{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/46.2-909.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/46.2-909.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/46.2-909.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/46.2-909.html"}],"law_id":69474,"edition_id":1,"section_id":69474,"structure_id":15902,"section_number":"46.2-909","catch_line":"Riding on motorcycles, generally","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7\u00a7 46-183.1, 46-183.2; 1954, c. 204; 1958, c. 541, \u00a7 46.1-172; 1968, c. 498; 1970, cc. 29, 99; 1982, cc. 390, 681; 1989, cc. 6, 727; 2015, c. 218.","full_text":"Every person operating a motorcycle, as defined in \u00a7 46.2-100, excluding three-wheeled vehicles, shall ride only upon the permanent seat attached to the motorcycle, unless safety dictates standing on both footpegs for no longer than is necessary. Such operator shall not carry any other person, unless the motorcycle is designed to carry more than one person, in which event a passenger may ride on the permanent seat if designed for two persons, or on another seat firmly attached to the rear or side of the seat for the operator. If the motorcycle is designed to carry more than one person, it shall also be equipped with a footrest for the use of such passenger.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":251193,"text":"Every person operating a motorcycle, as defined in \u00a7 46.2-100, excluding three-wheeled vehicles, shall ride only upon the permanent seat attached to the motorcycle, unless safety dictates standing on both footpegs for no longer than is necessary. Such operator shall not carry any other person, unless the motorcycle is designed to carry more than one person, in which event a passenger may ride on the permanent seat if designed for two persons, or on another seat firmly attached to the rear or side of the seat for the operator. If the motorcycle is designed to carry more than one person, it shall also be equipped with a footrest for the use of such passenger.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":15902,"edition_id":1,"name":"Motorcycles and Mopeds and All-Terrain Vehicles","identifier":"13","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12875,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 04:01:38","date_modified":"2026-06-26 04:01:38","permalink":{"id":230487,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15902,"identifier":"13","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/13","url":"\/46.2\/III\/8\/13\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12875,"edition_id":1,"name":"Regulation of Traffic","identifier":"8","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12827,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:58","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:58","permalink":{"id":230189,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12875,"identifier":"8","token":"46.2\/III\/8","url":"\/46.2\/III\/8\/","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":69474,"structure_id":15902,"section_number":"46.2-909","catch_line":"Riding on motorcycles, generally","url":"\/46.2-909\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/13\/46.2-909","metadata":false},{"id":62172,"structure_id":15902,"section_number":"46.2-910","catch_line":"Motorcycle and autocycle operators to wear helmets, etc.; certain sales prohibited; penalty","url":"\/46.2-910\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/13\/46.2-910","metadata":false},{"id":70012,"structure_id":15902,"section_number":"46.2-911","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/46.2-911\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/13\/46.2-911","metadata":false},{"id":63305,"structure_id":15902,"section_number":"46.2-911.1","catch_line":"Operation of motor-driven cycles on public highways prohibited","url":"\/46.2-911.1\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/13\/46.2-911.1","metadata":false},{"id":64522,"structure_id":15902,"section_number":"46.2-912","catch_line":"Operating motorcycle without headlight, horn or rearview mirror","url":"\/46.2-912\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/13\/46.2-912","metadata":false},{"id":61650,"structure_id":15902,"section_number":"46.2-913","catch_line":"Vendors of certain motorcycles to furnish statements of registration and licensing requirements","url":"\/46.2-913\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/13\/46.2-913","metadata":false},{"id":71481,"structure_id":15902,"section_number":"46.2-914","catch_line":"Limitations on operation of mopeds","url":"\/46.2-914\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/13\/46.2-914","metadata":false},{"id":68233,"structure_id":15902,"section_number":"46.2-915","catch_line":"Stickers required on mopeds","url":"\/46.2-915\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/13\/46.2-915","metadata":false},{"id":78339,"structure_id":15902,"section_number":"46.2-915.1","catch_line":"All-terrain vehicles and off-road motorcycles; penalty","url":"\/46.2-915.1\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/13\/46.2-915.1","metadata":false},{"id":72016,"structure_id":15902,"section_number":"46.2-915.2","catch_line":"Safety equipment for mopeds; effect of violation; penalty","url":"\/46.2-915.2\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/13\/46.2-915.2","metadata":false},{"id":69345,"structure_id":15902,"section_number":"46.2-916","catch_line":"Ordinances providing for the disposition of unregistered or unlicensed motorcycles","url":"\/46.2-916\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/13\/46.2-916","metadata":false}],"next_section":{"id":62172,"structure_id":15902,"section_number":"46.2-910","catch_line":"Motorcycle and autocycle operators to wear helmets, etc.; certain sales prohibited; penalty","url":"\/46.2-910\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/13\/46.2-910","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/46.2-909\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 7 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 1954, chapter 204; in 1958, chapter 541; in 1968, chapter 498; in 1970, chapters 29 and 99; in 1982, chapters 390 and 681; in 1989, chapters 6 and 727; in 2015, chapter 218<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":82691,"section_number":"46.2-100","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/46.2-100\/"}],"permalink":{"id":230489,"object_type":"law","relational_id":69474,"identifier":"46.2-909","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/13\/46.2-909","url":"\/46.2-909\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/46.2-909\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/13\/46.2-909","dublin_core":{"Title":"Riding on motorcycles, generally","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 46.2-909","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Every person operating a motorcycle<\/span>, as defined in \u00a7 46.2-100<\/a>, excluding three-wheeled vehicles<\/span>, shall ride only upon the permanent seat attached to the motorcycle<\/span>, unless safety dictates standing on both footpegs for no longer than is necessary. Such operator<\/span> shall not carry any other person, unless the motorcycle<\/span> is designed to carry more than one person, in which event a passenger may ride on the permanent seat if designed for two persons, or on another seat firmly attached to the rear or side of the seat for the operator<\/span>. If the motorcycle<\/span> is designed to carry more than one person, it shall also be equipped with a footrest for the use of such passenger.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nRIDING ON MOTORCYCLES, GENERALLY (\u00a7 46.2-909)\n\nEvery person operating a motorcycle, as defined in \u00a7 46.2-100, excluding\nthree-wheeled vehicles, shall ride only upon the permanent seat attached to the\nmotorcycle, unless safety dictates standing on both footpegs for no longer than\nis necessary. Such operator shall not carry any other person, unless the\nmotorcycle is designed to carry more than one person, in which event a passenger\nmay ride on the permanent seat if designed for two persons, or on another seat\nfirmly attached to the rear or side of the seat for the operator. If the\nmotorcycle is designed to carry more than one person, it shall also be equipped\nwith a footrest for the use of such passenger.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7\u00a7 46-183.1, 46-183.2; 1954, c. 204; 1958, c. 541, \u00a7\n46.1-172; 1968, c. 498; 1970, cc. 29, 99; 1982, cc. 390, 681; 1989, cc. 6, 727;\n2015, c. 218.","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}}