Virginia Vehicle Registration

Obtain a Virginia Vehicle Title

The initial step in the registration procedure typically involves obtaining a title for a motor vehicle. This title, also known as a certificate of title, confirms the legal ownership of the automobile and includes crucial details such as the manufacturing date, Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), and the vehicle's make and model.

The requirements for obtaining a vehicle title depend on the type of vehicle, apart from the $15 titling fee.

In-State Vehicles or Trailers

For newly purchased in-state vehicles or trailers, the owner must provide a Manufacturer's Statement of Origin (MSO) or a Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin (MCO). In addition to the MCO or MSO, they must complete a paper or online Application for Title and Registration form.

For used in-state vehicles or trailers, the owner must provide:

• Virginia title with "Certificate of Buyer" part completed
• Completed Application for Registration
• Proof of address
• Evidence of purchase prices, such as buyer's order, bill of sale, or price on title declared by the seller

The document confirming the transaction can either be a manually written note endorsed by the seller and buyer or a Vehicle Price Certification authenticated by one of the involved parties.

Out-of-State Trailers or Vehicles

For out-of-state motor vehicles, the following documentation is required:

• Completed Application Title and Registration (online or paper)
• Evidence of Address

And one of the following:

• A registration card or title from the previous state where the individual resided
• A document from the U.S. Armed Forces showing the owner's name
• The duly signed transfer of out-of-state title from the former owner to the new owner

If the vehicle or trailer was acquired within the last 12 months, the applicant must also present:

• Vehicle Price Certification duly signed by the purchaser or seller
• The proof of purchase price (bill of sale, buyer's order, price on title)

Out-of-State Trailers or Vehicles Without a Title

When registering an out-of-state trailer for which the previous state did not issue a title, individuals must provide the following documentation:

• Completed Application for Certificate of Title and Registration
• Registration card that is currently valid or has expired within the past year
• MCO, if available
• Bill of sale
• Completed, duly signed, and notarized Application in Lieu of Title Certificate

The Application in Lieu of the Title Certificate must detail the reasons for the title's inaccessibility, recount the attempts to acquire a title certificate and include comprehensive supporting evidence to trace the chain of ownership.

If the bill of sale is unavailable, include a completed and signed Vehicle Price Certification with the trailer's VIN, make, and year.

Imported Vehicles

Vehicles brought into the U.S. from another country, including motorcycles, are classified as imported vehicles. It is a legal requirement for anyone who acquires an automobile internationally to register it with the VA DMV.

VA DMV requires that all imported vehicles under 25 years old must show proof of either an exemption or adherence to the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) prior to being eligible for titling and registration within Virginia.

The VA DMV will only issue a registration or a title for an imported motor vehicle when the applicant submits satisfactory proof of compliance. As per the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Form HS 7, vehicles that are exempt from the FMVSS are eligible for registration only for a set period.

How To Apply for a Title?

To apply for a title, the applicant must submit the specific requirements for their vehicle type, along with the following documents:

• Fully accomplished Application for Certificate of Title and Registration (VSA 17A)
• Authenticated source of ownership document (e.g., existing title, prior registration, MCO, MSO, Export Certificate)
• Proof of address
• English translations for all documents written in a foreign language
• Bill of sale or invoice with VIN
• The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 3520-1 Declaration, if applicable
• U.S. Department of Transportation HS-7 Declaration and any other condition stated on the HS-7
• Completed U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) forms 7501 (electronic or physical) and 3461

If the Export Certificate is issued in the name of an export company rather than the individual applying, the applicant must receive a sales receipt or invoice from the export company to verify the change in ownership.

Additionally, every customs form should clearly show the VIN to authenticate the imported vehicle. If a document consists of several pages, always include all of them in the submission.

After completing all the required documents, submit them by mail or appointment with the VA DMV customer service center. For mail-in applications, one can send the documents to:

Fulfill the Insurance Coverage Requirements

All applicants must make sure that their vehicle meets the minimum insurance coverage requirements.

Additionally, if the liability insurance coverage for their vehicle terminates or gets canceled during the registration period, they have several options:

• Reinsure the vehicle
• Pay the fee for uninsured motor vehicles
• Temporarily deactivate their license plates or surrender the license plates to the VA DMV

For-hire vehicles must maintain insurance coverage that exceeds the standard insurance limits and comply with the regulations set by the intrastate operating authority.

Pass the Emission Inspection

The emissions inspection stations are designed to electronically transmit the test results directly to the VA DMV's records in real time. In such cases, the VA DMV will not request additional emissions information from the vehicle owner.

However, the agency will contact the owner to obtain the necessary emissions details if a vehicle fails the emissions test or the DMV does not receive the test data.

Except for motorcycles, this emissions inspection requirement applies to all vehicles that are garaged in the following Virginia counties:

• Arlington
• Fairfax
• Loudoun
• Prince William
• Stafford

The requirement also extends to vehicles garaged within the city limits of:

• Alexandria
• Fairfax
• Falls Church
• Manassas
• Manassas Park

Comply With the Special Requirements for For-Hire Vehicles

Certain conditions must be met when an individual applies for an original vehicle registration or transfers an existing registration to a different vehicle and intends to use that vehicle for commercial transportation purposes.

This situation is relevant when an individual who does not possess intrastate operating authority under their intended vehicle registration name leases the vehicle to another entity. This entity could be a person or company with valid intrastate operating authority, like a limousine service or a rideshare company like Uber.

In this situation, the individual must complete the For-Hire Vehicles Registration Request form and submit it to the Motor Carrier Services division of the VA DMV.

Motor Carrier Services will review the request and notify the individual by the next business day whether they have received pre-authorization to proceed with the vehicle registration transaction or if additional documentation or requirements need to be fulfilled.

Pass the Safety Inspection

Virginia laws mandate that all vehicles undergo an annual safety inspection and display a valid inspection sticker before they can be legally operated on the state's roads. Failure to comply with this requirement by driving a vehicle may result in law enforcement officers issuing a citation to the driver.

A conviction for violating Virginia's inspection laws could result in a fine, which would also be recorded on the individual's driving record.

License Plates in Virginia

VA DMV issues license plates that must be appropriately displayed when registering a vehicle.

For most vehicles, such as cars and SUVs, one license plate must be mounted on the front and another on the rear. However, certain vehicles, including motorcycles, trailers, and tractor trucks, only need to display a single license plate on the rear.

For a newly purchased vehicle, its owner can transfer their existing license plates to the new car instead of obtaining new ones. However, they must promptly order replacement plates from the VA DMV if the license plates are lost, stolen, or damaged.

License Plate Designs

The design of the standard license plate in Virginia features blue lettering on a white background, with the state's name displayed at the top.

In addition to regular license plates, one can apply for various Virginia specialty and personalized plates and disability placards.

How To Obtain Vanity License Plates?

Any registered vehicle owners can order personalized license plates online, provided the custom plate is registered to a Virginia-based motor vehicle. The VA DMV provides vanity license plates for various cars, such as pickup trucks, automobiles, motorcycles, and vans.

To secure a personalized license plate, owners must meet several conditions:

• Payment of a $10 fee on top of the standard renewal fee
• A maximum of seven characters on the plate, including letters (A to Z), dashes, numbers (0 to 9), ampersands, and spaces
• Must not contain any vulgarity, profanity, obscenity, sexual explicitness, and excretory references

Prospective applicants can verify the availability of their desired personalized plate message via the Virginia Personalized Plate Website.

One can order by completing the transaction online at the same website or filling out a Personalized Virginia License Plate Application form and mailing it with the necessary fees to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, P.O. Box 27412, Richmond, VA 23269-0001.

Renewal Periods

Typically, vehicle registrations in Virginia expire after a year. Therefore, drivers must renew their vehicle registrations yearly to continue driving legally on Virginia's roads and highways.

VA DMV proactively sends renewal reminders to drivers before their vehicle registrations expire. Drivers can sign up for the DMV's E-Notifications service online to receive these reminders via email or text message.

Additionally, the VA DMV mails renewal notices 90 days before a registration's expiration date and follows up with email and text alerts 30 days before the expiration.

Vehicle Registration Renewal

Virginia provides drivers with three convenient options to renew their vehicle registrations.

Online Renewal

Individuals who need to renew their vehicle registration online have two options. The first option is to use the title number and the last four digits of the VIN on the "Renew Vehicle Registration" system. This method is mandatory for authorized lessees of a leased motor vehicle.

The second option is to renew through the MyDMV Account. To do this, individuals must sign in using their Social Security number or DMV customer number.

Mail-in Renewal

Virginia drivers should review the pre-printed renewal notice sent to them by the VA DMV. If the address on the notice is incorrect, one can still proceed with the mail-in renewal process. However, if there are any other inaccuracies on the notice, one should contact the VA DMV's customer service line at (804) 497-7100 to rectify the issue.

Subsequently, the driver must complete the vehicle registration renewal form, typically included with the renewal notice sent by the VA DMV.

If the driver is eligible for a multi-year discount and opts to renew for two years, they will benefit from a $2 discount.

Afterward, they should enclose their payment and mail the completed form to:

Regarding delivery time, most customers receive their vehicle registration materials within five days. However, U.S. mail delivery times can vary, so allow up to 15 days to receive decals before contacting the VA DMV.

In-Person Renewal

Individuals can personally renew their vehicle registration at the nearest VA DMV Select. They must bring the documents they used for the initial registration, including the Application for Registration. It is recommended that applicants should keep a copy of each document readily available for the renewal process.

Mail-In Request

Individuals can submit a written request by mail, including the vehicle's title number, VIN, make, year as reflected on the certificate of title or the vehicle registration card, and an $8 check for the research fee. The request should be mailed to:

In-Person Request

Individuals interested in obtaining vehicle record information can visit a VA DMV customer service center in person, where they must present appropriate identification, such as:

• A valid driver's license or photo identification card
• Pay the required transcript/research fee

The requested vehicle record will only reflect the period during which the requesting individual has owned the vehicle.

The fee for obtaining a vehicle record in person is $8.

Online Request

A vehicle record can be requested online through the "Transaction: Record Request" system.

The VA DMV permits individuals to view data they purchased within a 5-day from the original purchase date at no additional charge. However, after that period, the fee is $9 for the record requested online.