Virginia Ends Uninsured Motor Vehicle Fee Option
RICHMOND, VA - August 17, 2026 - PRESSADVANTAGE - This report, distributed by Wind Injury Law, LLC, examines recent
Press Release Disclaimer: This is a press release distributed through the XPR Media network. It has not been independently verified by our newsroom.
RICHMOND, VA – August 17, 2026 – PRESSADVANTAGE –
This report, distributed by Wind Injury Law, LLC, examines recent changes to Virginia’s mandatory auto insurance requirements that are directly relevant to drivers and car accident victims statewide.
Virginia eliminated its longstanding $500 uninsured motor vehicle fee effective July 1, 2024, under Senate Bill 951, passed by the General Assembly in 2023. The fee had allowed vehicle owners to register a vehicle without carrying liability insurance by instead paying $500 annually to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Before the repeal, Virginia was one of only two states, along with New Hampshire, that generally allowed motorists to drive without conventional auto insurance.
The $500 fee never provided insurance coverage. Drivers who paid it remained personally responsible for injuries or property damage they caused. An injured person therefore had no liability policy issued to the at-fault driver to pursue, although other potential sources of recovery, including the injured person’s own uninsured motorist coverage, could still be available.
The Virginia DMV reported that approximately 6,100 residents used the uninsured motor vehicle fee option before it was eliminated. The repeal was intended to reduce the number of uninsured vehicles operating on Virginia roads. Virginia DMV
Separately, for auto policies effective on or after January 1, 2025, Virginia increased its minimum liability insurance limits to $50,000 for bodily injury or death to one person, $100,000 for bodily injury or death to two or more people in one accident, and $25,000 for property damage. The previous limits, applicable to policies effective from January 1, 2022, through December 31, 2024, were $30,000, $60,000, and $20,000, respectively.
Virginia auto policies must also include uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage. UM/UIM limits generally equal the policy’s liability limits unless a named insured rejects, in the manner required by law, the additional coverage above Virginia’s statutory minimum. The statutory minimum UM/UIM protection cannot simply be removed from the policy altogether.
These requirements matter to car accident victims because the ability to obtain compensation may depend on the at-fault driver’s liability insurance or the injured person’s UM/UIM coverage when the responsible driver is uninsured or does not have enough insurance to cover the losses.
Virginia DMV verifies insurance through electronic insurer reporting and other monitoring methods. When DMV cannot confirm coverage, it may request insurance information or issue an order of suspension. An owner generally has an opportunity to provide proof of coverage before the suspension takes effect. Failure to comply can lead to suspension of driving and vehicle-registration privileges. Reinstatement generally requires payment of a $600 noncompliance fee, any applicable reinstatement fee, and maintenance of an SR-22 financial-responsibility certificate for three years.
Virginia is also one of a small number of states that applies the pure contributory negligence rule to most personal injury claims. Under this rule, an injured person who is found to have contributed to an accident, even slightly, may generally be barred from recovering damages from another at-fault party.
The information in this release reflects Virginia Senate Bill 951, the Code of Virginia, and published Virginia DMV guidance. It is provided for general public awareness and is not a substitute for legal advice concerning an individual case.
Wind Injury Law, LLC represents car accident victims in Richmond and throughout Virginia, including people injured in crashes involving uninsured and underinsured motorists. The firm has additional offices in Roanoke, Tappahannock, Mechanicsville, South Hill, Southampton, and Farmville.
###
For more information about Wind Injury Law, LLC, contact the company here:
Wind Injury Law, LLC
Ryan Wind
+18047733815
ryan@windinjurylaw.com
5400-D Glenside Dr, Richmond, VA 23228, United States
