The short answer
When you move to Virginia, you have 30 days to title and register your car and 60 days to get a Virginia driver's license. You also have to report the car to your city or county, on a deadline that runs from 30 to 60 days depending on where you live. Here is every step in order.
The expensive mistake is paying Virginia's 4.15% titling tax on a car you've owned for years. New residents usually don't owe it.
- 01
Insure the car to Virginia's minimum
Virginia requires at least $50,000 / $100,000 / $25,000 in liability coverage for policies written since January 1, 2025. Virginia no longer lets you pay a fee to drive uninsured.
- 02
Title and register the car within 30 days
Do it at the DMV within 30 days of moving. The title fee is $15.00 and registration starts at $30.75 for a car of 4,000 pounds or less.
- 03
Check the titling tax exemption before you pay it
Virginia charges a 4.15% sales and use tax when you title a car, with a $75 minimum. New residents are exempt if they've owned the car more than 12 months, or can show sales tax was paid in another state. Bring that proof.
- 04
Tell your locality about the car
Chesterfield and Goochland want to hear within 30 days. The City of Richmond and Hanover give you 60. Henrico runs on a code schedule: by March 15, or the 15th of the month after the car arrives. All five prorate the tax by month.
- 05
Get a Virginia driver's license within 60 days
You have 60 days after moving. The license costs $32.00; a REAL ID adds a one-time $10.
- 06
Get the annual safety inspection
Every Virginia car needs a yearly safety inspection, capped at $20. There is no emissions test anywhere in the five Richmond-area localities.
- 07
Confirm the school assignment by address
Use the division's own lookup tool for the exact address, not the listing. See the schools section for every link.
Questions people ask
How long do I have to get a Virginia driver's license after moving?
60 days, per the Virginia DMV. Commercial drivers have 30.
How long do I have to register my car in Virginia?
30 days after you move, for both the title and the registration.
Do new Virginia residents pay sales tax on their car?
Not if you've owned it more than 12 months, or you can prove you paid sales tax in another state (Code of Virginia §58.1-2403). Otherwise Virginia charges 4.15% of the value, with a $75 minimum.
Does Richmond, VA require emissions testing?
No. Emissions testing applies only in Northern Virginia localities. None of the five Richmond-area localities require it.
Sources
- Code of Virginia · checked 2026-11-07
- Virginia DMV · checked 2026-11-07
- Virginia DMV · checked 2026-11-07
- Virginia DMV · checked 2026-11-07
- Virginia DMV · checked 2026-11-07
- Virginia DMV · checked 2026-11-07
- Code of Virginia · checked 2026-11-07
Photo: AI-enhanced from a photo by Sdkb, CC BY-SA 4.0.