You can get a DUI in Virginia without driving, and a Virginia DUI lawyer will point to the reason: Va. Code § 18.2-266 makes it a crime to “drive or operate” a vehicle while intoxicated, and the Supreme Court of Virginia has held that sitting behind the wheel with the key in the ignition can count as operating. Being parked or asleep does not automatically take you outside the statute.
In the video above, Monument Legal partner Nabeel Kibria explains how these cases usually start: an officer finds someone behind the wheel of a damaged car and concludes the person drove there while impaired. This article is general information from Monument Legal, based on the Code of Virginia and Supreme Court of Virginia opinions.
Quick answer: Yes. Va. Code § 18.2-266 prohibits driving or operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, and Va. Code § 46.2-100 defines an operator as anyone in “actual physical control” of a vehicle. The Supreme Court of Virginia has upheld DUI convictions for people found asleep behind the wheel with the key in the ignition, even in a private driveway.
Yes. Virginia’s DUI law covers operating a vehicle, and operating is broader than driving down the road.
Va. Code § 18.2-266 makes it unlawful for any person to “drive or operate any motor vehicle” with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 or higher, or while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. BAC is the percentage of alcohol in your blood or breath.
Under Va. Code § 46.2-100, an “operator” is a person who “drives or is in actual physical control of a motor vehicle on a highway.” In plain terms, actual physical control describes a person positioned to put the car in motion, such as someone in the driver’s seat with the key in the ignition.
Officers build these cases from the scene itself, as Nabeel describes in the video.
“You can get a DUI in Virginia if a police officer finds you in your vehicle and suspects that you had been driving this vehicle… That’s how, without even driving at the moment, you can be charged with a DUI.”
In a typical no-driving investigation, officers document who is in the driver’s seat, where the key is, whether the engine or radio is on, any recent damage, and anything the person says about when they last drove or drank.
Under Va. Code § 19.2-81(D), an officer may arrest a person without a warrant within three hours of an alleged DUI when the officer has probable cause, even if the officer did not see the offense. Probable cause means facts that would lead a reasonable officer to believe a crime was committed.
An arrest is not a conviction. The Commonwealth still has to prove in court that the person drove or was in actual physical control while impaired, and timing often becomes a central issue.
It depends on the test. Virginia separates the roadside screening test from the post-arrest test:
Refusing the post-arrest test is a legal choice with defined consequences. Whether it makes sense depends on the facts of the case.
A defense review starts with the details that decide whether the person was “operating” under Virginia law. In Fairfax County, misdemeanor DUI cases are heard in the Traffic Division of the Fairfax County General District Court at 4110 Chain Bridge Road in Fairfax.
Questions that often matter include:
None of these questions has a guaranteed answer. Each depends on the evidence, including body-worn camera video and witness statements.
Monument Legal’s Northern Virginia team, led by Virginia-licensed attorneys, handles DUI cases in Fairfax County and across Northern Virginia. Every case turns on its own facts, and no outcome can be promised in advance.
What happens to your license after a DUI arrest in Virginia if you were parked?
Your license is affected the same way as in any DUI arrest. Under Va. Code § 46.2-391.2, an administrative suspension begins immediately at arrest and lasts 7 days for a first offense, or 60 days for a second. You may ask the general district court to review it, and the court lifts it if probable cause is not shown. A first DUI conviction adds a one-year loss of driving privileges from the date of judgment under Va. Code § 18.2-271(A).
Can you be charged with DUI in Virginia if your BAC is under 0.08?
Yes. Va. Code § 18.2-266 can be violated in more than one way. One is a BAC of 0.08 or higher. Another is driving or operating while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. A person found behind the wheel with a BAC below 0.08 can still be charged under the “under the influence” part of the statute. In those cases, the prosecution leans more heavily on the officer’s observations, so video and witness accounts can carry extra weight.
Can a physical control DUI be expunged in Virginia?
A conviction cannot. Under Va. Code § 19.2-392.2, expungement in Virginia is generally limited to charges that end in an acquittal, a dismissal, or a nolle prosequi, which is the prosecutor’s decision to drop the charge. Va. Code § 19.2-392.12(L)(1) also makes DUI and refusal convictions ineligible for petition-based record sealing. A dismissed DUI charge may qualify for expungement, while a conviction stays on the record.
Do the high-BAC jail terms apply if you were asleep in your car?
Yes, if you are convicted. Va. Code § 18.2-270 does not distinguish between a moving car and a parked one. For a first offense, a BAC of 0.15 to 0.20 adds a mandatory 5 days in jail, and a BAC above 0.20 adds a mandatory 10 days. A passenger 17 or younger adds a fine of $500 to $1,000 and 5 more days. These terms apply on top of the $250 minimum fine for a first offense, which is a Class 1 misdemeanor.
Nabeel Kibria is a partner at Monument Legal, licensed to practice law in the District of Columbia. This video is for general information only and is not legal advice. Every case is different, and nothing in this video should be treated as guidance for your specific situation. For advice about your case, consult an attorney directly.