Road Traffic Amendment Act 2025 Comes Into
The Road Traffic (Amendment) Act 2025, assented to on 2 October and gazetted on 6 October, is now in force across the British Virgin Islands, the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) confirmed in a press release on 28 November 2025. The Government’s Ministry of Communications and Works says the amendments introduce higher fines, new offences and administrative changes including new Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) requirements and fees; motorists are urged to read the updated law at laws.gov.vg and adjust behaviour to avoid penalties.
The Road Traffic (Amendment) Act 2025 has taken effect across the British Virgin Islands, the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) confirmed in a press release dated Friday, 28 November 2025. The legislation was passed by the House of Assembly, assented to by the Governor on Thursday, 2 October 2025, and gazetted on Monday, 6 October 2025, the Government’s Ministry of Communications and Works said in its announcement.
The ministry described the changes as substantial measures aimed at enhancing road safety, improving traffic flow and increasing accountability among road users. According to the RVIPF, the amended Act "introduces several important changes designed to strengthen road safety, modernise enforcement, and support responsible motoring." While the force did not list every new offence in its release, it said the provisions target reckless behaviours seen on local roads and are intended to protect motorists, pedestrians and responding officers.
One explicit change published in Schedule 1 of the amended Act is the revision of many fixed-penalty offences. Several parking penalties have been raised and are now set at $225, the police said. The RVIPF added that a wide range of existing traffic fines across the schedule have been significantly increased to serve as a stronger deterrent to dangerous driving and other infractions.
The Ministry of Communications and Works said the amendments also create new offences to address emerging safety concerns and introduce new administrative requirements and fees to be managed by the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). These DMV-related adjustments are intended to ensure fees and processes remain commensurate with the Territory’s development and to improve enforcement and compliance.
Temporary Interim Acting Commissioner of Police Richard Ullger described the Act as "a significant step forward in strengthening road safety and improving the Territory’s traffic management framework." The RVIPF said it is committed to implementing the Act professionally, consistently and with full transparency to maintain public trust.
To align enforcement with the new law, the RVIPF has begun updating ticket books, training materials and operational procedures so officers can issue penalties that reflect the amended legislation. The force said this work is being accelerated and that a wider Government awareness campaign will follow to help residents understand the changes.
The Government encourages all residents and visitors to familiarise themselves with the full list of amendments and the revised Road Traffic Act on the official laws website: https://laws.gov.vg/laws/road-traffic-act-0 and https://laws.gov.vg/laws/road-traffic-amendment-act-2025. For further clarification, the Department of Information and Public Relations lists contacts for media and public enquiries.
For BVI motorists, the message is clear: expect higher fines for many offences, new offences and DMV changes; stay informed, adjust driving and parking behaviour, and consult the published law or contact police or government information services if you are unsure how the amendments affect you.
Primary source: VINO