Auto Theft Laws in Virginia

Each state, including Virginia, has its own laws pertaining to motor vehicle larceny and related offenses, including joyriding, tampering, and carjacking. Virginia's laws and the applicable punishments are discussed below.

Is Motor Vehicle Larceny a Felony in Virginia?

Most auto thefts are felonies in Virginia. Virginia prosecutes motor vehicle larceny under the state's grand and petit larceny laws. The punishment for stealing property worth more than $1,000 carries felony penalties. A person commits motor vehicle larceny when they wrongfully or fraudulently take another's motor vehicle without permission and with the intent to permanently deprive the owner of the vehicle.

Petit larceny. Stealing a vehicle worth less than $1,000 is petit larceny, a class 1 misdemeanor. A person who commits petit larceny faces penalties of up to 12 months in jail and a $2,500 fine.

Grand larceny. If the value of the stolen vehicle is $1,000 or more, the defendant commits grand larceny—a felony. This offender faces imprisonment for one to 20 years. But the law gives the judge or jury discretion to impose misdemeanor penalties of up to 12 months in jail and a $2,500 fine, which might occur if the offender doesn't have prior convictions or the value of the vehicle was just over $1,000.

(Va. Code §§ 18.2-10, 18.2-11, 18.2-95, 18.2-96, 18.2-117 (2025).)

What Are the Penalties for Joyriding Offenses in Virginia?

Similar to auto theft, joyriding offenses—or "unauthorized use of a vehicle"—are often felonies in Virginia because the penalty is based on the vehicle's value. If the value of the joyridden vehicle is $1,000 or more, the defendant commits a Class 6 felony. However, class 6 felonies are wobblers, which means they can be punished as a felony (one to five years of incarceration) or as a misdemeanor (up to 12 months in jail and a $2,500 fine). If the vehicle holds a value of less than $1,000, the offense constitutes a Class 1 misdemeanor. The guilty offender faces up to one year in jail and a $2,500 fine. A person who assists in or is a party to the joyriding faces the same penalties as the principal offender.

Joyriding vs. auto theft. A person commits joyriding when they take, drive, or use a vehicle without consent and with the intent to temporarily deprive the owner of its possession. Joyriding differs from auto theft based on the offender's intent. Intent to temporarily take the car is joyriding, whereas intent to permanently deprive the owner of their vehicle is auto theft.

Past consent isn't current consent. The law also states that simply because the owner has allowed the defendant to use the car at some point in the past doesn't mean a defendant can presume continued use of the vehicle without asking.

(Va. Code §§ 18.2-10, 18.2-11, 18.2-102 (2025).)

What Are the Penalties for Tampering With a Vehicle in Virginia?

Breaking into or removing parts from a vehicle carries class 1 misdemeanor penalties unless the vehicle part is a catalytic converter or damage to the vehicle amounts to $1,000 or more. These offenses are class 6 felonies in Virginia. It's a separate crime—also a class 6 felony—to sell or try to sell a stolen catalytic converter. Class 6 felonies are wobblers and can be punished as a felony (one to five years of incarceration) or as a misdemeanor (up to 12 months in jail and a $2,500 fine).

(Va. Code §§ 18.2-137, 18.2-146, 18.2-146.1 (2025).)

What Are the Penalties for Carjacking in Virginia?

In Virginia, a person commits carjacking by intentionally taking control of a vehicle from another's possession or control through the use of violence or a threat of violence, including by displaying a firearm or deadly weapon, striking, beating or strangling another, or putting the person in fear of serious bodily harm.

The offense is considered a carjacking regardless of whether the defendant intended to permanently or temporarily deprive the owner of the vehicle. In other words, so long as there is a taking that involves violence (or threat of violence), the crime is a carjacking, even if the defendant only intended to drive the car down the block and ditch it.

A person who commits carjacking faces a felony penalty of 15 years to life in prison.

(Va. Code § 18.2-58.1 (2025).)

Talk to a Lawyer

If you have been charged with a motor vehicle larceny or a related crime, contact a local lawyer with experience in criminal defense. An attorney can answer your questions about how Virginia law applies to the unique circumstances of your case and recommend the best course of legal action for you. Ask for a public defender if you can't afford a private attorney.