How Many Points Is a DUI in Virginia?

A DUI conviction in Virginia adds 6 demerit points to your DMV driving record. The conviction itself triggers an automatic license suspension ranging from 12 months for a first offense to 36 months for subsequent offenses, regardless of your point total. Virginia operates two parallel suspension tracks for DUI. The administrative suspension begins immediately upon arrest if you fail or refuse a breath test — 7 days after arrest for first refusal, no waiting period for subsequent refusals. The criminal suspension begins after conviction. Both suspensions run independently, and the longer suspension governs your reinstatement timeline. The 6 demerit points remain on your Virginia DMV record for 11 years from the conviction date. They count toward Virginia's habitual offender threshold — 3 major offenses within 10 years or 12 points in 12 months — but most DUI convictions trigger suspension through the criminal statute before point accumulation becomes the controlling factor.

Virginia requires SR-22 insurance filing for 3 years after license reinstatement following a DUI conviction. The filing is not automatic — you must obtain an SR-22 certificate from an insurance carrier licensed to write non-standard auto policies in Virginia before DMV will reinstate your license. The 3-year SR-22 requirement begins the day DMV reinstates your license, not the conviction date or suspension start date. If your suspension lasts 12 months and you delay reinstatement by 6 months, your SR-22 clock does not start until month 18. Carriers charge between $15 and $50 annually to file and maintain the SR-22 certificate with Virginia DMV. Any lapse in coverage during the 3-year SR-22 period triggers automatic license suspension. Your carrier must notify Virginia DMV within 10 days of policy cancellation or non-renewal. DMV suspends your license immediately upon notification, and reinstatement requires a new SR-22 filing, payment of a $145 reinstatement fee, and proof of continuous coverage going forward.

A DUI conviction typically increases your insurance premium by 80% to 140% in Virginia, with the surcharge lasting 3 to 5 years depending on the carrier. Most preferred carriers — State Farm, GEICO, Allstate — either non-renew DUI policyholders at the next renewal or reclassify them into high-risk tiers with substantially higher premiums. Carriers evaluate DUI violations on a separate surcharge schedule from standard moving violations. A speeding ticket might add 15% to 30% for 3 years; a DUI conviction triggers the maximum surcharge tier and often moves the policy from a preferred carrier to a non-standard carrier. Non-standard carriers specialize in high-risk drivers and price policies to reflect elevated claim risk, resulting in premiums 2 to 3 times higher than standard market rates. The rate impact follows a three-stage timeline. Stage one begins at administrative suspension — you lose access to your current policy or face immediate non-renewal. Stage two begins at reinstatement — you obtain SR-22 coverage from a non-standard carrier at the highest rate tier. Stage three begins 3 to 5 years after conviction — the DUI surcharge expires on most carriers' underwriting schedules, and you become eligible to shop standard-market carriers again, though rates remain elevated compared to clean-record drivers for several additional years.

Virginia requires completion of the Alcohol Safety Action Program (ASAP), payment of a $145 reinstatement fee, proof of SR-22 insurance, and satisfaction of all court-ordered requirements before DMV will reinstate your license after a DUI suspension. ASAP enrollment is mandatory for all DUI offenders and includes education classes, treatment referrals if indicated, and monitoring throughout the suspension period. Virginia offers a restricted license during the suspension period for first-time DUI offenders who meet eligibility requirements. The restricted license allows travel to work, school, ASAP appointments, medical appointments, and court-ordered obligations. Eligibility begins after a mandatory waiting period — 30 days for suspensions under one year, 90 days for suspensions of one year or longer. You must maintain SR-22 insurance throughout the restricted license period. The restricted license does not reduce your insurance surcharge. Carriers treat restricted license holders as suspended drivers with reinstatement pending, pricing policies in the same non-standard tier as fully suspended drivers. The restricted license provides mobility during suspension but offers no insurance cost advantage until full reinstatement.

Virginia does not offer defensive driving courses or safe driving point credits that remove DUI demerit points from your record. The 6 points remain on your DMV record for 11 years, and the conviction itself remains visible to insurance carriers indefinitely under current state reporting rules. Insurance carriers evaluate violations based on their own lookback periods, not DMV point expiration schedules. Most carriers surcharge DUI convictions for 3 to 5 years, but the conviction remains on your motor vehicle report permanently. Carriers underwriting a new policy 7 years after a DUI conviction will see the conviction and may decline coverage or price the policy in a higher tier than a driver with no DUI history. The only path to reduced rates after a DUI conviction is time and a clean driving record going forward. Once the SR-22 filing period ends after 3 years, you regain eligibility to shop standard-market carriers. Once the surcharge period ends after 3 to 5 years, you become eligible for standard rate tiers. Additional violations during this recovery period extend the timeline and may trigger habitual offender classification, which carries a 5-year license revocation and substantially longer insurance consequences.

Virginia assigns 6 demerit points for DUI, the same point total as reckless driving by speed (20+ mph over the limit or over 85 mph regardless of posted speed). Other major violations carry lower point values: aggressive driving adds 6 points, speeding 1-9 mph over adds 3 points, and improper passing adds 4 points. The shared point value between DUI and reckless driving does not reflect equivalent insurance consequences. Reckless driving typically increases premiums by 40% to 80% for 3 years and rarely triggers policy non-renewal at preferred carriers. DUI triggers non-renewal, requires SR-22 filing, and surcharges premiums by 80% to 140% for 3 to 5 years. Carriers classify DUI as a major violation with permanent underwriting implications; reckless driving is classified as a serious violation with temporary surcharge implications. Virginia's habitual offender law treats DUI convictions more severely than point accumulation. Three DUI convictions within 10 years trigger a 5-year license revocation regardless of total demerit points. The revocation is not a suspension — you cannot obtain a restricted license, and reinstatement after 5 years requires proof of rehabilitation, completion of all ASAP requirements, and payment of a $220 application fee in addition to standard reinstatement fees.