Virginia Failure to Obey a Traffic Signal (§ 46.2‑833): Fines, Points & What to Do Next

You're rolling up to a busy Virginia intersection, the light is doing something you're not quite sure about — a stale yellow, a flashing red, a green arrow that just vanished — and the next thing you know there are blue lights in your mirror. The officer hands you a summons that reads "Fail to obey traffic light — § 46.2‑833." It isn't the same charge as a red‑light‑camera notice, and it hits your record differently than you might expect.

This ticket carries a real fine, four DMV demerit points, and a three‑year stay on your Virginia driving record — enough to nudge your insurance premium in the wrong direction. Here's exactly what a § 46.2‑833 violation means, what it costs, and the smartest steps to take next.

What Is Failure to Obey a Traffic Signal in Virginia?

Virginia Code § 46.2‑833 governs how drivers must respond to traffic lights and signals. It's broader than "running a red light." The statute requires you to obey every phase of a signal — steady red, steady yellow, green arrows, and flashing signals — and it's the catch‑all charge an officer often writes when your conduct at a light doesn't fit neatly under a camera citation.

Common ways drivers pick up a § 46.2‑833 charge include:

• Entering an intersection on a steady red when an officer personally observes it (as opposed to a mailed camera ticket).

• Failing to stop for a steady yellow that turned red before you cleared the line.

• Disobeying a green arrow or turning against a red arrow.

• Failing to stop and proceed properly at a flashing red signal.

• Blocking or entering an intersection against the signal.

Officers reach for § 46.2‑833 because it is flexible: it lets them cite the driver they personally watched disobey a light without relying on camera footage or a more serious charge. On your driving record abstract it usually appears as “Fail to obey traffic light” or “Disregard traffic signal,” and it is scored as a moving violation. That wording matters if you later try to negotiate the charge down, because a judge or prosecutor treats a signal violation differently from a mere equipment or paperwork ticket.

Because the language is broad, this charge is distinct from a mailed red‑light camera ticket — which is a civil penalty that does not add demerit points — and from the specific scenarios covered in our guides to the red‑light running ticket, the yellow‑light ticket, and the flashing‑red‑light ticket. It's also separate from failure to obey a highway sign under § 46.2‑830.

Fines & DMV Demerit Points

A violation of § 46.2‑833 is a traffic infraction punishable by a fine of up to $350. With court costs added, most drivers pay somewhere in the range of a couple hundred dollars once fees are included. More importantly for your record:

• DMV demerit points: 4 points.

• Time on your record: 3 years from the date of the offense.

• Classification: Moving violation (traffic infraction), not a criminal offense.

• Repeat exposure: a second signal or intersection violation within a short window compounds both your points and your insurance risk.

Those four points matter. Virginia's demerit point system lets points stack quickly — accumulate 12 points in 12 months and the DMV requires action; hit 18 in 12 months and your license can be suspended. If you're already carrying points from a prior ticket, a § 46.2‑833 conviction can push you toward a point problem you will need to actively fix.

Quick tip: A signal violation is a 4‑point offense, one point higher than many drivers assume. Don't ignore it just because it "wasn't a camera ticket."

How It Affects Your Car Insurance

Insurers review your motor vehicle record when you renew or shop for coverage, and a moving violation like failure to obey a traffic signal is exactly the kind of entry that can raise your rate. A single conviction can affect premiums for three years or more, and the impact compounds if you have other violations on file.

The size of any increase depends on your insurer, your history, and your policy — we can't tell you your exact number, and anyone who promises one is guessing. What we can say is that keeping the conviction off your record (or offsetting the points) is the most reliable way to protect your rate. That's where a state‑approved driver improvement course comes in.

What to Do After a § 46.2‑833 Ticket

1. Read the summons and mark your court date. Note whether you're required to appear or may prepay. Prepaying is an admission of guilt and puts the points on your record — so decide deliberately.

2. Consider contesting it. Signal cases can turn on what the officer actually saw (light timing, sight lines, whether you'd already entered the intersection). If the facts are genuinely in dispute, you can plead not guilty and present your side.

3. Take a DMV‑approved driver improvement course. Completing an approved course voluntarily adds +5 safe‑driving points to your record, which can offset the 4 demerit points from this ticket. Judges also frequently look favorably on drivers who complete the course before their court date.

4. Monitor your driving record. After the case resolves, pull your record to confirm the points and dates posted correctly, and track when the entry will drop off.

Here's how the course code on your paperwork tells you why you're taking the course:

If a judge orders the course as a condition tied to the points on this ticket, that's a YCT (Court Assigned — Points) assignment. If you're taking it on your own to offset points and help your insurance standing, that's a VOL (Voluntary) completion.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is failure to obey a traffic signal the same as a red‑light camera ticket?
No. A mailed camera citation is a civil penalty with no demerit points and no impact on your DMV record. A § 46.2‑833 charge written by an officer is a moving violation worth 4 demerit points. See our red‑light camera guide for the difference.

How many points is a § 46.2‑833 violation in Virginia?
Four DMV demerit points, and it stays on your record for three years.

Can a driver improvement course remove this ticket?
The course doesn't erase the conviction, but it adds +5 safe‑driving points that can offset the 4 demerit points, and taking it before court can help your case. Learn more about removing points here.

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Enroll in the DMV‑approved driver improvement course today and take control of your driving record. — ABC Driving Improvement