If a Virginia court suspends your license, you cannot drive for a specific period of time. People usually suspend your license because of an offense that they think you committed on the road.
There are several reasons why you may face a license suspension.
Conviction for an offense
According to the Virginia Driver’s Manual, courts may suspend your driver’s license if you receive a conviction connected to a traffic violation. This may include some of the following actions:
- Driving without a license
- Reckless driving
- Driving without a required ignition interlock device
- Providing false information to the Department of Motor Vehicles
You usually do not lose your driving privileges as soon as you face these charges. Instead, courts wait until you receive a verdict.
Alcohol
You may also face a license suspension for actions connected to alcohol. This includes a conviction for drinking and driving. However, other actions may also result in a suspension. If you have a child in the car with you when law enforcement members suspect that you are drinking and driving, you may face a suspension. Courts may also suspend your license if you had an open container of alcohol in your car that was within reach of the driver’s seat.
Additional factors
Sometimes, officials may suspend your license for matters that are not connected to driving. If you are more than three months behind on your child support payments, for example, you may face a license suspension. Failing to submit insurance information to the DMV may also result in a suspension.
Once your suspension period is over, you usually need to meet several requirements to get your license back. You may need to attend driver education classes or alcohol programs, for example.