City Car Decals
Many Hampton Roads area cities require a city decal for automobiles owned by individuals residing within a city. Active duty personnel whose vehicle is registered (title, registration & plates) in another state are not required to obtain a city decal. For additional information contact the Department of Motor Vehicles. Contact information listed under "Contacts/Links" section.
Safety Inspection Certificates
Vehicles registered in states having safety inspection laws must display current safety inspection stickers, either from the state of registration or Virginia.
Base Decals
Base auto decals remain current for three years or for the duration of current enlistment, whichever is earlier. Personnel normally obtain their decals from the security office serving the command to which they are attached. A completed vehicle registration and the following are required:
--Proper Department of Defense identification
--Driver's License: If you are an active duty member of the Armed Forces and stationed in Virginia, you, your spouse, and dependent children who are 16 years of age or older may drive with a valid driver's license issued by your home state. Vehicles registered in your name may be driven with valid out-of-state license plates. If you choose to register your car in Virginia, you do not have to obtain a Virginia driver's license.
--Applicants must present evidence of insurance coverage as required by the state of Virginia.
--Vehicles of Armed Forces personnel must be registered in their own names or in the names of their legal dependents. If the vehicle is titled in BOTH the service member and spouse's names, there will be a property tax assessment. Taxes are approximately 3% of the assessed value of the vehicle. This can be quite an expense, especially on a new or late model car. **The titled owner of the vehicle must be an active duty nonresident to qualify for an exemption of personal property tax.**
Automobile Safety
Virginia law requires that children under 6 years of age be restrained in a child safety seat that meets federal standards. Virginia law requires all children age six through age 15 to be properly secured in an approved child safety seat, booster seat or safety belt no matter where the child is seated in the vehicle. Under Virginia law the driver is responsible for ensuring that all children in the vehicle are properly restrained. In Virginia, a police officer can stop a vehicle if children up to the age 16 riding in the vehicle are not properly restrained.