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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>68938</law_id><section_number>46.2-382.1</section_number><catch_line>Courts to make findings relating to commercial motor vehicles</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>46.2-383</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="II">Titling, Registration and Licensure</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="3">Licensure of Drivers</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="11">Accident Reports</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>For the purpose of enforcing 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.), in any case in which a person is charged with a violation of any <span class="dictionary">law</span> of the Commonwealth or of any <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> of any county, city or town pertaining to the <span class="dictionary">operator</span> or operation of a <span class="dictionary">motor vehicle</span>, except parking violations, and the warrant or <span class="dictionary">summons</span> indicates that the <span class="dictionary">motor vehicle</span> so operated was a commercial <span class="dictionary">motor vehicle</span> as defined in the Virginia Commercial <span class="dictionary">Driver</span>&#x2019;s License Act, or that it was a commercial <span class="dictionary">motor vehicle</span> carrying hazardous <span class="dictionary">materials</span> as defined by the Virginia Commercial <span class="dictionary">Driver</span>&#x2019;s License Act, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> <span class="dictionary">hearing</span> such case shall make a <span class="dictionary">finding</span>, which shall be noted on the record, as to whether such vehicle was in <span class="dictionary">fact</span> a commercial <span class="dictionary">motor vehicle</span> and, if applicable, whether such vehicle was carrying hazardous <span class="dictionary">materials</span>.
		If the <span class="dictionary">offense</span> charged is one in which operation of a commercial <span class="dictionary">motor vehicle</span> is an element of the <span class="dictionary">offense</span>, the <span class="dictionary">conviction</span> of the <span class="dictionary">offense</span> shall constitute the <span class="dictionary">court</span>&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">finding</span> that the vehicle was a commercial <span class="dictionary">motor vehicle</span>, but a separate <span class="dictionary">finding</span> shall be made as to whether such vehicle was carrying hazardous <span class="dictionary">materials</span>, if applicable. If the <span class="dictionary">offense</span> charged is one in which operation of a commercial <span class="dictionary">motor vehicle</span> is not an element of the <span class="dictionary">offense</span>, then the <span class="dictionary">court</span>, after convicting the person charged, shall make a separate <span class="dictionary">finding</span> as to whether the vehicle was a commercial <span class="dictionary">motor vehicle</span> and, if applicable, whether it was carrying hazardous <span class="dictionary">materials</span>. The separate <span class="dictionary">findings</span> required by this section shall be noted on the <span class="dictionary">conviction</span> record, and the following procedures shall apply to such separate <span class="dictionary">findings</span>:</p></section>
						<section id="1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> If the person charged prepays fines and costs pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Procedure in traffic infraction cases" href="/19.2-254.1/">19.2-254.1</a>, he shall be deemed to have admitted that such <span class="dictionary">motor vehicle</span> was a commercial <span class="dictionary">motor vehicle</span> and, if applicable, that it carried hazardous <span class="dictionary">materials</span> at the time of the violation, as indicated on the warrant or <span class="dictionary">summons</span>, and such admission or admissions shall be noted on the <span class="dictionary">conviction</span> record as the <span class="dictionary">court</span>&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">finding</span>. <a id="paragraph-249581" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/46.2-382.1/#1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="2"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> In all other cases, the Commonwealth shall have the burden of proving by a <span class="dictionary">preponderance of the evidence</span> that the vehicle was a commercial <span class="dictionary">motor vehicle</span> and, if applicable, that it carried hazardous <span class="dictionary">materials</span>. <a id="paragraph-249582" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/46.2-382.1/#2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1989, c. 705, &#xA7; 46.1-412.1.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
