<?xml version="1.0"?>
<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>66695</law_id><section_number>46.2-707</section_number><catch_line>Operation of uninsured vehicle; false evidence of insurance; penalty</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>46.2-1558</reference><reference>46.2-706</reference><reference>46.2-707.1</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="6">Titling and Registration of Motor Vehicles</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="8">Verification of Motor Vehicle Insurance</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>Any person who owns an <span class="dictionary">uninsured motor vehicle</span> (i) licensed in the Commonwealth, (ii) subject to registration in the Commonwealth, or (iii) displaying temporary <span class="dictionary">license plates</span> provided for in &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Issuance of temporary license plates to dealers and vehicle owners" href="/46.2-1558/">46.2-1558</a> who operates or permits the operation of that motor vehicle is guilty of a Class 3 <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span>.
		Any person who is the <span class="dictionary">operator</span> of such an <span class="dictionary">uninsured motor vehicle</span> and not the titled <span class="dictionary">owner</span> and who knows that such motor vehicle is uninsured is guilty of a Class 3 <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span>.
		The <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span> or his duly authorized <span class="dictionary">agent</span>, having reason to believe that a motor vehicle is being operated or has been operated on any specified date, may require the <span class="dictionary">owner</span> of such motor vehicle to verify insurance in a method prescribed by the <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span> as provided for by &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Proof of insurance required of applicants for registration of motor vehicles; verification of insurance; suspension of driver's license, registration certificates, and license plates for certain violations" href="/46.2-706/">46.2-706</a>. The refusal or neglect of the <span class="dictionary">owner</span> to provide such verification shall be prima facie <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> that the motor vehicle was an <span class="dictionary">uninsured motor vehicle</span> at the time of such operation.
		Any person who falsely verifies insurance to the <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span> or gives false <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> that a motor vehicle sought to be registered is an <span class="dictionary">insured motor vehicle</span>, shall be guilty of a Class 3 <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span>.
		However, the foregoing portions of this section shall not be applicable if it is established that the <span class="dictionary">owner</span> had good cause to believe and did believe that such motor vehicle was an <span class="dictionary">insured motor vehicle</span>, in which event the provisions of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="When registration may be suspended or revoked" href="/46.2-609/">46.2-609</a> shall be applicable.
		Any person who owns an <span class="dictionary">uninsured motor vehicle</span> (i) licensed in the Commonwealth, (ii) subject to registration in the Commonwealth, or (iii) displaying temporary <span class="dictionary">license plates</span> provided for in &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Issuance of temporary license plates to dealers and vehicle owners" href="/46.2-1558/">46.2-1558</a> shall immediately surrender the vehicle&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">license plates</span> to the <span class="dictionary">Department</span>, unless the vehicle&#x2019;s registration has been deactivated as provided by &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Deactivation and reactivation of registration; fees" href="/46.2-646.1/">46.2-646.1</a>. Any person who fails to immediately surrender his vehicle&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">license plates</span> as required by this section is guilty of a Class 3 <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span>.
		Abstracts of records of <span class="dictionary">conviction</span>, as defined in this title, of any violation of any of the provisions of this section shall be forwarded to the <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span> as prescribed by &#xA7;&#xA0;<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>.
		The <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span> shall <span class="dictionary">suspend</span> the <span class="dictionary">driver</span>&#x2019;s license and all registration certificates and <span class="dictionary">license plates</span> of any titled <span class="dictionary">owner</span> of an <span class="dictionary">uninsured motor vehicle</span> upon receiving a record of his <span class="dictionary">conviction</span> of a violation of any provisions of this section, and he shall not thereafter reissue the <span class="dictionary">driver</span>&#x2019;s license and the registration certificates and <span class="dictionary">license plates</span> issued in the name of such person until such person pays a noncompliance fee of $600 to be disposed of as provided for in &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Disposition of funds collected" href="/46.2-710/">46.2-710</a> and furnishes proof of <span class="dictionary">financial responsibility in the future</span> as prescribed by Article 15 (&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Proof of financial responsibility to be furnished for each vehicle" href="/46.2-435/">46.2-435</a> et seq.) of Chapter 3. However, when three years have elapsed from the date of the <span class="dictionary">suspension</span> herein required, the <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span> may relieve such person of the requirement of furnishing proof of <span class="dictionary">financial responsibility in the future</span>. When such <span class="dictionary">suspension</span> results from a <span class="dictionary">conviction</span> for presenting or causing to be presented to the <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span> false verification as to whether a motor vehicle is an <span class="dictionary">insured motor vehicle</span> or false <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> that any motor vehicle sought to be registered is insured, then the <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span> shall not thereafter reissue the <span class="dictionary">driver</span>&#x2019;s license and the registration certificates and <span class="dictionary">license plates</span> issued in the name of such person so convicted for a period of 180 days from the date of such <span class="dictionary">order</span> of <span class="dictionary">suspension</span>, and only then when all other provisions of <span class="dictionary">law</span> have been complied with by such person.
		The <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span> shall <span class="dictionary">suspend</span> the <span class="dictionary">driver</span>&#x2019;s license of any person who is the <span class="dictionary">operator</span> but not the titled <span class="dictionary">owner</span> of a motor vehicle upon receiving a record of his <span class="dictionary">conviction</span> of a violation of any provisions of this section and he shall not thereafter reissue the <span class="dictionary">driver</span>&#x2019;s license until 30 days from the date of such <span class="dictionary">order</span> of <span class="dictionary">suspension</span>.</p></section></text><history>1958, c. 407, &#xA7; 46.1-167.3; 1960, c. 188; 1966, cc. 181, 568; 1972, c. 552; 1973, c. 25; 1977, c. 196; 1978, c. 605; 1984, cc. 399, 780; 1986, c. 527; 1989, c. 727; 1996, cc. 474, 489; 2013, cc. 673, 789; 2019, cc. 149, 193; 2023, c. 538; 2025, cc. 163, 177.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
