Driving without a license virginia penalty

Code of Virginia section Once the issuance period expires, the driver will have until their birthday on the last year of license validity to renew.

Failing to renew and driving with an expired license is against the law. A first offense is a Class 2 misdemeanor, while a second offense is a Class 1 misdemeanor. The unlicensed driver can also receive three demerit points on his or her driving record. The driver will have to wait up to 90 days after a conviction to apply for his or her license. If your out-of-state license is still valid, you may get off lightly and be told to transfer your license as soon as possible.

However, if it is expired, then it will be treated like any other expired license. They are much more dangerous than licensed drivers. According to a study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, one in five fatal car crashes involves a driver who doesn't have a license or whose license status is unknown to law enforcement.

According to their data, 6. When you add it all up it turns out that These accidents killed 21, people. Once you make the leap to driving with a suspended license there is a good chance you will end up a repeat offender. The NHTSA data also looked at which states have the most fatal accidents with invalidly licensed drivers behind the wheel. The top five shook out as follows:. On the other side of the coin, these states had the fewest fatal accidents related to unlicensed drivers:.

If your license is suspended, there may be a way to get back on the road with a hardship license. A hardship license is issued when your normal driver's license has been revoked or suspended.

It allows you to drive, but only under certain circumstances and for approved reasons, mainly to get back and forth to work. In Illinois, for example, drivers must send a written request to the Secretary of State, attend a hearing, and also complete any required courses or counseling.

Florida requires taking and passing a hour traffic school. Technically, it is absolutely a valid license, but it comes with a wide variety of restrictions. Once you have been approved for a hardship or restricted driving permit RDP , as they call it in Illinois, you are legal to drive, but there are many restrictions.

In most cases, you can only drive to approved locations, usually work, daycare or school and a few stores for errands. Many states assign a nighttime curfew. You will be required to show proof of car insurance before a restricted license is issued, says CarInsurance. If a DUI is involved, most states also require an SR from your insurer, verifying your insurance coverage.

If you drop your coverage, the DMV is notified, and your restricted license revoked. You will pay much higher car insurance rates because of the offense that triggered the suspension and the SR filing. In some states there is a mandatory waiting period before a DUI offender can apply for a hardship license, typically days.

Many states limit hardship licenses to first-time DUI offenders, and other states, like New Jersey and Rhode Island, don't offer a hardship program at all. Getting caught driving after hours or for unapproved reasons will result in your hardship license being revoked. You may not even get a second chance, depending on the state laws. When it comes to your insurance premium, a hardship license will often push up your rates, but it usually depends on why your license was suspended in the first place.

An administrative suspension -- one stemming from an unpaid traffic ticket or back child support -- is typically seen as a minor offense and will not have a huge effect on rates, Gusner says.

If the underlying cause of the suspension is a DUI, your rates usually go up dramatically, if you can find a company to insure you at all. Gusner warns that premiums will usually shoot up from 30 to percent.

In North Carolina, the increase could top percent. A DUI stays on your motor vehicle record for at least five to seven years in most states, so the pain will continue at each renewal even after the suspension has ended. New Mexico leaves it on your record for 55 years, though your insurance company usually won't look back that far.

But you will have to get a policy from a car insurance company that accepts high risk drivers — many will not. You will also need to show that your license suspension is for a short period of time, say, 30 days compared to a year. Once your driving privileges are restored, you will have to show proof of reinstatement to your insurer.

If you have a long-term suspension, you have the option of finding a car insurance company that will allow you to buy a policy with another person named as the primary driver. You would not be listed on the policy until you get your license back.

If you are in the middle of your policy term, and your policy does not contain an exclusionary clause for driver suspensions, you likely will remain covered until the end of your term. Increasingly, insurers are adding conditions to policies to address the problem of suspended drivers getting behind the wheel. Also bear in mind that car insurance companies usually check your driving record upon renewal of your policy and may simply decide you are now a high-risk driver and refuse to renew your policy when the term is up.

Insurance companies are required to send you a notice informing you that your coverage is to be suspended at some future date, typically at least 30 days out. In most circumstances, the answer to this question is no, unless they pull your driving record which most insurers do at renewal time. Insurance companies are not normally notified if your license is suspended. Insurance companies are usually not even aware that you need a SR unless you tell them.

The burden of telling the insurer about a suspended or canceled license normally is your responsibility. The information provided on this site is not legal advice, does not constitute a lawyer referral service, and no attorney-client or confidential relationship is or will be formed by use of the site.

The attorney listings on this site are paid attorney advertising. In some states, the information on this website may be considered a lawyer referral service. Please reference the Terms of Use and the Supplemental Terms for specific information related to your state. Toggle navigation DrivingLaws. Search Term. Read about the penalties for driving without a valid license in Virginia. Driving Without a License Generally, every person who operates a motor vehicle on a Virginia highway must carry a valid license while driving.

Driving While Suspended or Revoked A person who operates a vehicle while on a suspended or revoked license is subject to fines, jail, vehicle impoundment, extended license sanctions, and six driver's license demerit points. For driving without a valid license, a first time offense is a class 2 misdemeanor, but a second or subsequent offense is a class 1 misdemeanor.

You should speak to a Virginia traffic defense attorney about your case as soon as possible to prepare properly for court. What does the prosecution need to prove for a Driving without a License conviction in Virginia? Judges can give jail for first time offenses. Every judge is different in his temperament and considers each fact pattern differently. What if I just moved to Virginia? How long do I have to transfer my out-of-state license to Virginia? See Va.