# Virginia — Reckless / excessive-speeding mph thresholds that trigger a criminal charge, by state

For Virginia, threshold over the posted limit is 20 miles per hour or more in excess of the applicable maximum speed limit; absolute mph threshold is in excess of 85 miles per hour regardless of the applicable maximum speed limit; offense classification is guilty of reckless driving; statute is Va. Code § 46.2-862 — Exceeding speed limit, verified against its source on 2026-08-20.

- **State:** Virginia _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_
- **Threshold over the posted limit:** 20 miles per hour or more in excess of the applicable maximum speed limit _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Absolute mph threshold:** in excess of 85 miles per hour regardless of the applicable maximum speed limit _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Offense classification:** guilty of reckless driving _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Statute:** Va. Code § 46.2-862 — Exceeding speed limit _(verified: appears in the quote below)_

## What the source says

> A person is guilty of reckless driving who drives a motor vehicle on the highways in the Commonwealth (i) at a speed of 20 miles per hour or more in excess of the applicable maximum speed limit or (ii) in excess of 85 miles per hour regardless of the applicable maximum speed limit.

## Source

- https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title46.2/chapter8/section46.2-862/

Last verified: 2026-08-20. Review by: 2027-08-20.
Part of [Reckless / excessive-speeding mph thresholds that trigger a criminal charge, by state](https://referencesource.org/reckless-driving-speed-thresholds-by-state/).