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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>78789</law_id><section_number>16.1-69.40:1</section_number><catch_line>Traffic infractions within authority of traffic violations clerk; schedule of fines; prepayment of local ordinances</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>19.2-254.1</reference><reference>46.2-808.2</reference><reference>52-8.4:2</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="16.1">Courts Not of Record</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="4.1">District Courts</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="4">Judges and Personnel of the District Courts</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> The Supreme <span class="dictionary">Court</span> shall by rule, which may from time to time be amended, supplemented or repealed, but which shall be uniform in its application throughout the Commonwealth, designate the traffic infractions for which a pretrial <span class="dictionary">waiver</span> of <span class="dictionary">appearance</span>, <span class="dictionary">plea</span> of guilty and fine payment may be accepted. Such designated infractions shall include violations of &#xA7;&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Failure to obey highway sign where driver sleeping or resting" href="/46.2-830.1/">46.2-830.1</a>, <a class="law" title="Maximum speed limits in certain residence districts of counties, cities, and towns; penalty" href="/46.2-878.2/">46.2-878.2</a> and <a class="law" title="Parking in spaces reserved for persons with disabilities; local ordinances; penalty" href="/46.2-1242/">46.2-1242</a> or any parallel local <span class="dictionary">ordinances</span>. Notwithstanding any rule of the Supreme <span class="dictionary">Court</span>, a person charged with a traffic <span class="dictionary">offense</span> that is listed as prepayable in the Uniform Fine Schedule may prepay his fines and costs without <span class="dictionary">court</span> <span class="dictionary">appearance</span> whether or not he was involved in an accident. The prepayable fine amount for a violation of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Maximum speed limits in certain residence districts of counties, cities, and towns; penalty" href="/46.2-878.2/">46.2-878.2</a> shall be $200 plus an amount per mile-per-hour in excess of posted speed limits, as authorized in &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Prepayment of fines for violations of speed limits" href="/46.2-878.3/">46.2-878.3</a>.
			Such infractions shall not include: <a id="paragraph-282261" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/16.1-69.40_1/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> Indictable <span class="dictionary">offenses</span>; <a id="paragraph-282262" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/16.1-69.40_1/#A1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> [Repealed.] <a id="paragraph-282263" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/16.1-69.40_1/#A2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> Operation of a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or a narcotic or habit-producing drug, or permitting another person, who is under the influence of intoxicating liquor or a narcotic or habit-producing drug, to operate a motor vehicle owned by the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> or in his <span class="dictionary">custody</span> or control; <a id="paragraph-282264" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/16.1-69.40_1/#A3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A4" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> <span class="dictionary">Reckless driving</span>; <a id="paragraph-282265" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/16.1-69.40_1/#A4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A5" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">5.</span> Leaving the scene of an accident; <a id="paragraph-282266" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/16.1-69.40_1/#A5"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A6" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">6.</span> Driving while under suspension or <span class="dictionary">revocation</span> of driving <span class="dictionary">privileges</span>; <a id="paragraph-282267" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/16.1-69.40_1/#A6"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A7" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">7.</span> Driving without being licensed to drive. <a id="paragraph-282268" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/16.1-69.40_1/#A7"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A8" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">8.</span> [Repealed.] <a id="paragraph-282269" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/16.1-69.40_1/#A8"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> An <span class="dictionary">appearance</span> may be made in person or in writing by mail to a <span class="dictionary">clerk of court</span> or in person before a <span class="dictionary">magistrate</span>, prior to any date fixed for <span class="dictionary">trial</span> in court. Any person so appearing may enter a <span class="dictionary">waiver</span> of <span class="dictionary">trial</span> and a <span class="dictionary">plea</span> of guilty and pay the fine and any civil penalties established for the <span class="dictionary">offense</span> charged, with costs. He shall, prior to the <span class="dictionary">plea</span>, <span class="dictionary">waiver</span>, and payment, be informed of his right to stand <span class="dictionary">trial</span>, that his signature to a <span class="dictionary">plea</span> of guilty will have the same force and effect as a <span class="dictionary">judgment</span> of court, and that the record of <span class="dictionary">conviction</span> will be sent to the Commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles. <a id="paragraph-282270" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/16.1-69.40_1/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> The Supreme Court, upon the recommendation of the Committee on District <span class="dictionary">Courts</span>, shall establish a schedule, within the limits prescribed by <span class="dictionary">law</span>, of the amounts of fines and any civil penalties to be imposed, designating each infraction specifically. The schedule, which may from time to time be amended, supplemented or repealed, shall be uniform in its application throughout the Commonwealth. Such schedule shall not be construed or interpreted so as to limit the discretion of any <span class="dictionary">trial</span> <span class="dictionary">judge</span> trying individual cases at the time fixed for <span class="dictionary">trial</span>. The rule of the Supreme Court establishing the schedule shall be prominently posted in the place where the fines are paid. Fines and costs shall be paid in accordance with the provisions of this Code or any rules or regulations promulgated thereunder. <a id="paragraph-282271" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/16.1-69.40_1/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> Fines imposed under local traffic infraction <span class="dictionary">ordinances</span> that do not parallel provisions of state <span class="dictionary">law</span> and fulfill the criteria set out in subsection A may be prepayable in the manner set forth in subsection B if such <span class="dictionary">ordinances</span> appear in a schedule entered by <span class="dictionary">order</span> of the local <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">courts</span>. The <span class="dictionary">chief judge</span> of each <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> may establish a schedule of the fines, within the limits prescribed by local <span class="dictionary">ordinances</span>, to be imposed for prepayment of local <span class="dictionary">ordinances</span> designating each <span class="dictionary">offense</span> specifically. Upon the entry of such <span class="dictionary">order</span> it shall be forwarded within 10 days to the Supreme Court of Virginia by the clerk of the local <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> court. The schedule, which from time to time may be amended, supplemented or repealed, shall be uniform in its application throughout the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span>. Such schedule shall not be construed or interpreted so as to limit the discretion of any <span class="dictionary">trial</span> judge trying individual cases at the time fixed for <span class="dictionary">trial</span>. This schedule shall be prominently posted in the place where fines are paid. Fines and costs shall be paid in accordance with the provisions of this Code or any rules or regulations promulgated thereunder. <a id="paragraph-282272" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/16.1-69.40_1/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1977, c. 585; 1978, c. 605; 1979, c. 510; 1983, c. 388; 1994, c. 912; 1998, c. 209; 2000, c. 841; 2003, c. 282; 2004, c. 350; 2011, c. 694; 2017, c. 504; 2020, cc. 1227, 1246.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
