Under 46.2-646, when may an officer stop a vehicle for registration?

Under 46.2-646, when may an officer stop a vehicle for registration?

• A. Immediately after expiration
• B. Only during daylight hours
• C. Only with probable cause
• D. After four months past expiration

Answer: (D)

The rule tests how enforcement of registration works after expiration. Virginia law gives a four-month grace period after a registration expires before a stop can be made solely to address the expired registration. This means an officer generally can’t stop a vehicle just because its registration is expired until four months have passed; after that point, a stop can be used to address the expired registration and, if needed, issue a citation. The other ideas—stopping immediately after expiration, only during daylight, or only with probable cause beyond the registration status—don’t fit this statute, which centers on that four-month window.

The rule tests how enforcement of registration works after expiration. Virginia law gives a four-month grace period after a registration expires before a stop can be made solely to address the expired registration. This means an officer generally can’t stop a vehicle just because its registration is expired until four months have passed; after that point, a stop can be used to address the expired registration and, if needed, issue a citation. The other ideas—stopping immediately after expiration, only during daylight, or only with probable cause beyond the registration status—don’t fit this statute, which centers on that four-month window.