Richmond, Va., City Code § 27-1 Official title.
Sec. 27-1. - Official title.
This chapter shall be known as the Traffic Code of the City of Richmond and may be so cited.
(Code 1993, § 28-1; Code 2004, § 102-1; Code 2015, § 27-1; Code 2020, § 27-1)
IN GENERAL
Richmond, Va., City Code ch. 27, art. I
in effectRichmond, Va., City Code § 27-2 Adoption of State law by reference.
Sec. 27-2. - Adoption of State law by reference.
(a) Pursuant to the authority granted in Code of Virginia, § 46.2-1313, all of the provisions and requirements of the laws of the Commonwealth contained in Code of Virginia, Title 46.2 (Code of Virginia, § 46.2-100 et seq.); Code of Virginia, Title 16.1, Ch. 11, Art. 9 (Code of Virginia, § 16.1-278 et seq.); and Code of Virginia, Title 18.2, Ch. 7, Art. 2 (Code of Virginia, § 18.2-266 et seq.), and all future amendments to such laws, except those provisions and requirements the violation of which constitutes a felony and except those provisions and requirements which, by their very nature, can have no application to or within the City, are hereby adopted and incorporated into this section by reference and made applicable within the City.
(b) References to "highways of the State" or "Commonwealth" contained in such provisions and requirements hereby adopted shall be deemed to refer to the streets, highways and other public ways within the City. Such provisions and requirements are hereby adopted, mutatis mutandis, and made a part of this section as fully as though set forth at length herein, and it shall be unlawful for any person, within the City, to violate, or fail, neglect or refuse to comply with any provision of Code of Virginia, Title 46.2 (Code of Virginia, § 46.2-100 et seq.); Code of Virginia, Title 16.1, Ch. 11, Art. 9 (Code of Virginia, § 16.1-278 et seq.); and Code of Virginia, Title 18.2, Ch. 7, Art. 2 (Code of Virginia, § 18.2-266 et seq.), which is adopted by this section, provided that in no event shall the penalty imposed for the violation of any provision or requirement hereby adopted exceed the penalty imposed for a similar offense under Code of Virginia, Title 46.2 (Code of Virginia, § 46.2-100 et seq.); Code of Virginia, Title 16.1, Ch. 11, Art. 9 (Code of Virginia, § 16.1-278 et seq.); and Code of Virginia, Title 18.2, Ch. 7, Art. 2 (Code of Virginia, § 18.2-266 et seq.).
(c) All definitions of words and phrases contained in such provisions and requirements adopted in Subsections (a) and (b) of this section shall apply to such words and phrases when used in this chapter unless clearly indicated to the contrary.
(Code 1993, § 28-2; Code 2004, § 102-2; Code 2015, § 27-2; Code 2020, § 27-2; Ord. No. 2004-263-248, § 1, 9-27-2004)
Richmond, Va., City Code § 27-3 Definitions.
Sec. 27-3. - Definitions.
The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this chapter, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
Chief means the Chief of Police of the Department of Police.
Commercial or delivery vehicle means a loaded or empty motor vehicle designed or regularly used for carrying freight, merchandise, or more than ten passengers, including buses.
Police officer means a law enforcement officer, as defined in Code of Virginia, Title 46.2 (Code of Virginia, § 46.2-100 et seq.).
(Code 1993, § 28-3; Code 2004, § 102-3; Code 2015, § 27-3; Code 2020, § 27-3)
Richmond, Va., City Code § 27-4 Disposition of fines and forfeitures.
Sec. 27-4. - Disposition of fines and forfeitures.
All fines or forfeitures collected upon conviction or upon a forfeiture of bail of any person charged with a violation of any section of this chapter shall be paid into the City treasury.
(Code 1993, § 28-4; Code 2004, § 102-4; Code 2015, § 27-4; Code 2020, § 27-4)
Richmond, Va., City Code § 27-5 Report of conviction sent to State.
Sec. 27-5. - Report of conviction sent to State.
The clerk of the court trying a person charged with an offense under this chapter shall keep a full record of every case. If such person is convicted or the person's bail is forfeited, an abstract of such record shall be sent promptly by such clerk to the State Department of Motor Vehicles.
(Code 1993, § 28-5; Code 2004, § 102-5; Code 2015, § 27-5; Code 2020, § 27-5)
Richmond, Va., City Code § 27-6 Form and certification of abstracts.
Sec. 27-6. - Form and certification of abstracts.
(a) Abstracts required by Section 27-5 shall be made upon forms prepared by the State Department of Motor Vehicles and shall include all necessary information as to the following:
(1) The parties to the case;
(2) The nature of the offense;
(3) The date of the hearing;
(4) The plea;
(5) The judgment;
(6) The amount of the fine or forfeiture, as the case may be; and
(7) The residence address or whereabouts of the defendant.
(b) Every such abstract shall be certified by the clerk as a true abstract of the records of the court.
(Code 1993, § 28-6; Code 2004, § 102-6; Code 2015, § 27-6; Code 2020, § 27-6)
Richmond, Va., City Code § 27-7 Applicability of chapter to vehicles regardless of ownership.
Sec. 27-7. - Applicability of chapter to vehicles regardless of ownership.
The sections of this chapter applicable to the drivers of vehicles upon the highways shall apply to the drivers of all vehicles regardless of ownership, subject to such specific exceptions as are set forth in this chapter.
(Code 1993, § 28-7; Code 2004, § 102-7; Code 2015, § 27-7; Code 2020, § 27-7)
Richmond, Va., City Code § 27-8 Applicability of chapter to City property.
Sec. 27-8. - Applicability of chapter to City property.
This chapter and the authority, powers and duties of the Chief of Police and police officers under this chapter shall extend and shall be applicable to and exercised and performed on any property or area owned or used by the City or leased or permitted by the City to be used by others.
(Code 1993, § 28-8; Code 2004, § 102-8; Code 2015, § 27-8; Code 2020, § 27-8)
Richmond, Va., City Code § 27-9 Reimbursement of expenses incurred in responding to DUI and other traffic accidents or incidents.
Sec. 27-9. - Reimbursement of expenses incurred in responding to DUI and other traffic accidents or incidents.
(a) A person convicted of violating any of the following provisions shall be liable in a separate civil action for reasonable expenses incurred by the City or by any volunteer rescue squad, or both, when providing an appropriate emergency response to any accident or incident related to such violation. Personal liability under this section for reasonable expenses of an appropriate emergency response shall not exceed $1,000.00 in the aggregate for a particular accident or incident occurring in the City.
(1) The provisions of Code of Virginia, § 18.2-36.1, 18.2-51.4, 18.2-266 18.2-266.1, or 29.1-738. 29.1-738.02, or 46.2-341.24 or a similar City ordinance, when such operation of a motor vehicle, engine, train or watercraft while so impaired is the proximate cause of the accident or incident;
(2) The provisions of Code of Virginia, Title. 46.2, Ch. 8, Art. 7 (Code of Virginia, § 46.2-852 et seq.), relating to reckless driving, when such reckless driving is the proximate cause of the accident or incident; and
(3) The provisions of Code of Virginia, Title 46.2, Ch. 3, Art 1 (Code of Virginia, § 46.2-300 et seq.) relating to driving without a license or driving with a suspended or revoked license.
(4) The provisions of Code of Virginia, § 46.2-894, relating to improperly leaving the scene of an accident.
(b) In determining "reasonable expenses," the City may bill a flat fee of $350.00 or a minute-by-minute accounting of the actual costs incurred. As used in this section, the term "appropriate emergency response" includes all costs of providing law enforcement, firefighting, rescue, and emergency medical services. The court may order as restitution the reasonable expenses incurred by the City for firefighting, rescue and emergency medical services.
(c) The Department of Police shall compile a report of the reasonable expenses of the appropriate emergency response for each accident or incident and forward that information to the Department of Finance for appropriate proceedings. The Department of Fire and Emergency Services shall have the same reporting requirements except for accidents or incidents for which restitution is sought.
(Code 2004, § 102-9; Code 2015, § 27-9; Code 2020, § 27-9; Ord. No. 2005-238-217, § 1, 10-10-2005)
Richmond, Va., City Code § 27-10 Video-monitoring system on school buses.
Sec. 27-10. - Video-monitoring system on school buses.
The School Board of the City of Richmond, Virginia is hereby authorized to install and operate a video-monitoring system, as defined by Code of Virginia, § 46.2-844, in or on the school buses operated by the School Board or to contract with a private vendor to do so on behalf of the School Board for the purpose of recording violations of Code of Virginia, § 46.2-844(A).
(Code 2015, § 27-10; Code 2020, § 27-10; Ord. No. 2016-230, § 1, 9-26-2016)
Source: City of Richmond, Virginia, Code (2026 recodification) and Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/va/richmond/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=CH27TRVE_ARTIINGEFetched: 11/8/2026