Virginia DMV Compliance Summary: What It Is and How to Get One After a DUI

What the Compliance Summary Shows

A Virginia DMV compliance summary is an administrative document that lists every outstanding requirement, hold, or suspension currently affecting your driving privileges. After a DUI conviction, it is essentially your scoreboard — it shows exactly which agencies have placed holds on your license and what the DMV needs from you before it will reinstate your driving privileges.

The compliance summary typically lists:

• Active suspensions or revocations — including the 12-month court-ordered revocation after a DUI conviction and any administrative suspension from the arrest itself
• FR-44 filing status — whether your insurer has filed the required Financial Responsibility Certificate with the doubled liability limits (100/200/50)
• Outstanding reinstatement fees — the $220 alcohol-related reinstatement fee and any additional per-order surcharges
• VASAP compliance status — whether the Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program has confirmed your enrollment
• Multiple suspension orders — if you have more than one active hold (common when the administrative suspension and the court-ordered revocation overlap), each appears as a separate line item

Think of it as the DMV's master checklist. Until every item on the compliance summary is cleared, the DMV will not print your restricted license or restore your full driving privileges.

Why You Need It

The compliance summary serves two practical purposes after a DUI:

Before your DMV visit for a restricted license — You should request the compliance summary before driving to a DMV Customer Service Center with your restricted license order (Form DC-265). If any requirement is missing — the FR-44 has not posted, VASAP enrollment has not been confirmed, or a fee is outstanding — the DMV will turn you away. Checking the compliance summary first prevents a wasted trip.

During full license restoration — At the end of your 12-month revocation period, the compliance summary tells you whether all holds have been cleared. Full restoration requires that every item is resolved: VASAP completion, interlock compliance period finished, FR-44 on file, all fees paid. The DMV will not administer the required vision, written, and road skills exams until the compliance summary shows zero outstanding holds.

How to Request Your Compliance Summary

You can obtain your compliance summary through several channels:

• In person — Visit any Virginia DMV Customer Service Center and request a compliance summary printout. Bring valid identification
• By phone — Call the DMV's general number and request a verbal review of your compliance status
• Online — The DMV's online services portal may allow you to view certain compliance information, though the level of detail varies

The in-person printout is the most reliable option because it shows every active order and hold in one document. If you are preparing for a restricted license visit or full restoration, bring the printout with you so you can reference specific line items if questions arise.

Common Holds That Block Reinstatement

Several common issues show up on compliance summaries after a DUI conviction:

FR-44 not yet posted — Your insurer filed the FR-44, but it has not appeared in the DMV's electronic system yet. Electronic filings typically process within a few business days, but delays happen. If the compliance summary still shows a financial responsibility hold, contact your insurer to confirm the filing was submitted and ask for a confirmation number.

Multiple suspension orders — The 7-day administrative suspension and the 12-month court-ordered revocation are separate orders. The $220 alcohol-related reinstatement fee is one-time; a $5 surcharge applies for each additional active order. If you see two or more separate lines, you need to address each one independently.

VASAP enrollment not confirmed — Contact your ASAP case manager to confirm that your enrollment is recorded and ask what proof the DMV requires.

Outstanding court fines — Some courts communicate unpaid fines to the DMV, which can result in an additional hold. The compliance summary will show which court is the source.

Clearing Your Compliance Summary

Clearing a compliance summary is sequential — each hold must be addressed with the specific agency that placed it:

1. Court holds — Pay outstanding fines and costs at the General District Court clerk's office
2. FR-44 holds — Contact your insurer to confirm the FR-44 was filed electronically with the DMV
3. VASAP holds — Contact your local ASAP office to confirm enrollment notification was transmitted
4. Fee holds — Pay the $220 reinstatement fee (and any per-order surcharges) at the DMV or online

Once every hold is cleared, the compliance summary will show a clean status, and the DMV can proceed with printing your restricted license or administering restoration exams.

Where the Compliance Summary Fits in the Overall Process

The compliance summary is not a step you complete — it is a verification tool you check at key points in the DUI reinstatement process. You should pull it before visiting the DMV for your restricted license and again before attempting full license restoration at the end of the 12-month revocation.

Our Virginia First-Offense DUI Guide includes the compliance summary check at each critical milestone in the reinstatement timeline, along with every other form, fee, and deadline you need to track. If you want the full sequence from arrest through restoration in one place, the complete guide maps every step.

See more Virginia guides →