{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/46.2-1200.1.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/46.2-1200.1.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/46.2-1200.1.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/46.2-1200.1.html"}],"law_id":63283,"edition_id":1,"section_id":63283,"structure_id":15110,"section_number":"46.2-1200.1","catch_line":"Abandoning motor vehicles prohibited; penalty","history":"1990, c. 725; 2020, cc. 964, 965.","full_text":"No person shall cause any motor vehicle to become an abandoned motor vehicle as defined in \u00a7 46.2-1200. In any prosecution for a violation of this section, proof that the defendant was, at the time that the vehicle was found abandoned, the owner of the vehicle shall constitute in evidence a rebuttable presumption that the owner was the person who committed the violation. Such presumption, however, shall not arise if the owner of the vehicle provided notice to the Department, as provided in \u00a7 46.2-604, that he had sold or otherwise transferred the ownership of the vehicle.\n\t\tA summons for a violation of this section shall be executed by mailing a copy of the summons by first-class mail to the address of the owner of the vehicle as shown on the records of the Department of Motor Vehicles. If the person fails to appear on the date of return set out in the summons, a new summons shall be issued and delivered to the sheriff of the county, city, or town for service on the accused personally. If the person so served then fails to appear on the date of return set out in the summons, proceedings for contempt shall be instituted.\n\t\tAny person convicted of a violation of this section shall be subject to a civil penalty of no more than $500.\n\t\tAll penalties collected under this section shall be paid into the state treasury to be credited to the Literary Fund as provided in \u00a7 46.2-114.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":230630,"text":"No person shall cause any motor vehicle to become an abandoned motor vehicle as defined in \u00a7 46.2-1200. In any prosecution for a violation of this section, proof that the defendant was, at the time that the vehicle was found abandoned, the owner of the vehicle shall constitute in evidence a rebuttable presumption that the owner was the person who committed the violation. Such presumption, however, shall not arise if the owner of the vehicle provided notice to the Department, as provided in \u00a7 46.2-604, that he had sold or otherwise transferred the ownership of the vehicle.\n\t\tA summons for a violation of this section shall be executed by mailing a copy of the summons by first-class mail to the address of the owner of the vehicle as shown on the records of the Department of Motor Vehicles. If the person fails to appear on the date of return set out in the summons, a new summons shall be issued and delivered to the sheriff of the county, city, or town for service on the accused personally. If the person so served then fails to appear on the date of return set out in the summons, proceedings for contempt shall be instituted.\n\t\tAny person convicted of a violation of this section shall be subject to a civil penalty of no more than $500.\n\t\tAll penalties collected under this section shall be paid into the state treasury to be credited to the Literary Fund as provided in \u00a7 46.2-114.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":15110,"edition_id":1,"name":"Abandoned Vehicles","identifier":"1","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13248,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:52:13","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:52:13","permalink":{"id":229709,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15110,"identifier":"1","token":"46.2\/III\/12\/1","url":"\/46.2\/III\/12\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13248,"edition_id":1,"name":"Abandoned, Immobilized, Unattended and Trespassing Vehicles; Parking","identifier":"12","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12827,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:31","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:31","permalink":{"id":229707,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13248,"identifier":"12","token":"46.2\/III\/12","url":"\/46.2\/III\/12\/","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":61628,"structure_id":15110,"section_number":"46.2-1200","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/46.2-1200\/","token":"46.2\/III\/12\/1\/46.2-1200","metadata":false},{"id":63283,"structure_id":15110,"section_number":"46.2-1200.1","catch_line":"Abandoning motor vehicles prohibited; penalty","url":"\/46.2-1200.1\/","token":"46.2\/III\/12\/1\/46.2-1200.1","metadata":false},{"id":76589,"structure_id":15110,"section_number":"46.2-1200.2","catch_line":"Vehicles registered to active duty military personnel","url":"\/46.2-1200.2\/","token":"46.2\/III\/12\/1\/46.2-1200.2","metadata":false},{"id":61648,"structure_id":15110,"section_number":"46.2-1200.3","catch_line":"Limitation on removal and sale of abandoned vehicles","url":"\/46.2-1200.3\/","token":"46.2\/III\/12\/1\/46.2-1200.3","metadata":false},{"id":60742,"structure_id":15110,"section_number":"46.2-1201","catch_line":"Ordinances","url":"\/46.2-1201\/","token":"46.2\/III\/12\/1\/46.2-1201","metadata":false},{"id":75992,"structure_id":15110,"section_number":"46.2-1202","catch_line":"Search for owner and secured party; notice","url":"\/46.2-1202\/","token":"46.2\/III\/12\/1\/46.2-1202","metadata":false},{"id":77436,"structure_id":15110,"section_number":"46.2-1202.1","catch_line":"Vehicle Removal Certificates","url":"\/46.2-1202.1\/","token":"46.2\/III\/12\/1\/46.2-1202.1","metadata":false},{"id":63644,"structure_id":15110,"section_number":"46.2-1202.2","catch_line":"Notice of intent to auction and sale of vehicle; posting requirements","url":"\/46.2-1202.2\/","token":"46.2\/III\/12\/1\/46.2-1202.2","metadata":false},{"id":72914,"structure_id":15110,"section_number":"46.2-1203","catch_line":"Sale of vehicle at public auction by locality; disposition of proceeds","url":"\/46.2-1203\/","token":"46.2\/III\/12\/1\/46.2-1203","metadata":false},{"id":57574,"structure_id":15110,"section_number":"46.2-1204","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/46.2-1204\/","token":"46.2\/III\/12\/1\/46.2-1204","metadata":false},{"id":82860,"structure_id":15110,"section_number":"46.2-1205","catch_line":"Disposition of inoperable abandoned vehicles","url":"\/46.2-1205\/","token":"46.2\/III\/12\/1\/46.2-1205","metadata":false},{"id":65709,"structure_id":15110,"section_number":"46.2-1206","catch_line":"Surrender of certificate of title, etc., where motor vehicle acquired for demolition; records to be kept by demolisher or scrap metal processor","url":"\/46.2-1206\/","token":"46.2\/III\/12\/1\/46.2-1206","metadata":false},{"id":74419,"structure_id":15110,"section_number":"46.2-1207","catch_line":"Certification of disposal; reimbursement of locality by Commissioner","url":"\/46.2-1207\/","token":"46.2\/III\/12\/1\/46.2-1207","metadata":false},{"id":61857,"structure_id":15110,"section_number":"46.2-1208","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/46.2-1208\/","token":"46.2\/III\/12\/1\/46.2-1208","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":61628,"structure_id":15110,"section_number":"46.2-1200","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/46.2-1200\/","token":"46.2\/III\/12\/1\/46.2-1200","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":76589,"structure_id":15110,"section_number":"46.2-1200.2","catch_line":"Vehicles registered to active duty military personnel","url":"\/46.2-1200.2\/","token":"46.2\/III\/12\/1\/46.2-1200.2","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/46.2-1200.1\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1990. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 725 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 1990 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 1 time. 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. That modification is as follows: in 2020, chapters 964<\/a> and 965<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":63404,"section_number":"46.2-114","catch_line":"Disposition of fines and forfeitures","order_by":null,"url":"\/46.2-114\/"},{"id":61628,"section_number":"46.2-1200","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/46.2-1200\/"},{"id":63997,"section_number":"46.2-604","catch_line":"Contents of registration card and certificate; vehicle color data; notation of certain disabled owners","order_by":null,"url":"\/46.2-604\/"}],"permalink":{"id":229715,"object_type":"law","relational_id":63283,"identifier":"46.2-1200.1","token":"46.2\/III\/12\/1\/46.2-1200.1","url":"\/46.2-1200.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/46.2-1200.1\/","token":"46.2\/III\/12\/1\/46.2-1200.1","dublin_core":{"Title":"Abandoning motor vehicles prohibited; penalty","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 46.2-1200.1","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

No person shall cause any motor vehicle to become an abandoned motor vehicle<\/span> as defined in \u00a7 46.2-1200<\/a>. In any prosecution<\/span> for a violation of this section, proof that the defendant<\/span> was, at the time that the vehicle was found abandoned, the owner<\/span> of the vehicle shall constitute in evidence<\/span> a rebuttable presumption<\/span> that the owner<\/span> was the person who committed the violation. Such presumption<\/span>, however, shall not arise if the owner<\/span> of the vehicle provided notice to the Department<\/span>, as provided in \u00a7 46.2-604<\/a>, that he had sold or otherwise transferred the ownership of the vehicle.\n\t\tA summons<\/span> for a violation of this section shall be executed by mailing a copy of the summons<\/span> by first-class mail to the address of the owner<\/span> of the vehicle as shown on the records of the Department<\/span> of Motor Vehicles<\/span>. If the person fails to appear on the date of return set out in the summons<\/span>, a new summons<\/span> shall be issued and delivered to the sheriff of the county, city, or town for service on the accused<\/span> personally. If the person so served then fails to appear on the date of return set out in the summons<\/span>, proceedings for contempt<\/span> shall be instituted.\n\t\tAny person convicted of a violation of this section shall be subject to a civil penalty<\/span> of no more than $500.\n\t\tAll penalties collected under this section shall be paid into the state treasury to be credited to the Literary Fund as provided in \u00a7 46.2-114<\/a>.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nABANDONING MOTOR VEHICLES PROHIBITED; PENALTY (\u00a7 46.2-1200.1)\n\nNo person shall cause any motor vehicle to become an abandoned motor vehicle as\ndefined in \u00a7 46.2-1200. In any prosecution for a violation of this section,\nproof that the defendant was, at the time that the vehicle was found abandoned,\nthe owner of the vehicle shall constitute in evidence a rebuttable presumption\nthat the owner was the person who committed the violation. Such presumption,\nhowever, shall not arise if the owner of the vehicle provided notice to the\nDepartment, as provided in \u00a7 46.2-604, that he had sold or otherwise\ntransferred the ownership of the vehicle.\n\t\tA summons for a violation of this section shall be executed by mailing a copy\nof the summons by first-class mail to the address of the owner of the vehicle as\nshown on the records of the Department of Motor Vehicles. If the person fails to\nappear on the date of return set out in the summons, a new summons shall be\nissued and delivered to the sheriff of the county, city, or town for service on\nthe accused personally. If the person so served then fails to appear on the date\nof return set out in the summons, proceedings for contempt shall be instituted.\n\t\tAny person convicted of a violation of this section shall be subject to a\ncivil penalty of no more than $500.\n\t\tAll penalties collected under this section shall be paid into the state\ntreasury to be credited to the Literary Fund as provided in \u00a7 46.2-114.\n\nHISTORY: 1990, c. 725; 2020, cc. 964, 965.","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}}