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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>365455</law_id><section_number>46.2-230</section_number><catch_line>Acceptance of electronic credentials</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2026/" slug="2026" current="TRUE" last_updated="2026-08-02">2026</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="101" identifier="46.2">Motor Vehicles</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="I">General Provisions; Department of Motor Vehicles</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="2" identifier="2">Department of Motor Vehicles</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="3" identifier="3">Electronic Credentials Act</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> The <span class="dictionary">possession</span> or display of an <span class="dictionary">electronic credential</span> shall not relieve a person from the requirements of any provision in the Code of Virginia, the Virginia Administrative Code, or a local <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> or regulation requiring the <span class="dictionary">possession</span> or display of a <span class="dictionary">physical credential</span>. <a id="paragraph-1361627" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/46.2-230/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Any provision of the Code of Virginia, the Virginia Administrative Code, or a local <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> or regulation with a <span class="dictionary">display requirement</span>, which may be satisfied by the display or <span class="dictionary">possession</span> of a <span class="dictionary">physical credential</span> for which the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> may <span class="dictionary">issue</span> an <span class="dictionary">electronic credential</span>, may be satisfied by displaying or possessing an <span class="dictionary">electronic credential</span> issued pursuant to this article. Acceptance of an <span class="dictionary">electronic credential</span> shall be at the discretion of the person to whom it is presented and subject to the conditions of this section. <a id="paragraph-1361628" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/46.2-230/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> If a person displays a <span class="dictionary">profile</span>, its display shall satisfy a <span class="dictionary">display requirement</span> if the <span class="dictionary">profile</span> provides sufficient <span class="dictionary">data fields</span> to satisfy the purpose for which it is being displayed. <a id="paragraph-1361629" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/46.2-230/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> If the <span class="dictionary">Department</span>, or another agency responsible for enforcing a <span class="dictionary">display requirement</span>, requires that an <span class="dictionary">electronic credential</span> or <span class="dictionary">profile</span> be verified through the <span class="dictionary">verification system</span> prior to acceptance in certain circumstances, the <span class="dictionary">display requirement</span> shall be deemed satisfied by presentation of an <span class="dictionary">electronic credential</span> or <span class="dictionary">profile</span> in those circumstances only if the <span class="dictionary">electronic credential</span> or <span class="dictionary">profile</span> is verified by the <span class="dictionary">verification system</span>. <a id="paragraph-1361630" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/46.2-230/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E"><p><span class="prefix-number">E.</span> The provisions of this section shall apply to the <span class="dictionary">possession</span> or display of similar <span class="dictionary">electronic credentials</span> or <span class="dictionary">profiles</span> issued by the government of another state of the United States, the District of Columbia, the United States, a foreign country, or a political subdivision of a foreign country to the extent that a <span class="dictionary">physical credential</span> from the same <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> would satisfy the relevant <span class="dictionary">display requirement</span>. <a id="paragraph-1361631" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/46.2-230/#E"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2017, c. 697.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
