Virginia’s Mileage Choice Program: Enrollment, Rates, and Tracking

The Virginia Mileage Choice Program is a voluntary option that lets drivers of electric and fuel-efficient vehicles pay a per-mile fee instead of the flat annual Highway Use Fee tacked onto registration. Drive less than the state average of about 11,600 miles per year and you save; drive more and a built-in cap means you never pay more than the flat fee would have cost. The program runs under Virginia Code § 46.2-773 and is administered by the DMV through a contracted provider, Emovis.¹

Who Can Enroll

Any vehicle that owes the Highway Use Fee at registration is eligible. That covers two groups:

Battery-electric and other alternative fuel vehicles, which pay no traditional fuel tax.
Passenger cars, pickups, and similar vehicles rated at a combined 25 MPG or higher.

Vehicles rated below 25 MPG don’t owe the Highway Use Fee in the first place, so they have no reason to enroll. Heavy commercial trucks registered under different provisions are also excluded. Participation is entirely voluntary; no owner can be required to join.¹ If you skip it, you just pay the flat fee at registration as usual.

How the Per-Mile Rate Works and When It Saves You Money

Your per-mile rate is your personal flat Highway Use Fee divided by 11,600, the state’s estimated average annual mileage.² For the fee period running July 2025 through June 2026, the flat fee for a fully electric vehicle is $131.88. Fuel-efficient gas vehicles pay less based on MPG, starting at $6.86 for a vehicle rated at exactly 25 MPG and rising to $100.63 for one rated at 100 MPG.³ The Commissioner updates these amounts every July 1.⁴

In practice, that works out to roughly 1.14 cents per mile for an EV owner whose flat fee is $131.88, or about 0.46 cents per mile for a hybrid rated at 40 MPG with a $53.74 flat fee. An EV driver who logs only 6,000 miles would pay roughly $68 for the year instead of $132.³

The cap is what makes the math safe. No matter how many miles you drive, your total mileage fees in a 12-month period cannot exceed the flat Highway Use Fee you would have paid otherwise.¹ Once you hit the ceiling, the system stops charging. You either save money or break even.

How to Enroll

Enrollment runs through Emovis, with a link on the DMV’s Mileage Choice page.⁵ Have these ready before you start:

Your 17-character VIN, from your registration card or the driver’s side dashboard.
Your current Virginia license plate number.
A starting odometer reading (the total miles, not a trip meter).
A credit or debit card for automated billing.

During sign-up you also choose between a GPS-enabled tracking device and a non-GPS version. That choice affects what gets recorded, not what you’re charged.

How Mileage Gets Tracked

For most vehicles, Emovis mails a small device that plugs into the OBD-II diagnostic port under the dashboard. Delivery takes five to seven business days. You plug it in, install the Mileage Choice mobile app, and follow the activation prompts.

Electric vehicles use a different method: the car’s built-in telematics system reports mileage to Emovis directly, with no plug-in device.⁵

Billing runs on a recurring schedule tied to the miles recorded, with charges run against the card on file. When your cumulative charges hit the Highway Use Fee cap, billing stops for the rest of that registration period.⁵

Out-of-State and Private Road Miles Still Count

One detail that catches drivers off guard: every mile the device records is billable, no matter where you drive it. Miles in other states and miles on private roads all count toward your total. The system does not distinguish Virginia roads from anywhere else.⁵

If you commute into Maryland or D.C. daily, you’ll hit the cap faster than someone driving the same miles in-state. The cap still protects you from paying more than the flat fee. Choosing the GPS device doesn’t change this; GPS affects privacy, not the bill.

Privacy Protections

The non-GPS device records only total miles, not where you went.⁵ Beyond the hardware choice, the statute itself restricts how your data can be used. Information collected through the program can only be used to administer the mileage-based fee. It cannot be disclosed under Virginia’s Freedom of Information Act, cannot be sold for marketing purposes, and cannot be shared with outside entities except when necessary to collect unpaid fees or respond to an owner’s challenge of a charge.¹ Those limits sit in the code, not just in a terms-of-service page.

The Annual Odometer Check

Once a year, you have to verify the device’s mileage reading by submitting a photo of your odometer through the Emovis app.⁵ The “true-up” reconciles the electronic data with your actual odometer and catches gaps if the device lost connectivity. It happens near the end of your registration period. Handle it when the reminder arrives; skipping it creates billing complications.

Switching Back to the Flat Fee

You can return to the flat Highway Use Fee at your next registration renewal. There’s no penalty for switching back. If you sell the vehicle or otherwise leave the program, deactivate your Emovis account and return the OBD-II device; keeping it can trigger equipment fees on your final statement.⁵

1
Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 46.2-773 – Mileage-Based User Fee Program
2
Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. DMV Introduces New Mileage Choice Program
3
Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. 2025 Estimated Highway Use Fee Chart
4
Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 46.2-772 – Highway Use Fee
5
Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Virginia’s Mileage Choice Program