The court code on your Virginia driver's license is a two-digit number that tells you which court handled your most recent traffic or driving-related conviction

Virginia prints this code on the back of your license in a field labeled "Court Code." It refers to the specific court — district court, circuit court, or traffic court — where you were convicted or where a violation was recorded. The code itself is just a reference number; it does not indicate the severity of the offense or affect your driving privileges directly.

The court code matters most when you need to contest a conviction, request a record, or understand which court issued a restriction on your license. If you have received a suspension or points on your record, the court code tells you exactly where to send an appeal or where to request documents related to that case.

Key Takeaways

  • The court code is a two-digit number on the back of your Virginia license that identifies which court handled your most recent traffic conviction.
  • Different court codes correspond to different courts in Virginia — district courts, circuit courts, and traffic courts each have their own codes.
  • You need the court code if you want to appeal a conviction, request case records, or understand which court imposed a license restriction.
  • The code does not change your driving privileges on its own; it is purely a reference tool for locating your case in the court system.

How Virginia assigns court codes to licenses

When you receive a traffic conviction in Virginia, the court that handles your case assigns a code based on its location and type. The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles receives notice of the conviction and prints the court code on your replacement license. If you have multiple convictions, your license will show the code for the most recent one.

The code is a two-digit number that corresponds to a specific courthouse. For example, different codes identify district courts in different counties, circuit courts, and specialized traffic courts. You can find a list of Virginia court codes through the Virginia Court System website or by contacting your local courthouse directly.

Why the court code appears on your license

Virginia includes the court code so that you and law enforcement can quickly identify which court handled your case. If you are pulled over and an officer sees a restriction or suspension on your record, the court code helps them verify the details without having to search through multiple court systems.

The code also serves you if you need to challenge a conviction or request documents. Rather than calling multiple courts, you can use the code to contact the exact courthouse that processed your case. This saves time when you are trying to understand why points were added to your record or why a restriction was imposed.

What to do if you need information about your court code

Start by looking at the back of your Virginia driver's license. The court code appears in a specific field; if you do not see one, it means you have no recent traffic convictions on record in Virginia. If you do see a code and want to know which court it represents, contact the Virginia Court System or call your local courthouse.

You can also request a copy of your driving record from the Virginia DMV, which will show your convictions and the courts that handled them. The DMV can tell you what the code means and direct you to the right courthouse if you need to follow up on a specific case.

Court codes and license suspensions or restrictions

If your license has been suspended or restricted, the court code tells you which court issued that action. This matters because you may need to contact that specific court to request a hearing, pay a reinstatement fee, or ask about conditions for getting your license back.

Some suspensions are automatic — for example, if you accumulate too many points, the DMV suspends your license without a court order. In those cases, you may not see a court code related to the suspension itself, but you will see codes for the individual convictions that led to the point total. Other suspensions come directly from a court decision, and the court code will point you to that court.

How to read other information on your Virginia license

Your Virginia driver's license contains several codes and abbreviations beyond the court code. The back of the license includes restrictions (like corrective lenses required), endorsements (like motorcycle or commercial driving), and your driving record summary. Each of these serves a different purpose and is used by law enforcement or the DMV to verify your legal driving status.

If you see a restriction or code you do not understand, the DMV website has a guide to all license codes and restrictions. You can also call the DMV directly or visit a local DMV office to ask what a specific code means and how it affects your driving privileges.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the court code affect my insurance rates or driving privileges?

No. The court code itself is just a reference number. Your insurance rates and driving privileges are determined by the conviction or violation itself, not by which court handled it. The code straightforward tells you where to find information about that conviction.

Can I remove or change the court code on my license?

You cannot change the court code — it is assigned by the court system and reflects your actual conviction record. If you believe the code is incorrect or your record contains an error, you would need to contact the court that issued it and request a correction to your driving record through the DMV.

What if I do not have a court code on my license?

If there is no court code on your license, it means you have no recent traffic convictions recorded in Virginia. The code only appears when you have been convicted of a traffic offense. A clean driving record will not show a court code.

How do I find out which courthouse my court code refers to?

Contact the Virginia Court System website or call your local courthouse. You can also call the Virginia DMV and provide your court code; they can tell you which court it represents. The DMV can also provide a phone number and address for that courthouse.