Chap. 219.—An ACT to amend and re-enact Sections 7 and 10, as amended, of
Chapter 385 of the Acts of Assembly of 1932, approved March 29, 1932, relating
to issuing permits and licenses to minors, to drive motor vehicles, and to exami-
nation and licensing of applicants for certain licenses. [H 312]

Approved March 15, 1944

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That sections seven and ten, as amended, of chapter three
hundred eighty-five of the Acts of the General Assembly of nineteen
hundred thirty-two, approved March twenty-nine, nineteen hundred
thirty-two, be amended and re-enacted, as follows:

Section 7. Instruction permits—(a) The Division upon receiving
from any person over the age of fifteen years an application for a
temporary instruction permit may in its discretion issue such a permit
entitling the applicant, while having such permit in his immediate pos-
session, to drive a motor vehicle upon the highways for a period of
sixty days when accompanied by a licensed operator or chauffeur who
is actually occupying a seat beside the driver; provided that until July
one, nineteen hundred ‘forty-six, such a permit may be issued to any
person over the age of fourteen years, but not permitting the operation
of motor vehicles for hire or rent or for-hire motor vehicles; provided
that no such permit shall be issued to any person who Is not fifteen years
of age in the event such person resides within a city where there 1s in
effect a proper city ordinance prohibiting such minor from driving motor
vehicles on the streets and alleys thereof.

(b) An operator’s license may be issued to a minor over the age of
fifteen years, upon proper application therefor and upon satisfactory
evidence that such minor is mentally, physically and otherwise qualified
to drive a motor vehicle with safety ; provided further, that no such minor
shall drive a motor vehicle on the streets and alleys of any city in this
State if prohibited from so doing by a proper city ordinance; provided
that until July one, nineteen hundred forty-six, such a license may be
issued to any person over the age of fourteen years, but not permitting
the operation of motor vehicles for hire or rent or for-hire motor ve-
hicles prior to reaching the age of fifteen or other such age as 1s requisite
by any other applicable law; provided that no such license shall be
issued to any person who is not fifteen years of age in the event such
person resides within a city where there is in effect a proper city ordi-
nance prohibiting such minor from driving motor vehicles on the streets
and alleys thereof.

Section 10. Examination of applicants—(a) The Department
of State Police shall examine every applicant referred to it by the Divi-
sion for an operator’s or chauffeur’s license before the Division issues
any such license, except as otherwise provided in subsection (b) of this
section, The Department shall examine the applicant as to his physical
and mental qualifications and his ability to operate a motor vehicle in
such manner as not to jeopardize the safety of persons or property and
as to whether any facts exist which would ban the issuance of a license
under section five of this act, but such examination shall not include
Investigation of any facts other than those directly pertaining to the
ability of the applicant to operate a motor vehicle with safety, or other
than those facts declared to be prerequisite to the issuance of a license
under this act.

(b) On and after the effective date of this section, as amended, no
person, except those expressly exempted in sections three and four of
this act, shall drive any motor velucle on any highway in this State until
such person shall have made application for an operator’s or chauffeur's
license, as hereinbefore provided, and satisfactorily passed the examina-
tion required by subsection (a) of this section, and obtained either an
operator’s or chauffeur’s license, unless such person shall have hereto-
fore been issued an operator’s or chauffeur’s license under the provisions
of this act, to expire on June thirtieth, nineteen hundred forty-two, or
June thirtieth, nineteen hundred forty-five. Any operator’s license here-
after issued in accordance with the provisions of this act shall be issued
to expire three years from the date of issuance thereof, and any operator’s
license so issued, or any operator’s license heretofore issued to expire
on June thirtieth, nineteen hundred forty-two, or June thirtieth, nineteen
hundred forty-five, may thereafter upon proper application and in the
discretion of the Division, be renewed without examination of the
applicant. Every such license shall be issued to expire three years from
the date of issuance thereof. Any chauffeur’s license so issued, or any
chauffeur’s license heretofore issued to expire on June thirtieth, nine-
teen hundred forty-two, or June thirtieth, nineteen hundred forty-three,
may thereafter, upon proper application and in the discretion of the Di-
vision, be renewed without examination of the applicant, and every such
license shall be issued to expire one year from the date of issuance thereof.
For each operator’s license issued or renewed as herein provided the fee
shall be fifty cents (50c), and for each chauffeur’s license issued or
renewed as herein provided the fee shall be two dollars ($2.00).

(c) The license of any person issued under the provisions of this
section shall be held not to have expired during the period of his service,
if any, in the armed forces of the United States and six months there-
after or until the termination of the present war and six months there-
atter, whichever first occurs. Any person whose license is extended
under the provisions of this subsection shall have documentary or other
proof when operating any motor vehicle that he is entitled to the benefits
hereof.

2. An emergency exists and this act is in force from its passage.