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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>365947</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/2026/" slug="2026" current="TRUE" last_updated="2026-08-02">2026</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="101" identifier="46.2">Motor Vehicles</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="2" identifier="II">Titling, Registration and Licensure</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="2" identifier="6">Titling and Registration of Motor Vehicles</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="9" 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>.</p><p>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>.</p><p>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.</p><p>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>.</p><p>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.</p><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> 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>.</p><p>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>.</p><p>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.</p><p>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><court_decisions><item key="0"><name>Commonwealth v. Brown</name><case_number>2823972</case_number><citation>508 S.E.2d 916</citation><date>1999-01-12</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/1066555/commonwealth-v-brown/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. 508 S.E.2d 916 (1999) .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html><abbr title="Court of Appeals">COA</abbr></court_html></item><item key="1"><name>Burrell v. Commonwealth of VA</name><case_number>02-2347</case_number><citation>395 F.3d 508</citation><date>2005-01-27</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/2968070/burrell-v-commonwealth-of-va/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. Affirmed by published opinion. Judge LUTTIG wrote the opinion, in which Judge MOTZ and Judge DUNCAN .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html>Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit</court_html></item><item key="2"><name>Burrell v. Virginia</name><case_number>02-2347</case_number><citation>395 F.3d 508</citation><date>2005-01-27</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/788965/burrell-v-virginia/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. 395 F.3d 508 .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html>Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit</court_html></item><item key="3"><name>Edward A. Vasaio v. Dept. Motor Vehicles,Commonweal</name><case_number>0707032</case_number><citation></citation><date>2004-01-13</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/1063992/edward-a-vasaio-v-dept-motor-vehiclescommonweal/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. COURT OF APPEALS OF VIRGINIA .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html><abbr title="Court of Appeals">COA</abbr></court_html></item><item key="4"><name>Vasaio v. Department of Motor Vehicles</name><case_number>Record 0707-03-2</case_number><citation>590 S.E.2d 596</citation><date>2004-01-13</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/1367909/vasaio-v-department-of-motor-vehicles/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. 590 S.E.2d 596 (2004) .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html><abbr title="Court of Appeals">COA</abbr></court_html></item><item key="5"><name>Shifflett v. Commonwealth</name><case_number>1951103</case_number><citation>716 S.E.2d 132</citation><date>2011-10-11</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/1061880/shifflett-v-commonwealth/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. 716 S.E.2d 132 (2011) .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html><abbr title="Court of Appeals">COA</abbr></court_html></item></court_decisions></metadata></law>
