Exhibition Driving in Virginia: Burnouts, Doughnuts & Reckless Driving Charges

A few seconds of smoke in a parking lot can look like harmless fun — until the blue lights come on. In 2025 Virginia rewrote its racing law to add a specific offense called exhibition driving: burnouts, doughnuts, drifting, and similar stunts performed near a group of people. It is not a minor ticket. It is reckless driving, a criminal misdemeanor that stays on your Virginia driving record for 11 years.

The stakes go well beyond a fine. A conviction brings 6 DMV demerit points, a possible license suspension, a criminal record, and a car insurance increase that can follow you for years. If someone gets hurt, the charge can become a felony.

This guide covers what Virginia law counts as exhibition driving, the exact penalties, how a conviction affects insurance, and the steps to take if you have been charged.

What Is Exhibition Driving in Virginia?

Exhibition driving is defined in Va. Code § 46.2-865(A), which was amended in 2025 (Acts 2025, cc. 648 and 652) to target "street takeovers" and stunt driving. It covers intentional conduct carried out in close proximity to a group of two or more people, including:

• Burnouts: holding the vehicle in place with the brake or parking brake while accelerating so the wheels spin or leave the pavement.

• Doughnuts, drifting, and weaving: unnecessary maneuvers inconsistent with normal driving, such as spinning in circles. Moves needed to avoid a crash, damage, or injury are excluded.

• Speed or power runs: running a vehicle between set start and end points or over a chosen course to show off speed or power, including drag racing.

• Hood or roof riding: carrying a passenger on the hood or roof.

Under § 46.2-865(C), exhibition driving is reckless driving when it happens on a highway or on the driveways or premises of a church, school, recreational facility, or business property open to the public — unless the property owner or their agent authorized it. That means a shopping-center lot at night counts. (For lot-specific rules, see our guide to reckless driving in a parking lot.)

The same statute also creates related offenses:

• § 46.2-865(D): purposely riding on the hood or roof during a race or exhibition is a Class 3 misdemeanor.

• § 46.2-865(E): purposely slowing, stopping, or blocking traffic — including pedestrians — to make room for a race or exhibition is a Class 1 misdemeanor. This is aimed at drivers who block intersections during takeovers.

Exhibition driving is separate from racing under § 46.2-865(B), which has its own guide: Virginia street racing laws and penalties. And if no crowd was present, a burnout may still be charged as general reckless driving or under the tire-squealing rules — see squealing tires and spinning wheels tickets.

Fines & DMV Demerit Points

Because exhibition driving is reckless driving, the penalty comes from § 46.2-868: a Class 1 misdemeanor. Under § 18.2-11, that means:

• Up to 12 months in jail

• A fine of up to $2,500

• Either or both

Virginia DMV lists "Reckless driving – exhibition driving" as a 6-point violation that stays on your driving record for 11 years. The points themselves count against you for two years from the offense date, but the conviction remains visible to insurers, employers, and courts for over a decade. Learn how points add up in our Virginia demerit points guide.

If racing or exhibition driving with reckless disregard for human life causes serious bodily injury to someone not involved, § 46.2-865.1 makes it a Class 6 felony; if it causes a death, it is a felony punishable by 1 to 20 years. Either conviction carries a mandatory license suspension of 1 to 3 years.

For the full picture of reckless penalties, see Virginia reckless driving penalties.

How Exhibition Driving Affects Car Insurance

Insurers treat reckless driving as a major violation — in the same family as DUI and hit-and-run rather than a routine speeding ticket. A conviction for exhibition driving can mean:

• A significant premium surcharge at your next renewal, often lasting three to five years depending on the carrier.

• Loss of good-driver and claims-free discounts.

• Non-renewal by some standard carriers, pushing you to higher-cost coverage.

• Problems for young drivers on a parent's policy, where one reckless conviction can raise the whole household's rate.

Because the conviction stays on your DMV record for 11 years, it can come up every time you shop for coverage. Read more in how reckless driving raises insurance in Virginia.

What to Do After an Exhibition Driving Charge

1. Contest the charge (or talk to a lawyer first). This is a criminal charge — you cannot simply prepay it. Exhibition driving requires proof that you acted intentionally, near a group of two or more people, and on a covered road or property without the owner's permission. Witness accounts, video, and whether a "group" was actually present can all matter. A Virginia traffic attorney may be able to negotiate a reduction to improper driving or a non-reckless offense.

2. Go to court and pay what the judge orders. If you are convicted or plead, pay fines and court costs on time and surrender your license if a suspension is imposed. Missing a payment or court date creates new problems, including an additional suspension.

3. Take the driver improvement course. Judges in reckless driving cases often order — or look favorably on — a DMV-approved driver improvement clinic. Completing one before your court date shows the judge you are taking it seriously, and voluntary completion can earn you 5 safe driving points (once every 24 months) to offset demerits. Learn more in driver improvement for reckless driving.

4. Monitor your driving record. Check your DMV record after the case closes to confirm the conviction, points, and any suspension were entered correctly, and track when the points expire. Use our guide to checking your Virginia driving record.

Driver Improvement Course Codes

When you enroll, you will choose the reason you are taking the course. Here is what each code means:

Frequently Asked Questions

Is doing doughnuts in an empty parking lot exhibition driving?

Exhibition driving under § 46.2-865 requires conduct in close proximity to a group of two or more people. With no group nearby it may not meet that definition — but you could still be charged with general reckless driving under § 46.2-852 or reckless driving on parking lots under § 46.2-864, and the owner's permission matters.

Will exhibition driving suspend my license?

It can. On a conviction under § 46.2-865(C), the court may suspend your license for up to 6 months. If someone is seriously injured or killed, § 46.2-865.1 requires a suspension of 1 to 3 years.

Can a driver improvement course remove the 6 points?

No course erases a conviction. A voluntary DMV-approved course adds 5 safe driving points to your record, which offset demerit points for DMV purposes, and it may help your case in court. The reckless conviction itself remains on your record for 11 years.

Enroll Today — $74.99, DMV-Approved, 30-Day Guarantee

ABC Driving Improvement's 8-hour online course is approved by the Virginia DMV, runs on any phone, tablet, or computer, and lets you stop and start whenever you need to. Completion is reported to DMV, and it covers every course code above — court-ordered, DMV-assigned, insurance, or voluntary.

Whether a judge sent you, DMV sent you a letter, or you simply want 5 safe driving points working for you, you can start in minutes. Enroll today for $74.99 — backed by our 30-day guarantee.