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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>82691</law_id><section_number>46.2-100</section_number><catch_line>Definitions</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>10.1-204</reference><reference>15.2-1132</reference><reference>15.2-1806</reference><reference>15.2-904</reference><reference>15.2-905</reference><reference>16.1-241</reference><reference>16.1-274.2</reference><reference>18.2-128</reference><reference>18.2-255.2</reference><reference>18.2-268.2</reference><reference>18.2-268.3</reference><reference>18.2-270.1</reference><reference>18.2-271.1</reference><reference>18.2-272</reference><reference>18.2-370.5</reference><reference>18.2-415</reference><reference>18.2-46.3:3</reference><reference>18.2-6</reference><reference>18.2-8</reference><reference>19.2-254.1</reference><reference>2.2-1838</reference><reference>2.2-4024</reference><reference>33.2-274</reference><reference>33.2-909</reference><reference>4.1-1110</reference><reference>4.1-309.1</reference><reference>46.2-1025</reference><reference>46.2-1036</reference><reference>46.2-1089</reference><reference>46.2-1118</reference><reference>46.2-1158.01</reference><reference>46.2-116</reference><reference>46.2-1162</reference><reference>46.2-1177</reference><reference>46.2-118</reference><reference>46.2-1222.1</reference><reference>46.2-1500</reference><reference>46.2-1600</reference><reference>46.2-2101</reference><reference>46.2-2121.1</reference><reference>46.2-306</reference><reference>46.2-328</reference><reference>46.2-341.26:2</reference><reference>46.2-391</reference><reference>46.2-396.1</reference><reference>46.2-600</reference><reference>46.2-629</reference><reference>46.2-636.1</reference><reference>46.2-705</reference><reference>46.2-711</reference><reference>46.2-714</reference><reference>46.2-720</reference><reference>46.2-721</reference><reference>46.2-725</reference><reference>46.2-739</reference><reference>46.2-749.5</reference><reference>46.2-813</reference><reference>46.2-874.1</reference><reference>46.2-906.1</reference><reference>46.2-909</reference><reference>46.2-915.1</reference><reference>46.2-915.2</reference><reference>46.2-932</reference><reference>52-8.4:2</reference><reference>58.1-1735</reference><reference>58.1-1737</reference><reference>58.1-2259</reference><reference>58.1-2401</reference><reference>58.1-2402</reference><reference>58.1-2403</reference><reference>58.1-2425</reference><reference>58.1-3219.14</reference><reference>58.1-3219.5</reference><reference>58.1-3219.9</reference><reference>58.1-3503</reference><reference>58.1-3504</reference><reference>58.1-3505</reference><reference>58.1-3506</reference><reference>58.1-3510.4</reference><reference>58.1-3523</reference><reference>58.1-3668</reference><reference>58.1-609.5</reference><reference>59.1-200</reference><reference>59.1-207.11</reference><reference>59.1-207.34</reference><reference>8.01-345</reference><reference>9.1-140</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="46.2">Motor Vehicles</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="I">General Provisions; Department of Motor Vehicles</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="1">General Provisions</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>As used in this title, unless the context requires a different meaning:
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">All-terrain vehicle</span>&#x201D; means a motor vehicle having three or more wheels that is powered by a motor and is manufactured for off-<span class="dictionary">highway</span> use. &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">All-terrain vehicle</span>&#x201D; does not include four-wheeled vehicles commonly known as &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">go-carts</span>&#x201D; that have low centers of gravity and are typically used in racing on relatively level surfaces, nor does the term include any riding lawn mower.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Antique motor vehicle</span>&#x201D; means every motor vehicle, as defined in this section, which was actually manufactured or designated by the manufacturer as a model manufactured in a calendar year not less than 25 years prior to January 1 of each calendar year and is owned solely as a collector&#x2019;s item.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Antique trailer</span>&#x201D; means every trailer or <span class="dictionary">semitrailer</span>, as defined in this section, that was actually manufactured or designated by the manufacturer as a model manufactured in a calendar year not less than 25 years prior to January 1 of each calendar year and is owned solely as a collector&#x2019;s item.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Autocycle</span>&#x201D; means a three-wheeled motor vehicle that has a steering wheel and seating that does not require the <span class="dictionary">operator</span> to straddle or sit astride and is manufactured to comply with <span class="dictionary">federal safety requirements</span> for <span class="dictionary">motorcycles</span>. Except as otherwise provided, an <span class="dictionary">autocycle</span> shall not be deemed to be a <span class="dictionary">motorcycle</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Automobile transporter</span>&#x201D; means any <span class="dictionary">tractor truck</span>, lowboy, vehicle, or combination, including vehicles or combinations that transport <span class="dictionary">motor vehicles</span> on their power unit, designed and used exclusively for the transportation of <span class="dictionary">motor vehicles</span> or used to transport cargo or general freight on a backhaul pursuant to the provisions of 49 U.S.C. &#xA7;&#xA0;31111(a)(1).
		&#x201C;Bicycle&#x201D; means a device propelled solely by human power, upon which a person may ride either on or astride a regular seat attached thereto, having two or more wheels in tandem, including children&#x2019;s bicycles, except a <span class="dictionary">toy vehicle</span> intended for use by young children. For purposes of Chapter 8 (&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Riding bicycles, electric personal assistive mobility devices, electric power-assisted bicycles, mopeds, or motorized skateboards or scooters; riding or driving animals" href="/46.2-800/">46.2-800</a> et seq.), a bicycle shall be a vehicle while operated on the <span class="dictionary">highway</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Bicycle lane</span>&#x201D; means that portion of a <span class="dictionary">roadway</span> designated by signs and/or pavement markings for the preferential use of bicycles, <span class="dictionary">electric power-assisted bicycles</span>, motorized skateboards or scooters, and <span class="dictionary">mopeds</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Business district</span>&#x201D; means the territory contiguous to a <span class="dictionary">highway</span> where 75 percent or more of the property contiguous to a <span class="dictionary">highway</span>, on either side of the <span class="dictionary">highway</span>, for a distance of 300 feet or more along the <span class="dictionary">highway</span>, is occupied by land and buildings actually in use for business purposes.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Camping trailer</span>&#x201D; means every vehicle that has collapsible sides and contains sleeping quarters but may or may not contain bathing and cooking facilities and is designed to be drawn by a motor vehicle.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Cancel</span>&#x201D; or &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">cancellation</span>&#x201D; means that the document or <span class="dictionary">privilege</span> cancelled has been annulled or terminated because of some error, defect, or ineligibility, but the <span class="dictionary">cancellation</span> is without prejudice and reapplication may be made at any time after <span class="dictionary">cancellation</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Chauffeur</span>&#x201D; means every person employed for the principal purpose of driving a motor vehicle and every person who drives a motor vehicle while in use as a public or common carrier of persons or property.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Circular intersection</span>&#x201D; means an intersection that has an island, generally circular in design, located in the center of the intersection, where all vehicles pass to the right of the island. <span class="dictionary">Circular intersections</span> include roundabouts, rotaries, and traffic circles.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Commission</span>&#x201D; means the State Corporation <span class="dictionary">Commission</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span>&#x201D; means the <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span> of the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> of <span class="dictionary">Motor Vehicles</span> of the Commonwealth.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Converted electric vehicle</span>&#x201D; means any motor vehicle, other than a <span class="dictionary">motorcycle</span> or <span class="dictionary">autocycle</span>, that has been modified subsequent to its manufacture to replace an internal combustion engine with an electric propulsion system. Such vehicles shall retain their original vehicle identification number, line-make, and model year. A <span class="dictionary">converted electric vehicle</span> shall not be deemed a &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">reconstructed vehicle</span>&#x201D; as defined in this section unless it has been materially altered from its original construction by the removal, addition, or substitution of new or used <span class="dictionary">essential parts</span> other than those required for the conversion to electric propulsion.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Crosswalk</span>&#x201D; means that part of a <span class="dictionary">roadway</span> at an intersection included within the connections of the lateral lines of the <span class="dictionary">sidewalks</span> on opposite sides of the <span class="dictionary">highway</span> measured from the curbs or, in the absence of curbs, from the edges of the traversable <span class="dictionary">roadway</span>; or any portion of a <span class="dictionary">roadway</span> at an intersection or elsewhere distinctly indicated for pedestrian crossing by lines or other markings on the surface.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Decal</span>&#x201D; means a device to be attached to a license plate that validates the license plate for a predetermined registration period.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Department</span>&#x201D; means the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> of <span class="dictionary">Motor Vehicles</span> of the Commonwealth.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Disabled parking license plate</span>&#x201D; means a license plate that displays the international symbol of access in the same size as the numbers and letters on the plate and in a color that contrasts with the background.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Disabled veteran</span>&#x201D; means a veteran who (i) has either lost, or lost the use of, a leg, arm, or hand; (ii) is blind; or (iii) is permanently and totally disabled as certified by the U.S. <span class="dictionary">Department</span> of Veterans Affairs. A veteran shall be considered blind if he has a permanent impairment of both eyes to the following extent: central visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye, with corrective lenses, or central visual acuity of more than 20/200, if there is a field defect in which the peripheral field has contracted to such an extent that the widest diameter of visual field subtends an angular distance no greater than 20 degrees in the better eye.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Driver</span>&#x2019;s license&#x201D; means any license, including a commercial <span class="dictionary">driver</span>&#x2019;s license as defined in the Virginia Commercial <span class="dictionary">Driver</span>&#x2019;s License Act (&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Title" href="/46.2-341.1/">46.2-341.1</a> et seq.) and a <span class="dictionary">driver</span> <span class="dictionary">privilege</span> card issued pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Driver privilege cards and permits" href="/46.2-328.3/">46.2-328.3</a>, issued under the <span class="dictionary">laws</span> of the Commonwealth authorizing the operation of a motor vehicle.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Electric personal assistive mobility device</span>&#x201D; means a self-balancing two-nontandem-wheeled device that is designed to transport only one person and powered by an electric propulsion system that limits the device&#x2019;s maximum speed to 15 miles per hour or less. For purposes of Chapter 8 (&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Riding bicycles, electric personal assistive mobility devices, electric power-assisted bicycles, mopeds, or motorized skateboards or scooters; riding or driving animals" href="/46.2-800/">46.2-800</a> et seq.), an <span class="dictionary">electric personal assistive mobility device</span> shall be a vehicle when operated on a <span class="dictionary">highway</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Electric power-assisted bicycle</span>&#x201D; means a vehicle that travels on not more than three wheels in contact with the ground and is equipped with (i) pedals that allow propulsion by human power, (ii) a seat for the use of the rider, and (iii) an electric motor with an input of no more than 750 watts. <span class="dictionary">Electric power-assisted bicycles</span> shall be classified as follows:</p></section>
						<section id="1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Class one</span>&#x201D; means an <span class="dictionary">electric power-assisted bicycle</span> equipped with a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling and that ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches a speed of 20 miles per hour; <a id="paragraph-296220" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/46.2-100/#1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="2"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Class two</span>&#x201D; means an <span class="dictionary">electric power-assisted bicycle</span> equipped with a motor that may be used exclusively to propel the bicycle and that ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches the speed of 20 miles per hour; and <a id="paragraph-296221" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/46.2-100/#2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="3"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Class three</span>&#x201D; means an <span class="dictionary">electric power-assisted bicycle</span> equipped with a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling and that ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches the speed of 28 miles per hour.
			For the purposes of Chapter 8 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Riding bicycles, electric personal assistive mobility devices, electric power-assisted bicycles, mopeds, or motorized skateboards or scooters; riding or driving animals" href="/46.2-800/">46.2-800</a> et seq.), an <span class="dictionary">electric power-assisted bicycle</span> shall be a vehicle when operated on a <span class="dictionary">highway</span>.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Essential parts</span>&#x201D; means all integral parts and body parts, the removal, alteration, or substitution of which will tend to conceal the identity of a vehicle.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Farm tractor</span>&#x201D; means every motor vehicle designed and used as a farm, agricultural, or horticultural implement for drawing plows, mowing machines, and other farm, agricultural, or horticultural machinery and implements, including self-propelled mowers designed and used for mowing lawns.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Farm utility vehicle</span>&#x201D; means a vehicle that is powered by a motor and is designed for off-road use and is used as a farm, agricultural, or horticultural service vehicle, generally having four or more wheels, bench seating for the operator and a passenger, a steering wheel for control, and a cargo bed. &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Farm utility vehicle</span>&#x201D; does not include <span class="dictionary">pickup or panel trucks</span>, <span class="dictionary">golf carts</span>, <span class="dictionary">low-speed vehicles</span>, or riding lawn mowers.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Federal safety requirements</span>&#x201D; means applicable provisions of 49 U.S.C. &#xA7; 30101 et seq. and all administrative regulations and policies adopted pursuant thereto.
			&#x201C;Financial responsibility&#x201D; means the ability to respond in <span class="dictionary">damages</span> for liability thereafter incurred arising out of the ownership, maintenance, use, or operation of a motor vehicle, in the amounts provided for in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Coverage of owner's policy" href="/46.2-472/">46.2-472</a>.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Financial responsibility in the future</span>&#x201D; means the future ability to respond to <span class="dictionary">damages</span> for liability incurred arising out of the ownership, maintenance, use, or operation of a motor vehicle in the amounts provided for in &#xA7;&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Persons convicted or found not innocent of certain offenses; requirement of proof of financial responsibility in the future for certain offenses" href="/46.2-316/">46.2-316</a> and <a class="law" title="Coverage of owner's policy" href="/46.2-472/">46.2-472</a>.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Foreign market vehicle</span>&#x201D; means any motor vehicle originally manufactured outside the United States, which was not manufactured in accordance with 49 U.S.C. &#xA7; 30101 et seq. and the policies and regulations adopted pursuant to that Act, and for which a Virginia title or registration is sought.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Foreign vehicle</span>&#x201D; means every motor vehicle, trailer, or <span class="dictionary">semitrailer</span> that is brought into the Commonwealth otherwise than in the ordinary course of business by or through a manufacturer or dealer and that has not been registered in the Commonwealth.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Golf cart</span>&#x201D; means a self-propelled vehicle that is designed to transport persons playing golf and their equipment on a golf course.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Governing body</span>&#x201D; means the board of supervisors of a county, council of a city, or council of a town, as context may require.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Gross weight</span>&#x201D; means the aggregate weight of a vehicle or combination of vehicles and the load thereon.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Highway</span>&#x201D; means the entire width between the boundary lines of every way or place open to the use of the public for purposes of vehicular travel in the Commonwealth, including the streets and alleys, and, for <span class="dictionary">law</span>-enforcement purposes, (i) the entire width between the boundary lines of all private roads or private streets that have been specifically designated &#x201C;<span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">highways</span></span>&#x201D; by an <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> adopted by the <span class="dictionary">governing body</span> of the county, city, or town in which such private roads or streets are located and (ii) the entire width between the boundary lines of every way or place used for purposes of vehicular travel on any property owned, leased, or controlled by the United States government and located in the Commonwealth.
			&#x201C;Intersection&#x201D; means (i) the area embraced within the prolongation or connection of the lateral curblines or, if none, then the lateral boundary lines of the <span class="dictionary">roadways</span> of two <span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">highways</span></span> that join one another at, or approximately at, right angles, or the area within which vehicles traveling on different <span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">highways</span></span> joining at any other angle may come in conflict; (ii) where a <span class="dictionary">highway</span> includes two <span class="dictionary">roadways</span> 30 feet or more apart, then every crossing of each <span class="dictionary">roadway</span> of such divided <span class="dictionary">highway</span> by an intersecting <span class="dictionary">highway</span> shall be regarded as a separate intersection, in the event such intersecting <span class="dictionary">highway</span> also includes two <span class="dictionary">roadways</span> 30 feet or more apart, then every crossing of two <span class="dictionary">roadways</span> of such <span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">highways</span></span> shall be regarded as a separate intersection; or (iii) for purposes only of authorizing installation of traffic-control devices, every crossing of a <span class="dictionary">highway</span> or street at grade by a pedestrian <span class="dictionary">crosswalk</span>.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Lane-use control signal</span>&#x201D; means a signal face displaying indications to permit or prohibit the use of specific <span class="dictionary">lanes</span> of a <span class="dictionary">roadway</span> or to indicate the impending prohibition of such use.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">Law</span>-enforcement officer</span>&#x201D; means any officer authorized to direct or regulate traffic or to make <span class="dictionary">arrests</span> for violations of this title or local <span class="dictionary">ordinances</span> authorized by <span class="dictionary">law</span>. For the purposes of access to <span class="dictionary">law</span>-enforcement databases regarding motor vehicle registration and ownership only, &#x201C;<span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">law</span>-enforcement officer</span>&#x201D; also includes city and county <span class="dictionary">commissioners</span> of the revenue and treasurers, together with their duly designated deputies and employees, when such officials are actually engaged in the enforcement of &#xA7;&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Taxes and license fees imposed by counties, cities, and towns; limitations on amounts; disposition of revenues; requiring evidence of payment of personal property taxes and certain fines; prohibiting display of licenses after expiration; failure to display valid local license required by other localities; penalty" href="/46.2-752/">46.2-752</a>, <a class="law" title="Additional license fees in certain localities" href="/46.2-753/">46.2-753</a>, and <a class="law" title="Local motor vehicle licenses in Arlington County" href="/46.2-754/">46.2-754</a> and local <span class="dictionary">ordinances</span> enacted thereunder.
			&#x201C;License plate&#x201D; means a device containing letters, numerals, or a combination of both, attached to a motor vehicle, trailer, or <span class="dictionary">semitrailer</span> to indicate that the vehicle is properly registered with the <span class="dictionary">Department</span>.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Light</span>&#x201D; means a device for producing illumination or the illumination produced by the device.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Low-speed vehicle</span>&#x201D; means any four-wheeled electrically powered or gas-powered vehicle, except a motor vehicle or <span class="dictionary">low-speed vehicle</span> that is used exclusively for agricultural or horticultural purposes or a <span class="dictionary">golf cart</span>, whose maximum speed is greater than 20 miles per hour but not greater than 25 miles per hour and is manufactured to comply with safety standards contained in Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations, &#xA7; 571.500.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Manufactured home</span>&#x201D; means a structure subject to federal regulation, transportable in one or more sections, which in the traveling mode is eight body feet or more in width or 40 body feet or more in length, or, when erected on site, is 320 or more square feet, and which is built on a permanent chassis and designed to be used as a dwelling with or without a permanent foundation when connected to the required utilities, and includes the plumbing, heating, air conditioning, and electrical systems contained therein. &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Manufactured home</span>&#x201D; does not include a park model recreational vehicle, which is a vehicle that is (i) designed and marketed as temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, travel, or seasonal use; (ii) not permanently affixed to real property for use as a permanent dwelling; (iii) built on a single chassis mounted on wheels; and (iv) certified by the manufacturer as complying with the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) A119.5 Park Model Recreational Vehicle Standard.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Military surplus motor vehicle</span>&#x201D; means a multipurpose or tactical vehicle that was manufactured by or under the direction of the United States Armed Forces for off-road use and subsequently authorized for sale to civilians. &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Military surplus motor vehicle</span>&#x201D; does not include specialized mobile equipment as defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Fees for vehicles for transporting well-drilling machinery and specialized mobile equipment" href="/46.2-700/">46.2-700</a>, <span class="dictionary">trailers</span>, or <span class="dictionary">semitrailers</span>.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Moped</span>&#x201D; means every vehicle that travels on not more than three wheels in contact with the ground that (i) has a seat that is no less than 24 inches in height, measured from the middle of the seat perpendicular to the ground; (ii) has a gasoline, electric, or hybrid motor that (a) displaces 50 cubic centimeters or less or (b) has an input of 1500 watts or less; (iii) is power-driven, with or without pedals that allow propulsion by human power; and (iv) is not operated at speeds in excess of 35 miles per hour. &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Moped</span>&#x201D; does not include an <span class="dictionary">electric power-assisted bicycle</span> or a <span class="dictionary">motorized skateboard or scooter</span>. For purposes of this title, a <span class="dictionary">moped</span> shall be a motorcycle when operated at speeds in excess of 35 miles per hour. For purposes of Chapter 8 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Riding bicycles, electric personal assistive mobility devices, electric power-assisted bicycles, mopeds, or motorized skateboards or scooters; riding or driving animals" href="/46.2-800/">46.2-800</a> et seq.), a <span class="dictionary">moped</span> shall be a vehicle while operated on a <span class="dictionary">highway</span>.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Motor-driven cycle</span>&#x201D; means every motorcycle that has a gasoline engine that (i) displaces less than 150 cubic centimeters; (ii) has a seat less than 24 inches in height, measured from the middle of the seat perpendicular to the ground; and (iii) has no manufacturer-issued vehicle identification number.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Motor home</span>&#x201D; means every private motor vehicle with a normal seating capacity of not more than 10 persons, including the <span class="dictionary">driver</span>, designed primarily for use as living quarters for human beings.
			&#x201C;Motor vehicle&#x201D; means every vehicle as defined in this section that is self-propelled or designed for self-propulsion except as otherwise provided in this title. Any structure designed, used, or maintained primarily to be loaded on or affixed to a motor vehicle to provide a mobile dwelling, sleeping place, office, or commercial space shall be considered a part of a motor vehicle. Except as otherwise provided, for the purposes of this title, any device herein defined as a bicycle, <span class="dictionary">electric personal assistive mobility device</span>, <span class="dictionary">electric power-assisted bicycle</span>, <span class="dictionary">motorized skateboard or scooter</span>, <span class="dictionary">moped</span>, or <span class="dictionary">personal delivery device</span> shall be deemed not to be a motor vehicle.
			&#x201C;Motorcycle&#x201D; means every motor vehicle designed to travel on not more than three wheels in contact with the ground and is capable of traveling at speeds in excess of 35 miles per hour. &#x201C;Motorcycle&#x201D; does not include any &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">autocycle</span>,&#x201D; &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">electric personal assistive mobility device</span>,&#x201D; &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">electric power-assisted bicycle</span>,&#x201D; &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">farm tractor</span>,&#x201D; &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">golf cart</span>,&#x201D; &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">moped</span>,&#x201D; &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">motorized skateboard or scooter</span>,&#x201D; &#x201C;utility vehicle,&#x201D; or &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">wheelchair or wheelchair conveyance</span>&#x201D; as defined in this section.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Motorized skateboard or scooter</span>&#x201D; means every vehicle, regardless of the number of its wheels in contact with the ground, that (i) is designed to allow an operator to sit or stand, (ii) has no manufacturer-issued vehicle identification number, (iii) is powered in whole or in part by an electric motor, (iv) weighs less than 100 pounds, and (v) has a speed of no more than 20 miles per hour on a paved level surface when powered solely by the electric motor. &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Motorized skateboard or scooter</span>&#x201D; includes vehicles with or without handlebars but does not include <span class="dictionary">electric personal assistive mobility devices</span> or <span class="dictionary">electric power-assisted bicycles</span>.
			&#x201C;Nonresident&#x201D; means every person who is not domiciled in the Commonwealth, except: (i) any foreign corporation that is authorized to do business in the Commonwealth by the State Corporation <span class="dictionary">Commission</span> shall be a resident of the Commonwealth for the purpose of this title; in the case of corporations incorporated in the Commonwealth but doing business outside the Commonwealth, only such principal place of business or branches located within the Commonwealth shall be dealt with as residents of the Commonwealth; (ii) a person who becomes engaged in a gainful occupation in the Commonwealth for a period exceeding 60 days shall be a resident for the purposes of this title except for the purposes of Chapter 3 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Driving without license prohibited; penalties" href="/46.2-300/">46.2-300</a> et seq.); (iii) a person, other than (a) a <span class="dictionary">nonresident student</span> as defined in this section or (b) a person who is serving a full-time church service or proselyting mission of not more than 36 months and who is not gainfully employed, who has actually resided in the Commonwealth for a period of six months, whether employed or not, or who has registered a motor vehicle, listing an address in the Commonwealth in the application for registration, shall be deemed a resident for the purposes of this title, except for the purposes of the Virginia Commercial <span class="dictionary">Driver</span>&#x2019;s License Act (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Title" href="/46.2-341.1/">46.2-341.1</a> et seq.).
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Nonresident student</span>&#x201D; means every nonresident person who is enrolled as a full-time student in an accredited institution of learning in the Commonwealth and who is not gainfully employed.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Off-road motorcycle</span>&#x201D; means every motorcycle designed exclusively for off-road use by an individual rider with not more than two wheels in contact with the ground. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, for the purposes of this chapter <span class="dictionary">off-road motorcycles</span> shall be deemed to be &#x201C;motorcycles.&#x201D;
			&#x201C;Operation or use for rent or for hire, for the transportation of passengers, or as a property carrier for compensation,&#x201D; and &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">business of transporting persons or property</span>&#x201D; mean any <span class="dictionary">owner</span> or operator of any motor vehicle, trailer, or <span class="dictionary">semitrailer</span> operating over the <span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">highways</span></span> in the Commonwealth who accepts or receives compensation for the service, directly or indirectly; but these terms do not mean a &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">truck lessor</span>&#x201D; as defined in this section and do not include persons or businesses that receive compensation for delivering a product that they themselves sell or produce, where a separate charge is made for delivery of the product or the cost of delivery is included in the sale price of the product, but where the person or business does not derive all or a substantial portion of its income from the transportation of persons or property except as part of a sales transaction.
			&#x201C;Operator&#x201D; or &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">driver</span>&#x201D; means every person who either (i) drives or is in actual physical control of a motor vehicle on a <span class="dictionary">highway</span> or (ii) is exercising control over or steering a vehicle being towed by a motor vehicle.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Owner</span>&#x201D; means a person who holds the legal title to a vehicle; however, if a vehicle is the subject of an agreement for its conditional sale or lease with the right of purchase on performance of the conditions stated in the agreement and with an immediate right of <span class="dictionary">possession</span> vested in the conditional vendee or lessee or if a mortgagor of a vehicle is entitled to <span class="dictionary">possession</span>, then the conditional vendee or lessee or mortgagor shall be the <span class="dictionary">owner</span> for the purpose of this title. In all such instances when the rent paid by the lessee includes charges for services of any nature or when the lease does not provide that title shall pass to the lessee on payment of the rent stipulated, the lessor shall be regarded as the <span class="dictionary">owner</span> of the vehicle, and the vehicle shall be subject to such requirements of this title as are applicable to vehicles operated for compensation. A &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">truck lessor</span>&#x201D; as defined in this section shall be regarded as the <span class="dictionary">owner</span>, and his vehicles shall be subject to such requirements of this title as are applicable to vehicles of private carriers.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Passenger car</span>&#x201D; means every motor vehicle other than a motorcycle or <span class="dictionary">autocycle</span> designed and used primarily for the transportation of no more than 10 persons, including the <span class="dictionary">driver</span>.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Payment device</span>&#x201D; means any credit card as defined in 15 U.S.C. &#xA7; 1602 (k) or any &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">accepted card or other means of access</span>&#x201D; set forth in 15 U.S.C. &#xA7; 1693a (1). For the purposes of this title, this definition shall also include a card that enables a person to pay for transactions through the use of value stored on the card itself.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Personal delivery device</span>&#x201D; means a powered device operated primarily on <span class="dictionary">sidewalks</span> and <span class="dictionary">crosswalks</span> and intended primarily for the transport of property on public rights-of-way that does not exceed 500 pounds, excluding cargo, and is capable of navigating with or without the active control or monitoring of a natural person. Notwithstanding any other provision of <span class="dictionary">law</span>, a <span class="dictionary">personal delivery device</span> shall not be considered a motor vehicle or a vehicle.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">Personal delivery device</span> operator</span>&#x201D; means an entity or its <span class="dictionary">agent</span> that exercises direct physical control or monitoring over the navigation system and operation of a <span class="dictionary">personal delivery device</span>. For the purposes of this definition, &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">agent</span>&#x201D; means a person not less than 16 years of age charged by an entity with the responsibility of navigating and operating a <span class="dictionary">personal delivery device</span>. &#x201C;<span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">Personal delivery device</span> operator</span>&#x201D; does not include (i) an entity or person who requests the services of a <span class="dictionary">personal delivery device</span> to transport property or (ii) an entity or person who only arranges for and dispatches the requested services of a <span class="dictionary">personal delivery device</span>.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Pickup or panel truck</span>&#x201D; means (i) every motor vehicle designed for the transportation of property and having a registered <span class="dictionary">gross weight</span> of 7,500 pounds or less or (ii) every motor vehicle registered for personal use, designed to transport property on its own structure independent of any other vehicle, and having a registered <span class="dictionary">gross weight</span> in excess of 7,500 pounds but not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Private road or driveway</span>&#x201D; means every way in private ownership and used for vehicular travel by the <span class="dictionary">owner</span> and those having express or implied permission from the <span class="dictionary">owner</span>, but not by other persons.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Reconstructed vehicle</span>&#x201D; means every vehicle of a type required to be registered under this title materially altered from its original construction by the removal, addition, or substitution of new or used <span class="dictionary">essential parts</span>. Such vehicles, at the discretion of the <span class="dictionary">Department</span>, shall retain their original vehicle identification number, line-make, and model year. Except as otherwise provided in this title, this definition shall not include a &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">converted electric vehicle</span>&#x201D; as defined in this section.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Replica vehicle</span>&#x201D; means every vehicle of a type required to be registered under this title not fully constructed by a licensed manufacturer but either constructed or assembled from components. Such components may be from a single vehicle, multiple vehicles, a kit, parts, or fabricated components. The kit may be made up of &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">major components</span>&#x201D; as defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/46.2-1600/">46.2-1600</a>, a full body, or a full chassis, or a combination of these parts. The vehicle shall resemble a vehicle of distinctive name, line-make, model, or type as produced by a licensed manufacturer or manufacturer no longer in business and is not a reconstructed or <span class="dictionary">specially constructed vehicle</span> as herein defined.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Residence district</span>&#x201D; means the territory contiguous to a <span class="dictionary">highway</span>, not comprising a <span class="dictionary">business district</span>, where 75 percent or more of the property abutting such <span class="dictionary">highway</span>, on either side of the <span class="dictionary">highway</span>, for a distance of 300 feet or more along the <span class="dictionary">highway</span> consists of land improved for dwelling purposes, or is occupied by dwellings, or consists of land or buildings in use for business purposes, or consists of territory zoned residential or territory in residential subdivisions created under Chapter 22 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Declaration of legislative intent" href="/15.2-2200/">15.2-2200</a> et seq.) of Title 15.2.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Revoke</span>&#x201D; or &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">revocation</span>&#x201D; means that the document or <span class="dictionary">privilege</span> revoked is not subject to renewal or restoration except through reapplication after the expiration of the period of <span class="dictionary">revocation</span>.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Roadway</span>&#x201D; means that portion of a <span class="dictionary">highway</span> improved, designed, or ordinarily used for vehicular travel, exclusive of the <span class="dictionary">shoulder</span>. A <span class="dictionary">highway</span> may include two or more <span class="dictionary">roadways</span> if divided by a physical barrier or barriers or an unpaved area.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Safety zone</span>&#x201D; means the area officially set apart within a <span class="dictionary">roadway</span> for the exclusive use of pedestrians and that is protected or is so marked or indicated by plainly visible signs.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">School bus</span>&#x201D; means any motor vehicle, other than a station wagon, automobile, truck, or commercial bus, which is: (i) designed and used primarily for the transportation of pupils to and from public, private or religious schools, or used for the transportation of individuals with mental or physical disabilities to and from a sheltered workshop; (ii) painted yellow and bears the words &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">School Bus</span>&#x201D; in black letters of a specified size on front and rear; and (iii) is equipped with warning devices prescribed in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Warning devices on school buses; other buses; use thereof; penalties" href="/46.2-1090/">46.2-1090</a>. A yellow <span class="dictionary">school bus</span> may have a white roof provided such vehicle is painted in accordance with regulations promulgated by the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> of Education.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Semitrailer</span>&#x201D; means every vehicle of the trailer type so designed and used in conjunction with a motor vehicle that some part of its own weight and that of its own load rests on or is carried by another vehicle.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Shared-use path</span>&#x201D; means a bikeway that is physically separated from motorized vehicular traffic by an open space or barrier and is located either within the <span class="dictionary">highway</span> right-of-way or within a separate right-of-way. <span class="dictionary">Shared-use paths</span> may also be used by pedestrians, skaters, users of wheel chairs or wheel chair conveyances, joggers, and other nonmotorized users and <span class="dictionary">personal delivery devices</span>.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Shoulder</span>&#x201D; means that part of a <span class="dictionary">highway</span> between the portion regularly traveled by vehicular traffic and the lateral curbline or ditch.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Sidewalk</span>&#x201D; means the portion of a street between the curb lines, or the lateral lines of a <span class="dictionary">roadway</span>, and the adjacent property lines, intended for use by pedestrians.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Snowmobile</span>&#x201D; means a self-propelled vehicle designed to travel on snow or ice, steered by skis or runners, and supported in whole or in part by one or more skis, belts, or cleats.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Special construction and forestry equipment</span>&#x201D; means any vehicle which is designed primarily for <span class="dictionary">highway</span> construction, <span class="dictionary">highway</span> maintenance, earth moving, timber harvesting or other construction or forestry work and which is not designed for the transportation of persons or property on a public <span class="dictionary">highway</span>.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Specially constructed vehicle</span>&#x201D; means any vehicle that was not originally constructed under a distinctive name, make, model, or type by a generally recognized manufacturer of vehicles and not a <span class="dictionary">reconstructed vehicle</span> as herein defined.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Stinger-steered automobile or watercraft transporter</span>&#x201D; means an automobile or watercraft transporter configured as a <span class="dictionary">semitrailer</span> combination wherein the fifth wheel is located on a drop frame behind and below the rearmost axle of the power unit.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Superintendent</span>&#x201D; means the <span class="dictionary">Superintendent</span> of the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> of State Police of the Commonwealth.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Suspend</span>&#x201D; or &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">suspension</span>&#x201D; means that the document or <span class="dictionary">privilege</span> suspended has been temporarily withdrawn, but may be reinstated following the period of <span class="dictionary">suspension</span> unless it has expired prior to the end of the period of <span class="dictionary">suspension</span>.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Tow truck</span>&#x201D; means a motor vehicle for hire (i) designed to lift, pull, or carry another vehicle by means of a hoist or other mechanical apparatus and (ii) having a manufacturer&#x2019;s gross vehicle weight rating of at least 10,000 pounds. &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Tow truck</span>&#x201D; also includes vehicles designed with a ramp on wheels and a hydraulic lift with a capacity to haul or tow another vehicle, commonly referred to as &#x201C;rollbacks.&#x201D; &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Tow truck</span>&#x201D; does not include any &#x201C;automobile or watercraft transporter,&#x201D; &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">stinger-steered automobile or watercraft transporter</span>,&#x201D; or &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">tractor truck</span>&#x201D; as those terms are defined in this section.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Towing and recovery operator</span>&#x201D; means a person engaged in the business of (i) removing disabled vehicles, parts of vehicles, their cargoes, and other <span class="dictionary">objects</span> to facilities for repair or safekeeping and (ii) restoring to the <span class="dictionary">highway</span> or other location where they either can be operated or removed to other locations for repair or safekeeping vehicles that have come to rest in places where they cannot be operated.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Toy vehicle</span>&#x201D; means any motorized or propellant-driven device that has no manufacturer-issued vehicle identification number that is designed or used to carry any person or persons, on any number of wheels, bearings, glides, blades, runners, or a cushion of air. &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Toy vehicle</span>&#x201D; does not include <span class="dictionary">electric personal assistive mobility devices</span>, <span class="dictionary">electric power-assisted bicycles</span>, <span class="dictionary">mopeds</span>, motorized skateboards or scooters, or motorcycles, nor does it include any nonmotorized or nonpropellant-driven devices such as bicycles, roller skates, or skateboards.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Tractor truck</span>&#x201D; means every motor vehicle designed and used primarily for drawing other vehicles and not so constructed as to carry a load other than a part of the load and weight of the vehicle attached thereto.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Traffic control device</span>&#x201D; means a sign, signal, marking, or other device used to regulate, warn, or guide traffic placed on, over, or adjacent to a street, <span class="dictionary">highway</span>, private road open to public travel, pedestrian facility, or <span class="dictionary">shared-use path</span> by authority of a public agency or official having <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span>, or in the case of a private road open to public travel, by authority of the private <span class="dictionary">owner</span> or private official having <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span>.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Traffic infraction</span>&#x201D; means a violation of <span class="dictionary">law</span> punishable as provided in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Violations of this title; penalties" href="/46.2-113/">46.2-113</a>, which is neither a <span class="dictionary">felony</span> nor a <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span>.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Traffic lane</span>&#x201D; or &#x201C;lane&#x201D; means that portion of a <span class="dictionary">roadway</span> designed or designated to accommodate the forward movement of a single line of vehicles.
			&#x201C;Trailer&#x201D; means every vehicle without motive power designed for carrying property or passengers wholly on its own structure and for being drawn by a motor vehicle, including <span class="dictionary">manufactured homes</span>.
			&#x201C;Truck&#x201D; means every motor vehicle designed to transport property on its own structure independent of any other vehicle and having a registered <span class="dictionary">gross weight</span> in excess of 7,500 pounds. &#x201C;Truck&#x201D; does not include any <span class="dictionary">pickup or panel truck</span>.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Truck lessor</span>&#x201D; means a person who holds the legal title to any motor vehicle, trailer, or <span class="dictionary">semitrailer</span> that is the subject of a bona fide written lease for a term of one year or more to another person, provided that: (i) neither the lessor nor the lessee is a common carrier by motor vehicle or restricted common carrier by motor vehicle or <span class="dictionary">contract</span> carrier by motor vehicle as defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/46.2-2000/">46.2-2000</a>; (ii) the leased motor vehicle, trailer, or <span class="dictionary">semitrailer</span> is used exclusively for the transportation of property of the lessee; (iii) the lessor is not employed in any capacity by the lessee; (iv) the operator of the leased motor vehicle is a bona fide employee of the lessee and is not employed in any capacity by the lessor; and (v) a true copy of the lease, verified by <span class="dictionary">affidavit</span> of the lessor, is filed with the <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span>.
			&#x201C;Utility vehicle&#x201D; means a motor vehicle that is (i) designed for off-road use, (ii) powered by a motor, and (iii) used for general maintenance, security, agricultural, or horticultural purposes. &#x201C;Utility vehicle&#x201D; does not include riding lawn mowers.
			&#x201C;Vehicle&#x201D; means every device in, on or by which any person or property is or may be transported or drawn on a <span class="dictionary">highway</span>, except <span class="dictionary">personal delivery devices</span> and devices moved by human power or used exclusively on stationary rails or tracks. For the purposes of Chapter 8 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Riding bicycles, electric personal assistive mobility devices, electric power-assisted bicycles, mopeds, or motorized skateboards or scooters; riding or driving animals" href="/46.2-800/">46.2-800</a> et seq.), bicycles, <span class="dictionary">electric personal assistive mobility devices</span>, <span class="dictionary">electric power-assisted bicycles</span>, motorized skateboards or scooters, and <span class="dictionary">mopeds</span> shall be vehicles while operated on a <span class="dictionary">highway</span>.
			&#x201C;Watercraft transporter&#x201D; means any <span class="dictionary">tractor truck</span>, lowboy, vehicle, or combination, including vehicles or combinations that transport watercraft on their power unit, designed and used exclusively for the transportation of watercraft.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Wheel chair or wheel chair conveyance</span>&#x201D; means a chair or seat equipped with wheels, typically used to provide mobility for persons who, by reason of physical disability, are otherwise unable to move about as pedestrians. &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Wheel chair or wheel chair conveyance</span>&#x201D; includes both three-wheeled and four-wheeled devices. So long as it is operated only as provided in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Self-propelled wheelchairs" href="/46.2-677/">46.2-677</a>, a self-propelled wheel chair or self-propelled wheel chair conveyance shall not be considered a motor vehicle. <a id="paragraph-296222" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/46.2-100/#3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7;&#xA7; 46-1, 46-169, 46-185, 46-186, 46-343; 1954, c. 59; 1958, cc. 501, 541, &#xA7;&#xA7; 46.1-1, 46.1-161; 1964, c. 618; 1966, c. 643; 1968, cc. 285, 641, 653, 685; 1972, cc. 433, 609; 1974, c. 347; 1975, cc. 382, 426; 1976, c. 372; 1977, cc. 252, 585; 1978, cc. 36, 550, 605; 1979, c. 100; 1980, c. 51; 1981, c. 585; 1983, c. 386; 1984, cc. 404, 780; 1985, c. 447; 1986, cc. 72, 613; 1987, c. 151; 1988, cc. 107, 452, 865; 1989, cc. 645, 705, 727; 1990, cc. 45, 418; 1992, c. 98; 1993, c. 133; 1994, c. 866; 1996, cc. 943, 994; 1997, cc. 9, 186, 486, 783, 904; 1998, c. 888; 1999, cc. 67, 77; 2001, c. 834; 2002, cc. 214, 234, 254; 2003, cc. 29, 46; 2004, cc. 746, 796; 2005, cc. 310, 928; 2006, cc. 529, 538, 540, 874, 891, 896; 2007, cc. 209, 325, 366, 393; 2010, c. 135; 2011, c. 128; 2012, c. 177; 2013, cc. 128, 400, 783; 2014, cc. 53, 256; 2016, cc. 428, 500, 764; 2017, cc. 251, 370, 554, 788; 2018, c. 555; 2019, c. 780; 2020, cc. 59, 260, 1269; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 421; 2023, cc. 148, 149; 2025, cc. 163, 177.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
