Whether you ended up with a DWI charge or simply forgot to renew your car insurance, getting your license suspended in Virginia can be a major hassle. Not only will you be unable to drive, but you might also have to go to court or pay a major fine before you can get your license back.
Being able to drive makes our lives much more convenient—so it’s a pretty important privilege. If you commit certain traffic violations or do something illegal, law enforcement may decide to suspend your driver’s license, leaving you stuck relying on friends or public transportation to get around.
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4.7/5 rating on the App Store | Trusted by 5+ million customers and 7 million cars4.7/5 app rating | Trusted by 5M+ drivers Driver’s license suspension vs. revocation: what’s the difference?
It’s easy to get the terms “license suspension” and “license revocation” confused, since they both refer to the loss of driving privileges—but they have slightly different meanings.
A license suspension is a temporary loss of driving privileges
A license revocation is a permanent loss of driving privileges
The consequences of getting your license suspended or revoked can be serious, but getting your license reinstated after revocation is usually much more difficult. You’ll have to reapply for your Virginia driver’s license from scratch and even retake the road test!
What can your license be suspended for in Virginia?
The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles can suspend your driver’s license for several reasons, ranging from DUI
convictions or reckless driving charges to racking up a lot of speeding tickets to driving without car insurance
. Sometimes getting your suspended license back can be as simple as showing proof of car insurance
or paying an overdue court fine—but your exact suspension period will depend on why your license was suspended in the first place and can come with serious consequences, like expensive reinstatement fees, court costs, or even jail time. Here are some of the most common reasons Virginia residents get their driving privileges suspended.
Driving without car insurance
Virginia is one of just a few states where car insurance isn’t legally required, but drivers who opt out of coverage have to pay an uninsured motorist fee of $500.
If you’re ever pulled over by a police officer and can’t show proof of insurance and haven’t paid the uninsured motorist fee, your driver’s license will be suspended until you submit proof of insurance to the Virginia DMV or pay the fee.
DUI convictions
According to Virginia Code, getting caught operating a motor vehicle with a blood-alcohol level of 0.08% results in an automatic one-year license suspension. A second offense results in a three-year license suspension, while a third offense could cause you to lose your driving privileges indefinitely.
Refusing a breathalyzer test
If law enforcement believes you were driving while intoxicated but you refuse to take the breathalyzer test, your license will be suspended for seven days. You also risk getting arrested for violating Virginia's Implied Consent
Law, which comes with a mandatory license suspension of one year. Aggressive driving
The Commonwealth of Virginia uses the term “aggressive driving” to refer to serious traffic violations such as following another vehicle too closely or evading traffic controls. These offenses are considered class one misdemeanors under Virginia law and come with penalties such as fines, jail time, and license suspensions. The exact suspension term will depend on the nature and severity of the charges.
Failing to complete a driver improvement clinic
If you get convicted of a moving violation that adds one or more demerit points to your driver’s license, you could be ordered to enroll in the Virginia Driver Improvement Program. If you don’t attend the program or drop out before its completion, your license will be suspended until you finish the program and pay a reinstatement fee.
Failing to yield to a vehicle with flashing lights
Failing to change lanes, move over, or slow down when driving by an ambulance, fire truck, or other authorized vehicle while its lights are flashing is considered a serious offense—and could result in a Virginia license suspension. You’ll also get four points on your driving record and have to pay a fine of up to $250.
Committing a traffic violation that caused a death
If you commit a traffic violation and someone died as a result, you could be charged with involuntary manslaughter. This criminal offense comes with a wide range of serious consequences—one of which is a lengthy license suspension.
Neglecting child support payments
Paying child support has nothing to do with driving, but it can still result in a suspended license in Virginia. If you rack up $5,000 or more in delinquent child support payments or fail to appear in court at a child support hearing, the court may suspend your driver’s license until you make your first payment.
Misrepresenting your age
If you’re under the age of 21 and get caught using a fake ID in Virginia, you’ll face a license suspension of six months to one year in addition to hefty fines, community service hours, and/or jail time.
Driving with a suspended license
Once you acquire a suspended license charge, continuing to drive your car will only make things worse. If you get caught, you could face a longer suspension term or revocation—and you risk getting your vehicle impounded or having to go to jail.
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