CARDON GOODMAN, P.C.

Laws Different For Under 18-Year-Old Drivers
by David A. Cardon, Esquire

Dear Mr. Cardon,
I am 17 and was recently convicted for speeding. When I went to court to contest the charge, the judge found me guilty, imposed a small fine and court costs. He did not order me to take a driving course. A few weeks later, I received a letter from the DMV telling me to attend a driver's improvement course or I would lose my license. Can the DMV require me to also take a driver's improvement course when the judge only ordered that I pay a fine and court costs?

Third offense: After the third conviction, the DMV will revoke the driver's license or privilege to drive for one year or until the driver reaches the age of eighteen years old, whichever is longer. The suspension is consecutive to, and not concurrent with, any other period of license suspension, revocation, or denial.

Multiple convictions: Suppose you are under the age of 18 and receive two tickets at the same time for offenses that demerit points have been or could be assessed. You might ask yourself, if I am convicted of both these offenses, are they counted as second AND third offense under the statute? The answer is no. According to the law, if you receive multiple convictions arising out of the same transaction or occurrence they are treated as one offense.

Other laws specific to drivers under 18: If you are under 18 years of age, there are other laws related to driving that are relevant to you:

    (1) Knowledge test waiting period: If you are under 18 years of age, apply for a driver's license, and fail the motor
    vehicle knowledge test, you are not eligible for retesting for at least 15 days.

    (2) Cancellation of license by parents: Under Virginia law, custodial parents or guardian of an unmarried or unemancipated minor between the age of 16 and 18 years old may, after the issuance of a permanent driver's license to a minor, file with the DMV a written request that the minor's license be canceled. The DMV will then cancel the license and will not reissue the minor's license until either six months have elapsed, or the minor has reached his or her 18th birthday, whichever occurs sooner.

DISCLAIMER: David A. Cardon is an attorney at the Virginia Beach office of Cardon and Goodman, P.C. who concentrates his legal practice in traffic, criminal, and personal injury law. Mr. Cardon provides the materials contained above as a public service and on an informational basis only. These materials are not intended to be a comprehensive statement of Virginia law, and are not intended to convey legal advice. If you have a legal problem, you should consult with an attorney in your area who can investigate the particular circumstances of your situation. You can contact David Cardon, Esquire at (757) 306-9060 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .'; document.write(''); document.write(addy_text25035); document.write('<\/a>'); //-->\n This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.