Virginia Expired Tags Ticket: Prepayable, About $25 (2026)

What an expired-registration ticket costs in Virginia

Citation data · First offense Va. Code §46.2-646

Prepayable fine (e.g. $25 in Fairfax)

Virginia treats expired registration as a traffic infraction with the amount set by court fine schedules, Fairfax County’s prepayment schedule lists $25 for expired registration under Va. Code §46.2-646, and the statute gives courts discretion to dismiss entirely on proof of compliance by the court date.

Verified July 2026

What to do now

1

Renew promptly

The dismissal path depends on it: the court may, in its discretion, dismiss the summons where proof of compliance is provided on or before the court date (Va. Code §46.2-646).
2

Check your court’s prepayable amount

Virginia courts publish their own fine schedules; Fairfax County’s prepayment schedule, for example, lists $25 for expired registration.
3

Bring proof of compliance to court

Dismissal is discretionary, not automatic, so renew and bring the paperwork on or before the court date.

Same frame Repeat offense

No stops until 4th month expired License / registration

Note: amounts vary by court, Virginia courts publish their own prepayable amounts, the figures above are the statutory frame, not a quote.

Is driving on expired tags a crime in Virginia?

No, a traffic infraction, prepayable at amounts set by each court’s schedule, with two built-in outs: a stop moratorium and dismissal on proof of compliance.

Can it be dismissed?

Often: “The court may, in its discretion, dismiss the summons where proof of compliance with this section is provided to the court on or before the court date” (Va. Code §46.2-646). And officers may not stop a vehicle for an expired sticker before the first day of the fourth month after expiration.

Frequently asked questions

Can police stop you for expired tags in Virginia?

Not immediately: no officer may stop a vehicle for an expired registration sticker before the first day of the fourth month after the original expiration date (Va. Code §46.2-646).

Will a Virginia expired-registration ticket be dismissed if I renew?

Courts have express discretion to dismiss the summons if you provide proof of compliance on or before the court date, renew promptly and bring the paperwork.

Sources

This summary was checked against the following sources on the date shown above. Fines and fees change, verify before relying on specifics.

Other tickets in Virginia

Expired Registration: other states

General legal information, not legal advice. Statutes and penalty schedules summarized from the sources above as of July 2026.