What is VASAP?
What is VASAP? It’s the Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program. For certain offenses in Virginia, VASAP is mandatory.
Transcription
Hello, I’m Andrew Flusche. I’m a Virginia traffic attorney. Today I wanted to answer a common question that clients ask when they’re charged with a DUI or DWI in Virginia. One thing that comes up is VASAP. What is VASAP? Simply put, DUI convictions in Virginia require offenders to complete the Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program (VASAP) and what that is, is a requirement for certain offenses if you’re convicted of them in Virginia. It is required that you attend VASAP.
Essentially it’s a series of classes and treatment designed to help people with any kind of alcohol or substance abuse problem that they may have. VASAP is designed to help you overcome that and get back on your feet and make sure that you don’t have future problems. If you’re convicted of DUI in Virginia, VASAP is a mandatory requirement. It can be waived by the court if good cause is shown, but it’s rarely, if ever, waived in first DUI cases. So VASAP is something that if you’re charged with DUI, and convicted, you would have to attend normally.
The main requirements of VASAP are that you would first go to an intake interview and they determine your level of need and what kind of situation you’re in. They then set you up with a course of treatment or classes that fit your situation best. Most of the time, on a first DUI in Virginia, at least in the Fredericksburg area, you’re looking at a series of classes. That’s all that you would have to do. And you would be reporting to the person handling your file at VASAP, but you just need to do the classes.
VASAP also works with the court on your restricted license if you’re convicted of DUI and get a restricted license. So you would be working with them closely. If you needed to go to the doctor, for instance, they would help authorize that on your restricted license. But the main thing that VASP does is those alcohol treatment classes. That’s the main thing that they are for.
The classes themselves aren’t really a problem; you just need to be sure to attend them and participate. The real concern for a lot of clients is that VASAP can be pricey. The current rate for around this area is around $400 for your VASAP classes. If you’re from out of state and you get a charge here in the Fredericksburg area normally what happens, if you’re convicted of the DUI, is that you would need to enroll with the VASAP here and pay them a monitoring fee, which is usually around $300. Then they would help you find a similar course of treatment where you are, in whatever state you’re in, and you would have to pay that course as well to do the classes with them and VASAP here in Virginia would simply monitor you.
So as you can see, if you’re from out of state VASAP can actually get quite expensive, because you’re paying a substantial fee in Virginia and you’re going to have to also pay some fees to the course that you actually participate with wherever you’re from.
That’s all it is; VASAP is the Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program. It’s mandatory on certain offenses, such as DUI, and it’s something that we can definitely talk about if you call me to discuss your case.
Contact us today at 540-318-5824 to discuss your case and learn how we can help you.
Is VASAP required for a first DUI offense in Virginia?
Yes, VASAP is mandatory for virtually all Virginia DUI convictions, including first offenses. Virginia Code 18.2-271.1 requires the court to order completion of VASAP for anyone convicted of a first or second DUI. It is rarely waived, and completing it is also tied directly to reinstating your driver’s license after a DUI suspension. Skipping or failing to complete VASAP can result in additional jail time and a much longer period of license suspension than you would otherwise face.
How much does VASAP cost in Virginia?
VASAP fees in the Fredericksburg area typically run around $400 for the program itself. Out-of-state drivers face higher costs because they generally pay a monitoring fee to the local Virginia VASAP office, around $300, in addition to whatever fees the comparable program in their home state charges. The total expense can be significant, and it comes on top of fines, court costs, and any attorney fees from your DUI case.
What happens if you do not complete VASAP in Virginia?
Failing to complete VASAP after a Virginia DUI conviction can result in being called back to court and having suspended jail time activated. Virginia courts treat VASAP noncompliance seriously because the program is tied to both the suspended sentence and your restricted license. Your restricted driving privilege, which allows you to drive for essential purposes during your suspension period, is also contingent on active participation in VASAP. If VASAP reports you as noncompliant, that privilege can be revoked on top of any additional jail consequences.
