Virginia DUI
Virginia DUI laws: your notice sets the license deadline
The license case moves first, and the paper notice you were given prints your hearing deadline.
Answered day and night. A professional reviews your Virginia case for free and connects you with a Virginia DUI lawyer.
Arrested for DUI in Virginia? Your notice sets the date.
A first-arrest administrative suspension lasts 7 days. You may ask the general district court to review it during that suspension.
The two clocks: court and DMV
Your Virginia DUI arrest opened a criminal case and a separate license case with the DMV. If that date passes, your license can be suspended before you ever see a judge.
The first-arrest roadside suspension and the license loss after conviction are different actions. A suspension duration is not a hearing-request deadline. (DMV rule)
A first offense in Virginia
| What | The rule |
|---|---|
| Fine | a Class 1 misdemeanor with a mandatory minimum fine of $250 |
| Jail | an extra mandatory 5 days at a BAC of 0.15 to 0.20; 10 days above 0.20 |
| License (court) | license loss for one year from the date of conviction |
The judge picks a number inside each range. So ask where cases like yours land in Virginia (Virginia penalty rules).
Second and later offenses
| What | The rule |
|---|---|
| Second offense | a mandatory minimum fine of $500 and at least one month in jail, ten days of it mandatory |
| License, second offense (DMV) | 60 days if charged with a second offense |
An earlier case changes every number above. Tell the lawyer the date and state of each prior case (Virginia repeat-offense rules).
Add-on fines and the newest change
- With a child in the car: a passenger 17 or younger adds $500 to $1,000 and 5 days (statute).
Newest change in Virginia. Since July 1, 2026, a Virginia court can give a restricted license with an interlock right away after a DUI or refusal conviction, instead of after a waiting period. (Virginia HB561 summary)
See how the interlock works and the DUI penalties table.
What a lawyer costs in Virginia
Lawyers in Virginia set their own fees. Ask what a quote covers: the court case, the DMV hearing, a trial. DUI lawyer cost lists the questions to ask.
Check a lawyer's license
The lawyer who takes your case handles DUI cases in Virginia and holds an active Virginia license. Ask for the bar number on the call and it is yours to keep.
What to do now
The date on your license notice is the one that can take your license first. Once it passes, the DMV can suspend you without a hearing. Call us now, and a Virginia DUI defense lawyer can file the hearing request before that date and start on your defense.
Call about Virginia DUI (877) 317-9931
Answered day and night. A professional reviews your Virginia case for free and connects you with a Virginia DUI lawyer.
Send your case details
Send the date of your Virginia arrest and the date printed on your DMV notice. Those two dates set your deadline, so the lawyer who calls you starts there.