Virginia Assembly Advances Family & Medical Leave Program
Virginia lawmakers have advanced SB 2/HB 1207, creating a statewide Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program that is poised to significantly affect employers across many industries, including automobile dealerships. The program will be administered by the Virginia Employment Commission and is scheduled to begin paying benefits on January 1, 2029, with employer and employee […]
Read MoreDC Area Sales Reports from Auto Outlook and RL Polk Available
The latest Washington Auto Outlook—with data through February 2026—is now available for dealers. This month’s report shows that new retail vehicle registrations in the Washington area declined 18.4% year‑to‑date, with both cars (-22.8%) and light trucks (-17.2%) down from the same period in 2025. Despite the softer market, the report provides valuable insights into brand‑level […]
Read MoreMaryland MVA Updates
Prior to getting to the usual updates from our friends at Maryland MVA, please note the COMAR updates were relayed via a draft MDOT Bulletin on March 23, 2026, and include increased fines related to submitting late titling transactions. These changes will be effective March 30, 2026. You can view the draft Bulletin here. The […]
Read MoreVirginia MVDB: New Process for Salesperson Terminations
The Virginia Motor Vehicle Dealer Board (MVDB) has a new streamlined process to submit salesperson terminations to the MVDB. On the agency website (www.mvdb.virginia.gov), you can now remove salespersons from your dealership by completing the website termination form and following the “Next” prompts. If you have questions, please contact dboardlicensing@mvdb.virginia.gov. The following link can be […]
Read MoreSave the Date: WANADA Open
Mark your calendars! The 2026 WANADA Open golf tournament will take place on Monday, May 18, 2026, at the spectacular Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, VA. This annual tradition brings together dealers, industry partners, and friends for a memorable day on one of the region’s premier courses. Registration details will be shared in the […]
Read MoreFTC Warning Letters Put Dealer Advertising Under the Microscope
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has taken a significant step in its ongoing scrutiny of automotive retail advertising, issuing warning letters to 97 dealership groups nationwide regarding what it characterizes as potentially deceptive pricing practices. While not every dealer received a letter, the implication for the broader market is unmistakable: regulators are actively evaluating how […]
Read MoreHyundai Hands-On Hope Contest Goes Viral
One of the most inspiring and buzzworthy highlights of the Washington, DC Auto Show closing weekend was the Hyundai HandsOn Hope Contest, part of the Hyundai Hope on Wheels initiative to support pediatric cancer research. After an intense 44-hour endurance challenge, Siobhan Copeland of Children’s National Hospital emerged as the winner, taking home a new […]
Read MoreVirginia Motor Vehicle Dealer Board Welcomes New Director
WANADA is honored to welcome Kelley Smith as the new Executive Director of the Virginia Motor Vehicle Dealer Board. Kelley brings more than a decade of leadership experience in administrative law, professional licensing, and regulatory policy within the Commonwealth of Virginia. She is a licensed attorney and has served in multiple senior executive roles overseeing […]
Read MoreDC Area Sales Report for January Now Available
New retail car and light truck registrations in December 2025 and January 2026 declined 14.6% compared with the same period a year earlier, driven primarily by a nearly 20% drop in passenger car registrations, while light trucks fell 13.3%. Despite the recent slowdown, total registrations for calendar year 2025 increased 2.2% over 2024, with light […]
Read MoreMaryland MVA Updates
The following bullets are excerpted from Maryland MVA’s February 2026 “Talking Points” newsletter. We hope you find this information useful, and if you have a topic, you’d like us to cover in a future newsletter, please send it to Kristin Orlando-Dillahunt at korlando@mdot.maryland.gov. Vehicle Services – Tips & Reminders When a vehicle is traded in, […]
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