Will A Reckless Driving Charge Put Points on My VA Driving Record?
If you’re charged with reckless driving in Virginia, you may be wondering about the possible demerit points on your driving record.
Key Takeaways
- A reckless driving conviction in Virginia results in 6 demerit points on your Virginia driving record.
- The conviction stays on your DMV record for 11 years, the same duration as a DUI in Virginia.
- Six points alone may not cause suspension, but if combined with other violations, it could lead to license consequences.
- Out-of-state drivers are subject to their home state’s point system, not Virginia’s, even though the conviction will be reported.
- States vary in how they handle out-of-state convictions: some assign points, others don’t, and a few won’t even record it.
- Virginia participates in the National Driver’s License Compact, meaning most states will be notified of your conviction.
- Consulting a reckless driving attorney is essential to understand the point and license impact specific to your case and state.
Frankly, it’s confusing. And there’s lots of conflicting information in the internet. Let’s clear up the subject.
How Many Points For A VA Reckless Driving Charge?
If you have a Virginia driver’s license, a conviction of reckless driving will put 6 demerit points on your record. The conviction will stay there for 11 years. That’s the exact same treatment as a DUI.
Six points alone won’t kill your record. But if you have some other violations on there already, six points could tip you over the edge to be suspended by DMV.
Other Licensees
If your license is from another state, the situation gets more complicated. In short, points are controlled by your home state. Virginia has nothing to do with it.
The states (except Georgia, Massachusetts, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Tennessee) are members of the National Driver’s License Compact. That means that they share conviction and suspension information with each other.
If you are convicted of reckless driving in Virginia, Virginia will tell your home state about the conviction. Your home state will then have some decisions to make:
- Will the conviction even go on your driving record? Not all states will record all convictions.
- If the conviction is recorded, will you get points for it? States handle this differently. Some will match the conviction with the point table for in-state offenses, some assign a set number of points for any out-of-state offense, and some states won’t assess points at all.
Contact Flusche & Fitzgerald To Discuss Your Reckless Driving Charge
There are several factors that go into points on Virginia’s driving record after a reckless driving charge. If you’re facing reckless driving charges, our experienced reckless driving lawyers are ready to help you!
Contact Flusche & Fitzgerald, and we can discuss the facts of your case.
