportation service to the general public. Such vehicles shall comprise nonprofit, publicly or privately owned or operated transportation services, programs, or systems that may be funded pursuant to \u00a7 58.1-638<\/a>.\n\t\t“Owner<\/span>” means the registered owner<\/span> of a vehicle on record with the Department<\/span> of Motor Vehicles or with the equivalent agency in another state. “Owner<\/span>” does not include a vehicle rental or vehicle leasing company.\n\t\t“Photo-enforcement system<\/span>” means a sensor installed in conjunction with a toll collection device to detect the presence of a vehicle that automatically produces one or more photographs, one or more microphotographs, a videotape, or other recorded images of each vehicle’s license plate at the time it is detected by the toll collection device.\n\t\t“Unauthorized vehicle<\/span>” means a motor vehicle that is restricted from use of the HOT lanes pursuant to subdivision 4 a of \u00a7 33.2-503<\/a> or does not meet the high-occupancy requirement<\/span> and indicates with its electronic toll collection device that it meets the applicable high-occupancy requirements<\/span>.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nDEFINITIONS (\u00a7 33.2-500)\n\nAs used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning:\n\t\t“High-occupancy requirement” means the number of persons required\nto be traveling in a vehicle for the vehicle to use HOT lanes without the\npayment of a toll. Emergency vehicles, law-enforcement vehicles being used in\nHOT lanes in the performance of law-enforcement duties, which shall not include\nthe use of such vehicles for commuting to and from the workplace or for any\npurpose other than responding to an emergency incident, patrolling HOT lanes\npursuant to an agreement by a state agency with the HOT lanes operator, or the\ntime-sensitive investigation, active surveillance, or actual pursuit of persons\nknown or suspected to be engaged in or with knowledge of criminal activity, and\nmass transit vehicles and commuter buses shall meet the high-occupancy\nrequirement for HOT lanes, regardless of the number of occupants in the vehicle.\n\t\t“High-occupancy toll lanes” or “HOT lanes” means a\nhighway or portion of a highway containing one or more travel lanes separated\nfrom other lanes that (i) has an electronic toll collection system; (ii)\nprovides for free passage by vehicles that meet the high-occupancy requirement,\nincluding mass transit vehicles and commuter buses; and (iii) contains a\nphoto-enforcement system for use in such electronic toll collection. HOT lanes\nshall not be a “toll facility” or “HOV lanes” for the\npurposes of any other provision of law or regulation.\n\t\t“High-occupancy vehicle lanes” or “HOV lanes” means a\nhighway or portion of a highway containing one or more travel lanes for the\ntravel of high-occupancy vehicles or buses as designated pursuant to \u00a7\n33.2-501.\n\t\t“HOT lanes operator” means the operator of the facility containing\nHOT lanes, which may include the Department of Transportation or some other\nentity.\n\t\t“Mass transit vehicles” and “commuter buses” means\nvehicles providing a scheduled transportation service to the general public.\nSuch vehicles shall comprise nonprofit, publicly or privately owned or operated\ntransportation services, programs, or systems that may be funded pursuant to \u00a7\n58.1-638.\n\t\t“Owner” means the registered owner of a vehicle on record with the\nDepartment of Motor Vehicles or with the equivalent agency in another state.\n“Owner” does not include a vehicle rental or vehicle leasing\ncompany.\n\t\t“Photo-enforcement system” means a sensor installed in conjunction\nwith a toll collection device to detect the presence of a vehicle that\nautomatically produces one or more photographs, one or more microphotographs, a\nvideotape, or other recorded images of each vehicle’s license plate at the\ntime it is detected by the toll collection device.\n\t\t“Unauthorized vehicle” means a motor vehicle that is restricted\nfrom use of the HOT lanes pursuant to subdivision 4 a of \u00a7 33.2-503 or does not\nmeet the high-occupancy requirement and indicates with its electronic toll\ncollection device that it meets the applicable high-occupancy requirements.\n\nHISTORY: 2004, c. 783, \u00a7 33.1-56.1; 2008, cc. 167, 280; 2013, c. 195; 2014, c.\n805; 2015, c. 73; 2016, c. 753.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}