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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>59312</law_id><section_number>46.2-492</section_number><catch_line>Uniform Demerit Point System</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>33.2-501</reference><reference>33.2-503</reference><reference>46.2-396.1</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="19">Driver Improvement Program</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> The <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span> shall assign point values to those <span class="dictionary">convictions</span>, or <span class="dictionary">findings</span> of not innocent in the case of a juvenile, which are required to be reported to the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> in accordance with &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Courts to forward abstracts of records or furnish abstract data of conviction by electronic means in certain cases; records in office of Department; inspection; clerk's fee for reports" href="/46.2-383/">46.2-383</a> for traffic <span class="dictionary">offenses</span> committed in violation of the <span class="dictionary">laws</span> of the Commonwealth or any county, city, or town <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> paralleling and substantially conforming to state <span class="dictionary">law</span>, provided that no <span class="dictionary">conviction</span>, or <span class="dictionary">finding</span> of not innocent in the case of a juvenile for any <span class="dictionary">offense</span>, relating to registration, insurance, or equipment shall be included except as otherwise provided by this title. <a id="paragraph-217393" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/46.2-492/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> The <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span> shall assign point values to those <span class="dictionary">convictions</span> received from any other state of the United States, the United States, Canada or its provinces, or any territorial subdivision of any of them, of an <span class="dictionary">offense</span> therein, which if committed in this Commonwealth, would be required to be reported to the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> by &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Courts to forward abstracts of records or furnish abstract data of conviction by electronic means in certain cases; records in office of Department; inspection; clerk's fee for reports" href="/46.2-383/">46.2-383</a>. <a id="paragraph-217394" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/46.2-492/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> No point assignment shall be made for any <span class="dictionary">conviction</span> which results from a <span class="dictionary">vehicle</span> having been parked or stopped, in <span class="dictionary">order</span> for the <span class="dictionary">driver</span> to sleep or rest, on the <span class="dictionary">shoulder</span> or other portion of a <span class="dictionary">highway</span> not ordinarily used for vehicular traffic. The <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall make a separate <span class="dictionary">finding</span> on this <span class="dictionary">issue</span> and note such <span class="dictionary">finding</span> on the <span class="dictionary">conviction</span> record. <a id="paragraph-217395" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/46.2-492/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> The Uniform Demerit Point System standard for rating <span class="dictionary">convictions</span> of traffic <span class="dictionary">offenses</span> shall be based on the severity of the <span class="dictionary">offense</span> and the potential hazardous exposure to other users of the <span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">highways</span></span> and streets. The <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span> shall designate the point values assigned to <span class="dictionary">convictions</span>, or <span class="dictionary">findings</span> of not innocent in the case of a juvenile, on a graduated scale not to exceed six demerit points for any single <span class="dictionary">conviction</span>. The <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span> shall develop point system assignments as follows: <a id="paragraph-217396" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/46.2-492/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> Serious traffic <span class="dictionary">offenses</span> such as driving while intoxicated in violation of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Driving motor vehicle, engine, etc., while intoxicated, etc" href="/18.2-266/">18.2-266</a>, persons under age twenty-one driving after illegally consuming alcohol in violation of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Persons under age 21 driving after illegally consuming alcohol; penalty" href="/18.2-266.1/">18.2-266.1</a>, <span class="dictionary">reckless driving</span> in violation of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Reckless driving; general rule" href="/46.2-852/">46.2-852</a>, speeding twenty or more miles per hour above the posted speed limit, racing in violation of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="(Effective July 1, 2026) Racing or exhibition driving; definitions; penalties" href="/46.2-865/">46.2-865</a>, and other serious traffic <span class="dictionary">offenses</span> as the <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span> may designate, shall be assigned six demerit points. <a id="paragraph-217397" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/46.2-492/#D1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> Relatively serious traffic <span class="dictionary">offenses</span> such as failure to yield the right-of-way in violation of &#xA7;&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Right-of-way at uncontrolled intersections, generally" href="/46.2-820/">46.2-820</a> through <a class="law" title="Unlawful speed forfeits right-of-way" href="/46.2-823/">46.2-823</a>, speeding between ten and nineteen miles per hour above the posted speed limit, following too closely in violation of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Following too closely" href="/46.2-816/">46.2-816</a>, failure to stop when entering a <span class="dictionary">highway</span> in violation of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Failure to yield right-of-way" href="/46.2-863/">46.2-863</a>, aggressive driving in violation of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Aggressive driving; penalties" href="/46.2-868.1/">46.2-868.1</a> and other relatively serious traffic <span class="dictionary">offenses</span> as the <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span> may designate, shall be assigned four demerit points. <a id="paragraph-217398" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/46.2-492/#D2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> Traffic <span class="dictionary">offenses</span> of a less serious nature such as improper driving in violation of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Improper driving; penalty" href="/46.2-869/">46.2-869</a>, speeding between one and nine miles per hour above the posted speed limit, improper passing in violation of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Passing when overtaking a vehicle" href="/46.2-838/">46.2-838</a>, failure to obey a <span class="dictionary">highway</span> sign in violation of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Uniform traffic control devices on highways; drivers to obey traffic control devices; enforcement of section" href="/46.2-830/">46.2-830</a> and other <span class="dictionary">offenses</span> of a less serious nature as the <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span> may designate, shall be assigned three demerit points. <a id="paragraph-217399" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/46.2-492/#D3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E"><p><span class="prefix-number">E.</span> When a person is convicted of two or more traffic <span class="dictionary">offenses</span> committed on a single occasion, he shall be assessed points for one <span class="dictionary">offense</span> only and if the <span class="dictionary">offenses</span> involved have different point values, he shall be assessed points for the <span class="dictionary">offense</span> having the greater point value. <a id="paragraph-217400" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/46.2-492/#E"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1974, c. 453, &#xA7; 46.1-514.6; 1976, c. 86; 1989, c. 727; 1992, c. 856; 1998, c. 430; 2002, cc. 752, 782.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
