RD380 - Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles Non-Conventional Vehicles Study - 2012 Report

  • Published: 2012
  • Author: Department of Motor Vehicles
  • Enabling Authority: Letter Request from House and Senate Transportation Committees, September 2011

Executive Summary:
In September 2011, Chairman Joe May, House Transportation Committee, and Chairwoman Yvonne Miller, Senate Transportation Committee, called upon the Department of Motor Vehicles to establish an ongoing work group to address the increasing consumer demand for vehicles that do not fit into the current motor vehicle definitions provided in the Code of Virginia. Working in close consultation with numerous stakeholders, the work group looked at current titling, registration, and licensing issues relating to certain vehicles. During this first year of the non-conventional vehicles study, the work group focused on low-speed vehicles, three-wheeled motorcycles, mopeds, and all-terrain vehicles, and made the following recommendations:

• Low-speed vehicles should display low-speed license plates on both the front and back of the vehicle.

• DMV should issue motorcycle classifications with restrictions to either a two-wheeled or three-wheeled motorcycle. Drivers who qualify for both will receive a motorcycle classification authorizing them to operate both a two-wheeled and a three-wheeled motorcycle.

• Mopeds:

• Mopeds should be titled and registered
• Mopeds should display a moped license plate
• Moped operators should carry a government issued photo ID
• There should be a statewide requirement for use of helmet and eye-protection
• Mopeds should be assessed the motor vehicle sales and use tax only if there is no evidence of payment of a retail tax
• The statutory definition of moped should be revised

Moped operators would still not be required to carry liability insurance or submit the moped to a state safety inspection.

• The statutory definition of all-terrain vehicles should be amended to accommodate the wide variety of new vehicles on the market. All-terrain vehicles and off-road motorcycles will be assessed the motor vehicle sales and use tax only if there is no evidence of payment of a retail tax.

While the work group believes that it has made good progress on low-speed vehicles, three-wheeled motorcycles, mopeds, and all-terrain vehicles, we also understand that there is much work to be done and will continue to meet with the stakeholders on other issues and vehicles as needed.