Crashes, insurance and registration in Virginia

By the end of this topic you can

• You can list the steps to take at a crash scene.
• You can explain what to do after hitting an unattended car or property.
• You can state Virginia's minimum liability insurance amounts.
• You can explain the risks of driving without insurance.
• You can describe registration and inspection basics for a car.

What you need to know and understand

• After a crash with injury, death or damage to attended property, you must stop, give your details to police and the other people involved, and help anyone injured.
• Leaving a crash with injury, death or more than $1,000 in property damage is a Class 5 felony.
• If you hit an unattended vehicle or property and cannot find the owner, leave a note and report to police in writing within 24 hours.
• For policies from January 1, 2025, minimum liability cover is $50,000 per person and $100,000 per crash for injury or death, and $25,000 for property damage.
• Driving an uninsured vehicle is a Class 3 misdemeanor and leads to license and registration suspension.
• Reinstatement after an uninsured conviction requires a $600 noncompliance fee and future proof of insurance.
• Cars registered in Virginia must also pass a state safety inspection.

At the scene: step by step

1. Stop immediately, as close to the scene as you safely can, without blocking traffic more than necessary.
2. Turn on hazard lights and check yourself and passengers for injuries. Call 911 if anyone is hurt.
3. Give reasonable help to injured people, including getting them to medical care if they need it or ask.
4. Give your name, address, driver's license number and vehicle registration number to the police and to the other driver or the injured person.
5. Exchange insurance details and note the time, place, vehicles and any witnesses.
6. If you are too hurt to do this at the scene, report to police as soon as reasonably possible.

Hitting a parked car or property

Make a reasonable effort to find the owner. If you cannot, leave a note somewhere easy to see with your name, contact details and license information. Then report the crash in writing to the State Police or local police within 24 hours, including the date, time, place and a description of the damage. Driving away without doing this is a criminal offense.

Insurance and registration basics

Virginia no longer offers a fee option that lets you drive uninsured. Every vehicle must carry at least the minimum liability cover: $50,000 per person and $100,000 per crash for injury or death, plus $25,000 for property damage. These are minimums, and many families choose higher limits.

Register your car with Virginia DMV and keep the registration in the vehicle. New residents can drive a car registered in another state for the first 30 days of residency. Virginia vehicles also need a valid safety inspection sticker from an official inspection station; ask the station or DMV when yours is due.

Common mistakes

• Driving off after a minor bump because it 'looked fine'. If the damage is to attended property, you must still stop and exchange details.
• Admitting fault or arguing at the scene. Stick to facts and let police and insurers decide.
• Assuming a family car is insured for a new driver. Check with the insurer that you are covered.
• Forgetting the inspection sticker. Your road test car needs one too.

Test yourself: Crashes, insurance and registration in Virginia

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.

Go deeper

• How to Get a Driver’s License in Virginia
• Moving to Virginia
• Virginia 45-Hour Driving Log and Driver Ed Requirements