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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>77591</law_id><section_number>46.2-217</section_number><catch_line>Enforcement of laws by Commissioner; authority of officers</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>18.2-308.016</reference><reference>18.2-57</reference><reference>19.2-81</reference><reference>9.1-101</reference><reference>9.1-400</reference><reference>9.1-801</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="2">Department of Motor Vehicles</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="1">Powers and Duties of Department, Generally</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>The <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span>, his several assistants, including those who are full-time sworn members of the enforcement division of the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> of <span class="dictionary">Motor Vehicles</span>, and police officers appointed by him are vested with the powers of sheriffs for the purpose of enforcing the <span class="dictionary">laws</span> of the Commonwealth which the <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span> is required to enforce. Such full-time sworn members of the enforcement division of the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> of <span class="dictionary">Motor Vehicles</span> are hereby authorized to enforce the criminal <span class="dictionary">laws</span> of the Commonwealth.
		The <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span> may also appoint or designate any of his staff to be &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">size and weight compliance agents</span>&#x201D; who shall thereby have the authority to (i) enforce the requirements for the use of dyed diesel fuel in &#xA7;&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Improper sale or use of untaxed fuel; civil penalty" href="/58.1-2265/">58.1-2265</a> and <a class="law" title="Refusal to allow inspection or taking of fuel sample; civil penalty" href="/58.1-2267/">58.1-2267</a>; (ii) enforce the requirements of Article 17 (&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/46.2-1122/">46.2-1122</a> et seq.) of Chapter 10; (iii) <span class="dictionary">issue</span> <span class="dictionary">citations</span> for violations of license, registration, and tax requirements and <span class="dictionary">vehicle</span> size limits pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Civil penalty for violation of license, registration, and tax requirements and vehicle size limitations" href="/46.2-613.1/">46.2-613.1</a>; and (iv) carry out the <span class="dictionary">vehicle</span> seizure provisions of &#xA7;&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Special seizure provisions for unpaid fees and penalties" href="/46.2-613.4/">46.2-613.4</a>, <a class="law" title="Procedures for issuing and serving process in civil penalty cases" href="/46.2-613.5/">46.2-613.5</a>, <a class="law" title="Reciprocal agreement with other states; assessment and collection of fees on an apportionment or allocation basis; registration of vehicles and reporting of road tax; violations; vehicle seizures; penalties" href="/46.2-703/">46.2-703</a>, <a class="law" title="Special overweight seizure provisions; penalty" href="/46.2-1134/">46.2-1134</a>, and <a class="law" title="Procedures for issuing and serving process in overweight vehicle cases" href="/46.2-1136/">46.2-1136</a> at any permanent weighing station. For the purposes of this section, a permanent weighing station shall include any location equipped with fixed, permanent scales for weighing <span class="dictionary">motor vehicles</span>.
		Nothing in this title shall relieve any <span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">law</span>-enforcement officer</span>, <span class="dictionary">commissioner</span> of the revenue, or any other official invested with police powers and duties, state or local, of the duty of assisting in the enforcement of such <span class="dictionary">laws</span> within the scope of his respective authority and duty.
		All <span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">law</span>-enforcement officers</span> appointed by the <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span> may administer <span class="dictionary">oaths</span> and take acknowledgments and <span class="dictionary">affidavits</span> incidental to the administration and enforcement of this title and all other <span class="dictionary">laws</span> relating to the operation of <span class="dictionary">motor vehicles</span>, applications for <span class="dictionary">driver</span>&#x2019;s licenses, and the collection and refunding of taxes levied on gasoline. They shall receive no compensation for administering <span class="dictionary">oaths</span> or taking acknowledgments.</p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 46-38; 1958, c. 541, &#xA7; 46.1-37; 1984, c. 780; 1989, c. 727; 1993, c. 533; 2008, c. 460; 2011, cc. 62, 73; 2012, cc. 22, 111.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
