The DMV Law Enforcement Division consists of three areas:
- Field Enforcement and Investigations Units
- Includes North, West and East Regions
- Training and Professional Standards Unit
- Operations Support Unit
- Includes Intake and Analysis and Information Services
Field Investigations and Enforcement Units
Field Investigations
Field Investigations protect the integrity of DMV-issued credentials by enforcing laws related to motor vehicle titling and driver licensing. Field Investigation law enforcement officers investigate crimes involving identity fraud and DMV credentials, ranging from individual offenders to complex criminal organizations. They frequently collaborate with local and federal agencies through task forces tackling identity fraud, vehicle theft, and public corruption.
Field Investigations also partners with the Motor Vehicle Dealer Board (MVDB) to regulate new and used vehicle dealers, addressing unlicensed operations. Field Investigation law enforcement officers conduct internal investigations involving DMV personnel as well.
With offices inside DMV customer service centers, Field Investigation law enforcement officers respond promptly to attempts at using counterfeit documents. Their presence deters crime and aids customer service staff in identifying and stopping fraudulent activity.
Field Investigation law enforcement officers enforce Virginia laws protecting consumers from fraud, deception, and safety hazards. These laws also protect licensed dealers from unfair competition and ensure proper revenue collection by state and local governments. Their work ensures the integrity of the Commonwealth’s credential integrity, vehicle commerce and registration systems.
Key criminal and regulatory investigations investigation areas include:
- Driver license and title fraud
- Consumer complaints related to vehicle sales
- Odometer fraud and vehicle title washing
- Stolen vehicles and stolen vehicle parts trafficking
- Misuse of dealer plates and temporary tags
- Curbstoning (illegal vehicle sales)
- Sales tax evasion and fraudulent titling practices
- Motor vehicle theft
Field Enforcement
Field Enforcement enforces DMV laws related to commercial transportation, motor fuels tax, the automobile salvage industry, and title integrity for vehicles sold or transferred under special conditions (e.g., salvage or abandoned vehicles). These units aim to:
- Protect Virginia consumers
- Maintain fair competition among transportation, auto recycling, and motor fuel businesses
- Ensure fair and efficient collection of transportation-related revenues
Field Enforcement ensures compliance with laws regulating commercial passenger/property carriers and motor fuels taxation and DMV’s mobile weigh crews and the Virginia State Police commercial vehicle safety program.
Duties include:
- Investigating complaints against carriers
- Inspecting for-hire transportation
- Addressing unlicensed operators
- Enforcing laws against untaxed motor fuels use
- Inspecting motor fuels tax-licensed businesses
- Investigating fuels tax evasion and avoidance
- Enforcing road tax surcharges on commercial carriers
- Conducting safety inspections under Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration guidelines
Field Enforcement also oversees businesses involved in vehicle recycling and parts. It safeguards the integrity of DMV titles for salvage, abandoned, and demolished vehicles, and assists law enforcement in identifying vehicles with missing or altered VINs.
Field Enforcement law enforcement officers conduct:
- Examination of repaired salvage vehicles to ensure no stolen parts are used
- Verification of vehicle identification numbers as mandated by law
- Enforcement of motor vehicle salvage and recycling laws
- Investigation of complaints against salvage dealers, salvage pools, demolishers, and vehicle removal operators
- Inspections of licensed businesses within this sector
- Investigations into title integrity complaints
- Addressing unlicensed businesses operating illegally
Training and Professional Standards Unit
Training and Professional Standards (TPSU) is responsible for providing specialized security and protection detail, coordinating responses to internal and external threats, and managing all law enforcement officer training. This includes firearms qualification and training, as well as ensuring the safety of employees and customers.
Key responsibilities include:
- Maintaining the Law Enforcement Division’s firearms inventory
- Conducting background checks for prospective Office of Enforcement and Compliance employees
- Administering participation in the Statewide Agencies Radio System (STARS) for integrated voice and data communications
Operations Support Unit
Operations Support Unit (OSU) serves as the central hub of the DMV Law Enforcement Division and includes two work centers: Intake and Analysis and Law Enforcement Information Services (LEIS).
- Intake and Analysis work center performs first line analysis of investigation requests from DMV employees, customers, and internal and external law enforcement. Responsibilities include:
- Receiving, researching, and analyzing investigation requests
- Dispatching investigation requests to DMV's law enforcement officers
- Performing data analysis and producing reports
- Administering and procuring law enforcement equipment and uniforms
- Administering external law enforcement resources and tools necessary to complete investigations
- LEIS work center provides support to internal and external law enforcement. Responsibilities include:
- Administering DMV's Virginia Criminal Information Network (VCIN) program
- Conducting DMV research related to internal and external law enforcement investigations
- Administering law enforcement ad hoc report requests (e.g., partial plate searches, identifying wanted vehicles, etc.)
- Complying with expungement orders
Contact Information
DMV Law Enforcement may be contacted by phone at (804) 367-1678 and (804) 367-1997, by email at enforcement@dmv.virginia.gov, or by submitting a completed DMV Law Enforcement Investigation Request (LE-22).
The fastest and easiest way to have your request reviewed is by submitting it online.
If you are unable to upload your documents online, DMV can still accept them by one of the following methods:
Department of Motor Vehicles
Law Enforcement Division
P.O. Box 26407
Richmond, Virginia 23261-6407
For more information, visit: Compliment or report misconduct of a Virginia DMV law enforcement officer or a non-sworn employee of the DMV Law Enforcement Division
For DMV security guard concerns, who provide physical security throughout the DMV headquarters building and at DMV Customer Service Centers, please contact the JOC at dmvjoc@dmv.virginia.gov
For issues unrelated to DMV Law Enforcement matters, refer to the agency Contact Information.