Virginia Driving While Suspended

Many circumstances can lead to a charge of driving on a suspended license in Virginia. Accumulation of points on your license, failure to pay a traffic fine you may not have known about, or a more serious offense such as a Virginia DUI, a reckless driving conviction, or drug possession. While the suspension of driving privileges is never an easy restriction to contend with, it’s important to comply with a driver’s license suspension in Virginia. However, many drivers in Virginia operate a vehicle on a suspended license each day, unaware of their license was suspended or revoked.

If your Virginia driver’s license has been suspended and you have been cited during a traffic stop, it is important to immediately address the situation. Driving while suspended in Virginia is a serious offense that carries severe penalties including heavy fines, lengthy suspension of driving privileges and can even result in prison time. If you find yourself charged with driving with suspended license in Virginia or driving with a revoked license in Virginia, contacting a Virginia traffic lawyer with experience in fighting this charge will ensure you receive the best defense available to you.

Penalties for Virginia Driving on Suspended License

In Virginia, the legal consequences for driving while suspended or driving while revoked will in part depend on several factors, such as the reason your license was originally suspended. If failure to pay a fine caused your license to be suspended, consequences range from compounded fines to an extended suspension and jail time. The court may allow you to obtain a restricted license.

Even if it is your first offense, the maximum penalties for driving while suspended in Virginia include:

• Additional license suspension equal to the period of the initial suspension or for up to 90 days;
• $2,500 fine;
• One year in jail

While consequences for driving on a suspended license in Virginia are severe for a first offense, subsequent offenses can incur even greater penalties- with mandatory jail time for a third or subsequent offense. The relevant statute dictates that a judge cannot suspend the sentence for this conviction, even if the judge wishes to do so. Driving while suspended for a DUI carries an additional penalty of a one-year license suspension above the standard penalties for the charge following failure to pay a traffic time.

Driving on a license revoked for a DUI is a felony offense, with possible sentences of one to five years in prison, or an alternative sentence of a fine up to $2500 and up to one year in jail. The offense also carries an additional 3-year loss of license or privilege to drive.

If you or a loved on have been accused of Driving on a Suspended License in Maryland visit our Maryland Driving While Suspended Page