Virginia Code

Va. Code Ann. § 46.2-870 (2026)

Maximum speed limits generally

✓ current as of May 2026

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Except as otherwise provided in this article, the maximum speed limit shall be 55 miles per hour on interstate highways or other limited access highways with divided roadways, nonlimited access highways having four or more lanes, and all state primary highways.

The maximum speed limit on all other highways shall be 55 miles per hour if the vehicle is a passenger motor vehicle, bus, pickup or panel truck, or a motorcycle, but 45 miles per hour on such highways if the vehicle is a truck, tractor truck, or combination of vehicles designed to transport property, or is a motor vehicle being used to tow a vehicle designed for self-propulsion, or a house trailer.

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, the maximum speed limit shall be 70 miles per hour where indicated by lawfully placed signs, erected subsequent to a traffic engineering study and analysis of available and appropriate accident and law-enforcement data, on (i) interstate highways; (ii) multilane, divided, limited access highways; and (iii) high-occupancy vehicle lanes if such lanes are physically separated from regular travel lanes. The maximum speed limit shall be 60 miles per hour where indicated by lawfully placed signs, erected subsequent to a traffic engineering study and analysis of available and appropriate accident and law-enforcement data, on U.S. Route 17, U.S. Route 23, U.S. Route 29, U.S. Route 58, U.S. Alternate Route 58, U.S. Route 301, U.S. Route 360, U.S. Route 460, U.S. Route 501 between the Town of South Boston and the North Carolina state line, State Route 3, and State Route 207 where such routes are nonlimited access, multilane, divided highways.

Code 1950, § 46-212; 1950, p. 881; 1952, c. 666; 1954, c. 244; 1956, c. 364; 1958, c. 541, §§ 46.1-193, 46.1-401; 1960, c. 153; 1962, c. 307; 1964, cc. 118, 408; 1966, c. 85; 1968, c. 641; 1972, cc. 89, 546, 553, 608; 1974, c. 528; 1975, c. 533; 1977, c. 577; 1978, c. 605; 1980, c. 347; 1986, c. 639; 1988, cc. 662, 897; 1989, cc. 276, 526, 727; 1992, c. 598; 1994, c. 423; 1996, c. 1; 1998, cc. 546, 560; 1999, c. 142; 2001, c. 298; 2002, c. 872; 2003, c. 838; 2004, c. 696; 2005, cc. 266, 267, 268; 2006, c. 213; 2007, cc. 222, 544; 2010, cc. 26, 56; 2014, c. 91; 2018, cc. 160, 339, 340, 345.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 14 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1994–2024 · leading case: Veney v. Ojeda, 321 F. Supp. 2d 733 (E.D. Va. 2004).

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Veney v. Ojeda, 321 F. Supp. 2d 733 (E.D. Va. 2004). · cites it 3× “See Va.Code § 46.2-870 et seq. (setting forth laws regarding maximum speed limits).”

Dennis Vernon White v. Commonwealth of Virginia, 494 S.E.2d 896 (Va. Ct. App. 1998). · cites it 4× “White had previously pled guilty in the general district court to a speeding charge in violation of Code § 46.2-870 and Narrows Town Ordinance § 155-3 for driving at a speed of sixty miles per hour in a forty miles per hour zone.”

John J. Bahen, Jr. v. Cnty. of Henrico, 516 S.E.2d 250 (Va. Ct. App. 1999). · cites it 6× “” Code § 46.2-870. That general rule is subject to many statutory exceptions.”

Gray v. Commonwealth, 446 S.E.2d 480 (Va. Ct. App. 1994). · cites it 2× “Pearl Spears Gray (Gray) appeals her conviction for operating a motor vehicle in excess of the posted speed limit in violation of Code § 46.2-870. Gray was issued a summons by state trooper J.”

Commonwealth v. Tocci, 84 Va. Cir. 359 (Charlottesville Cir. Ct. 2012). · cites it 3× “See Va. Code § 46.2-870. A local ordinance passed by the City of Charlottesville, however, sets the maximum speed limit for the relevant portion of the Route 250 Bypass at 35 mph.”

Thomas K. Plofchan, Jr. v. Commonwealth (Va. Ct. App. 2007). · cites it 10× “Following a bench trial, the trial court convicted him of speeding in violation of Code § 46.2-870. On appeal he contends the trial court erred when it failed to grant his motion to strike because there “can be no lesser included offenses of a traffic violation.”

Lance Jonathan Payne v. Commonwealth of Virginia (Va. Ct. App. 2024). · cites it 4× “3 Code § 46.2-870 provides for the maximum speed limits in the Commonwealth.”

Commonwealth v. Patton, 87 Va. Cir. 215 (Fairfax Cir. Ct. 2013). · cites it 3× “2-878, but finding the defendant guilty of a lesser-included offense under Va. Code § 46.2-870); Commonwealth v. *222 Tocci, 84 Va.”

Nikolaos Kollas v. Commonwealth of Virginia (Va. Ct. App. 2012). · cites it 2× “Nikolaos Kollas (appellant) appeals from his jury trial conviction for speeding in violation of Code § 46.2-870. On appeal, he contends the trial court erred in admitting into evidence copies of certificates of tuning fork accuracy because they did not meet the requirements of…”

April Noelle Lawrence Bahen v. City of Hampton (Va. Ct. App. 2004). · cites it 2× “” Generally, the maximum speed limit shall be 55 miles per hour on interstate highways or other limited access highways with divided roadways, nonlimited access highways having four or more lanes, and all state primary highways. The maximum speed limit on all other highways…”

Scott M. White, s/k/a Scott Matthew White v. CW (Va. Ct. App. 2000). · cites it 2× “White was convicted in a bench trial of operating a motor vehicle in excess of the posted speed limit in violation of Code § 46.2-870. On appeal, White argues that the trial court erred by denying his motion to suppress the evidence of his speed and erred by admitting…”

Ronald Eugene Crewey v. Commonwealth of Virginia (Va. Ct. App. 1998). · cites it 2× “2 Appellant was also arrested for speeding in violation of Code § 46.2-870. At trial, he pled guilty to the speeding charge and that conviction is not before us.”

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