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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>80969</law_id><section_number>18.2-271</section_number><catch_line>Forfeiture of driver&amp;#8217;s license for driving while intoxicated</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>18.2-266.1</reference><reference>18.2-271.1</reference><reference>18.2-272</reference><reference>46.2-302</reference><reference>46.2-341.30</reference><reference>46.2-383</reference><reference>46.2-389</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="18.2">Crimes and Offenses Generally</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="7">Crimes Involving Health and Safety</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="2">Driving Motor Vehicle, etc., While Intoxicated</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Except as provided in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Probation, education, and rehabilitation of person charged or convicted; person convicted under law of another state or federal law" href="/18.2-271.1/">18.2-271.1</a>, the <span class="dictionary">judgment</span> of <span class="dictionary">conviction</span> if for a first <span class="dictionary">offense</span> under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Driving motor vehicle, engine, etc., while intoxicated, etc" href="/18.2-266/">18.2-266</a> or for a similar <span class="dictionary">offense</span> under any county, city, or town <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span>, or for a first <span class="dictionary">offense</span> under subsection A of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Driving a commercial motor vehicle while intoxicated, etc" href="/46.2-341.24/">46.2-341.24</a>, shall of itself operate to deprive the person so convicted of the <span class="dictionary">privilege</span> to drive or operate any <span class="dictionary">motor vehicle</span>, engine or train in the Commonwealth for a period of one year from the date of such <span class="dictionary">judgment</span>. This suspension period shall be in addition to the suspension period provided under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Administrative suspension of license or privilege to operate a motor vehicle" href="/46.2-391.2/">46.2-391.2</a>. <a id="paragraph-290224" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-271/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> If a person (i) is tried on a process alleging a second <span class="dictionary">offense</span> of violating &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Driving motor vehicle, engine, etc., while intoxicated, etc" href="/18.2-266/">18.2-266</a> or subsection A of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Driving a commercial motor vehicle while intoxicated, etc" href="/46.2-341.24/">46.2-341.24</a>, or any substantially similar local <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span>, or <span class="dictionary">law</span> of any other <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span>, within ten years of a first <span class="dictionary">offense</span> for which the person was convicted, or found guilty in the case of a juvenile, under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Driving motor vehicle, engine, etc., while intoxicated, etc" href="/18.2-266/">18.2-266</a> or subsection A of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Driving a commercial motor vehicle while intoxicated, etc" href="/46.2-341.24/">46.2-341.24</a> or any valid local <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> or any <span class="dictionary">law</span> of any other <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> substantially similar to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Driving motor vehicle, engine, etc., while intoxicated, etc" href="/18.2-266/">18.2-266</a> or subsection A of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Driving a commercial motor vehicle while intoxicated, etc" href="/46.2-341.24/">46.2-341.24</a> and (ii) is convicted thereof, such <span class="dictionary">conviction</span> shall of itself operate to deprive the person so convicted of the <span class="dictionary">privilege</span> to drive or operate any <span class="dictionary">motor vehicle</span>, engine or train in the Commonwealth for a period of three years from the date of the <span class="dictionary">judgment</span> of <span class="dictionary">conviction</span> and such person shall have his license revoked as provided in subsection A of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Revocation of license for multiple convictions of driving while intoxicated; exception; petition for restoration of privilege" href="/46.2-391/">46.2-391</a>. The <span class="dictionary">court</span> trying such case shall <span class="dictionary">order</span> the surrender of the person&#x2019;s driver&#x2019;s license, to be disposed of in accordance with &#xA7; <a class="law" title="(Effective July 1, 2026) Disposition of surrendered licenses on revocation or suspension" href="/46.2-398/">46.2-398</a>, and shall notify such person that his license has been revoked for a period of three years and that the <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> for violating that <span class="dictionary">revocation</span> is as set out in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Revocation of license for multiple convictions of driving while intoxicated; exception; petition for restoration of privilege" href="/46.2-391/">46.2-391</a>. This suspension period shall be in addition to the suspension period provided under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Administrative suspension of license or privilege to operate a motor vehicle" href="/46.2-391.2/">46.2-391.2</a>. Any period of license suspension or <span class="dictionary">revocation</span> imposed pursuant to this section, in any case, shall run consecutively with any period of suspension for failure to permit a blood or breath sample to be taken as required by &#xA7;&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Chemical testing to determine alcohol or drug content of blood; definitions" href="/18.2-268.1/">18.2-268.1</a> through <a class="law" title="Ordinances" href="/18.2-268.12/">18.2-268.12</a> or &#xA7;&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Use of chemical tests to determine alcohol or drug content of blood of commercial driver; definitions" href="/46.2-341.26_1/">46.2-341.26:1</a> through <a class="law" title="Substantial compliance" href="/46.2-341.26_11/">46.2-341.26:11</a> or any period of suspension for a previous violation of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Driving motor vehicle, engine, etc., while intoxicated, etc" href="/18.2-266/">18.2-266</a>, <a class="law" title="Persons under age 21 driving after illegally consuming alcohol; penalty" href="/18.2-266.1/">18.2-266.1</a>, or <a class="law" title="Driving a commercial motor vehicle while intoxicated, etc" href="/46.2-341.24/">46.2-341.24</a>. <a id="paragraph-290225" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-271/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> If a person (i) is tried on a process alleging (a) a <span class="dictionary">felony</span> <span class="dictionary">conviction</span> of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Driving motor vehicle, engine, etc., while intoxicated, etc" href="/18.2-266/">18.2-266</a> or (b) a third or subsequent <span class="dictionary">offense</span> of violating &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Driving motor vehicle, engine, etc., while intoxicated, etc" href="/18.2-266/">18.2-266</a> or subsection A of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Driving a commercial motor vehicle while intoxicated, etc" href="/46.2-341.24/">46.2-341.24</a>, or any substantially similar local <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span>, or <span class="dictionary">law</span> of any other <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span>, within 10 years of two other <span class="dictionary">offenses</span> for which the person was convicted, or found not innocent in the case of a juvenile, under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Driving motor vehicle, engine, etc., while intoxicated, etc" href="/18.2-266/">18.2-266</a> or subsection A of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Driving a commercial motor vehicle while intoxicated, etc" href="/46.2-341.24/">46.2-341.24</a> or any valid local <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> or any <span class="dictionary">law</span> of any other <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> substantially similar to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Driving motor vehicle, engine, etc., while intoxicated, etc" href="/18.2-266/">18.2-266</a> or subsection A of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Driving a commercial motor vehicle while intoxicated, etc" href="/46.2-341.24/">46.2-341.24</a> and (ii) is convicted thereof, such <span class="dictionary">conviction</span> shall of itself operate to deprive the person so convicted of the <span class="dictionary">privilege</span> to drive or operate any <span class="dictionary">motor vehicle</span>, engine or train in the Commonwealth and such person shall not be eligible for participation in a program pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Probation, education, and rehabilitation of person charged or convicted; person convicted under law of another state or federal law" href="/18.2-271.1/">18.2-271.1</a> and shall, upon such <span class="dictionary">conviction</span>, have his license revoked as provided in subsection B of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Revocation of license for multiple convictions of driving while intoxicated; exception; petition for restoration of privilege" href="/46.2-391/">46.2-391</a>. The <span class="dictionary">court</span> trying such case shall <span class="dictionary">order</span> the surrender of the person&#x2019;s driver&#x2019;s license, to be disposed of in accordance with &#xA7; <a class="law" title="(Effective July 1, 2026) Disposition of surrendered licenses on revocation or suspension" href="/46.2-398/">46.2-398</a>, and shall notify such person that his license has been revoked indefinitely and that the <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> for violating that <span class="dictionary">revocation</span> is as set out in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Revocation of license for multiple convictions of driving while intoxicated; exception; petition for restoration of privilege" href="/46.2-391/">46.2-391</a>. <a id="paragraph-290226" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-271/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the period of license <span class="dictionary">revocation</span> or suspension shall not begin to expire until the person convicted has surrendered his license to the <span class="dictionary">court</span> or to the Department of <span class="dictionary">Motor Vehicles</span>. <a id="paragraph-290227" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-271/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E"><p><span class="prefix-number">E.</span> The provisions of this section shall not apply to, and shall have no effect upon, any disqualification from operating a commercial <span class="dictionary">motor vehicle</span> imposed under the provisions of the Commercial Driver&#x2019;s License Act (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Title" href="/46.2-341.1/">46.2-341.1</a> et seq.). <a id="paragraph-290228" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-271/#E"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 18.1-59; 1960, c. 358; 1962, c. 625; 1964, c. 240; 1972, c. 757; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1982, c. 301; 1983, c. 504; 1984, cc. 623, 673; 1989, c. 705; 1990, c. 949; 1992, cc. 722, 830, 891; 1994, cc. 359, 363; 2000, cc. 956, 982; 2001, c. 739; 2002, c. 873; 2010, c. 521; 2013, cc. 415, 655.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
