{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/46.2-1003.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/46.2-1003.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/46.2-1003.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/46.2-1003.html"}],"law_id":86371,"edition_id":1,"section_id":86371,"structure_id":14848,"section_number":"46.2-1003","catch_line":"Illegal use of defective and unsafe equipment","history":"1960, c. 125, \u00a7 46.1-308.1; 1989, c. 727; 2017, c. 670; 2020, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 45, 51.","full_text":"A\n\nIt shall be unlawful for any person to use or have as equipment on a motor vehicle operated on a highway any device or equipment mentioned in § 46.2-1002 which is defective and in an unsafe condition.B\n\nFor any summons issued for a violation of this section, the court may, in its discretion, dismiss the summons, where proof of compliance with this section is provided to the court on or before the court date.C\n\nNo law-enforcement officer shall stop a motor vehicle for a violation of this section. No evidence discovered or obtained as the result of a stop in violation of this subsection, including evidence discovered or obtained with the operator’s consent, shall be admissible in any trial, hearing, or other proceeding.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":309317,"text":"It shall be unlawful for any person to use or have as equipment on a motor vehicle operated on a highway any device or equipment mentioned in § 46.2-1002 which is defective and in an unsafe condition.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":309318,"text":"For any summons issued for a violation of this section, the court may, in its discretion, dismiss the summons, where proof of compliance with this section is provided to the court on or before the court date.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":309319,"text":"No law-enforcement officer shall stop a motor vehicle for a violation of this section. No evidence discovered or obtained as the result of a stop in violation of this subsection, including evidence discovered or obtained with the operator’s consent, shall be admissible in any trial, hearing, or other proceeding.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B"}},"ancestry":[{"id":14848,"edition_id":1,"name":"Vehicle and Equipment Safety, Generally","identifier":"1","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12828,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:50:23","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:50:23","permalink":{"id":228601,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14848,"identifier":"1","token":"46.2\/III\/10\/1","url":"\/46.2\/III\/10\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12828,"edition_id":1,"name":"Motor Vehicle and Equipment Safety","identifier":"10","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12827,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:55","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:55","permalink":{"id":228599,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12828,"identifier":"10","token":"46.2\/III\/10","url":"\/46.2\/III\/10\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12827,"edition_id":1,"name":"Operation","identifier":"III","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12770,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:55","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:55","permalink":{"id":228597,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12827,"identifier":"III","token":"46.2\/III","url":"\/46.2\/III\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12770,"edition_id":1,"name":"Motor Vehicles","identifier":"46.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:52","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:52","permalink":{"id":225289,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12770,"identifier":"46.2","token":"46.2","url":"\/46.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":56760,"structure_id":14848,"section_number":"46.2-1000","catch_line":"Department to suspend registration of vehicles lacking certain equipment; officer to take possession of registration card, license plates and decals when observing defect in motor vehicle; when to be returned","url":"\/46.2-1000\/","token":"46.2\/III\/10\/1\/46.2-1000","metadata":false},{"id":79566,"structure_id":14848,"section_number":"46.2-1001","catch_line":"Removal of unsafe vehicles; penalty","url":"\/46.2-1001\/","token":"46.2\/III\/10\/1\/46.2-1001","metadata":false},{"id":82819,"structure_id":14848,"section_number":"46.2-1001.1","catch_line":"Special equipment required for converted electric vehicles","url":"\/46.2-1001.1\/","token":"46.2\/III\/10\/1\/46.2-1001.1","metadata":false},{"id":70555,"structure_id":14848,"section_number":"46.2-1002","catch_line":"Illegal possession or sale of certain unapproved equipment","url":"\/46.2-1002\/","token":"46.2\/III\/10\/1\/46.2-1002","metadata":false},{"id":86371,"structure_id":14848,"section_number":"46.2-1003","catch_line":"Illegal use of defective and unsafe equipment","url":"\/46.2-1003\/","token":"46.2\/III\/10\/1\/46.2-1003","metadata":false},{"id":71468,"structure_id":14848,"section_number":"46.2-1004","catch_line":"Trademark or name and instructions required","url":"\/46.2-1004\/","token":"46.2\/III\/10\/1\/46.2-1004","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":70555,"structure_id":14848,"section_number":"46.2-1002","catch_line":"Illegal possession or sale of certain unapproved equipment","url":"\/46.2-1002\/","token":"46.2\/III\/10\/1\/46.2-1002","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":71468,"structure_id":14848,"section_number":"46.2-1004","catch_line":"Trademark or name and instructions required","url":"\/46.2-1004\/","token":"46.2\/III\/10\/1\/46.2-1004","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/46.2-1003\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1960. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 125 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. Unfortunately, the 1960 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 2 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 1989, chapter 727; in 2017, chapter 670<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":68913,"section_number":"16.1-69.48:1","catch_line":"Fixed fee for misdemeanors, traffic infractions and other violations in district court; additional fees to be added","order_by":null,"url":"\/16.1-69.48_1\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":70555,"section_number":"46.2-1002","catch_line":"Illegal possession or sale of certain unapproved equipment","order_by":null,"url":"\/46.2-1002\/"}],"permalink":{"id":228619,"object_type":"law","relational_id":86371,"identifier":"46.2-1003","token":"46.2\/III\/10\/1\/46.2-1003","url":"\/46.2-1003\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/46.2-1003\/","token":"46.2\/III\/10\/1\/46.2-1003","dublin_core":{"Title":"Illegal use of defective and unsafe equipment","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 46.2-1003","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> It shall be unlawful for any person to use or have as equipment on a motor vehicle<\/span> operated on a highway<\/span> any device or equipment mentioned in § 46.2-1002<\/a> which is defective and in an unsafe condition. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> For any summons<\/span> issued for a violation of this section, the court<\/span> may, in its discretion, dismiss the summons<\/span>, where proof of compliance with this section is provided to the court<\/span> on or before the court<\/span> date. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> No law<\/span>-enforcement officer<\/span> shall stop a motor vehicle<\/span> for a violation of this section. No evidence<\/span> discovered or obtained as the result of a stop in violation of this subsection, including evidence<\/span> discovered or obtained with the operator<\/span>’s consent, shall be admissible<\/span> in any trial<\/span>, hearing<\/span>, or other proceeding. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nILLEGAL USE OF DEFECTIVE AND UNSAFE EQUIPMENT (\u00a7 46.2-1003)\n\nA. It shall be unlawful for any person to use or have as equipment on a motor\nvehicle operated on a highway any device or equipment mentioned in §\n46.2-1002 which is defective and in an unsafe condition.\n\nB. For any summons issued for a violation of this section, the court may, in its\ndiscretion, dismiss the summons, where proof of compliance with this section is\nprovided to the court on or before the court date.\n\nC. No law-enforcement officer shall stop a motor vehicle for a violation of this\nsection. No evidence discovered or obtained as the result of a stop in violation\nof this subsection, including evidence discovered or obtained with the\noperator’s consent, shall be admissible in any trial, hearing, or other\nproceeding.\n\nHISTORY: 1960, c. 125, \u00a7 46.1-308.1; 1989, c. 727; 2017, c. 670; 2020, Sp.\nSess. I, cc. 45, 51.","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}}