What Effect Will a Ticket in Virginia Have on my North Carolina License?

Don’t just pay the ticket! Both Virginia and North Carolina are members of the Driver’s License Compact, a compact designed to promote highway safety and traffic law obedience among motorists traveling outside of their home state. This means any tickets received in Virginia will be reported to North Carolina.

Per the Driver’s License Compact, certain serious offenses occurring out of state are required to be treated as if they occurred in the license holder’s home state – requiring North Carolina to impose the appropriate license suspension according to the laws of North Carolina. Practically speaking, you should expect any traffic infraction or misdemeanor you are convicted of in Virginia to appear on your North Carolina driving record – usually with even harsher consequences.

North Carolina treats out-of-state convictions for traffic offenses as if they happened in North Carolina. They will document your Virginia ticket on your North Carolina record and will impose the applicable points under their own point system. North Carolina insurance companies also treat out-of-state violations equally and insurance premium hikes have a tendency to be steep. This insurance hike is controlled by the North Carolina Safe Driver Incentive Program which imposes “insurance points” (in addition to the standard license points) requiring insurance premium increases from 30% to 340% (yes, a Three Hundred and Forty Percent insurance rate increase) based on the severity of the traffic offense!

North Carolina also imposes mandatory license suspensions of 30 days or 60 days (depending on your driving history) for all speeding or Reckless Driving offenses over 80 MPH or for driving more than 15 MPH over the speed limit when you are traveling at a speed in excess of 55 MPH. See North Carolina General Statute 20-16.1 for a more detailed explanation of this administrative suspension. Remember this is an additional suspension to anything the Virginia judge may impose for a Reckless Driving ticket.

We always advise speaking with a licensed North Carolina attorney if you require a more detailed analysis of the effect an out-of-state conviction will have on your North Carolina license.

In many cases, a Virginia traffic attorney can reduce your charge to a lower point violation, avoid points altogether, or even have your case dismissed. They can often do so without you having to travel back for the court date. Most attorneys will provide a free consultation during which you can get answers regarding your particular case, likely outcomes, and a fee quote.

If you are a North Carolina driver and have been charged with Reckless Driving, speeding, or another traffic violation in Virginia and would like to discuss your charge with one of our experienced attorneys, please give us a call at (804) 355-8037. We will give you a free consultation and can discuss our strategy for achieving the best possible outcome in your case.

Read More:

Out of State Drivers in Virginia
What Effect Will a Virginia Ticket Have On My Pennsylvania Driver License?