Motorcycle accidents are a leading cause of severe and often fatal injuries on Virginia’s roadways. The state’s legal system sets forth specific rules that can significantly impact the outcome of your case, so knowing the law is essential to strengthening your claim and protecting your rights.
When it comes to recovering damages and legal compliance, motorcycle riders have unique concerns to take into consideration. If you were injured in a motorcycle accident and have questions regarding Virginia’s motorcycle laws and how they impact your case, call the personal injury law firm of Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp today and schedule your free consultation with one of our experienced Virginia Beach motorcycle accident lawyers.
What Laws Do I Need to Know Before Riding in Virginia Beach?
Virginia Beach motorcyclists are governed by regulatory and statutory requirements that define their ability to legally operate motorcycles on Virginia roadways. Understanding and obeying these regulations is essential for safety, as well as ensuring that a technical infraction does not affect the victim’s legal standing should an accident occur.
The regulations that every motorcycle rider needs to understand before hitting the open road include:
Licensing Requirements
In order to legally operate a motorcycle in Virginia Beach, potential riders must have an “M” classification on a regular driver’s license or a motorcycle-only license. Receiving this designation generally involves passing a skills-based road practical along with a written knowledge test. In all, there are three types of motorcycle licenses available. They are:
- A Class M licence for two and three-wheeled vehicles
- A Class M2 license (two-wheeled motorcycles only)
- A Class M3 license (three-wheeled motorcycle only)
If you operate a motorcycle without appropriate licensing, it can lead to both civil liability and, if unlicensed operation can be construed as the cause of injury, a limited ability to pursue compensation after a collision.
Virginia Helmet Requirements
State law requires all motorcycle riders to wear helmets that meet the criteria set forth by the U.S. Department of Transportation, the American National Standards Institute, or the Snell Memorial Foundation. Besides helmets, Virginia law also requires motorcycle riders to wear eye protection, unless their bike has a working windscreen.
If you sustained a head injury while operating a bike without a helmet, you could receive a citation for failing to abide by safety regulations. Also, a jury or insurance company could try to attribute blame for your brain or head injury to your choice to ride without proper safety gear, complicating your attempts to pursue financial compensation. Situations like this are where a skilled Virginia Beach motorcycle accident lawyer can help ensure that you are not unfairly blamed for another person’s recklessness or negligence.
Registration and Insurance Requirements
All motorcycles in Virginia have to be registered with the Department of Motor Vehicles as well as pass an annual safety inspection.
To operate a motorcycle anywhere in Virginia, riders are required to carry minimum liability insurance coverage. As of 2025, the minimum required coverage includes:
- $50,000 for a single person
- $100,000 per incident
- $25,000 for property damage
Riding a motorcycle without insurance can seriously hinder your options for financial recovery, particularly if you were injured in an accident caused by another uninsured motorist.
Equipment Needed to be Street Legal
In order to be street-legal, Virginia motorcycles must meet certain standards set by state law. They include:
- Functioning headlights with working low and high beams
- Brake lights
- Rearview mirror
- Muffler
- Horn
- Turn indicators
All motorcycles are also expected to have license plates displayed per state regulations and pass annual safety checks. Operating a bike that is not properly equipped could result in fines, traffic citations, and, more importantly, could be used to claim that the motorcyclist contributed to their own accident and injuries by failing to comply with state safety regulations.
Traffic Light Exception
Virginia recognizes that motorcycles, given their lighter weight and smaller size, are not always able to set off the magnetic sensors at traffic lights. Virginia law states that a motorcycle rider is permitted to move through a red traffic light after coming to a full stop, waiting for two or more minutes or two traffic cycles, treating it as a stop sign, determining that it is safe to proceed, and yielding the right-of-way to other traffic. This exception is designed to prevent possible safety hazards and undue delays; this maneuver must, however, be used with care, since improperly entering an intersection can still lead to liability if an accident takes place.
Lane Splitting
Lane splitting occurs when a motorcyclist moves freely between two lanes of traffic. It is against the law in Virginia. This rule is rigidly enforced, and riders who are caught lane splitting could face legal consequences, such as traffic citations and fines. More importantly, should an accident happen, the at-fault driver can dispute liability by claiming that you were riding recklessly. A Virginia Beach motorcycle accident lawyer can advise you on the best way to avoid undue liability.
Contact Our Office for Legal Assistance
If you were injured in a motorcycle crash through no fault of your own, our trusted motorcycle accident lawyers are here to help ensure that you receive full and fair financial compensation for your damages. With more than 100 years of combined experience helping Virginia Beach motorcycle accident victims reach successful resolutions to their personal injury claims, like the $1 million settlement we obtained for a client who was left permanently disabled when a negligent driver forced her motorcycle off the roadway.
To schedule a free case review of your motorcycle accident, call the personal injury law firm of Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp at (833) 997-1774 or reach out using the contact form on our website. Our offices are located in Virginia Beach, Hampton, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, and Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.
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Andrew Stover limits his law practice exclusively to personal injury law. Andrew is a member of the American Association for Justice, the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association, and the Virginia Beach Bar Association.
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