# Virginia Trucking Compliance: Two Agencies, One Rulebook, and a Narrow Hours Exception Canonical page: https://fleetregulators.com/locations/virginia Page type: Location guide | Published: 2026-11-07 | Last updated: 2026-11-07 Summary: Virginia trucking rules: 19VAC30-20, the 26,000 lb intrastate line, DMV intrastate authority, State Police enforcement and annual inspections. --- Virginia's Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (19VAC30-20) incorporate the federal rules, including 49 CFR Parts 382 and 390 to 397, and apply them to both interstate and intrastate commerce. For intrastate operation, a vehicle counts as a commercial motor vehicle by weight only above **26,000 pounds** (above 10,000 for interstate), or when it carries more than 15 passengers or placardable hazmat. The Virginia State Police enforce the safety rules; Virginia DMV issues for-hire intrastate operating authority. Intrastate drivers may be 18, and Virginia's 12-hour driving and 16-hour duty limits apply only to intrastate drivers hauling construction materials and equipment. Everyone else follows federal Part 395. On this page 1. Who this guide is for 2. How Virginia's rules differ for intrastate carriers 3. Reading Virginia's hours exception correctly 4. State Police for safety, DMV for authority 5. Virginia's annual state safety inspection 6. What Virginia roadside inspections find 7. Virginia compliance checklist 8. How Fleet Regulators supports Virginia carriers 9. Frequently asked questions 10. Sources ## Who this guide is for This guide is for Virginia-based carriers and safety managers, particularly for-hire carriers that move freight point to point inside Virginia and need both safety compliance and DMV authority. Virginia is home to 14,202 interstate carriers in FMCSA's census, 87.2% of them running 10 or fewer power units. 14,202 Virginia-based interstate carriers 24.9% Vehicle out-of-service rate at Virginia inspections 11.2% Driver inspections with an HOS violation ## How Virginia's rules differ for intrastate carriers Virginia law (Va. Code 52-8.4) requires the Superintendent of State Police to adopt commercial vehicle safety regulations that are no more restrictive than the federal ones. The resulting differences are all relaxations for intrastate work: | Topic | Federal (interstate) | Virginia intrastate | | --- | --- | --- | | Weight where the rules start | Over 10,000 lb | Over 26,000 lb (or more than 15 passengers, or placardable hazmat) | | Hours of service | 11 driving / 14-hour window | Federal limits, except construction materials and equipment haulers: 12 driving after 10 off, within 16 on duty; 70 hours in 7 days if the carrier does not operate every day of the week, or 80 hours in 8 days if it does | | Minimum driver age | 21 | 18 if wholly intrastate and not subject to state hazmat rules | | Medical standards | 49 CFR 391.41 | DMV Commissioner may grant waivers; a valid "V" CDL restriction counts as compliance | | Grandfathered drivers (391.61) | Federal cutoff | July 9, 1986 for drivers used wholly intrastate | ## Reading Virginia's hours exception correctly The hours rule is where Virginia is most often misread. The 12/16 limits are not a general intrastate rule; they cover intrastate construction materials and equipment hauling only. A Virginia intrastate dry-van or dump operation outside that category runs on federal hours. Virginia also suspends its motor carrier safety rules for hours worked on disaster relief or on restoring utility service after an unexpected loss (19VAC30-20-40), and Va. Code 52-8.4 exempts CDL holders from Part 395 during planting and harvest when hauling agricultural commodities or farm supplies within 150 air miles of the source. Both have conditions; read them before relying on either. Our [interstate vs intrastate guide](https://fleetregulators.com/blog/interstate-vs-intrastate-trucking-compliance) explains how trips are classified. ## State Police for safety, DMV for authority The Virginia State Police enforce the Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, and other officers may enforce them if certified as vehicle safety inspectors under Va. Code 46.2-1001 (19VAC30-20-50). The State Police Motor Carrier Safety Unit inspects trucks and buses on Virginia highways and works with FMCSA on New Entrant safety audits. Operating authority is a separate agency. Virginia DMV issues For-Hire Intrastate Operating Authority to carriers transporting property or passengers point to point within Virginia; property vehicles with a GVWR of 10,000 pounds or less are exempt. For-hire property carriers with vehicles of 10,001 pounds GVWR or more must hold DMV operating authority (a property carrier permit) unless exempt, file proof of liability and cargo insurance with DMV, and register the vehicles as for-hire. Federal registration does not replace that authority for in-state for-hire trips. Virginia DMV states that, other than for hazardous materials, Virginia does not require a USDOT number for carriers operating exclusively intrastate. Intrastate carriers hauling placardable hazmat must register. ## Virginia's annual state safety inspection Virginia requires an annual state safety inspection of motor vehicles, trailers and semitrailers registered in Virginia and operated or parked on its highways (Va. Code 46.2-1157 and 46.2-1158). Interstate carriers also need the federal annual inspection under 49 CFR 396.17. Under 49 CFR 396.23, a vehicle covered by a mandatory state inspection program that FMCSA has found comparable to the federal standard can meet the 49 CFR 396.17 requirement through the state inspection; otherwise the federal annual inspection is required in addition to the Virginia one. Our guide to [annual inspection records](https://fleetregulators.com/blog/dot-annual-inspection-recordkeeping-requirements) covers the federal side. ## What Virginia roadside inspections find Virginia inspections are equipment-heavy: brakes are the most frequent violation group by a wide margin, followed by lighting and clearance and identification lamps. 58.4% of vehicle inspections recorded at least one maintenance violation (national 48.9%), and the driver out-of-service rate was 8.0% against 6.2% nationally. Hours-of-service violations appeared on 11.2% of driver inspections. | Roadside inspections, September 25, 2024 to September 24, 2026 | Virginia | 50 states and DC | | --- | --- | --- | | Inspections reported by the state (all carriers) | 49,563 | 5,653,653 | | Driver out-of-service rate | 8.0% | 6.2% | | Vehicle out-of-service rate | 24.9% | 22.5% | | Driver inspections with at least one HOS violation | 11.2% | 7.8% | | Vehicle inspections with at least one maintenance violation | 58.4% | 48.9% | | Most frequent violation groups at Virginia inspections | Violations | Share of all violations recorded | | --- | --- | --- | | Brakes, other than adjustment (FMCSA: Brakes All Others) | 12,411 | 20.6% | | Lighting | 6,144 | 10.2% | | Clearance and identification lamps (FMCSA: Clearance Identification Lamps/Other) | 5,620 | 9.3% | | Tires | 3,195 | 5.3% | | Windshield, glass and markings (FMCSA: Windshield/ Glass/ Markings) | 2,918 | 4.8% | Source: Fleet Regulators analysis of FMCSA Safety Measurement System (SMS) input files, monthly run published October 2026, covering roadside inspections recorded September 25, 2024 to September 24, 2026. "In the state" means the inspection was reported by Virginia, whatever the carrier's home state. Driver rates use Level 1, 2, 3 and 6 inspections; vehicle rates use Level 1, 2, 5 and 6. Group names are FMCSA's. Same method as our [HOS roadside violations study](https://fleetregulators.com/research/most-common-hos-roadside-violations). Virginia-based interstate carriers, wherever inspected, had a driver out-of-service rate of 6.3% and a vehicle out-of-service rate of 20.4%. These figures describe what inspectors recorded, not how safe carriers in the state are. Rates move with enforcement priorities, which inspection levels a state favors, where it inspects, and which carriers pass through. Brake adjustment and air system defects are the classic Virginia write-up. A preventive maintenance schedule that includes brake checks between annual inspections, and drivers trained to check pushrod travel and listen for leaks, target the largest group directly. See our [Vehicle Maintenance BASIC guide](https://fleetregulators.com/blog/vehicle-maintenance-basic-guide). ## Virginia compliance checklist - Classify vehicles: over 26,000 lb intrastate, over 10,000 lb interstate, passenger or placardable hazmat. - For-hire intrastate property carriers with vehicles of 10,001 lb GVWR or more: hold DMV operating authority, file insurance with DMV, register vehicles as for-hire. - Apply 12/16 hours only to intrastate construction materials and equipment hauling; everyone else uses federal Part 395. - Keep driver qualification files (see the [DQ file checklist](https://fleetregulators.com/blog/driver-qualification-file-checklist)) with any DMV medical waiver documented. - Keep the Virginia annual safety inspection current for Virginia-registered vehicles and the federal annual inspection under 49 CFR 396.17 where it applies, with records of both. - Build brake checks into preventive maintenance between inspections. - Keep drug and alcohol testing and [Clearinghouse](https://fleetregulators.com/blog/what-is-fmcsa-clearinghouse-and-how-does-it-work) records current. ## How Fleet Regulators supports Virginia carriers We work with Virginia carriers remotely from Austin, Texas; we have no Virginia office. What we can do: confirming which vehicles and drivers fall under the Virginia rules, building [driver qualification files](https://fleetregulators.com/driver-qualification-files), auditing logs against the correct limits ([HOS log auditing](https://fleetregulators.com/hours-of-service-compliance)), tightening maintenance records that drive Vehicle Maintenance [CSA scores](https://fleetregulators.com/csa-score-improvement), and preparing for [audits](https://fleetregulators.com/dot-audit-help) and [new entrant safety audits](https://fleetregulators.com/new-entrant-audit-help). ## Frequently Asked Questions **Do Virginia's motor carrier safety rules apply to intrastate trucks?** Yes. 19VAC30-20 incorporates the federal motor carrier safety regulations and applies them to interstate and intrastate commerce unless excepted. For intrastate operation, a vehicle is a commercial motor vehicle by weight only above 26,000 pounds. **Can Virginia intrastate drivers drive 12 hours?** Only intrastate drivers of property-carrying vehicles hauling construction materials and equipment, who may drive 12 hours after 10 consecutive hours off, within 16 hours on duty. Other Virginia intrastate drivers follow federal Part 395. **Who issues intrastate operating authority in Virginia?** Virginia DMV, not the State Police. For-hire carriers moving property or passengers point to point within Virginia need DMV For-Hire Intrastate Operating Authority; property vehicles of 10,000 pounds GVWR or less are exempt. **Can an 18-year-old drive a truck in Virginia?** Yes, if operating wholly in intrastate commerce and not subject to Virginia's hazardous materials transportation rules (19VAC30-20-120). Interstate driving requires age 21. **Who inspects trucks in Virginia?** The Virginia State Police Motor Carrier Safety Unit inspects trucks and buses and works with FMCSA on New Entrant safety audits. Other officers can enforce the rules if certified as vehicle safety inspectors. **What do Virginia inspections find most often?** In FMCSA SMS data for September 2024 to September 2026, brakes were the most frequent violation group at Virginia inspections, followed by lighting and clearance and identification lamps. Sources and Regulatory References - [Information for Interstate Motor Carriers (DMV 247) ↗](https://www.dmv.virginia.gov/sites/default/files/forms/dmv247.pdf) Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles; accessed 2026-11-07. - [49 CFR 396.23, equivalent to periodic inspection ↗](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-III/subchapter-B/part-396/section-396.23) eCFR; accessed 2026-11-07. - [19VAC30-20-40, Application of regulations ↗](https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title19/agency30/chapter20/section40/) Virginia Administrative Code (Virginia Law Library), last amended effective July 1, 2020; accessed 2026-11-07. - [19VAC30-20-50, Enforcement ↗](https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title19/agency30/chapter20/section50/) Virginia Administrative Code (Virginia Law Library); accessed 2026-11-07. - [19VAC30-20-120, Minimum age ↗](https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title19/agency30/chapter20/section120/) Virginia Administrative Code (Virginia Law Library); accessed 2026-11-07. - [19VAC30-20-150, Waiver of certain physical defects ↗](https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title19/agency30/chapter20/section150/) Virginia Administrative Code (Virginia Law Library); accessed 2026-11-07. - [19VAC30-20-170, Limited exemptions (391.61) ↗](https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title19/agency30/chapter20/section170/) Virginia Administrative Code (Virginia Law Library); accessed 2026-11-07. - [19VAC30-20-205, Maximum driving time for property-carrying vehicles ↗](https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title19/agency30/chapter20/section205/) Virginia Administrative Code (Virginia Law Library); accessed 2026-11-07. - [Code of Virginia 52-8.4, Motor carrier safety regulations ↗](https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title52/chapter8/section52-8.4/) Virginia Law Library; accessed 2026-11-07. - [Code of Virginia 46.2-1158, Frequency of inspection ↗](https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title46.2/chapter10/section46.2-1158/) Virginia Law Library; accessed 2026-11-07. - [Motor Carrier Safety Unit ↗](https://vsp.virginia.gov/bfo/motor-carrier-safety/) Virginia State Police; accessed 2026-11-07. - [Intrastate Operating Authority ↗](https://www.dmv.virginia.gov/businesses/motor-carriers/intrastate) Virginia DMV; accessed 2026-11-07. - [Property Carrier (non-bulk) ↗](https://www.dmv.virginia.gov/businesses/motor-carriers/intrastate/prop-nobulk) Virginia DMV; accessed 2026-11-07. - [SMS Input - Inspection (dataset rbkj-cgst) ↗](https://data.transportation.gov/d/rbkj-cgst) FMCSA via data.transportation.gov, rows updated 2026-10-13; accessed 2026-11-07. - [SMS Input - Violation (dataset 8mt8-2mdr) ↗](https://data.transportation.gov/d/8mt8-2mdr) FMCSA via data.transportation.gov, rows updated 2026-10-13; accessed 2026-11-07. - [SMS Input - Motor Carrier Census Information (dataset kjg3-diqy) ↗](https://data.transportation.gov/d/kjg3-diqy) FMCSA via data.transportation.gov, rows updated 2026-10-13; accessed 2026-11-07. Last updated November 2026. Prepared by Fleet Regulators from the sources listed above. This page explains regulations in plain English and is not legal advice. Rules change; confirm current requirements with the agency named in each source before acting.