GENERALLY

Norfolk City Code ch. 25, art. II, div. 1

in effect

Norfolk City Code § 25-41 Brakes generally.

Sec. 25-41. - Brakes generally. Every motor vehicle, when operated upon a highway, shall be equipped with brakes adequate to control the movements of and to stop and hold such vehicle, and such brakes shall be maintained in good working order and shall conform to regulations provided in this article. (Code 1958, § 29-760)

Norfolk City Code § 25-42 Efficiency of service braking system.

Sec. 25-42. - Efficiency of service braking system. On a dry, hard, approximately level stretch of highway, free from loose material, the service braking system shall be capable of stopping a motor vehicle or combination of vehicles at all times and under all conditions of loading, at a speed of twenty (20) miles per hour, within the following distances: (1) Passenger motor vehicles, except buses and antique vehicles, twenty-five (25) feet. (2) Buses, trucks and tractor trucks, forty (40) feet. (3) Motor vehicles registered or qualified to be registered as antique vehicles, when equipped with two-wheel brakes, forty-five (45) feet, and with four-wheel brakes, twenty-five (25) feet. (4) All combinations of vehicles, fifty (50) feet. (5) Motorcycles, thirty (30) feet. (Code 1958, §§ 29-761, 29-762)

Norfolk City Code § 25-43 Holding devices.

Sec. 25-43. - Holding devices. Every motor vehicle and combination of vehicles, except motorcycles, shall be equipped with holding devices adequate to hold the vehicle or vehicles on any grade on which it is operated, under all conditions of loading on a surface free from snow, ice or loose material.

Norfolk City Code § 25-44 Brakes on motorcycles.

Sec. 25-44. - Brakes on motorcycles. (1) Every motorcycle manufactured after July 1, 1974, and operated upon a highway in this city shall be equipped with either a split-service brake system or two (2) independently actuated service brake systems which shall act on the front as well as the rear wheel or wheels. (2) It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a motorcycle on a highway in this city which was originally equipped with a service brake system on both the front or rear wheel or wheels if the service brake system has been altered by removing or disconnecting any of the brake-system components from any of the wheels.

Norfolk City Code § 25-45 Brakes on trailers and other towed vehicles.

Sec. 25-45. - Brakes on trailers and other towed vehicles. (1) Every semitrailer or trailer or separate vehicle attached by a drawbar, chain or coupling to a towing vehicle, other than a farm tractor or a vehicle not required to obtain an annual registration certificate for license plates under section 46.2-663 et seq. of the Code of Virginia, and having an actual gross weight of three thousand (3,000) pounds or more, shall be equipped with brakes controlled or operated by the driver of the towing vehicle which shall conform to the specifications set forth in section 25-42 and shall be of a type approved by the superintendent. Farm trailers used exclusively for hauling raw agricultural produce from farm to farm or farm to packing shed or processing plant, within the normal growing area of such packing shed or processing plant, and trailers or semitrailers drawn by a properly licensed motor vehicle which are exempt under the provisions of section 46.2-663 et seq. of the Code of Virginia, shall be exempt from the requirements of this section. (2) "Gross weight," for the purpose of this section, includes the load upon such semitrailer, trailer or separate vehicle. (3) This section shall not apply to any vehicle being towed for repairs or repossession, or in a bona fide emergency, or being moved by a wrecker when two (2) wheels of the towed vehicle are off the ground. (Code 1958, § 29-763)

Norfolk City Code § 25-46 Steering gear.

Sec. 25-46. - Steering gear. Every motor vehicle being operated upon a highway shall be equipped with steering gear adequate to ensure the safe control of the vehicle, which gear shall not show signs of weakness or breaking under ordinary conditions. Such steering gear shall conform to the standards adopted by the superintendent pursuant to section 16.1 of the Code of Virginia. (Code 1958, § 29-675)

Norfolk City Code § 25-47 Horns, whistles and other warning devices generally.

Sec. 25-47. - Horns, whistles and other warning devices generally. (1) Every motor vehicle operated upon a highway shall be equipped with a horn in good working order, capable of emitting sound audible under normal conditions over a distance of not less than two hundred (200) feet. (2) It shall be unlawful for any vehicle to be equipped with or for any person to use upon any vehicle any siren or exhaust, compression or spark plug whistle or horn except as may be authorized in this article. It shall be unlawful for any vehicle to be equipped with or for any person to use any horn or warning device while upon a highway or any way open to public travel that is not of a type that has been approved by the superintendent or for any person at any time to use a horn otherwise than as a reasonable warning, or to make any unnecessary or unreasonably loud or harsh sound by means of a horn or other warning device, except that the vehicles of common carriers or extraordinarily large and heavy vehicles may be equipped with such type of warning device as the superintendent may require or permit. (3) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, a siren, bell or supplemental horn may be used on a vehicle as a noise-maker for an alarm system, provided the device is installed so as to prohibit actuation of the system by the driver while the vehicle is in motion. (Code 1958, §§ 29-766, 29-767)

Norfolk City Code § 25-48 Sirens, exhaust whistles or air horns on emergency vehicles.

Sec. 25-48. - Sirens, exhaust whistles or air horns on emergency vehicles. Every police vehicle and vehicle used for the purpose of fighting fire and every ambulance or rescue vehicle used for emergency calls shall be equipped with a siren, exhaust whistle or air horn designed to give automatically intermittent signals of a type not prohibited by the superintendent. Publicly owned vehicles used by a state forest warden may also be so equipped. (Code 1958, § 29-768)

Norfolk City Code § 25-49 Mirrors.

Sec. 25-49. - Mirrors. (1) No person shall operate a motor vehicle upon a highway of this city, which vehicle is not equipped with a mirror so located as to reflect to the operator a view of the highway for a distance of not less than two hundred (200) feet to the rear of such vehicle. (2) No motor vehicle registered in this state designed and licensed primarily for passenger vehicular transportation on the public highways, and manufactured for the year 1969 or for subsequent years, shall be operated on the highways of this city, unless equipped with at least one outside and at least one inside rear view mirror meeting the requirements of subsection (1) hereof. (Code 1958, § 29-769)

Norfolk City Code § 25-50 Windshield required.

Sec. 25-50. - Windshield required. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate upon a street in this city any motor vehicle or reconstructed motor vehicle, other than a motorcycle, registered in this state, which was manufactured, assert bled or reconstructed after July 1, 1970, unless such motor vehicle is equipped with a windshield.

Norfolk City Code § 25-51 Windshield wipers.

Sec. 25-51. - Windshield wipers. Every permanent windshield on a motor vehicle shall be equipped with a device for cleaning snow, rain, moisture or other matter from the windshield directly in front of the operator. The device shall be so constructed as to be controlled by the operator of the vehicle; provided, that every such device on a vehicle designed or used to carry passengers for compensation or hire or as a public conveyance to transport school children or others shall be of a mechanically or electrically operated type. The device or devices on any motor vehicle manufactured or assembled after January 1, 1943, shall clean both the right and left sides of the windshield and shall be of a mechanically or electrically operated type. (Code 1958, § 29-771)

Norfolk City Code § 25-52 Tinting films, signs, decals, and stickers on windshields, etc.; penalties.

Sec. 25-52. - Tinting films, signs, decals, and stickers on windshields, etc.; penalties. (1) Except as otherwise provided in this article or permitted by federal law, it shall be unlawful for any person to operate any motor vehicle on a highway with any sign, poster, colored or tinted film, sun-shading material, or other colored material on the windshield, front or rear side windows, or rear windows of such motor vehicle. This provision, however, shall not apply to any certificate or other paper required by law or permitted by the superintendent of state police to be placed on a motor vehicle's windshield or window. The size of stickers or decals used by the city in lieu of license plates shall be in compliance with regulations promulgated by the superintendent. Such stickers shall be affixed on the windshield at a location designated by the superintendent of state police. (2) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, whenever a motor vehicle is equipped with a mirror on each side of such vehicle, so located as to reflect to the driver of such vehicle a view of the highway for at least two hundred (200) feet to the rear of such vehicle, any or all of the following shall be lawful: (a) To drive a motor vehicle equipped with one optically grooved clear plastic right-angle rear view lens attached to one rear window of such motor vehicle, not exceeding eighteen (18) inches in diameter in the case of a circular lens or not exceeding eleven inches by fourteen inches (11″ × 14″) in the case of a rectangular lens, which enables the driver of the motor vehicle to view below the line of sight as viewed through the rear window; (b) To have affixed to the rear side windows, rear window or windows of a motor vehicle any sticker or stickers, regardless of size; or (c) To drive a motor vehicle when the driver's clear view of the highway through the rear window or windows is otherwise obstructed. (3) Except as provided in the Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, but notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, no sun-shading or tinting film may be applied or affixed to any window of a motor vehicle unless such motor vehicle is equipped with a mirror on each side of such motor vehicle, so located as to reflect to the driver of the vehicle a view of the highway for at least two hundred (200) feet to the rear of such vehicle, and the sun-shading or tinting film is applied or affixed in accordance with the following: (a) No sun-shading or tinting films may be applied or affixed to the rear side windows or rear window or windows of any motor vehicle operated on the highways of this city that reduce the total light transmittance of such window to less than thirty-five (35) percent; (b) No sun-shading or tinting films may be applied or affixed to the front side windows of any motor vehicle operated on the highways of this city that reduce total light transmittance of such window to less than fifty (50) percent; (c) No sun-shading or tinting films shall be applied or affixed to any window of a motor vehicle that (i) have a reflectance of light exceeding twenty (20) percent or (ii) produce a holographic or prism effect. Any person who operates a motor vehicle on the highways of this city with sun-shading or tinting films that (i) have a total light transmittance less than that required by subdivisions (a) and (b) of this subsection, (ii) have a reflectance of light exceeding twenty (20) percent, or (iii) produce holographic or prism effects shall be guilty of a traffic infraction but shall not be awarded any demerit points for the violation. Any person or firm who applies or affixes to the windows of any motor vehicle in the city sun-shading or tinting films that (i) reduce the light transmittance to levels less than that allowed in subdivisions (a) and (b) of this subsection, (ii) have a reflectance of light exceeding twenty (20) percent, or (iii) produce holographic or prism effects shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor for the first offense and of a Class 2 misdemeanor for any subsequent offense. (4) The Commonwealth of Virginia, Division of Purchases and Supply, pursuant to the Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, shall determine the proper standards for equipment or devices used to measure light transmittance through windows of motor vehicles. Law-enforcement officers shall use only such equipment or devices to measure light transmittance through windows that meet the standards established by the division. Such measurements made by law-enforcement officers shall be given a tolerance of minus seven (7) percentage points. (5) No film or darkening material may be applied on the windshield except to replace the sunshield in the uppermost area as installed by the manufacturer of the vehicle. (6) Nothing in this section shall prohibit the affixing to the rear window of a motor vehicle of a single sticker no larger than twenty (20) square inches if such sticker is totally contained within the lower five (5) inches of the glass of the rear window, nor shall subsection (2) of this section apply to a motor vehicle to which but one such sticker is so affixed. (7) Nothing in this section shall prohibit applying to the rear side windows or rear window of any multi-purpose passenger vehicle or pickup truck sun-shading or tinting films that reduce the total light transmittance of such window or windows below thirty-five (35) percent. (8) As used in this article: "Front side windows" means those windows located adjacent to and forward of the driver's seat. "Rear side windows" means those windows located to the rear of the driver's seat. "Rear window" or "rear windows" means those windows which are located to the rear of the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle and which are approximately parallel to the windshield. "Multipurpose passenger vehicle" means any motor vehicle that is (i) designed to carry no more than ten persons and (ii) constructed either on a truck chassis or with special features for occasional off-road use. "Holographic effect" means a picture or image that may remain constant or change as the viewing angle is changed. "Prism effect" means a visual, iridescent, or rainbow-like effect that separates light into various colored components that may change depending on viewing angle. (9) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, sun-shading material which was applied or installed prior to July 1, 1987, in a manner and on which windows not then in violation of Virginia law, shall continue to be lawful, provided that it can be shown by appropriate receipts that such material was installed prior to July 1, 1987. (10) Where a person is convicted within one year of a second or subsequent violation of this section involving the operation of the same vehicle having a tinted or smoked windshield, the court, in addition to any other penalty, may order the person so convicted to remove such tinted or smoked windshield from the vehicle. (11) The provisions of this section shall not apply to law-enforcement vehicles. (12) The provisions of subdivision (3)(a) of this section shall not apply to sight-seeing carriers as defined in the Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, and limousine and executive sedan carriers as defined in the Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended. (Code 1958, § 29-770; Ord. No. 34,600, § 1, 7-14-87; Ord. No. 35,133, § 1, 6-28-88; Ord. No. 40,023, § 1, 6-27-00)

Norfolk City Code § 25-53 Signal devices.

Sec. 25-53. - Signal devices. (1) Any motor vehicle, trailer or semitrailer which is so constructed or carries a load in such a manner as to prevent a hand and arm signal required by section 25-164 from being visible both to the front and rear of such motor vehicle, trailer or semitrailer, or any vehicle the driver of which is incapable of giving the required hand and arm signals, shall be equipped with a mechanical or electrical signal device which meets the requirements of this section and is of a type that has been approved by the superintendent; provided, that a tractor truck need not be equipped with mechanical or electrical signal devices on the rear, if it is equipped with double-faced signal lamps mounted on the front fenders or on the sides near the front of the vehicle clearly visible to the rear. (2) It shall be unlawful for any person to operate on any highway in the city a motor vehicle registered in this state and manufactured or assembled after January 1, 1955, unless such vehicle is equipped with such a mechanical or electrical signal device on both front and rear. (3) Subsections (a) and (b) of this section shall not apply to any motorcycle or to motor vehicles, trailers or semitrailers used for agricultural or horticultural purposes which are exempted from annual registration under section 46.1-45 of the Code of Virginia. (4) Every device intended and used to give a signal of intention to turn a vehicle shall be so constructed and so installed as to give a signal plainly visible, in clear weather and under normal traffic conditions, from a distance of at least one hundred (100) feet to the rear and one hundred (100) feet to the front of the vehicle; provided, that no front signal shall be required on vehicles manufactured or assembled before January 1, 1943. Every such device shall conform to the rules and regulations adopted by the superintendent pursuant to section 46.1-299 of the Code of Virginia. (Code 1958, §§ 29-774, 29-775)

Norfolk City Code § 25-54 Exhaust system generally.

Sec. 25-54. - Exhaust system generally. (1) No person shall drive and no owner of a motor vehicle shall permit or allow the operation of any vehicle owned by him upon a highway in the city, unless such motor vehicle is equipped with an exhaust system of a type installed as standard factory equipment, or comparable to that designed for use upon the particular vehicle as standard factory equipment, in good working order and in constant operation to prevent excessive or unusual noise, annoying smoke and escape of excessive gas, steam or oil. An exhaust system shall not be deemed to prevent excessive or unusual noise if it permits or allows the escape of noise in excess of that permitted by the standard factory equipment exhaust system of private passenger motor vehicles or trucks of standard make. (2) The term "exhaust system," as used in this section, means all the parts of a motor vehicle through which the exhaust passes after leaving the engine block. (3) Chambered pipes shall not be deemed to be an effective muffling device to prevent excessive or unusual noise as required in subsection (a) of this section. (Code 1958, § 29-777)

Norfolk City Code § 25-55 Certain mufflers and straight exhausts prohibited.

Sec. 25-55. - Certain mufflers and straight exhausts prohibited. It shall be unlawful for any person to sell or offer for sale a muffler without interior baffle plates or other effective muffling device, or any "gutted muffler," "muffler cutout" or "straight exhaust." It shall be unlawful for any person to operate on the highways of this city a motor vehicle equipped with a "gutted muffler," "muffler cutout" or "straight exhaust." (Code 1958, § 29-778)

Norfolk City Code § 25-56 Protuberances from tires.

Sec. 25-56. - Protuberances from tires. No tire on a vehicle moved on a highway shall have on its periphery any block, stud, flange, cleat or spike or any other protuberance of any material other than rubber which projects beyond the tread of the traction surface of the tire, except that it shall be permissible to use farm machinery having protuberances which will not injure the highway and to use tire chains of reasonable proportions when required for safety because of snow, ice or other conditions tending to cause a vehicle to slide or skid. It shall also be permissible to use upon any vehicle, whose gross weight does not exceed ten thousand (10,000) pounds, tires with studs which project not more than one-sixteenth of an inch beyond the tread of the traction surface of the tire when compressed and which cover not more than three (3) percent of the traction surface of the tire. The use of such studded tires shall be permissible only from October fifteen to April fifteen. (Code 1958, § 29-772)

Norfolk City Code § 25-57 Special permit for operation of traction engines or tractors with movable tracks.

Sec. 25-57. - Special permit for operation of traction engines or tractors with movable tracks. The director of public works may, in his discretion, issue special permits authorizing the operation upon a highway of traction engines or tractors having movable tracks with transverse corrugations upon the periphery of such movable tracks. (Code 1958, § 29-773)

Norfolk City Code § 25-58 Truck wheels likely to cause injury to pavement.

Sec. 25-58. - Truck wheels likely to cause injury to pavement. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate, or cause or suffer to be operated, upon any public road or street of the city, any motor truck having a wheel so broken or in such a state of disrepair as to cause injury to the pavement of such road or street. (Code 1958, § 29-781)

Norfolk City Code § 25-59 Operability of speedometers.

Sec. 25-59. - Operability of speedometers. It shall be unlawful for any person to use or have as equipment upon a motor vehicle operated on a highway any speedometer which is not in good working order. Any person violating this section shall be punished by a fine of not less than twenty-five dollars ($25.00) nor more than five hundred dollars ($500.00) for the first offense and not less than one hundred dollars ($100.00) nor more than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) for each subsequent offense. (Ord. No. 34,180, § 1, 10-14-86)

Norfolk City Code § 25-60 Tire tread depth.

Sec. 25-60. - Tire tread depth. (a) No person shall operate a motor vehicle, trailer, or semi-trailer on any highway in the city if it is equipped with one or more tires which: (1) When measured in any two (2) adjacent major tread grooves where the tread is thinnest, at three (3) equally spaced intervals around the circumference of the tire and exclusive of "tiebars" by a tread depth gauge calibrated in thirty-seconds-of-an-inch, are found to have tread depth of less than two (2) thirty-seconds of an inch at such locations; or (2) When equipped with tread wear indicators, are found to have such indicators in contact with pavement at any two (2) adjacent grooves at three (3) equally-spaced intervals around the circumference of the tire. (b) No motor vehicle, trailer, or semitrailer shall be issued a safety inspection approval sticker if equipped with any tire whose use is prohibited under the provisions of this section. (c) This section shall not apply to tires mounted on dual wheels installed on motor vehicles which have seats for more than seven (7) passengers and are (i) operated wholly within a municipality, or (ii) operated by urban and suburban bus lines. For purposes of this section, "urban and suburban bus lines" are defined as bus lines operating over regularly scheduled routes the majority of whose passengers use the buses for traveling one-way distances not exceeding forty (40) miles on the same day between their residence and their place of work, shopping areas, or schools. (d) The foregoing exemptions shall not apply to buses owned or operated by any public school district, private school, or contract operator of school buses. (e) The provisions of this section shall not apply to any vehicle not required to be registered or licensed. (Ord. No. 37,756, § 1, 9-13-94)

Source: City of Norfolk, Virginia, City Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/va/norfolk/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COCI_CH25MOVECO_ARTIIVEEQ_DIV1GEFetched: 11/1/2026