Penalty for not getting a VA driver's license / vehicle registration? (Cana: credit, school)

[usuario]

Hello everyone,

The DMV says that everyone who moves to Virginia must get a VA driver's license within 60 days. What, exactly, is the penalty for driving with an out-of-state license and not exchanging it for a VA one? Is there a fine, a misdemeanor criminal charge (!), demerit points, or what? Does it matter if it's an international drivers' permit or Canadian license? What about vehicle registration? Living in a college town, half the plates on the UVa campus are out of state, there's no way the police are going to bust anyone for that.

[TN Lily]

I think the failure to obtain a Virginia driver's license is a three point violation.

Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles

You are suppose to title your car in VA within 30 days of moving here. I don't know what the penalty is for that, but I'm pretty sure there is one.
Even though you are in a college town, if you get stopped by law enforcement, your failure to register and obtain a VA license may be discovered at that time.

Good luck.

[Kreutz]

Originally Posted by usuario

Hello everyone,

The DMV says that everyone who moves to Virginia must get a VA driver's license within 60 days. What, exactly, is the penalty for driving with an out-of-state license and not exchanging it for a VA one? Is there a fine, a misdemeanor criminal charge (!), demerit points, or what? Does it matter if it's an international drivers' permit or Canadian license? What about vehicle registration? Living in a college town, half the plates on the UVa campus are out of state, there's no way the police are going to bust anyone for that.

A guy in front of me in traffic court who went before the judge got busted for this on an unrelated moving violation (by the judge no less ) when they pulled his DMV record (which they seem to do for everyone), they tacked on another fine. I think it was $120.00+points but I don't recall.

IIRC he got busted because he had a VA address...and no VA dmv record or license and said he'd been living here for over a year.

[Pruzhany]

Out-of-State Students

If you are enrolled as a full-time student in an accredited school in Virginia and not employed, you may drive in Virginia with a valid out-of-state (or another country) driver's license and valid out-of-state license plates on your vehicle. If you are a full-time student and employed, you are considered a resident of Virginia for the purposes of motor vehicle laws only. This does not necessarily qualify you for in-state tuition rates. Therefore, you must apply for a Virginia driver's license and register your vehicle in Virginia. You must register the vehicle in Virginia even if it is owned by someone else.

http://www.dmv.state.va.us/drivers/#eligibility.asp