{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/46.2-315.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/46.2-315.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/46.2-315.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/46.2-315.html"}],"law_id":365490,"edition_id":2,"section_id":365490,"structure_id":52151,"section_number":"46.2-315","catch_line":"Persons unable to exercise reasonable and ordinary control over a motor vehicle","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 46-357; 1958, c. 541, \u00a7 46.1-361; 1984, c. 780; 1989, c. 727; 2024, c. 414.","full_text":"The Department shall not issue a driver’s license to any person when, in the opinion of the Department, such person is suffering from an impairment that will prevent his exercising reasonable and ordinary control over a motor vehicle while driving it on the highways, nor shall a license be issued to any person who is unable to understand highway warning or direction signs.\n\nThe term “impairment” shall not mean inability of a person to hear or to speak, or both, when he has good vision and can satisfactorily demonstrate his ability to drive a motor vehicle and has sufficient knowledge of traffic rules and regulations.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1361721,"text":"The Department shall not issue a driver’s license to any person when, in the opinion of the Department, such person is suffering from an impairment that will prevent his exercising reasonable and ordinary control over a motor vehicle while driving it on the highways, nor shall a license be issued to any person who is unable to understand highway warning or direction signs.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"next_prefix":""},"1":{"id":1361722,"text":"The term “impairment” shall not mean inability of a person to hear or to speak, or both, when he has good vision and can satisfactorily demonstrate his ability to drive a motor vehicle and has sufficient knowledge of traffic rules and regulations.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"prior_prefix":""}},"ancestry":[{"id":52151,"edition_id":2,"name":"Persons Not to Be Licensed","identifier":"3","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":3,"parent_id":52148,"metadata":{"child_laws":14,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:54:14","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:34:03","permalink":{"id":1453381,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":52151,"identifier":"3","token":"46.2\/II\/3\/3","url":"\/46.2\/II\/3\/3\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":52148,"edition_id":2,"name":"Licensure of Drivers","identifier":"3","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":52147,"metadata":{"child_laws":313,"child_structures":20},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:54:13","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:34:03","permalink":{"id":1452631,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":52148,"identifier":"3","token":"46.2\/II\/3","url":"\/46.2\/II\/3\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":52147,"edition_id":2,"name":"Titling, Registration and Licensure","identifier":"II","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":2,"parent_id":52048,"metadata":{"child_laws":724,"child_structures":36},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:54:13","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:34:03","permalink":{"id":1452629,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":52147,"identifier":"II","token":"46.2\/II","url":"\/46.2\/II\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":52048,"edition_id":2,"name":"Motor Vehicles","identifier":"46.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":101,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":1830,"child_structures":157},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:52:29","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:34:02","permalink":{"id":1452291,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":52048,"identifier":"46.2","token":"46.2","url":"\/46.2\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":365486,"structure_id":52151,"section_number":"46.2-311","catch_line":"Persons having defective vision; minimum standards of visual acuity and field of vision; tests of vision","url":"\/46.2-311\/","token":"46.2\/II\/3\/3\/46.2-311","metadata":false},{"id":365487,"structure_id":52151,"section_number":"46.2-312","catch_line":"Persons using bioptic telescopic lenses","url":"\/46.2-312\/","token":"46.2\/II\/3\/3\/46.2-312","metadata":false},{"id":365488,"structure_id":52151,"section_number":"46.2-313","catch_line":"Persons with suspended or revoked licenses","url":"\/46.2-313\/","token":"46.2\/II\/3\/3\/46.2-313","metadata":{"court_decisions":""}},{"id":365489,"structure_id":52151,"section_number":"46.2-314","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/46.2-314\/","token":"46.2\/II\/3\/3\/46.2-314","metadata":false},{"id":365490,"structure_id":52151,"section_number":"46.2-315","catch_line":"Persons unable to exercise reasonable and ordinary control over a motor vehicle","url":"\/46.2-315\/","token":"46.2\/II\/3\/3\/46.2-315","metadata":{"court_decisions":""}},{"id":365491,"structure_id":52151,"section_number":"46.2-316","catch_line":"Persons convicted or found not innocent of certain offenses; requirement of proof of financial responsibility in the future for certain offenses","url":"\/46.2-316\/","token":"46.2\/II\/3\/3\/46.2-316","metadata":false},{"id":365492,"structure_id":52151,"section_number":"46.2-317","catch_line":"Persons making false statement in application","url":"\/46.2-317\/","token":"46.2\/II\/3\/3\/46.2-317","metadata":{"court_decisions":""}},{"id":365493,"structure_id":52151,"section_number":"46.2-318","catch_line":"Cancellation or revocation of license where application is false in material particular","url":"\/46.2-318\/","token":"46.2\/II\/3\/3\/46.2-318","metadata":false},{"id":365494,"structure_id":52151,"section_number":"46.2-319","catch_line":"Refusal or revocation of license for certain fraudulent acts in obtaining a driver's license","url":"\/46.2-319\/","token":"46.2\/II\/3\/3\/46.2-319","metadata":false},{"id":365497,"structure_id":52151,"section_number":"46.2-320","catch_line":"Other grounds for refusal or suspension","url":"\/46.2-320\/","token":"46.2\/II\/3\/3\/46.2-320","metadata":false},{"id":365495,"structure_id":52151,"section_number":"46.2-320.1","catch_line":"Other grounds for suspension; nonpayment of child support","url":"\/46.2-320.1\/","token":"46.2\/II\/3\/3\/46.2-320.1","metadata":false},{"id":365496,"structure_id":52151,"section_number":"46.2-320.2","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/46.2-320.2\/","token":"46.2\/II\/3\/3\/46.2-320.2","metadata":{"court_decisions":""}},{"id":365498,"structure_id":52151,"section_number":"46.2-321","catch_line":"Appeal from denial, suspension, or revocation of license; operation of vehicle pending appeal","url":"\/46.2-321\/","token":"46.2\/II\/3\/3\/46.2-321","metadata":false},{"id":365499,"structure_id":52151,"section_number":"46.2-322","catch_line":"Examination of licensee believed unable to drive safely; suspension or restriction of license; license application to include questions as to abilities of applicant; false answers; examination of applicant; physician's, advanced practice registered nurse's, or physician assistant's statement","url":"\/46.2-322\/","token":"46.2\/II\/3\/3\/46.2-322","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":365489,"structure_id":52151,"section_number":"46.2-314","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/46.2-314\/","token":"46.2\/II\/3\/3\/46.2-314","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":365491,"structure_id":52151,"section_number":"46.2-316","catch_line":"Persons convicted or found not innocent of certain offenses; requirement of proof of financial responsibility in the future for certain offenses","url":"\/46.2-316\/","token":"46.2\/II\/3\/3\/46.2-316","metadata":false},"metadata":{"court_decisions":""},"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/46.2-315\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 4 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1958, chapter 541; in 1984, chapter 780; in 1989, chapter 727; in 2024, chapter 414<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":1453399,"object_type":"law","relational_id":365490,"identifier":"46.2-315","token":"46.2\/II\/3\/3\/46.2-315","url":"\/46.2-315\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/46.2-315\/","token":"46.2\/II\/3\/3\/46.2-315","dublin_core":{"Title":"Persons unable to exercise reasonable and ordinary control over a motor vehicle","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 46.2-315","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

The Department<\/span> shall not issue<\/span> a driver<\/span>’s license to any person when, in the opinion<\/span> of the Department<\/span>, such person is suffering from an impairment<\/span> that will prevent his exercising reasonable and ordinary control over a motor vehicle<\/span> while driving it on the highways<\/span>, nor shall a license be issued to any person who is unable to understand highway<\/span> warning or direction signs.<\/p>

The term “impairment<\/span>” shall not mean inability of a person to hear or to speak, or both, when he has good vision and can satisfactorily demonstrate his ability to drive a motor vehicle<\/span> and has sufficient knowledge of traffic rules and regulations.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nPERSONS UNABLE TO EXERCISE REASONABLE AND ORDINARY CONTROL OVER A MOTOR VEHICLE\n(\u00a7 46.2-315)\n\nThe Department shall not issue a driver’s license to any person when, in\nthe opinion of the Department, such person is suffering from an impairment that\nwill prevent his exercising reasonable and ordinary control over a motor vehicle\nwhile driving it on the highways, nor shall a license be issued to any person\nwho is unable to understand highway warning or direction signs.\n\nThe term “impairment” shall not mean inability of a person to hear\nor to speak, or both, when he has good vision and can satisfactorily demonstrate\nhis ability to drive a motor vehicle and has sufficient knowledge of traffic\nrules and regulations.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 46-357; 1958, c. 541, \u00a7 46.1-361; 1984, c. 780; 1989, c.\n727; 2024, c. 414.","edition":{"id":2,"name":"2026","slug":"2026","date_created":"2026-07-16 18:40:23","date_modified":"2026-08-02 15:14:36","current":1,"order_by":2,"last_import":"2026-08-02 12:37:30"}}