Virginia Squealing Tires & Spinning Wheels: Fines, Points & What to Do Next

It feels harmless: you punch the gas at a green light, the tires chirp, maybe you leave a little rubber on the road to impress a friend. In Virginia, that quick burnout can be a lot more expensive than it looks. Deliberately squealing your tires or spinning your wheels isn’t a minor equipment ticket — police and prosecutors can charge it as reckless driving, a Class 1 misdemeanor that puts six demerit points on your record and a criminal conviction on your history.

This guide explains when a peel-out crosses the line, what it costs, how it wrecks your insurance, and the four steps to take if you’re charged.

What is “squealing tires” or “spinning wheels” under Virginia law?

Virginia doesn’t have a cute “no burnouts” statute. Instead, officers reach for the reckless-driving laws. The most common is the general reckless driving rule, § 46.2-852, which makes it reckless to drive “in a manner so as to endanger the life, limb, or property of any person” — regardless of the posted speed limit. Virginia courts have held that intentionally spinning your tires on pavement can violate this statute.

Two related charges show up too. § 46.2-853 covers driving a vehicle that is not under control — which a wheel-spinning launch can be — and § 46.2-865 covers racing, while exhibition driving (burnouts, donuts, and tire-squealing stunts performed for onlookers) is charged when you’re showing off in front of a crowd. The key question an officer asks is whether you intended the display or lost control — either way, it endangers people and property, and that is the heart of a reckless charge. If your stunt was part of a group meet-up, expect prosecutors to lean on the street racing statutes as well.

Fines & DMV demerit points (with the numbers)

Because squealing tires is usually charged as reckless driving, the penalties are the reckless penalties — and they are steep. Reckless driving in Virginia is a Class 1 misdemeanor, the same class as a DUI. Under § 46.2-868 the maximum penalties are:

• A fine of up to $2,500

• Up to 12 months in jail

• License suspension of up to 6 months

• 6 DMV demerit points — the highest tier — that stay on your Virginia record for 11 years

• A permanent criminal record, because reckless driving is a misdemeanor, not a mere infraction

Most first-time, low-harm cases don’t hit the maximum, but even a routine reckless conviction commonly brings a fine of several hundred dollars, the 6 points, and a misdemeanor that follows you onto background checks. Compare that to the demerit tiers in our Virginia demerit points guide and you’ll see a burnout can cost more points than many crashes.

What tips a chirp of the tires into a charge? Officers look at intent and circumstances. A brief, accidental slip on a wet road is rarely charged. But a deliberate launch that lights up the tires, a donut in a parking lot, a burnout at a light, or a wheels-spinning stunt with a crowd watching all read as a conscious choice to drive in a way that endangers people or property. Add a passenger you were trying to impress, a wet or crowded lot, or a near-miss, and the officer’s discretion tilts hard toward writing it up. Commercial drivers should be especially careful: a reckless conviction is a serious violation that can jeopardize a CDL.

Facing a reckless charge? A completion certificate can help — enroll now →

How it affects your car insurance

Insurers treat reckless driving as a major violation, in the same bucket as DUI — far above an ordinary speeding ticket. A single reckless conviction can raise your premium 50% or more, and some carriers will non-renew the policy entirely, pushing you into high-risk coverage. Because the 6 points sit on your DMV record for 11 years and the criminal conviction is essentially permanent, the insurance sting lasts far longer than for a normal ticket. We cover the details in how reckless driving raises your insurance.

Unlike a DUI, a reckless conviction doesn’t automatically require an SR-22 filing, but if the court suspends your license you may need one to reinstate — and a second major violation can push you into the assigned-risk market, where coverage is far more expensive and harder to find. The cheapest way to protect your rate is to keep the conviction off your record in the first place, which is where the steps below come in.

What to do after a squealing-tires / reckless charge

1. Take the charge seriously — consider contesting it. Reckless driving is a criminal charge with a possible jail exposure, so many drivers consult a traffic attorney. The prosecution has to prove the conduct actually endangered people or property. Read our reckless driving guide before your court date.

2. Don’t just prepay. Many reckless charges can’t be prepaid at all — you must appear. Even where you can, paying is a guilty plea to a misdemeanor. Understand what you’re accepting first.

3. Complete a driver improvement course before court. Judges routinely look favorably on a defendant who has already finished an approved course. It can support a reduction from reckless to improper driving (a lesser, 3-point infraction), and it adds +5 safe-driving points to your record.

4. Monitor your record. After the case resolves, check your driving record to confirm how the charge and points posted — especially if it was reduced.

Course-code quick reference

When you sign up, you choose the reason you are taking the course. Pick the code that matches your situation:

Frequently asked questions

Is it illegal to squeal your tires in Virginia?
Intentionally spinning your wheels or squealing your tires can be charged as reckless driving under § 46.2-852 because it endangers people and property. It is not a simple equipment ticket.

How many points is reckless driving in Virginia?
It carries the maximum 6 demerit points and stays on your DMV record for 11 years, on top of a misdemeanor criminal conviction.

Can a driver improvement course help with a reckless charge?
Yes. It doesn’t erase the charge, but completing an approved course before court can support a reduction to a lesser offense and demonstrates responsibility to the judge. It also adds +5 safe-driving points to your record.

Enroll today and put this behind you

A ten-second burnout shouldn’t follow you for eleven years — show the court you’re serious. The ABC Driving Improvement course is DMV-approved, 100% online, and self-paced, so you can finish on your own schedule and earn a completion certificate the DMV and your insurer will recognize. Whether a judge ordered it, your insurer asked for it, or you simply want +5 safe-driving points on your record, we make it simple.

Enroll today — $74.99, DMV-approved, with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Start your DMV-approved Virginia driver improvement course →