Va. Code » Title 46.2. Motor Vehicles » Subtitle II. Titling, Registration and Licensure » Chapter 6. Titling and Registration of Motor Vehicles » Article 9. License Plates, Generally
Virginia Code

Va. Code Ann. § 46.2-711 (2026)

Furnishing number and design of plates; displaying on vehicles required

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A. The Department shall furnish one license plate for every registered moped, motorcycle, autocycle, tractor truck, semitrailer, or trailer, and two license plates for every other registered motor vehicle, except to licensed motor vehicle dealers and persons delivering unladen vehicles who shall be furnished one license plate. The license plates for trailers, semitrailers, commercial vehicles, and trucks, other than license plates for dealers, may be of such design as to prevent removal without mutilating some part of the indicia forming a part of the license plate, when secured to the bracket.

B. The Department shall issue appropriately designated license plates for:

1. Passenger-carrying vehicles for rent or hire for the transportation of passengers for private trips, other than TNC partner vehicles as defined in § 46.2-2000 and emergency medical services vehicles pursuant to clause (iii) of § 46.2-649.1:1;

2. Taxicabs;

3. Passenger-carrying vehicles operated by common carriers or restricted common carriers;

4. Property-carrying motor vehicles registered pursuant to § 46.2-697 except pickup or panel trucks as defined in § 46.2-100;

5. Applicants, other than TNC partners as defined in § 46.2-2000 and emergency medical services vehicles pursuant to clause (iii) of § 46.2-649.1:1, who operate motor vehicles as passenger carriers for rent or hire;

6. Vehicles operated by nonemergency medical transportation carriers as defined in § 46.2-2000; and

7. Trailers and semitrailers.

C. The Department shall issue appropriately designated license plates for motor vehicles held for rental as defined in § 58.1-1735.

D. The Department shall issue appropriately designated license plates for low-speed vehicles.

E. The Department shall issue appropriately designated license plates for military surplus motor vehicles registered pursuant to § 46.2-730.1.

F. No vehicles shall be operated on the highways in the Commonwealth without displaying the license plates required by this chapter. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to vehicles used to collect and deliver the United States mail to the extent that their rear license plates may be covered by the "CAUTION, FREQUENT STOPS, U.S. MAIL" sign when the vehicle is engaged in the collection and delivery of the United States mail.

G. For any summons issued for a violation of this section, the court may, in its discretion, dismiss the summons, where proof of compliance with this section is provided to the court on or before the court date.

Code 1950, §§ 46-96, 46-160; 1950, p. 625; 1954, c. 211; 1958, c. 541, § 46.1-99; 1974, cc. 150, 477; 1989, c. 727; 1993, c. 290; 1995, c. 46; 1997, cc. 774, 816; 2001, c. 596; 2005, c. 140; 2011, cc. 405, 639, 881, 889; 2013, c. 783; 2014, cc. 53, 256; 2015, cc. 2, 3; 2016, cc. 125, 133; 2017, cc. 670, 790, 815; 2018, c. 555.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 6 cases (2 in the last 5 years), 2004–2025 · leading case: Vasaio v. Dep't of Motor Vehs., 590 S.E.2d 596 (Va. Ct. App. 2004).
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Vasaio v. Dep't of Motor Vehs., 590 S.E.2d 596 (Va. Ct. App. 2004). · cites it 2× “See Code §§ 46.2-711, -712. If the statute were construed to permit registration of temporarily inoperable vehicles without proof of insurance or payment of the uninsured motor vehicle fee, registrants could avoid the requirements of Code § 46.”
Neal v. Fairfax Cnty. Police Dep't, 812 S.E.2d 444 (Va. 2018). · cites it 2× “Under this definition, a license plate number may be deemed "personal information" in certain contexts because it is technically an "agency-issued identification number." The DMV is an agency of the Commonwealth of Virginia.”
Hodges v. Henrico Police Dep't, No. 3:23-cv-00271 (E.D. Va. Feb. 16, 2024). · cites it 8× “See Va. Code Ann. § 46.2-711 (2023).'? 12 Virginia Code § 46.”
Whateley v. Lackey, Ph.D., 785 F. Supp. 3d 149 (W.D. Va. 2025). · cites it 3× “08 at 16; see Va. Code §§ 46.2-711 (number, placement, and type of license plate); § 46.”
Edward A. Vasaio v. Dept. Motor Vehs.,Commonweal, No. 0707032 (Va. Ct. App. Jan. 13, 2004). · cites it 2× “See Code §§ 46.2-711, -712. If the statute were construed to permit registration of temporarily inoperable vehicles without proof of 2 At oral argument before this Court, appellant asserted his motorcycle was not a motor vehicle under Code § 46.”
Commonwealth of Virginia v. Hunter Franklin Hocutt, No. 0104152 (Va. Ct. App. June 23, 2015). · cites it 2× “See Code § 46.2-711(E). However, the statute preventing lawful operation of a vehicle without license plates does not also provide authority to impound the vehicle itself.”
Va. Code Ann. § 46.2-711(A): 1 case
Neal v. Fairfax Cnty. Police Dep't, 812 S.E.2d 444 (Va. 2018). “Under this definition, a license plate number may be deemed "personal information" in certain contexts because it is technically an "agency-issued identification number." The DMV is an agency of the Commonwealth of Virginia.”
Va. Code Ann. § 46.2-711(E): 1 case
Commonwealth of Virginia v. Hunter Franklin Hocutt, No. 0104152 (Va. Ct. App. June 23, 2015). “See Code § 46.2-711(E). However, the statute preventing lawful operation of a vehicle without license plates does not also provide authority to impound the vehicle itself.”
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