                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

COMPACT ENACTED INTO LAW; TERMS (§ 46.2-483)

The Driver License Compact is hereby enacted into law and entered into with all
other jurisdictions legally joining therein in the form substantially as
follows:
		THE DRIVER LICENSE COMPACT
		Article I
		Findings and Declaration of Policy

a. The party states find that:

   1. The safety of their streets and highways is materially affected by the
   degree of compliance with state and local ordinances relating to the operation
   of motor vehicles.

   2. Violation of such a law or ordinance is evidence that the violator engages
   in conduct which is likely to endanger the safety of persons and property.

   3. The continuance in force of a license to drive is predicated upon
   compliance with laws and ordinances relating to the operation of motor
   vehicles, in whichever jurisdiction the vehicle is operated.

b. It is the policy of each of the party states to:

   1. Promote compliance with the laws, ordinances, and administrative rules and
   regulations relating to the operation of motor vehicles by their operators in
   each of the jurisdictions where such operators drive motor vehicles.

   2. Make the reciprocal recognition of licenses to drive and eligibility
   therefor more just and equitable by considering the overall compliance with
   motor vehicle laws, ordinances and administrative rules and regulations as a
   condition precedent to the continuance or issuance of any license by reason of
   which the licensee is authorized or permitted to operate a motor vehicle in
   any of the party states.
   				Article II
   				Definitions
   				As used in this compact:

a. &#8220;State&#8221; means a state, territory or possession of the United
States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

b. &#8220;Home state&#8221; means the state which has issued and has the power
to suspend or revoke the use of the license or permit to operate a motor
vehicle.

c. &#8220;Conviction&#8221; means a conviction of any offense related to the use
or operation of a motor vehicle which is prohibited by state law, municipal
ordinance or administrative rule or regulation, or a forfeiture of bail, bond,
or other security deposited to secure appearance by a person charged with having
committed any such offense, and which conviction or forfeiture is required to be
reported to the licensing authority.
			Article III
			Reports of Conviction
			The licensing authority of a party state shall report each conviction of a
person from another party state occurring within its jurisdiction to the
licensing authority of the home state of the licensee. Such report shall clearly
identify the person convicted; describe the violation specifying the section of
the statute, code or ordinance violated; identify the court in which action was
taken; indicate whether a plea of guilty or not guilty was entered, or the
conviction was a result of the forfeiture of bail, bond or other security; and
shall include any special findings made in connection therewith.
			Article IV
			Effect of Conviction

a. The licensing authority in the home state, for the purposes of suspension,
revocation or limitation of the license to operate a motor vehicle, shall give
the same effect to the conduct reported, pursuant to Article III of this
compact, as it would if such conduct had occurred in the home state, in the case
of convictions for:

   1. Manslaughter or negligent homicide resulting from the operation of a motor
   vehicle;

   2. Driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or
   a narcotic drug, or under the influence of any other drug to a degree which
   renders the driver incapable of safely driving a motor vehicle;

   3. Any felony in the commission of which a motor vehicle is used;

   4. Failure to stop and render aid in the event of a motor vehicle accident
   resulting in the death or personal injury of another.

b. As to other convictions, reported pursuant to Article III, the licensing
authority in the home state shall give such effect to the conduct as is provided
by the laws of the home state.

c. If the laws of a party state do not provide for offenses or violations
denominated or described in precisely the words employed in subdivision (a) of
this article, such party state shall construe the denominations and descriptions
appearing in subdivision (a) hereof as being applicable to and identifying those
offenses or violations of a substantially similar nature and the laws of such
party state shall contain such provisions as may be necessary to ensure that
full force and effect is given to this article.
			Article V
			Applications for New Licenses
			Upon application for a license to drive, the licensing authority in a party
state shall ascertain whether the applicant has ever held, or is the holder of a
license to drive issued by any other party state. The licensing authority in the
state where application is made shall not issue a license to drive to the
applicant if:

   1. The applicant has held such a license, but the same has been suspended by
   reason, in whole or in part, of a violation and if such suspension period has
   not terminated.

   2. The applicant has held such a license, but the same has been revoked by
   reason, in whole or in part, of a violation and if such revocation has not
   terminated, except that after the expiration of one year from the date the
   license was revoked, such person may make application for a new license if
   permitted by law. The licensing authority may refuse to issue a license to any
   such applicant if, after investigation, the licensing authority determines
   that it will not be safe to grant to such person the privilege of driving a
   motor vehicle on the public highways.

   3. The applicant is the holder of a license to drive issued by another party
   state and currently in force unless the applicant surrenders such license.
   				Article VI
   				Applicability of Other Laws
   				Except as expressly required by provisions of this compact, nothing
   contained herein shall be construed to affect the right of any party state to
   apply any of its other laws relating to licenses to drive to any person or
   circumstance, nor to invalidate or prevent any driver license agreement or
   other cooperative arrangement between a party state and a nonparty state.
   				Article VII
   				Compact Administrator and Interchange of Information

a. The head of the licensing authority of each party state shall be the
administrator of this compact for his state. The administrators, acting jointly,
shall have the power to formulate all necessary and proper procedures for the
exchange of information under this compact.

b. The administrator of each party state shall furnish to the administrator of
each other party state any information or documents reasonably necessary to
facilitate the administration of this compact.
			Article VIII
			Entry Into Force and Withdrawal

a. This compact shall enter into force and become effective as to any state when
it has enacted the same into law.

b. Any party state may withdraw from this compact by enacting a statute
repealing the same, but no such withdrawal shall take effect until six months
after the executive head of the withdrawing state has given notice of the
withdrawal to the executive heads of all other party states. No withdrawal shall
affect the validity or applicability by the licensing authorities of states
remaining party to the compact of any report of conviction occurring prior to
the withdrawal.
			Article IX
			Construction and Severability
			This compact shall be liberally construed so as to effectuate the purposes
thereof. The provisions of this compact shall be severable and if any phrase,
clause, sentence or provision of this compact is declared to be contrary to the
constitution of any party state or of the United States or the applicability
thereof to any government, agency, person or circumstance is held invalid, the
validity of the remainder of this compact and the applicability thereof to any
government, agency, person or circumstance shall not be affected thereby. If
this compact shall be held contrary to the constitution of any state party
thereto, the compact shall remain in full force and effect as to the remaining
states and in full force and effect as to the state affected as to all severable
matters.

HISTORY: 1968, c. 166, § 46.1-167.8; 1989, c. 727.