Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-47 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 4 / Article 3 / Section 18.2-47
Abduction and kidnapping defined; forced labor; punishment
Status: in_force

A. Any person who, by force, intimidation or deception, and without legal justification or excuse, seizes, takes, transports, detains or secretes another person with the intent to deprive such other person of his personal liberty or to withhold or conceal him from any person, authority or institution lawfully entitled to his charge, shall be deemed guilty of "abduction."

B. Any person who, by force, intimidation or deception, and without legal justification or excuse, obtains the labor or services of another person, or seizes, takes, transports, detains or secretes another person or threatens to do so, with the intent to subject him to forced labor or services, shall be deemed guilty of "abduction." For purposes of this subsection, the term "intimidation" shall include destroying, concealing, confiscating, withholding, or threatening to withhold a passport, immigration document, or other governmental identification, threatening to report another as being illegally present in the United States, or threatening to separate another from or to harm a family member.

C. The provisions of this section shall not apply to any law-enforcement officer in the performance of his duty. The terms "abduction" and "kidnapping" shall be synonymous in this Code. Except as provided in subsection D, abduction of a minor shall be punished as a Class 2 felony. Abduction for which no punishment is otherwise prescribed shall be punished as a Class 5 felony.

D. If an offense under subsection A is committed by the parent or a family or household member, as defined in § 16.1-228 , who has been ordered custody or visitation of the person abducted and punishable as contempt of court in any proceeding then pending, the offense shall be a Class 1 misdemeanor in addition to being punishable as contempt of court. However, such offense, if committed by the parent or a family or household member, as defined in § 16.1-228 , who has been ordered custody or visitation of the person abducted and punishable as contempt of court in any proceeding then pending and the person abducted is removed from the Commonwealth by the abducting parent or a family or household member, as defined in § 16.1-228 , who has been ordered custody or visitation, shall be a Class 6 felony in addition to being punishable as contempt of court.

Code 1950, §§ 18.1-36, 18.1-37; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1979, c. 663; 1980, c. 506; 1997, c. 747 ; 2009, c. 662 ; 2023, c. 400 ; 2024, c. 368 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-186.1 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 6 / Article 5 / Section 18.2-186.1
Repealed
Status: repealed

Repealed by Acts 1981, c. 255.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-515 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 13 / Section 18.2-515
Criminal penalties; forfeiture
Status: in_force

A. Any person or enterprise convicted of engaging in activity in violation of the provisions of § 18.2-514 is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not less than five years nor more than 40 years and a fine of not more than $1 million. A second or subsequent offense shall be punishable as a Class 2 felony and a fine of not more than $2 million.

The court may order any such person or enterprise to be divested of any interest in any enterprise or real property identified in § 18.2-514 ; order the dissolution or reorganization of such enterprise; and order the suspension or revocation of any license, permit, or prior approval granted to such enterprise or person by any agency of the Commonwealth or political subdivision thereof.

B. All property, real or personal, including money, together with any interest or profits derived from the investment of such money, used in substantial connection with, intended for use in the course of, or traceable to, conduct in violation of any provision of § 18.2-514 is subject to civil forfeiture to the Commonwealth. The forfeiture proceeding shall be conducted pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 22.1 (§ 19.2-386.1 et seq.) of Title 19.2.

2004, cc. 883 , 996 ; 2012, c. 511 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-65 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 4 / Article 7 / Section 18.2-65
Repealed
Status: repealed

Repealed by Acts 1981, c. 397.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-477.2 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 10 / Article 7 / Section 18.2-477.2
Punishment for certain offenses committed within a secure juvenile facility or detention home
Status: in_force

It shall be unlawful for a person committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice in any juvenile correctional center or detained in a secure juvenile facility or detention home to commit any of the offenses enumerated in § 53.1-203 . A violation of this section shall be punishable as a Class 6 felony, except that a violation of subdivision 6 of § 53.1-203 is a Class 5 felony.

1999, c. 21 ; 2007, c. 521 ; 2013, cc. 707 , 782 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-145.1 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 5 / Article 7 / Section 18.2-145.1
Damaging or destroying research farm product; penalty; restitution
Status: in_force

A. Any person or entity that (i) maliciously damages or destroys any farm product, as defined in § 3.2-4709 , and (ii) knows the product is grown for testing or research purposes in the context of product development in conjunction or coordination with a private research facility or a baccalaureate institution of higher education or any federal, state, or local government agency is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor if the value of the farm product was less than $1,000, or a Class 6 felony if the value of the farm product was $1,000 or more.

B. The court shall order the defendant to make restitution in accordance with § 19.2-305.1 for the damage or destruction caused. For the purpose of awarding restitution under this section, the court shall determine the market value of the farm product prior to its damage or destruction and, in so doing, shall include the cost of: (i) production, (ii) research, (iii) testing, (iv) replacement, and (v) product development directly related to the product damaged or destroyed.

2001, cc. 547 , 572 ; 2018, cc. 764 , 765 ; 2020, cc. 89 , 401 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-264 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 7 / Article 1 / Section 18.2-264
Inhaling drugs or other noxious chemical substances or causing, etc. others to do so prohibited; sale, distribution, etc. of nitrous oxide prohibited; penalties
Status: in_force

A. For the purposes of this section:

"Noxious chemical substances" includes fingernail polish and model airplane glue and chemicals containing any ketones, aldehydes, organic acetates, ether, chlorinated hydrocarbons or vapors, fluorinated hydrocarbons or vapors, nitrous oxide, or hydrogenated fluorocarbons.

"Practitioner" means the same as that term is defined in § 54.1-3401 .

B. It is unlawful, except under the direction of a practitioner, for any person deliberately to smell or inhale any drugs or any other noxious chemical substances with the intent to become intoxicated, inebriated, excited, or stupefied or to dull the brain or nervous system. Any person violating the provisions of this subsection is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

C. It is unlawful for any person, other than one duly licensed, deliberately to cause, invite, or induce any person to smell or inhale any drugs or any other noxious chemical substances with the intent to intoxicate, inebriate, excite, stupefy, or dull the brain or nervous system of such person. Any person violating the provisions of this subsection is guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor.

D. 1. It is unlawful for any person to sell, distribute, or offer to sell or distribute a device that is designed or intended to deliver a gas containing nitrous oxide through direct inhalation to any person who is not exempted under subdivision E 1.

2. It is unlawful for any person to sell, distribute, or offer to sell or distribute nitrous oxide that has, or is marketed as having, the taste or smell of any food or beverage, including any fruit, candy, dessert, alcoholic beverage, herb, or spice, that is distinguishable by an ordinary consumer either prior to or during consumption or use of such nitrous oxide to any person who is not exempted under subdivision E 1.

3. This subsection shall not apply to (i) a device, as described in subdivision 1, for nitrous oxide that is denatured or otherwise rendered unfit for human consumption or (ii) any person or establishment that is (a) solely engaged in the business of selling or distributing catering supplies, food processing equipment, or compressed gases for industrial or medical use or (b) a health care provider.

4. Any person who violates the provisions of this subsection is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

E. 1. It is unlawful for any person to sell, distribute, or offer to sell or distribute a container of nitrous oxide that exceeds eight grams, except to:

a. A health care provider;

b. A person or establishment licensed or otherwise engaged in the business of selling or distributing catering supplies, food processing equipment, or food service equipment;

c. A person or establishment engaged in the business of selling or distributing compressed gases for industrial, manufacturing, or research use;

d. A person or establishment engaged in the sale, distribution, or installation of automotive performance equipment, provided that the nitrous oxide has been denatured or otherwise rendered unfit for human consumption;

e. An institution of higher education or research institution for scientific or educational purposes;

f. A person or establishment engaged in aerospace manufacturing or aerospace propulsion applications; or

g. A person or establishment for use as a propellant in food or food preparation for a restaurant, food and beverage service, or houseware product.

2. It is unlawful for any person to purchase or attempt to purchase a container of nitrous oxide that exceeds eight grams unless such person is exempted under subdivision 1.

3. A violation of this subsection is a Class 1 misdemeanor.

Code 1950, § 18.1-70.1; 1968, c. 391; 1969, Ex. Sess., c. 19; 1973, c. 27; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1993, c. 416; 2019, c. 6 ; 2025, cc. 259 , 264 ; 2026, cc. 191 , 192 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-152.6 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 5 / Article 7.1 / Section 18.2-152.6
Theft of computer services; penalties
Status: in_force

Any person who willfully obtains computer services without authority is guilty of the crime of theft of computer services, which shall be punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanor. If the theft of computer services is valued at $2,500 or more, he is guilty of a Class 6 felony.

1984, c. 751; 1985, c. 322; 2003, cc. 987 , 1016 ; 2005, cc. 746 , 761 , 827 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-340.20 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 8 / Article 1.1:1 / Section 18.2-340.20
Denial, suspension, or revocation of permit; hearings and appeals
Status: in_force

A. The Department may deny, suspend, or revoke the permit to conduct charitable gaming or the authorization to conduct electronic gaming of any organization found not to be in strict compliance with the provisions of this article and Department regulations. The action of the Department in denying, suspending, or revoking any permit to conduct charitable gaming or any authorization to conduct electronic gaming shall be subject to the Administrative Process Act (§ 2.2-4000 et seq.).

B. Any person aggrieved by a refusal of the Department to issue any permit to conduct charitable gaming or authorization to conduct electronic gaming, the suspension or revocation of such permit or authorization, or any other action of the Department may seek review of such action in accordance with Article 4 (§ 2.2-4025 et seq.) of the Administrative Process Act.

1995, c. 837 ; 1996, c. 573 ; 1997, cc. 777 , 838 ; 2000, c. 1000 ; 2001, c. 813 ; 2002, c. 282 ; 2003, c. 884 ; 2004, c. 213 ; 2006, c. 644 ; 2010, c. 711 ; 2022, cc. 553 , 554 , 609 , 722 , 767 ; 2026, c. 747 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-317 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 7 / Article 8 / Section 18.2-317
Covers to be kept on certain wells
Status: in_force

Every person owning or occupying any land on which there is a well having a diameter greater than six inches and which is more than ten feet deep shall at all times keep the same covered in such a manner as not to be dangerous to human beings, animals or fowls.

Any person violating the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor.

Code 1950, § 18.1-74; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-340.30:2 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 8 / Article 1.1:1 / Section 18.2-340.30:2
Reports of electronic gaming adjusted gross receipts by electronic gaming manufacturer required; form of reports; failure to file
Status: in_force

A. Each electronic gaming manufacturer that holds a permit issued by the Department pursuant to § 18.2-340.34 shall keep a complete record of all electronic gaming adjusted gross receipts and shall file at least annually, on a form prescribed by the Department, a report of all such receipts and any other information related to the manufacture of electronic gaming devices that the Department may require.

B. The report required by this section shall be filed on or before the date prescribed by the Department. The Department, by regulation, shall establish a schedule of late fees to be assessed for any electronic gaming manufacturer that fails to submit required reports by the due date.

C. Each electronic gaming manufacturer shall maintain for three years a complete written record of all electronic gaming adjusted gross receipts.

D. The failure to file the report required by this section within 30 days of the time such report is due shall cause the automatic revocation of the electronic gaming manufacturer's permit, and no such manufacturer shall manufacture any new electronic gaming device until the report is properly filed and a new permit is obtained. However, the Department may grant an extension of time for filing such report for a period not to exceed 45 days if requested by a manufacturer, provided that the manufacturer requests an extension within 15 days of the time such report is due and all projected fees are paid. For the term of any such extension, the manufacturer's permit shall not be automatically revoked, such manufacturer may continue to manufacture electronic gaming devices, and no new permit shall be required.

E. For purposes of this section, the requirement to file a report shall also include the payment of any applicable fees required to accompany such report.

2022, cc. 722 , 767 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-167 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 5 / Article 8 / Section 18.2-167
Selling or transferring certain telephonic instruments
Status: in_force

(a) It shall be unlawful for any person knowingly to make, sell, offer or advertise for sale, possess, or give or otherwise transfer to another any instrument, apparatus, equipment, or device or plans or instructions for making or assembling any instrument, apparatus, equipment or device which has been designed, adapted, used, or employed with the intent or for the purpose of (1) obtaining long distance toll telephone or telegraph service or the transmission of a long distance toll message, signal, or other communication by telephone or telegraph, or over telephone or telegraph facilities, without the payment of charges for any such long distance message, signal or other communication; or (2) concealing or assisting another to conceal from any supplier of telephone or telegraph service or from any person charged with the responsibility of enforcing this section, the existence or place of origin or of destination of any long distance toll message, signal, or other communication by telephone or telegraph, or over telephone or telegraph facilities. Persons violating any provision of this section shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor.

(b) Any such instrument, apparatus, equipment or device, or plans or instructions therefor, may be seized by court order or under a warrant; and, upon a final conviction of any person owning the seized materials, or having any ownership interest therein, for a violation of any provision of this section, the instrument, apparatus, equipment, device, or plans or instructions shall be ordered destroyed as contraband by the court in which the person is convicted.

Code 1950, § 18.1-238.3; 1966, c. 445; 1975, cc. 14, 15.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-382 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 8 / Article 5 / Section 18.2-382
Photographs, slides and motion pictures
Status: in_force

Every person who knowingly:

(1) Photographs himself or any other person, for purposes of preparing an obscene film, photograph, negative, slide or motion picture for purposes of sale or distribution; or

(2) Models, poses, acts, or otherwise assists in the preparation of any obscene film, photograph, negative, slide or motion picture for purposes of sale or distribution;

shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor.

Code 1950, § 18.1-235; 1960, c. 233; 1970, c. 204; 1975, cc. 14, 15.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-117 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 5 / Article 4 / Section 18.2-117
Failure of bailee to return animal, aircraft, vehicle or boat
Status: in_force

If any person comes into the possession as bailee of any animal, aircraft, vehicle, boat or vessel, and fail to return the same to the bailor, in accordance with the bailment agreement, he shall be deemed guilty of larceny thereof and receive the same punishment, according to the value of the thing stolen, prescribed for the punishment of the larceny of goods and chattels. The failure to return to the bailor such animal, aircraft, vehicle, boat or vessel, within five days from the time the bailee has agreed in writing to return the same shall be prima facie evidence of larceny by such bailee of such animal, aircraft, vehicle, boat or vessel.

Code 1950, § 18.1-163; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-268.12 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 7 / Article 2 / Section 18.2-268.12
Ordinances
Status: in_force

The governing bodies of counties, cities and towns are authorized to adopt ordinances paralleling the provisions of §§ 18.2-268.1 through 18.2-268.11 .

1992, c. 830.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-264.1 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 7 / Article 1 / Section 18.2-264.1
Repealed
Status: repealed

Repealed by Acts 1994, c. 432 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-89 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 5 / Article 2 / Section 18.2-89
Burglary; how punished
Status: in_force

If any person break and enter the dwelling house of another in the nighttime with intent to commit a felony or any larceny therein, he shall be guilty of burglary, punishable as a Class 3 felony; provided, however, that if such person was armed with a deadly weapon at the time of such entry, he shall be guilty of a Class 2 felony.

Code 1950, § 18.1-86; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-462 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 10 / Article 6 / Section 18.2-462
Concealing or compounding offenses; penalties
Status: in_force

A. Except as provided in subsection B, if any person knowing of the commission of an offense takes any money or reward, or an engagement therefor, upon an agreement or understanding, expressed or implied, to compound or conceal such offense, or not to prosecute therefor, or not to give evidence thereof, he shall, if such offense is a felony, be guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor; and if such offense is not a felony, unless it is punishable merely by forfeiture to him, he shall be guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor.

B. Any person, other than the victim of the crime or the husband, wife, parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, brother, or sister, by consanguinity or affinity of the offender, who with actual knowledge of the commission by another of any felony offense under Chapter 4 (§ 18.2-30 et seq.) of this title, willfully conceals, alters, dismembers, or destroys any item of physical evidence with the intent to delay, impede, obstruct, prevent, or hinder the investigation, apprehension, prosecution, conviction, or punishment of any person regarding such offense is guilty of a Class 6 felony.

Code 1950, § 18.1-303; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 2005, c. 408 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-489 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 11 / Article 2 / Section 18.2-489
To what article applies
Status: in_force

This article shall not apply to any act permitted by the statutes of the United States or by the laws of this Commonwealth, or by the United States armed forces regulations, nor shall it apply to any printed or written document or production, stationery, ornament, picture or jewelry whereon shall be depicted such flag, standard, color, ensign or shield, with no design or words thereon and disconnected with any advertisement.

Code 1950, § 18.1-426; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-134 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 5 / Article 5 / Section 18.2-134
Trespass on posted property
Status: in_force

Any person who goes on the lands, waters, ponds, boats or blinds of another, which have been posted in accordance with the provisions of § 18.2-134.1 , to hunt, fish or trap except with the written consent of or in the presence of the owner or his agent shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

Code 1950, § 29-166; 1954, c. 155; 1962, c. 469; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1987, c. 603.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-308.1:8 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 7 / Article 7 / Section 18.2-308.1:8
Purchase, possession, or transportation of firearm following an assault and battery of a family or household member; penalty
Status: in_force

A. Any person who knowingly and intentionally purchases, possesses, or transports any firearm following a misdemeanor conviction for an offense that occurred on or after July 1, 2021, for (i) the offense of assault and battery of a family or household member or (ii) an offense substantially similar to clause (i) under the laws of any other state or of the United States is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

B. For the purposes of this section, "family or household member" means (i) the person's spouse, whether or not he resides in the same home with the person; (ii) the person's former spouse, whether or not he resides in the same home with the person; or (iii) any individual who has a child in common with the person, whether or not the person and that individual have been married or have resided together at any time.

C. Any person prohibited from purchasing, possessing, or transporting a firearm pursuant to subsection A shall be prohibited from purchasing, possessing, or transporting a firearm for three years following the date of the conviction at which point the person convicted of such offense shall no longer be prohibited from purchasing, possessing, or transporting a firearm pursuant to subsection A. Such person shall have his firearms rights restored, unless such person receives another disqualifying conviction, is subject to a protective order that would restrict his rights to carry a firearm, or is otherwise prohibited by law from purchasing, possessing, or transporting a firearm.

D. At such person's sentencing hearing, the court shall advise any person prohibited from purchasing, possessing, or transporting a firearm pursuant to clause (i) of subsection A that a law-enforcement officer may obtain a search warrant to search for any firearms from such person if such law-enforcement officer has probable cause that such person has not relinquished all firearms in his possession.

Any person prohibited from purchasing, possessing, or transporting a firearm pursuant to clause (i) of subsection A shall (i) within 24 hours after such person's sentencing hearing or release from custody, if such person is taken into custody at the conclusion of the sentencing hearing, (a) surrender any firearm possessed by such person to a designated local law-enforcement agency, (b) sell or transfer any firearm possessed by such person to a dealer as defined in § 18.2-308.2:2 , or (c) sell or transfer any firearm possessed by such person to any person who is not otherwise prohibited by law from possessing such firearm, provided that such person who is not otherwise prohibited by law from possessing such firearm is 21 years of age or older and does not reside with such person who is prohibited from purchasing, possessing, or transporting a firearm pursuant to clause (i) of subsection A, and (ii) within 48 hours after such person's sentencing hearing or release from custody, if such person is taken into custody at the conclusion of the sentencing hearing, certify in writing, on a form provided by the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court, that such person does not possess any firearms or that all firearms possessed by such person have been surrendered, sold, or transferred and file such certification with the clerk of the court where the conviction order was entered.

In the event of a surrender, sale, or transfer of a firearm, the person who is prohibited from purchasing, possessing, or transporting a firearm pursuant to clause (i) of subsection A shall provide, on such form, the name, address, and signature of the transferee, the federally licensed firearms dealer, or the law-enforcement agency in possession of the firearm. The person who is prohibited from purchasing, possessing, or transporting a firearm pursuant to clause (i) of subsection A shall provide a copy of such form to the transferee at the time of such firearm transfer.

The willful failure of any person to certify in writing in accordance with this section that all firearms possessed by such person have been surrendered, sold, or transferred or that such person does not possess any firearms shall constitute contempt of court.

E. Any person convicted of an offense under clause (i) of subsection A shall be provided with the address and hours of operation of a designated local law-enforcement agency. A law-enforcement agency that takes into custody a firearm surrendered to such agency pursuant to subsection D by a person who is prohibited from purchasing, possessing, or transporting a firearm pursuant to clause (i) of subsection A shall prepare a written receipt containing the name of the person who surrendered the firearm and the manufacturer, model, and serial number of the firearm and provide a copy to such person and to the court that issued the order. Any firearm surrendered to and held by a law-enforcement agency pursuant to subsection D shall be returned by such agency to the person who surrendered the firearm upon the expiration of the prohibition period as provided in subsection C. Such agency shall return the firearm within five days of receiving a written request for the return of the firearm by the person who surrendered the firearm and a copy of the receipt provided to such person by the agency. Prior to returning the firearm to such person, the law-enforcement agency holding the firearm shall confirm that such person is no longer prohibited by law from possessing a firearm. A firearm surrendered to a law-enforcement agency pursuant to subsection D may be disposed of in accordance with the provisions of § 15.2-1721 if (i) the person from whom the firearm was seized provides written authorization for such disposal to the agency or (ii) the firearm remains in the possession of the agency more than 120 days after such person is no longer prohibited from possessing a firearm and such person has not submitted a request in writing for the return of the firearm.

F. Any law-enforcement agency or law-enforcement officer that takes into custody, stores, possesses, or transports a firearm pursuant to this section shall be immune from civil or criminal liability for any damage to or deterioration, loss, or theft of such firearm.

G. The law-enforcement agencies of the counties, cities, and towns within each judicial circuit shall designate, in coordination with each other, and provide to the chief judges of all circuit and district courts within the judicial circuit, one or more local law-enforcement agencies to receive and store firearms pursuant to this section. The law-enforcement agencies shall provide the chief judges with a list that includes the addresses and hours of operation of any law-enforcement agencies so designated so that such addresses and hours of operation may be provided to a person who is prohibited from purchasing, possessing, or transporting a firearm pursuant to clause (i) of subsection A.

2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 555 ; 2026, cc. 527 , 528 , 533 , 534 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-160.1 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 5 / Article 8 / Section 18.2-160.1
Boarding or riding transportation district train without lawful payment of fare; penalty
Status: in_force

A. It is unlawful for any person to board or ride a train operated by, or under contract with, a transportation district created pursuant to the Transportation District Act of 1964 (§ 33.2-1900 et seq.) of Title 33.2 when he fails or refuses to pay the posted fare published by the transportation district, or fails to properly validate a train ticket of the transportation district. A violation of this subsection continues from the point of boarding through termination of the train's scheduled trip. Any person who violates the provisions of this subsection is subject to a civil penalty of $100.

B. It is unlawful for any person to board or ride a train operated by, or under contract with, a transportation district created pursuant to the Transportation District Act of 1964 (§ 33.2-1900 et seq.) of Title 33.2 with a validated ticket and to willfully use the ticket outside the designated zone of the paid ride. A violation of this subsection continues throughout the time that such ticket is used outside the designated zone of the paid ride. Any person who violates the provisions of this subsection is subject to a civil penalty of $100.

C. It is unlawful for any person to board or ride a train operated by, or under contract with, a transportation district created pursuant to the Transportation District Act of 1964 (§ 33.2-1900 et seq.) of Title 33.2 when he uses a fraudulent or counterfeit ticket as a means to evade payment of the posted fare published by the transportation district. A violation of this subsection continues from the point of boarding through termination of the train's scheduled trip. A violation of this subsection is punishable as a Class 2 misdemeanor with a fine of not less than $500 for a first violation and with a fine of not less than $750 for a second or subsequent conviction when the second or subsequent conviction occurs more than 24 hours after but within 365 days of a prior violation.

D. Any person who has been convicted of violating subsection C shall be civilly liable to the Commonwealth and the transportation district for all costs incurred in prosecuting such person. The costs shall be limited to actual expenses, including the base wage of one employee acting as a witness for the Commonwealth and suit costs, but the total costs recovered shall not exceed the maximum amount of the fine that may be imposed for the offense.

1988, c. 762; 1991, c. 241; 2009, c. 760 ; 2010, cc. 445 , 837 ; 2012, c. 676 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-315 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 7 / Article 8 / Section 18.2-315
Repealed
Status: repealed

Repealed by Acts 1980, c. 173.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-380 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 8 / Article 5 / Section 18.2-380
Punishment for first offense
Status: in_force

Any person, firm, association or corporation convicted for the first time of an offense under §§ 18.2-374 , 18.2-375 , 18.2-376 , 18.2-377 , 18.2-378 or § 18.2-379 , shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

Code 1950, § 18.1-235.1; 1968, c. 662; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1983, c. 412; 1985, c. 279.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-235 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 6 / Article 8 / Section 18.2-235
Regulating sale of merchandise made of gold
Status: in_force

Any person who marks or sells or offers to sell or dispose of or has in his possession with intent to sell or dispose of any article of merchandise made of gold of a less carat of fineness than is stamped or marked on it or of a less carat of fineness than is engraved, stamped or imprinted on the tag, card, box, label, package, wrapper, cover or other thing in or by which such article is packed, enclosed or otherwise prepared for sale or disposition shall be guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor.

Code 1950, § 59.1-64; 1968, c. 439; 1975, cc. 14, 15.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-340.35 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 8 / Article 1.1:1 / Section 18.2-340.35
Assistance from Department of State Police
Status: in_force

The Department of State Police shall assist in the conduct of investigations by the Department.

1995, c. 837 ; 2003, c. 884 ; 2022, c. 553 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-475 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 10 / Article 7 / Section 18.2-475
Officers, etc., voluntarily allowing person convicted, charged, or adjudicated delinquent of felony to escape; penalty
Status: in_force

If any sheriff, jailer, or other officer, or any guard or other person summoned or employed by any such sheriff, jailer, or other officer, voluntarily allows a prisoner or person committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice convicted of, charged with, or adjudicated delinquent of a felony to escape from his custody, he is guilty of a Class 4 felony.

Code 1950, § 18.1-286; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1983, c. 360; 2013, cc. 707 , 782 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-308.1:3 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 7 / Article 7 / Section 18.2-308.1:3
Purchase, possession, or transportation of firearm by persons involuntarily admitted or ordered to outpatient treatment; penalty
Status: in_force

A. It shall be unlawful for any person (i) involuntarily admitted to a facility or ordered to mandatory outpatient treatment pursuant to § 19.2-169.2 ; (ii) involuntarily admitted to a facility or ordered to mandatory outpatient treatment as the result of a commitment hearing pursuant to Article 5 (§ 37.2-814 et seq.) of Chapter 8 of Title 37.2, notwithstanding the outcome of any appeal taken pursuant to § 37.2-821 ; (iii) involuntarily admitted to a facility or ordered to mandatory outpatient treatment as a minor 14 years of age or older as the result of a commitment hearing pursuant to Article 16 (§ 16.1-335 et seq.) of Chapter 11 of Title 16.1, notwithstanding the outcome of any appeal taken pursuant to § 16.1-345.6 ; (iv) who was the subject of a temporary detention order pursuant to § 37.2-809 and subsequently agreed to voluntary admission pursuant to § 37.2-805 ; (v) who, as a minor 14 years of age or older, was the subject of a temporary detention order pursuant to § 16.1-340.1 and subsequently agreed to voluntary admission pursuant to § 16.1-338 ; or (vi) who was found incompetent to stand trial and likely to remain so for the foreseeable future and whose case was disposed of in accordance with § 19.2-169.3 , to purchase, possess, or transport a firearm. A violation of this subsection shall be punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanor.

B. Any person prohibited from purchasing, possessing or transporting firearms under this section may, at any time following his release from involuntary admission to a facility, his release from an order of mandatory outpatient treatment, his release from voluntary admission pursuant to § 37.2-805 following the issuance of a temporary detention order, his release from a training center, or his release as provided by § 19.2-169.3 , petition the general district court in the city or county in which he resides or, if the person is not a resident of the Commonwealth, the general district court of the city or county in which the most recent of the proceedings described in subsection A occurred to restore his right to purchase, possess, or transport a firearm. A copy of the petition shall be mailed or delivered to the attorney for the Commonwealth for the jurisdiction where the petition was filed who shall be entitled to respond and represent the interests of the Commonwealth. The court shall conduct a hearing if requested by either party. If the court determines, after receiving and considering evidence concerning the circumstances regarding the disabilities referred to in subsection A and the person's criminal history, treatment record, and reputation as developed through character witness statements, testimony, or other character evidence, that the person will not likely act in a manner dangerous to public safety and that granting the relief would not be contrary to the public interest, the court shall grant the petition. Any person denied relief by the general district court may petition the circuit court for a de novo review of the denial. Upon a grant of relief in any court, the court shall enter a written order granting the petition, in which event the provisions of subsection A do not apply. The clerk of court shall certify and forward forthwith to the Central Criminal Records Exchange, on a form provided by the Exchange, a copy of any such order.

C. As used in this section, "treatment record" shall include copies of health records detailing the petitioner's psychiatric history, which shall include the records pertaining to the commitment or adjudication that is the subject of the request for relief pursuant to this section.

1994, c. 907 ; 2004, c. 995 ; 2008, cc. 751 , 788 ; 2010, c. 781 ; 2011, c. 775 ; 2017, c. 516 ; 2018, c. 846 ; 2020, cc. 299 , 1121 , 1175 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-120 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 5 / Article 5 / Section 18.2-120
Instigating, etc., such trespass by others; preventing service to persons not forbidden to trespass
Status: in_force

If any person shall solicit, urge, encourage, exhort, instigate or procure another or others to go upon or remain upon the lands, buildings, or premises of another, or any part, portion or area thereof, knowing such other person or persons to have been forbidden, either orally or in writing, to do so by the owner, lessee, custodian or other person lawfully in charge thereof, or knowing such other person or persons to have been forbidden to do so by a sign or signs posted on such lands, buildings, premises or part, portion or area thereof at a place or places where it or they may reasonably be seen; or if any person shall, on such lands, buildings, premises or part, portion or area thereof prevent or seek to prevent the owner, lessee, custodian, person in charge or any of his employees from rendering service to any person or persons not so forbidden, he shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

Code 1950, § 18.1-173.1; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-511.1 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 12 / Article 3 / Section 18.2-511.1
Smoking in proximity to a medical oxygen source in a health care facility; penalty
Status: in_force

Any person who smokes or uses an open flame within 25 feet of a medical oxygen source in a health care facility, as defined in § 15.2-2820 , when the area is posted as an area where smoking and open flame are prohibited is guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor.

2007, c. 430 ; 2009, cc. 153 , 154 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-324.2 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 7 / Article 8 / Section 18.2-324.2
Use of unmanned aircraft system for certain purposes; penalty
Status: in_force

A. It is unlawful for any person who is required to register pursuant to § 9.1-901 to use or operate an unmanned aircraft system to knowingly and intentionally (i) follow or contact another person without permission of such person or (ii) capture the images of another person without permission of such person when such images render the person recognizable by his face, likeness, or other distinguishing characteristic.

B. It is unlawful for a respondent of a protective order issued pursuant to § 16.1-279.1 or 19.2-152.10 to knowingly and intentionally use or operate an unmanned aircraft system to follow, contact, or capture images of the petitioner of the protective order or any other individual named in the protective order.

C. A violation of this section is a Class 1 misdemeanor.

2018, cc. 851 , 852 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-246.4 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 6 / Article 9 / Section 18.2-246.4
Repealed
Status: repealed

Repealed by Acts 2004, c. 995 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-50.2 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 4 / Article 3 / Section 18.2-50.2
Emergency control of telephone service in hostage or barricaded person situation
Status: in_force

A. The Superintendent of the State Police or the chief law-enforcement officer or sheriff of any county, city or town may designate one or more law-enforcement officers with appropriate technical training or expertise as a hostage and barricade communications specialist.

B. Each telephone company providing service to Virginia residents shall designate a department or one or more individuals to provide liaison with law-enforcement agencies for the purposes of this section and shall designate telephone numbers, not exceeding two, at which such law-enforcement liaison department or individual can be contacted.

C. The supervising law-enforcement officer, who has jurisdiction in any situation in which there is probable cause to believe that the criminal enterprise of hostage holding is occurring or that a person has barricaded himself within a structure and poses an immediate threat to the life, safety or property of himself or others, may order a telephone company, or a hostage and barricade communications specialist to interrupt, reroute, divert, or otherwise control any telephone communications service involved in the hostage or barricade situation for the purpose of preventing telephone communication by a hostage holder or barricaded person with any person other than a law-enforcement officer or a person authorized by the officer.

D. A hostage and barricade communication specialist shall be ordered to act under subsection C only if the telephone company providing service in the area has been contacted and requested to act under subsection C or an attempt to contact has been made, using the telephone company's designated liaison telephone numbers and:

1. The officer's attempt to contact after ten rings for each call is unsuccessful;

2. The telephone company declines to respond to the officer's request because of a threat of personal injury to its employees; or

3. The telephone company indicates when contacted that it will be unable to respond appropriately to the officer's request within a reasonable time from the receipt of the request.

E. The supervising law-enforcement officer may give an order under subsection C only after that supervising law-enforcement officer has given or attempted to give written notification or oral notification of the hostage or barricade situation to the telephone company providing service to the area in which it is occurring. If an order is given on the basis of an oral notice, the oral notice shall be followed by a written confirmation of that notice within forty-eight hours of the order.

F. Good faith reliance on an order by a supervising law-enforcement officer who has the real or apparent authority to issue an order under this section shall constitute a complete defense to any action against a telephone company or a telephone company employee that rises out of attempts by the telephone company or the employees of the telephone company to comply with such an order.

1992, c. 479.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-308.015 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 7 / Article 6.1 / Section 18.2-308.015
Inclusion of Supreme Court website on application
Status: in_force

For the purposes of understanding the law relating to the use of deadly and lethal force, the Department of State Police, in consultation with the Supreme Court on the development of the application for a concealed handgun permit under this article, shall include a reference to the Virginia Supreme Court website address or the Virginia Reports on the application.

2013, c. 746 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-423 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 9 / Article 5 / Section 18.2-423
Burning cross on property of another or public place with intent to intimidate; penalty; prima facie evidence of intent
Status: in_force

It shall be unlawful for any person or persons, with the intent of intimidating any person or group of persons, to burn, or cause to be burned, a cross on the property of another, a highway or other public place. Any person who shall violate any provision of this section shall be guilty of a Class 6 felony.

Any such burning of a cross shall be prima facie evidence of an intent to intimidate a person or group of persons.

Code 1950, §§ 18.1-365 through 18.1-367; 1960, c. 358; 1968, c. 350; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1983, c. 337.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-465.2 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 10 / Article 6 / Section 18.2-465.2
Contact with jurors after trial prohibited; penalty
Status: in_force

No defendant shall knowingly and intentionally contact, with the intent to harass, intimidate, or threaten, a juror regarding such juror's service as a juror after a jury trial. A violation of this section is a Class 1 misdemeanor.

2024, c. 561 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-119.1 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 5 / Article 5 / Section 18.2-119.1
Validity of signs forbidding trespass; penalty
Status: in_force

If any person knowingly and intentionally posts No Trespassing signs on the land of another without the permission of a person authorized to post such signs on that land, he shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor.

1999, c. 274 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-460 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 10 / Article 6 / Section 18.2-460
Obstructing justice; resisting arrest; fleeing from a law-enforcement officer; penalties
Status: in_force

A. If any person without just cause knowingly obstructs a judge, magistrate, justice, juror, attorney for the Commonwealth, witness, any law-enforcement officer, or animal control officer employed pursuant to § 3.2-6555 in the performance of his duties as such or fails or refuses without just cause to cease such obstruction when requested to do so by such judge, magistrate, justice, juror, attorney for the Commonwealth, witness, law-enforcement officer, or animal control officer employed pursuant to § 3.2-6555 , he is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

B. Except as provided in subsection C, any person who, by threats or force, knowingly attempts to intimidate or impede a judge, magistrate, justice, juror, attorney for the Commonwealth, witness, any law-enforcement officer, or an animal control officer employed pursuant to § 3.2-6555 lawfully engaged in his duties as such, or to obstruct or impede the administration of justice in any court, is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

C. (Effective until July 1, 2027) If any person by threats of bodily harm or force knowingly attempts to intimidate or impede a judge, magistrate, justice, juror, attorney for the Commonwealth, witness, any law-enforcement officer, lawfully engaged in the discharge of his duty, or to obstruct or impede the administration of justice in any court relating to a violation of or conspiracy to violate § 18.2-248 or subdivision (a)(3), (b) or (c) of § 18.2-248.1 , or § 18.2-46.2 or § 18.2-46.3 , or relating to the violation of or conspiracy to violate any violent felony offense listed in subsection C of § 17.1-805 , he is guilty of a Class 5 felony.

C. (Effective July 1, 2027) If any person by threats of bodily harm or force knowingly attempts to intimidate or impede a judge, magistrate, justice, juror, attorney for the Commonwealth, witness, or law-enforcement officer, lawfully engaged in the discharge of his duty, or to obstruct or impede the administration of justice in any court relating to a violation of or conspiracy to violate § 18.2-46.2 , 18.2-46.3 , or 18.2-248 , or relating to the violation of or conspiracy to violate any violent felony offense listed in subsection C of § 17.1-805 , he is guilty of a Class 5 felony.

D. Any person who knowingly and willfully makes any materially false statement or representation to a law-enforcement officer or an animal control officer employed pursuant to § 3.2-6555 who is in the course of conducting an investigation of a crime by another is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

E. Any person who intentionally prevents or attempts to prevent a law-enforcement officer from lawfully arresting him, with or without a warrant, is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. For purposes of this subsection, intentionally preventing or attempting to prevent a lawful arrest means fleeing from a law-enforcement officer when (i) the officer applies physical force to the person, or (ii) the officer communicates to the person that he is under arrest and (a) the officer has the legal authority and the immediate physical ability to place the person under arrest, and (b) a reasonable person who receives such communication knows or should know that he is not free to leave.

Code 1950, § 18.1-310; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1976, c. 269; 1984, c. 571; 1989, c. 506; 1993, c. 747; 1996, c. 718 ; 1999, cc. 770 , 800 ; 2002, cc. 527 , 810 , 818 ; 2003, cc. 111 , 149 ; 2004, cc. 396 , 435 ; 2007, cc. 220 , 282 ; 2009, c. 242 ; 2018, c. 417 ; 2026, Sp. Sess. I, c. 1 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-162.1 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 5 / Article 8 / Section 18.2-162.1
Diverting wastewater line; diverting or wasting public water supply
Status: in_force

Any person who willfully and maliciously (i) diverts any public wastewater or sewer line or (ii) diverts or wastes any public water supply by tampering with any fire hydrant shall be guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor.

1980, c. 140; 1992, c. 352.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-340.26:2 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 8 / Article 1.1:1 / Section 18.2-340.26:2
Sale of instant bingo, pull tabs, or seal cards dispensed by mechanical equipment
Status: in_force

As a part of its annual fundraising event, any qualified organization may sell instant bingo, pull tabs, or seal cards, provided that (i) any such instant bingo, pull tabs, or seal cards are dispensed by mechanical equipment only; (ii) the sale of the same is limited to a single event of no more than seven days per calendar year; (iii) any such event is open to the public; and (iv) no such organization realizes actual gross receipts of more than $40,000 from the conduct of all charitable gaming other than raffles on a total of no more than seven days per calendar year. Notwithstanding the provisions of § 18.2-340.28 , an organization authorized under this section shall not be required to sell such instant bingo, pull tabs, or seal cards at such times designated in the permit for regular bingo games or at a location at which the organization is authorized to conduct regular bingo games pursuant to subsections E and F of § 18.2-340.27 . If any organization's actual gross receipts from the sale of instant bingo, pull tabs, or seal cards pursuant to this section exceed $40,000, the Department shall require the organization to obtain a permit pursuant to the provisions of § 18.2-340.25 and file by a specified date the report required by § 18.2-340.30 . The Department may require organizations authorized under this section to make such financial reporting as it deems necessary.

Nothing in this section shall be construed as exempting organizations authorized to sell instant bingo, pull tabs, or seal cards under this section from any other provisions of this article or other Department regulations.

2007, c. 160 ; 2022, cc. 554 , 609 ; 2023, cc. 592 , 593 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-498.2 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 12 / Article 1.1 / Section 18.2-498.2
Definitions
Status: in_force

When used in this article, the term:

1. "Person" includes any natural person, any trust or association of persons, formal or otherwise, or any corporation, partnership, company or other legal or commercial entity.

2. "Commercial dealing" shall mean any offer, acceptance, agreement, or solicitation to sell or offer to sell or distribute goods, services or construction, to the Commonwealth of Virginia, or any local government within the Commonwealth or any department or agency thereof.

1980, c. 472.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-512 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 13 / Section 18.2-512
Short title
Status: in_force

This chapter may be cited as the "Virginia Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) Act."

2004, cc. 883 , 996 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-195 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 6 / Article 6 / Section 18.2-195
Credit card or gift card fraud; conspiracy; penalties
Status: in_force

A. A person is guilty of credit card fraud when, with intent to defraud any person, he:

1. Uses for the purpose of obtaining money, goods, services, or anything else of value a credit card or credit card number obtained or retained in violation of § 18.2-192 or a credit card or credit card number which he knows is expired or revoked;

2. Obtains money, goods, services, or anything else of value by representing (i) without the consent of the cardholder that he is the holder of a specified card or credit card number or (ii) that he is the holder of a card or credit card number and such card or credit card number has not in fact been issued;

3. Obtains control over a credit card or credit card number as security for debt; or

4. Obtains money from an issuer by use of an unmanned device of the issuer or through a person other than the issuer when he knows that such advance will exceed his available credit with the issuer and any available balances held by the issuer.

B. A person who is authorized by an issuer to furnish money, goods, services, or anything else of value upon presentation of a credit card or credit card number by the cardholder, or any agent or employee of such person, is guilty of a credit card fraud when, with intent to defraud the issuer or the cardholder, he:

1. Furnishes money, goods, services, or anything else of value upon presentation of a credit card or credit card number obtained or retained in violation of § 18.2-192 , or a credit card or credit card number that he knows is expired or revoked;

2. Fails to furnish money, goods, services, or anything else of value that he represents or causes to be represented in writing or by any other means to the issuer that he has furnished; or

3. Remits to an issuer or acquirer a record of a credit card or credit card number transaction that is in excess of the monetary amount authorized by the cardholder.

C. Any person who, with intent to defraud, devises a scheme to obtain a gift card or gift card redemption information from a gift card holder, gift card issuer, or gift card seller by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, or promises is guilty of gift card fraud.

D. Conviction of credit card or gift card fraud is punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanor if the value of all money, goods, services, and other things of value furnished in violation of this section, or if the difference between the value of all money, goods, services, and anything else of value actually furnished and the value represented to the issuer or gift card issuer to have been furnished in violation of this section, is less than $1,000 in any six-month period; conviction of credit card or gift card fraud is punishable as a Class 6 felony if such value is $1,000 or more in any six-month period.

E. Any person who conspires, confederates, or combines with another, (i) either within or outside of the Commonwealth to commit credit card or gift card fraud within the Commonwealth or (ii) within the Commonwealth to commit credit card or gift card fraud within or outside of the Commonwealth, is guilty of a Class 6 felony.

Code 1950, § 18.1-125.6; 1968, c. 480; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1978, c. 364; 1980, c. 99; 1981, c. 197; 1985, c. 266; 1991, c. 546; 2018, cc. 764 , 765 ; 2020, cc. 89 , 401 ; 2026, cc. 197 , 196 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-197 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 6 / Article 6 / Section 18.2-197
Criminally receiving goods and services fraudulently obtained; penalty
Status: in_force

A person is guilty of criminally receiving goods and services fraudulently obtained when he receives money, goods, services, or anything else of value obtained in violation of subsection A or C of § 18.2-195 with the knowledge that the same were obtained in violation of subsection A or C of § 18.2-195 . Conviction of criminal receipt of goods and services fraudulently obtained is punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanor if the value of all money, goods, services, and anything else of value, obtained in violation of this section, is less than $1,000 in any six-month period; conviction of criminal receipt of goods and services fraudulently obtained is punishable as a Class 6 felony if such value is $1,000 or more in any six-month period.

Code 1950, § 18.1-125.8; 1968, c. 480; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1981, c. 197; 2018, cc. 764 , 765 ; 2020, cc. 89 , 401 ; 2026, cc. 196 , 197 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-308.1:9 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 7 / Article 7 / Section 18.2-308.1:9
Purchase, possession, or transportation of firearm following conviction for importation, sale, possession, etc., of assault firearm; penalty
Status: in_force

A. Any person who knowingly and intentionally purchases, possesses, or transports any firearm following a misdemeanor conviction for a violation of § 18.2-287.4:1 is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

B. Any person convicted of a violation of § 18.2-287.4:1 or this section shall be prohibited from purchasing, possessing, or transporting a firearm for three years following the date of such conviction at which point the person convicted of such offense shall no longer be prohibited from purchasing, possessing, or transporting a firearm pursuant to this section. Such person shall have his firearm rights restored, unless such person receives another disqualifying conviction, is subject to a protective order that would restrict his rights to carry a firearm, or is otherwise prohibited by law from purchasing, possessing, or transporting a firearm.

2026, cc. 1106 , 1107 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-287.4:1 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 7 / Article 4 / Section 18.2-287.4:1
Importation, sale, manufacture, etc., of assault firearms prohibited; penalty
Status: in_force

A. As used in this section:

"Assault firearm" means the same as that term is defined in § 18.2-308.2:2 .

"Federal firearms licensee" means any person who is licensed pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 923, as amended, as a federally licensed firearms dealer, importer, or manufacturer.

B. Any person who imports, sells, manufactures, purchases, or transfers an assault firearm is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

C. The provisions of this section shall not apply to (i) any government officer, agent, law-enforcement officer, employee, member of the Armed Forces of the United States, security personnel at a contracted defense facility as defined in § 18.2-121.3 , or person authorized by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, to the extent that such person is otherwise authorized to acquire or possess an assault firearm and does so while acting within the scope of his duties; (ii) the import of an assault firearm by any member of the Armed Forces of the United States, or his spouse, who possessed an assault firearm prior to being in the Commonwealth and is sent to the Commonwealth under lawful orders; (iii) the import, barter, manufacture, transfer, purchase, or sale of an assault firearm by a federal firearms licensee to another federal firearms licensee, persons authorized to purchase an assault weapon, any branch of the Armed Forces of the United States, senior military colleges in the Commonwealth organized under 10 U.S.C. § 2111a(f), or to a law-enforcement officer or agency for use by that agency or its employees; (iv) any member of a cadet corps who is recognized by a public institution of higher education while such member is in the performance of lawful military training or such member is participating in an official ceremonial event for the Commonwealth; (v) the sale of an assault firearm by a person who lawfully purchased and possessed such assault firearm prior to July 1, 2026, to a firearms dealer or to an individual outside of the Commonwealth who may lawfully possess such assault firearm; (vi) the temporary transfer of an assault firearm by a person who lawfully purchased and possessed such assault firearm prior to July 1, 2026, to a federal firearms licensee or gunsmith and the return of such assault firearm to its owner; (vii) the receipt of an assault firearm by inheritance, and possession of the inherited assault firearm if the decedent lawfully possessed such assault firearm prior to his death and the person inheriting such assault firearm is not prohibited from possessing firearms by state or federal law; (viii) an assault firearm temporarily loaned by a firing range operated by a federal firearms licensee for lawful use solely for target shooting or firearms training within the physical premises of the firing range; (ix) the import of an assault firearm by a person who lawfully purchased and possessed such assault firearm prior to July 1, 2026; or (x) the transfer of an assault weapon as a gift to an immediate family member if the transferor lawfully purchased and possessed the assault firearm prior to July 1, 2026, and the immediate family member to whom the assault firearm is transferred is not prohibited from possessing firearms under state or federal law. For the purposes of this subdivision, "immediate family member" means a spouse, children, parents, grandparents, and siblings.

2026, cc. 1106 , 1107 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-145 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 5 / Article 7 / Section 18.2-145
Protection of homing pigeons
Status: in_force

It shall be unlawful for any person at any time or in any manner to hunt, pursue, take, capture, wound, maim, disfigure, or kill any homing pigeon of another person, or to make use of any pit or pitfall, scaffold, cage, snare, trap, net, baited hook or similar device or drug, poison chemical or explosive, for the purpose of injuring, capturing or killing any such homing pigeon, provided that any officer, employee or agent of a city or county acting pursuant to authority of an ordinance thereof may take, capture and kill pigeons in, on and about any building or structure devoted to business, commercial or industrial purposes when any pigeons are using such premises for roosting, resting or congregating thereon; all pigeons taken upon such premises shall be conclusively deemed not to be homing pigeons or the property of any person.

Any person violating any of the foregoing provisions shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor.

Code 1950, § 18.1-160; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-122 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 5 / Article 5 / Section 18.2-122
Repealed
Status: repealed

Repealed by Acts 1998, c. 6 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-308.011 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 7 / Article 6.1 / Section 18.2-308.011
Replacement permits
Status: in_force

A. The clerk of a circuit court that issued a valid concealed handgun permit shall, upon presentation by the permit holder of the valid permit and written notice of a change of address on a form provided by the Department of State Police, issue a replacement permit specifying the permit holder's new address. The clerk of court shall forward the permit holder's new address of residence to the State Police. The State Police may charge a fee not to exceed $5, and the clerk of court issuing the replacement permit may charge a fee not to exceed $5. The total amount assessed for processing a replacement permit pursuant to this subsection shall not exceed $10, with such fees to be paid in one sum to the person who receives the information for the replacement permit.

B. The clerk of a circuit court that issued a valid concealed handgun permit shall, upon submission of a notarized statement by the permit holder that the permit was lost or destroyed or that the permit holder has undergone a legal name change, issue a replacement permit. The replacement permit shall have the same expiration date as the permit that was lost, destroyed, or issued to the permit holder under a previous name. The clerk shall issue the replacement permit within 10 business days of receiving the notarized statement and may charge a fee not to exceed $5.

2013, c. 746 ; 2014, cc. 16 , 549 ; 2017, c. 238 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-270 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 7 / Article 2 / Section 18.2-270
Penalty for driving while intoxicated; subsequent offense; prior conviction
Status: in_force

A. Except as otherwise provided herein, any person violating any provision of § 18.2-266 shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor with a mandatory minimum fine of $250. If the person's blood alcohol level as indicated by the chemical test administered as provided in this article or by any other scientifically reliable chemical test performed on whole blood under circumstances reliably establishing the identity of the person who is the source of the blood and the accuracy of the results (i) was at least 0.15, but not more than 0.20, he shall be confined in jail for an additional mandatory minimum period of five days or, (ii) if the level was more than 0.20, for an additional mandatory minimum period of 10 days.

B. 1. Any person convicted of a second offense committed within less than five years after a prior offense under § 18.2-266 shall upon conviction of the second offense be punished by a mandatory minimum fine of $500 and by confinement in jail for not less than one month nor more than one year. Twenty days of such confinement shall be a mandatory minimum sentence.

2. Any person convicted of a second offense committed within a period of five to 10 years of a prior offense under § 18.2-266 shall upon conviction of the second offense be punished by a mandatory minimum fine of $500 and by confinement in jail for not less than one month. Ten days of such confinement shall be a mandatory minimum sentence.

3. Upon conviction of a second offense within 10 years of a prior offense, if the person's blood alcohol level as indicated by the chemical test administered as provided in this article or by any other scientifically reliable chemical test performed on whole blood under circumstances reliably establishing the identity of the person who is the source of the blood and the accuracy of the results (i) was at least 0.15, but not more than 0.20, he shall be confined in jail for an additional mandatory minimum period of 10 days or, (ii) if the level was more than 0.20, for an additional mandatory minimum period of 20 days. In addition, such person shall be fined a mandatory minimum fine of $500.

C. 1. Any person convicted of three offenses of § 18.2-266 committed within a 10-year period shall upon conviction of the third offense be guilty of a Class 6 felony. The sentence of any person convicted of three offenses of § 18.2-266 committed within a 10-year period shall include a mandatory minimum sentence of 90 days, unless the three offenses were committed within a five-year period, in which case the sentence shall include a mandatory minimum sentence of confinement for six months. In addition, such person shall be fined a mandatory minimum fine of $1,000.

2. A person who has been convicted of § 18.2-36.1 , 18.2-36.2 , 18.2-51.4 , 18.2-51.5 , or a felony violation of § 18.2-266 shall upon conviction of a subsequent violation of § 18.2-266 be guilty of a Class 6 felony. The punishment of any person convicted of such a subsequent violation of § 18.2-266 shall include a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of one year and a mandatory minimum fine of $1,000.

3. The punishment of any person convicted of a fourth or subsequent offense of § 18.2-266 committed within a 10-year period shall, upon conviction, include a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of one year. In addition, such person shall be fined a mandatory minimum fine of $1,000.

4. The vehicle solely owned and operated by the accused during the commission of a felony violation of § 18.2-266 shall be subject to seizure and forfeiture. After an arrest for a felony violation of § 18.2-266 , the Commonwealth may file an information in accordance with § 19.2-386.34 .

D. In addition to the penalty otherwise authorized by this section or § 16.1-278.9 , any person convicted of a violation of § 18.2-266 committed while transporting a person 17 years of age or younger shall be (i) fined an additional minimum of $500 and not more than $1,000 and (ii) sentenced to a mandatory minimum period of confinement of five days.

E. For the purpose of determining the number of offenses committed by, and the punishment appropriate for, a person under this section, an adult conviction of any person, or finding of guilty in the case of a juvenile, under the following shall be considered a conviction of § 18.2-266 : (i) the provisions of § 18.2-36.1 or the substantially similar laws of any other state or of the United States, (ii) the provisions of §§ 18.2-51.4 , 18.2-266 , former § 18.1-54 (formerly § 18-75), the ordinance of any county, city or town in this Commonwealth or the laws of any other state or of the United States substantially similar to the provisions of § 18.2-51.4 , or § 18.2-266 , or (iii) the provisions of subsection A of § 46.2-341.24 or the substantially similar laws of any other state or of the United States.

F. Mandatory minimum punishments imposed pursuant to this section shall be cumulative, and mandatory minimum terms of confinement shall be served consecutively. However, in no case shall punishment imposed hereunder exceed the applicable statutory maximum Class 1 misdemeanor term of confinement or fine upon conviction of a first or second offense, or Class 6 felony term of confinement or fine upon conviction of a third or subsequent offense.

Code 1950, § 18.1-58; 1960, c. 358; 1962, c. 302; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1982, c. 301; 1983, c. 504; 1989, c. 705; 1991, cc. 370, 710; 1992, c. 891; 1993, c. 972; 1997, c. 691 ; 1999, cc. 743 , 945 , 949 , 987 ; 2000, cc. 784 , 956 , 958 , 980 , 982 ; 2002, c. 759 ; 2003, cc. 573 , 591 ; 2004, cc. 461 , 937 , 946 , 950 , 957 , 958 , 962 ; 2006, cc. 82 , 314 ; 2009, c. 229 ; 2012, cc. 283 , 756 ; 2013, cc. 415 , 655 ; 2014, c. 707 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-102.2 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 5 / Article 3 / Section 18.2-102.2
Unauthorized use of dairy milk cases or milk crates; penalty
Status: in_force

It shall be unlawful for any person to:

1. Buy, sell, or dispose of any milk case or milk crate bearing the name or label of the owner without the written consent of the owner or his designated agent;

2. Refuse, upon written demand of the owner or his designated agent, to return to the owner or his designated agent any milk case or milk crate bearing the name or label of the owner; or

3. Deface, obliterate, erase, cover up, or otherwise remove or conceal any name, label, registered trademark, insignia, or other business identification of an owner of a milk case or milk crate without the consent of the owner, for the purpose of destroying or removing from the milk case or milk crate evidence of its ownership.

A violation of this section shall be punishable as a Class 4 misdemeanor.

For purposes of this section, milk cases or milk crates shall be deemed to bear a name or label of an owner when there is imprinted or attached on the case or crate a name, insignia, mark, business identification, or label showing ownership or sufficient information to ascertain ownership. The term "milk case" or "milk crate" means a wire or plastic container which holds sixteen quarts or more of beverage and is used by distributors or retailers or their agents as a means to transport, store, or carry dairy products.

1990, c. 452.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-391.1 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 8 / Article 6 / Section 18.2-391.1
Exceptions to application of article
Status: in_force

Nothing contained in this article shall be construed to apply to:

1. The purchase, distribution, exhibition, or loan of any work of art, book, magazine, or other printed or manuscript material by any accredited museum, library, school, or institution of higher education.

2. The exhibition or performance of any play, drama, tableau, or motion picture by any theatre, museum, school, or institution of higher education, either supported by public appropriation or which is an accredited institution supported by private funds.

1977, c. 480.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-403.1 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 8 / Article 8 / Section 18.2-403.1
Offenses involving animals — Class 1 misdemeanors
Status: in_force

The following unlawful acts and offenses against animals shall constitute and be punished as a Class 1 misdemeanor:

1. Violation of subsection A of § 3.2-6570 pertaining to cruelty to animals, except as provided for second or subsequent violations in that section.

2. Violation of § 3.2-6508 pertaining to transporting animals under certain conditions.

3. Making a false claim or receiving money on a false claim under § 3.2-6553 pertaining to compensation for livestock and poultry killed by dogs.

4. Violation of § 3.2-6518 pertaining to boarding establishments and groomers as defined in § 3.2-6500 .

5. Violation of § 3.2-6504 pertaining to the abandonment of animals.

6. Violation of subdivision B 3 of § 3.2-6587 pertaining to an animal confinement agreement or plan set forth in § 3.2-6562.1 .

1984, c. 492; 1992, c. 177; 1993, c. 174; 1996, c. 249 ; 1999, c. 620 ; 2018, c. 416 ; 2020, c. 1183 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-287.1 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 7 / Article 4 / Section 18.2-287.1
Repealed
Status: repealed

Repealed by Acts 2004, c. 462 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-107 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 5 / Article 3 / Section 18.2-107
Theft or destruction of public records by others than officers
Status: in_force

If any person steal or fraudulently secrete or destroy a public record or part thereof, including a microphotographic copy thereof, he shall, if the offense be not embraced by § 18.2-472 be guilty of a Class 6 felony.

Code 1950, § 18.1-308; 1960, c. 358; 1974, c. 649; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1977, c. 107.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-51.4 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 4 / Article 4 / Section 18.2-51.4
Maiming, etc., of another resulting from driving while intoxicated
Status: in_force

A. Any person who, as a result of driving while intoxicated in violation of § 18.2-266 or any local ordinance substantially similar thereto in a manner so gross, wanton, and culpable as to show a reckless disregard for human life, unintentionally causes the serious bodily injury of another person is guilty of a Class 6 felony.

B. Any person who, as a result of driving while intoxicated in violation of § 18.2-266 or any local ordinance substantially similar thereto in a manner so gross, wanton, and culpable as to show a reckless disregard for human life, unintentionally causes the serious bodily injury of another person resulting in permanent and significant physical impairment is guilty of a Class 4 felony.

C. The driver's license of any person convicted under this section shall be revoked pursuant to subsection B of § 46.2-391 .

D. The provisions of Article 2 (§ 18.2-266 et seq.) of Chapter 7 shall apply, mutatis mutandis, upon arrest for a violation of this section.

E. As used in this section, "serious bodily injury" means bodily injury that involves substantial risk of death, extreme physical pain, protracted and obvious disfigurement, or protracted loss or impairment of the function of a bodily member, organ, or mental faculty.

1997, c. 691 ; 1999, cc. 945 , 987 ; 2000, cc. 956 , 982 ; 2019, c. 465 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-509 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 12 / Article 3 / Section 18.2-509
Employment of lights under certain circumstances
Status: in_force

Any person in any motor vehicle or otherwise who, between a half hour after sunset on any day and a half hour before sunrise the following day, employs a light attached to such vehicle, or employs a spotlight to cast a light beyond the surface of the roadway upon any poultry house or other building inhabited by animals that causes such animals to panic or become injured, except upon his own land or upon private land on which he has permission, shall be guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor.

1976, c. 332.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-178.2 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 6 / Article 3 / Section 18.2-178.2
Financial exploitation by an agent; penalty
Status: in_force

A. As used in this section:

"Agent" means the same as that term is defined in § 64.2-1600 .

"Financial exploitation" means the illegal, unauthorized, or fraudulent use, or deprivation of use, of the property of a vulnerable adult with the intention of benefiting someone other than the vulnerable adult.

"Power of attorney" means a writing or other record that grants authority to an agent to act in the place of the principal, whether or not the term "power of attorney" is used.

"Principal" means an individual who grants authority to an agent in a power of attorney.

"Record" means information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is stored in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in perceivable form.

"Vulnerable adult" means the same as that term is defined in § 18.2-369 .

B. An agent under a power of attorney who knowingly or intentionally engages in financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult who is the principal of that agent is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. A violation of this section shall constitute a separate and distinct offense. If the acts or activities violating this section also violate another provision of law, a prosecution under this section shall not prohibit or bar any prosecution or proceeding under such other provision or the imposition of any penalties provided for thereby.

2022, cc. 397 , 654 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-46.3:2 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 4 / Article 2.1 / Section 18.2-46.3:2
Forfeiture
Status: in_force

All property, both personal and real, of any kind or character used in substantial connection with, intended for use in the course of, derived from, traceable to, or realized through, including any profit or interest derived from, any conduct in violation of any provision of this article is subject to civil forfeiture to the Commonwealth. Further, all property, both personal and real, of any kind or character used or intended to be used in substantial connection with, during the course of, derived from, traceable to, or realized through, including any profit or interest derived from, criminal street gang member recruitment as prohibited under § 18.2-46.3 is subject to civil forfeiture to the Commonwealth. The forfeiture proceeding shall utilize the provisions of Chapter 22.1 (§ 19.2-386.1 et seq.) of Title 19.2 and the procedures specified therein shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to all forfeitures under this article. The application of one civil remedy under the article does not preclude the application of any other remedy, civil or criminal, under this article or any other provision of the Code.

2004, cc. 396 , 435 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-414 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 9 / Article 1 / Section 18.2-414
Injury to property or persons by persons unlawfully or riotously assembled
Status: in_force

If any person or persons, unlawfully or riotously assembled, pull down, injure, or destroy, or begin to pull down, injure or destroy any dwelling house or other building, or assist therein, or perpetrate any premeditated injury on the person of another, he shall be guilty of a Class 6 felony.

Code 1950, § 18.1-254.11; 1968, c. 460; 1975, cc. 14, 15.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-190.8 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 6 / Article 5.1 / Section 18.2-190.8
Civil relief; damages
Status: in_force

Any electronic communication service provider aggrieved by a violation of this article may seek both injunctive and equitable relief and an award of damages including attorney's fees and costs. In addition to any other remedy provided by law, the party aggrieved may recover an award of actual damages or $500, whichever is greater, for each unlawful electronic communications device involved in the action. In any case in which the court finds that the violation was committed for purposes of commercial advantage or financial gain, the award shall be increased by an amount not to exceed three times the actual damages sustained or $1,500 for each unlawful electronic communications device involved, whichever is greater.

2002, c. 671 ; 2003, c. 354 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-493 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 12 / Article 1 / Section 18.2-493
Definitions
Status: in_force

As used in this article, unless the context requires a different meaning:

"Liquefied petroleum gas" means any material that is composed predominately of any of the following hydrocarbons or mixtures of the same: propane, propylene, butanes (normal butane and isobutane) and butylenes.

"Owner" means any person who holds a written bill of sale under which title or ownership to a container was transferred to such person, or any manufacturer of a container who has not sold or transferred ownership thereof by written bill of sale.

"Person" means any person, firm, or corporation.

"Qualifying emergency" means (i) a state of emergency as declared by the Governor pursuant to Chapter 3.2 (§ 44-146.13 et seq.) of Title 44; (ii) a local emergency as declared by the local director of emergency management with the consent of the governing body of the political subdivision pursuant to § 44-146.21 ; (iii) a state of emergency as declared by the President of the United States; (iv) when severe weather or other similar circumstances exist that may result in a person being placed in imminent danger of death or injury or may result in a building or its fixtures being at risk of significant damage due to lack of heat caused by the lack of sufficient liquefied petroleum gas to produce such heat; or (v) when a waiver from delivery limitations affecting the delivery of liquefied petroleum gas has been ordered.

Code 1950, § 18.1-400.1; 1970, c. 442; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 2023, c. 531 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-32 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 4 / Article 1 / Section 18.2-32
First and second degree murder defined; punishment
Status: in_force

Murder, other than aggravated murder, by poison, lying in wait, imprisonment, starving, or by any willful, deliberate, and premeditated killing, or in the commission of, or attempt to commit, arson, rape, forcible sodomy, inanimate or animate object sexual penetration, robbery, burglary or abduction, except as provided in § 18.2-31 , is murder of the first degree, punishable as a Class 2 felony.

All murder other than aggravated murder and murder in the first degree is murder of the second degree and is punishable by confinement in a state correctional facility for not less than five nor more than forty years.

Code 1950, § 18.1-21; 1960, c. 358; 1962, c. 42; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1976, c. 503; 1977, cc. 478, 492; 1981, c. 397; 1993, cc. 463, 490; 1998, c. 281 ; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 344 , 345 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-16.1 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 1 / Article 3 / Section 18.2-16.1
(Effective July 1, 2027) Common-law crime of suicide abolished
Status: in_force

The common-law crime of suicide is hereby abolished.

2026, c. 785 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-147.2 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 5 / Article 7 / Section 18.2-147.2
Devices for puncturing motor vehicle tires
Status: in_force

It shall be unlawful for any person to manufacture, distribute, have in his possession or place upon any highway or private property jackrocks which are primarily designed for the purpose of disabling motor vehicles by the puncturing of tires by anyone other than a law-enforcement officer. Any person convicted of unlawful manufacture, distribution, possession or use of such device shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. A law-enforcement officer who is lawfully engaged in the discharge of his duties shall not be subject to the provisions of this section.

1982, c. 253; 2007, c. 437 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-126 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 5 / Article 5 / Section 18.2-126
Violation of sepulture; defilement of a dead human body; penalties
Status: in_force

A. If a person unlawfully disinters or displaces a dead human body, or any part of a dead human body which has been deposited in any vault, grave or other burial place, he is guilty of a Class 4 felony.

B. If a person willfully and intentionally physically defiles a dead human body he is guilty of a Class 6 felony. For the purposes of this section, the term "defile" shall not include any autopsy or the recovery of organs or tissues for transplantation, or any other lawful purpose.

Code 1950, § 18.1-243; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1995, c. 306 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-283.2 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 7 / Article 4 / Section 18.2-283.2
Carrying a firearm or explosive material within Capitol Square and the surrounding area, into a building owned or leased by the Commonwealth, etc.; penalty
Status: in_force

A. For the purposes of this section, "Capitol Square and the surrounding area" means the grounds, land, real property, and improvements in the City of Richmond bounded by Bank, Governor, Broad, and Ninth Streets, and the sidewalks of Bank Street extending from 50 feet west of the Pocahontas Building entrance to 50 feet east of the entrance of the Capitol of Virginia.

B. It is unlawful for any person to carry any firearm as defined in § 18.2-308.2:2 or explosive material as defined in § 18.2-308.2 within (i) the Capitol of Virginia; (ii) Capitol Square and the surrounding area; (iii) any building owned or leased by the Commonwealth or any agency thereof; or (iv) any office where employees of the Commonwealth or any agency thereof are regularly present for the purpose of performing their official duties.

C. A violation of this section is punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanor. Any firearm or explosive material carried in violation of this section shall be subject to seizure by a law-enforcement officer and forfeited to the Commonwealth and disposed of as provided in § 19.2-386.28 .

D. The provisions of this section shall not apply to the following while acting in the conduct of such person's official duties: (i) any law-enforcement officer as defined in § 9.1-101 ; (ii) any authorized security personnel; (iii) any active military personnel; (iv) any fire marshal appointed pursuant to § 27-30 when such fire marshal has police powers provided by § 27-34.2:1 ; or (v) any member of a cadet corps who is recognized by a public institution of higher education while such member is participating in an official ceremonial event for the Commonwealth.

E. The provisions of clause (ii) of subsection B shall not apply to (i) any State Police officer who is off-duty or (ii) any retired State Police officer who has participated in annual firearms training and has qualified to the standards required of active law-enforcement officers in the Commonwealth, in accordance with subsection C of § 18.2-308.01 6.

The provisions of clauses (iii) and (iv) of subsection B shall not apply to (a) any State Police officer who is off-duty; (b) any retired State Police officer who has participated in annual firearms training and has qualified to the standards required of active law-enforcement officers in the Commonwealth, in accordance with subsection C of § 18.2-308.01 6; (c) any retired law-enforcement officer who has participated in annual firearms training, has qualified pursuant to subsection C of § 18.2-308.01 6, and is visiting a gun range owned or leased by the Commonwealth; (d) any of the following employees authorized to carry a firearm while acting in the conduct of such employee's official duties: (1) a bail bondsman as defined in § 9.1-185 , (2) an employee of the Department of Corrections or a state juvenile correctional facility, (3) an employee of the Department of Conservation and Recreation, or (4) an employee of the Department of Wildlife Resources; (e) any individual carrying a weapon into a courthouse who is exempt under § 18.2-283.1 ; (f) any individual within a building owned or operated by a public institution of higher education who possesses a weapon as part of such public institution of higher education's curriculum or activities as approved through the law-enforcement or public safety unit of the institution or as part of any organization authorized by such public institution of higher education to possess weapons, as approved through the law-enforcement or public safety unit of the institution, while conducting its programs or activities within such building; (g) any state park; or (h) any magistrate acting in the conduct of the magistrate's official duties.

F. Notice of the provisions of this section shall be posted conspicuously along the boundary of Capitol Square and the surrounding area and at the public entrance of each location listed in subsection B, and no person shall be convicted of an offense under subsection B if such notice is not posted at such public entrance, unless such person had actual notice of the prohibitions in subsection B.

2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 527 , 548 ; 2023, c. 810 ; 2026, cc. 643 , 644 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-158 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 5 / Article 8 / Section 18.2-158
Driving, etc., animal on track to recover damages
Status: in_force

If any person, with a view to the recovery of damages against a railroad company, willfully ride, drive, or lead any animal, or otherwise contrive for any animal to go, on the railroad track of such company, and such animal is by reason thereof killed or injured, he shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor.

Code 1950, § 18.1-154; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-386 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 8 / Article 5 / Section 18.2-386
Showing previews of certain motion pictures
Status: in_force

It shall be unlawful for any person to exhibit any trailer or preview of any motion picture which has a motion picture industry rating which would not permit persons in the audience viewing the feature motion picture to see the complete motion picture from which the trailer or preview is taken. Persons violating the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

Code 1950, § 18.1-246.1; 1970, c. 504; 1975, cc. 14, 15.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-293 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 7 / Article 5 / Section 18.2-293
What article does not apply to
Status: in_force

The provisions of this article shall not be applicable to:

(1) The manufacture for, and sale of, machine guns to the armed forces or law-enforcement officers of the United States or of any state or of any political subdivision thereof, or the transportation required for that purpose; and

(2) Machine guns and automatic arms issued to the national guard of Virginia by the United States or such arms used by the United States army or navy or in the hands of troops of the national guards of other states or territories of the United States passing through Virginia, or such arms as may be provided for the officers of the State Police or officers of penal institutions.

Code 1950, § 18.1-263; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-500 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 12 / Article 2 / Section 18.2-500
Same; civil relief; damages and counsel fees; injunctions
Status: in_force

A. Any person who shall be injured in his reputation, trade, business or profession by reason of a violation of § 18.2-499 , may sue therefor and recover three-fold the damages by him sustained, and the costs of suit, including a reasonable fee to plaintiff's counsel, and without limiting the generality of the term, "damages" shall include loss of profits.

B. Whenever a person shall duly file a civil action in the circuit court of any county or city against any person alleging violations of the provisions of § 18.2-499 and praying that such party defendant be restrained and enjoined from continuing the acts complained of, such court shall have jurisdiction to hear and determine the issues involved, to issue injunctions pendente lite and permanent injunctions and to decree damages and costs of suit, including reasonable counsel fees to complainants' and defendants' counsel.

Code 1950, § 18.1-74.1:2; 1964, c. 623; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 2003, c. 578 ; 2005, c. 681 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-357 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 8 / Article 3 / Section 18.2-357
Receiving money from earnings of male or female prostitute; penalties
Status: in_force

Any person who shall knowingly receive any money or other valuable thing from the earnings of any male or female engaged in prostitution, except for a consideration deemed good and valuable in law, shall be guilty of pandering, punishable as a Class 4 felony. Any person who violates this section by receiving money or other valuable thing from a person under the age of 18 is guilty of a Class 3 felony.

Code 1950, § 18.1-208; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1980, c. 534; 2015, cc. 690 , 691 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-265.12 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 7 / Article 1.2 / Section 18.2-265.12
Authority to access data, records, and reports
Status: in_force

The Department or other law-enforcement agency of the Commonwealth or any federal agency conducting a criminal investigation involving the manufacture of methamphetamine consistent with state or federal law may access data, records, and reports regarding the sale of ephedrine or related compounds. In addition, such information may be accessed if relevant to proceedings in any court, investigatory grand jury, or special grand jury that has been impaneled in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 13 (§ 19.2-191 et seq.) of Title 19.2.

The Superintendent of State Police shall promulgate regulations, pursuant to the Administrative Process Act (§ 2.2-4000 et seq.), for the implementation of this section. Regulations adopted under this section shall be deemed a customary police function for purposes of subdivision B 6 of § 2.2-4002 .

2012, cc. 160 , 252 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-367 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 8 / Article 4 / Section 18.2-367
Repealed
Status: repealed

Repealed by Acts 2004, c. 459 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-60 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 4 / Article 6 / Section 18.2-60
Threats of death or bodily injury to a person or member of his family; threats of death or discharge of a firearm on school property; threats of death or bodily injury to health care providers; penalties
Status: in_force

A. 1. Any person who knowingly communicates, in a writing, including an electronically transmitted communication producing a visual or electronic message, including an email, a text message, or a message or post on any social media platform, a threat to kill or do bodily injury to a person, regardless of whether the person who is the object of the threat actually receives the threat, and the threat places such person who is the object of the threat, or any member of his family, in reasonable apprehension of death or bodily injury to himself or his family member is guilty of a Class 6 felony. However, any person who violates this subsection with the intent to commit an act of terrorism as defined in § 18.2-46.4 is guilty of a Class 5 felony.

2. Any person who communicates a threat orally or in a writing, including an electronically transmitted communication producing a visual or electronic message, including an email, a text message, or a message or post on any social media platform, to kill or discharge a firearm within or (i) on the grounds or premises of any elementary, middle, or secondary school property; (ii) at any elementary, middle, or secondary school-sponsored event; or (iii) on a school bus to any person or persons, regardless of whether the person who is the object of the threat actually receives the threat, and the threat would place the person who is the object of the threat, or is included in the threat, in reasonable apprehension of death or bodily harm is guilty of a Class 6 felony.

3. Any person 18 years of age or older who communicates a threat in writing, including an electronically transmitted communication producing a visual or electronic message such as an email, a text message, or a message or post on any social media platform, to another to kill or to do serious bodily injury to any other person and makes such threat with the intent to (i) intimidate a civilian population at large; (ii) influence the conduct or activities of a government, including the government of the United States, a state, or a locality, through intimidation; or (iii) compel the emergency evacuation, or avoidance, of any place of assembly, any building or other structure, or any means of mass transportation is guilty of a Class 5 felony. Any person younger than 18 years of age who commits such offense is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

B. Any person who orally makes a threat to kill or to do bodily injury to (i) any employee of any elementary, middle, or secondary school, while on a school bus, on school property, or at a school-sponsored activity or (ii) any health care provider as defined in § 8.01-581.1 who is engaged in the performance of his duties while on the premises of any facility rendering health care as defined in § 8.01-581.1 , unless the health care provider is on the premises of any facility rendering health care as defined in § 8.1-581.1 or emergency medical care as a result of an emergency custody order pursuant to § 37.2-808 , involuntary temporary detention order pursuant to § 37.2-809 , involuntary hospitalization order pursuant to § 37.2-817 , or emergency custody order of a conditionally released acquittee pursuant to § 19.2-182.9 , is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

C. A prosecution pursuant to this section may be in either the county, city, or town in which the communication was made or received.

Code 1950, § 18.1-257; 1960, c. 358; 1973, c. 118; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1994, c. 265 ; 1998, cc. 687 , 788 ; 2001, cc. 644 , 653 ; 2002, cc. 588 , 623 ; 2019, c. 506 ; 2020, c. 1002 ; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 83 , 84 ; 2022, c. 336 ; 2023, c. 200 ; 2025, c. 588 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-106 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 5 / Article 3 / Section 18.2-106
"Agents of the merchant" defined
Status: in_force

As used in this article "agents of the merchant" shall include attendants at any parking lot owned or leased by the merchant, or generally used by customers of the merchant through any contract or agreement between the owner of the parking lot and the merchant.

Code 1950, § 18.1-128; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-217 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 6 / Article 8 / Section 18.2-217
Advertising merchandise, etc., for sale with intent not to sell at price or terms advertised; prima facie evidence of violation
Status: in_force

(a) Any person, firm, corporation or association who in any manner advertises or offers for sale to the public any merchandise, goods, commodity, service or thing with intent not to sell, or with intent not to sell at the price or upon the terms advertised or offered, shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

(b) In any prosecution or civil action under this section, the refusal by any person, firm, corporation or association or any employee, agent or servant thereof to sell, or the refusal to sell at the price or upon the terms advertised or offered, any merchandise, goods, commodity, service or thing advertised or offered for sale to the public, shall be prima facie evidence of a violation of this section; provided, that this subsection shall not apply when it is clearly stated in the advertisement or offer by which such merchandise, goods, commodity, service or thing is advertised or offered for sale to the public, that the advertiser or offeror has a limited quantity or amount of such merchandise, goods, commodity, service or thing for sale, and the advertiser or offeror at the time of such advertisement or offer did in fact have at least such quantity or amount for sale.

Code 1950, § 59.1-45; 1968, c. 439; 1972, c. 217; 1975, cc. 14, 15.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-214 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 6 / Article 8 / Section 18.2-214
Changing or removing, etc., trademarks, identification marks, etc
Status: in_force

Any person, firm, association or corporation who or which intentionally removes, defaces, alters, changes, destroys or obliterates in any manner or way or who causes to be removed, defaced, altered, changed, destroyed or obliterated in any manner or way any trademark, distinguishment or identification number, serial number or mark on or from any article or device, in order to secrete its identification with intent to defraud, shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

Code 1950, § 59.1-42; 1968, c. 439; 1975, cc. 14, 15.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-457 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 10 / Article 5 / Section 18.2-457
Fine and imprisonment by court limited unless jury impaneled
Status: in_force

No court shall, without a jury, for any such contempt as is mentioned in the first class embraced in § 18.2-456 , impose a fine exceeding $250 or imprison more than ten days; but in any such case the court may, without an indictment, information or any formal pleading, impanel a jury to ascertain the fine or imprisonment proper to be inflicted and may give judgment according to the verdict.

Code 1950, § 18.1-295; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1999, c. 626 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-100 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 5 / Article 3 / Section 18.2-100
Removal of crop by tenant before rents and advances are satisfied
Status: in_force

It shall be unlawful for any person renting the lands of another, either for a share of the crop or for money consideration, to remove therefrom, without the consent of the landlord, any part of such crop until the rents and advances are satisfied. Every such offense shall be punishable as a Class 3 misdemeanor.

Code 1950, § 18.1-115; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-340.22 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 8 / Article 1.1:1 / Section 18.2-340.22
Permitted forms of gaming; prizes not gaming contracts
Status: in_force

A. This article permits qualified organizations to conduct (i) raffles, bingo, network bingo, instant bingo games, and Texas Hold'em poker tournaments and (ii) electronic gaming authorized pursuant to the provisions of § 18.2-340.26:3 . All games not explicitly authorized by this article or Department regulations adopted in accordance with § 18.2-340.19 are prohibited. Nothing herein shall be construed to authorize the Department to approve the conduct of any other form of poker in the Commonwealth.

B. The award of any prize money for any charitable game shall not be deemed to be part of any gaming contract within the purview of § 11-14 .

C. Nothing in this article shall prohibit an organization from using the Virginia Lottery's Pick-3 number or any number or other designation selected by the Virginia Lottery in connection with any lottery, as the basis for determining the winner of a raffle.

1995, c. 837 ; 1997, cc. 777 , 838 ; 2003, c. 884 ; 2013, cc. 36 , 350 ; 2014, c. 225 ; 2020, c. 982 ; 2022, cc. 554 , 609 , 722 , 767 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-229 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 6 / Article 8 / Section 18.2-229
Same; false trade name or mixing brands
Status: in_force

It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, association or corporation to expose for sale, offer for sale or sell, under any trademark or trade name in general use, any liquid fuels, lubricating oils or other like products, except those manufactured or distributed by the manufacturer or distributor marketing liquid fuels, lubricating oils or other like products under such trademark or trade name, or to substitute, mix or adulterate the liquid fuels, lubricating oils or other similar products sold, offered for sale or distributed under such trademark or trade name.

Code 1950, § 59.1-58; 1968, c. 439; 1975, cc. 14, 15.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-58.1 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 4 / Article 5 / Section 18.2-58.1
Carjacking; penalty
Status: in_force

A. Any person who commits carjacking, as herein defined, shall be guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for life or a term not less than fifteen years.

B. As used in this section, "carjacking" means the intentional seizure or seizure of control of a motor vehicle of another with intent to permanently or temporarily deprive another in possession or control of the vehicle of that possession or control by means of partial strangulation, or suffocation, or by striking or beating, or by other violence to the person, or by assault or otherwise putting a person in fear of serious bodily harm, or by the threat or presenting of firearms, or other deadly weapon or instrumentality whatsoever. "Motor vehicle" shall have the same meaning as set forth in § 46.2-100 .

C. The provisions of this section shall not preclude the applicability of any other provision of the criminal law of the Commonwealth which may apply to any course of conduct which violates this section.

1993, c. 500.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-152.13 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 5 / Article 7.1 / Section 18.2-152.13
Repealed
Status: repealed

Repealed by Acts 2015, c. 709 , cl. 2.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-308.2:01 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 7 / Article 7 / Section 18.2-308.2:01
Possession or transportation of certain firearms by certain persons
Status: in_force

A. It shall be unlawful for any person who is not a citizen of the United States or who is not a person lawfully admitted for permanent residence to knowingly and intentionally possess or transport any assault firearm or to knowingly and intentionally carry about his person, hidden from common observation, an assault firearm.

B. It shall be unlawful for any person who is not a citizen of the United States and who is not lawfully present in the United States to knowingly and intentionally possess or transport any firearm or to knowingly and intentionally carry about his person, hidden from common observation, any firearm. A violation of this section shall be punishable as a Class 6 felony.

C. For purposes of this section, "assault firearm" means any semi-automatic center-fire rifle or pistol that expels single or multiple projectiles by action of an explosion of a combustible material and is equipped at the time of the offense with a magazine which will hold more than 20 rounds of ammunition or designed by the manufacturer to accommodate a silencer or equipped with a folding stock.

1993, c. 674; 2003, c. 976 ; 2004, cc. 347 , 995 ; 2008, c. 408 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-265.6 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 7 / Article 1.2 / Section 18.2-265.6
Definitions
Status: in_force

As used in this article, unless the context requires a different meaning:

"Department" means the Department of State Police.

"Ephedrine or related compounds" means ephedrine and pseudoephedrine base or their salts, isomers, or salts of isomers.

"Pharmacy" means any establishment or institution from which drugs, medicines, or medicinal chemicals are dispensed or offered for sale or on which a sign is displayed bearing the words "apothecary," "druggist," "drugs," "drug store," "drug sundries," "medicine store," "pharmacist," "pharmacy," or "prescriptions filled" or any similar words intended to indicate that the practice of pharmacy is being conducted pursuant to a license issued under Chapter 33 (§ 54.1-3300 et seq.) of Title 54.1.

"Retail distributor" means an entity licensed to conduct business in the Commonwealth that offers for sale to the public at a retail outlet any nonprescription compound, mixture, or preparation containing ephedrine or related compounds.

"System" or "electronic system" means a real-time electronic recordkeeping and monitoring system for the sale of ephedrine or related compounds.

2012, cc. 160 , 252 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-251 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 7 / Article 1 / Section 18.2-251
(Effective July 1, 2027) Persons charged with first offense may be placed on probation; conditions; substance abuse screening, assessment treatment and education programs or services; drug tests; costs and fees; violations; discharge
Status: in_force

Whenever any person who has not previously been convicted of any criminal offense under this article or under any statute of the United States or of any state relating to narcotic drugs, or stimulant, depressant, or hallucinogenic drugs, or has not previously had a proceeding against him for violation of such an offense dismissed as provided in this section, pleads guilty to or enters a plea of not guilty to possession of a controlled substance under § 18.2-250 , the court, upon such plea if the facts found by the court would justify a finding of guilt, without entering a judgment of guilt and with the consent of the accused, may defer further proceedings and place him on probation upon terms and conditions. If the court defers further proceedings, at that time the court shall determine whether the clerk of court has been provided with the fingerprint identification information or fingerprints of the person, taken by a law-enforcement officer pursuant to § 19.2-390 , and, if not, shall order that the fingerprints and photograph of the person be taken by a law-enforcement officer.

As a term or condition, the court shall require the accused to undergo a substance abuse assessment pursuant to § 18.2-251.01 or 19.2-299.2 , as appropriate, and enter treatment and/or education program or services, if available, such as, in the opinion of the court, may be best suited to the needs of the accused based upon consideration of the substance abuse assessment. The program or services may be located in the judicial district in which the charge is brought or in any other judicial district as the court may provide. The services shall be provided by (i) a program licensed by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, by a similar program which is made available through the Department of Corrections, (ii) a local community-based probation services agency established pursuant to § 9.1-174 , or (iii) an ASAP program certified by the Commission on VASAP.

The court shall require the person entering such program under the provisions of this section to pay all or part of the costs of the program, including the costs of the screening, assessment, testing, and treatment, based upon the accused's ability to pay unless the person is determined by the court to be indigent.

As a condition of probation, the court shall require the accused (a) to successfully complete treatment or education program or services, (b) to remain drug and alcohol free during the period of probation and submit to such tests during that period as may be necessary and appropriate to determine if the accused is drug and alcohol free, (c) to make reasonable efforts to secure and maintain employment, and (d) to comply with a plan of at least 100 hours of community service for a felony and up to 24 hours of community service for a misdemeanor. Such testing shall be conducted by personnel of the supervising probation agency or personnel of any program or agency approved by the supervising probation agency.

Upon violation of a term or condition, the court may enter an adjudication of guilt and proceed as otherwise provided. Upon fulfillment of the terms and conditions, and upon determining that the clerk of court has been provided with the fingerprint identification information or fingerprints of such person, the court shall discharge the person and dismiss the proceedings against him. Discharge and dismissal under this section shall be without adjudication of guilt and is a conviction only for the purposes of applying this section in subsequent proceedings.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, whenever a court places an individual on probation upon terms and conditions pursuant to this section, such action shall be treated as a conviction for purposes of § 22.1-315 . The provisions of this paragraph shall not be applicable to any offense for which a juvenile has had his license suspended or denied pursuant to § 16.1-278.9 for the same offense.

Code 1950, § 54-524.101:3; 1972, c. 798; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1976, c. 181; 1979, c. 435; 1983, c. 513; 1991, c. 482; 1992, cc. 58, 833; 1993, c. 410; 1997, c. 380 ; 1998, cc. 688 , 783 , 840 ; 2000, cc. 1020 , 1041 ; 2001, cc. 430 , 450 , 827 ; 2007, c. 133 ; 2009, cc. 813 , 840 ; 2011, cc. 384 , 410 ; 2014, cc. 674 , 719 ; 2017, cc. 695 , 703 ; 2019, cc. 782 , 783 ; 2020, cc. 740 , 741 , 1285 , 1286 ; 2024, cc. 785 , 811 ; 2026, Sp. Sess. I, c. 1 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-502.2 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 12 / Article 3 / Section 18.2-502.2
Warning required for certain medical tests; penalty
Status: in_force

No commercial medical testing kit designed for consumer home use shall be sold in this Commonwealth unless a warning is provided to the consumer to the effect that such tests may produce erroneous results and that medical testing is more accurate when performed by professionals within the controlled conditions of a laboratory. The consumer shall be advised to seek professional medical consultation and, if recommended, another test for validation of such test results.

Any person who violates the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor.

1989, c. 142.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-340.24 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 8 / Article 1.1:1 / Section 18.2-340.24
Eligibility for permit; exceptions; where valid
Status: in_force

A. To be eligible for a permit to conduct charitable gaming, an organization shall:

1. Have been in existence and met on a regular basis in the Commonwealth for a period of at least three years immediately prior to applying for a permit.

The three-year residency requirement shall not apply (i) to any lodge or chapter of a national or international fraternal order or of a national or international civic organization which is exempt under § 501(c) of the United States Internal Revenue Code and which has a lodge or chapter holding a charitable gaming permit issued under the provisions of this article anywhere within the Commonwealth; (ii) to booster clubs which have been operating for less than three years and which have been established solely to raise funds for school-sponsored activities in public schools or private schools accredited pursuant to § 22.1-19 ; (iii) to recently established volunteer fire and rescue companies or departments, after county, city, or town approval; or (iv) to an organization which relocates its meeting place on a permanent basis from one jurisdiction to another, complies with the requirements of subdivision 2 of this section, and was the holder of a valid permit at the time of its relocation.

2. Be operating currently and have always been operated as a nonprofit organization.

3. Have at least 50 percent of its membership consist of residents of the Commonwealth; however, if an organization (i) does not consist of bona fide members and (ii) is exempt under § 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code, the Department shall exempt such organizations from the requirements of this subdivision.

B. Any organization whose gross receipts from all charitable gaming exceeds or can be expected to exceed $40,000 in any calendar year shall have been granted tax-exempt status pursuant to § 501(c) of the United States Internal Revenue Code. At the same time tax-exempt status is sought from the Internal Revenue Service, the same documentation may be filed with the Department in conjunction with an application for a charitable gaming permit. If such documentation is filed, the Department may, after reviewing such documentation it deems necessary, issue a charitable gaming permit.

C. A permit shall be valid only for the dates and times designated in the permit.

1995, c. 837 ; 1996, c. 919 ; 2003, c. 884 ; 2006, c. 644 ; 2009, c. 121 ; 2014, c. 208 ; 2020, c. 568 ; 2022, cc. 554 , 609 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-146.2 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 5 / Article 7 / Section 18.2-146.2
Interference with commercial fishing vessels or activity; penalty
Status: in_force

A. As used in this section, "commercial fishing activity" means the business of extracting fish, bivalves, or crustaceans from waters for sale or resale.

B. Any person who knowingly and intentionally interferes with or impedes the operation or commercial fishing activity of a commercial fishing vessel within the territorial waters of the Commonwealth is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

C. A prosecution under this section is a bar to prosecution under § 29.1-554.1 .

D. Any person convicted of a first offense under this section shall be ineligible for any license issued under Chapter 3 (§ 28.2-300 et seq.) of Title 28.2 or Chapter 3 (§ 29.1-300 et seq.) of Title 29.1 for a period of one year. Any person convicted of a second or subsequent offense under this section shall be ineligible for any such license for a period of three years.

E. In addition to any other penalties provided by law, any person convicted of a violation of this section shall be ordered to complete boating safety education as described in § 29.1-735.2 .

2024, c. 403 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-373 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 8 / Article 5 / Section 18.2-373
Obscene items enumerated
Status: in_force

Obscene items shall include:

(1) Any obscene book;

(2) Any obscene leaflet, pamphlet, magazine, booklet, picture, painting, bumper sticker, drawing, photograph, film, negative, slide, motion picture, videotape recording;

(3) Any obscene figure, object, article, instrument, novelty device, or recording or transcription used or intended to be used in disseminating any obscene song, ballad, words, or sounds; or

(4) Any obscene writing, picture or similar visual representation, or sound recording, stored in an electronic or other medium retrievable in a perceivable form.

Code 1950, § 18.1-229; 1960, c. 233; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1981, c. 293; 1989, c. 546; 2000, c. 1009 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-330 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 8 / Article 1 / Section 18.2-330
Accessories to gambling activity; penalty
Status: in_force

Any person, firm or association of persons, other than those persons specified in other sections of this article, who knowingly aids, abets or assists in the operation of an illegal gambling enterprise, activity or operation, shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

Code 1950, §§ 18.1-319, 18.1-325; 1960, c. 358; 1968, c. 401; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1984, c. 625.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-46.2 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 4 / Article 2.1 / Section 18.2-46.2
Prohibited criminal street gang participation; penalty
Status: in_force

A. Any person who actively participates in or is a member of a criminal street gang and who knowingly and willfully participates in any predicate criminal act committed for the benefit of, at the direction of, or in association with any criminal street gang is guilty of a Class 4 felony. However, (i) if such participant in or member of a criminal street gang is 18 years of age or older and knows or has reason to know that such criminal street gang also includes a juvenile member or participant or (ii) if such predicate criminal act is an act of violence as defined in § 18.2-46.1 , he is guilty of a Class 3 felony.

B. Violation of this section shall constitute a separate and distinct offense. If the acts or activities violating this section also violate another provision of law, a prosecution under this section shall not prohibit or bar any prosecution or proceeding under such other provision or the imposition of any penalties provided for thereby.

2000, c. 332 ; 2023, cc. 396 , 397 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-363 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 8 / Article 4 / Section 18.2-363
Leaving Commonwealth to evade law against bigamy
Status: in_force

If any persons, resident in the Commonwealth, one of whom has a living spouse, shall, with the intention of returning to reside in the Commonwealth, go into another state or country and there intermarry and return to and reside in the Commonwealth cohabiting as a married couple, such marriage shall be governed by the same law, in all respects, as if it had been solemnized in the Commonwealth.

Code 1950, § 20-44; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 2020, c. 900 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-308.07 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 7 / Article 6.1 / Section 18.2-308.07
Entry of information into the Virginia Criminal Information Network
Status: in_force

A. An order issuing a concealed handgun permit pursuant to § 18.2-308.04 , or the copy of the permit application certified by the clerk as a de facto permit pursuant to § 18.2-308.05 , shall be provided to the State Police and the law-enforcement agencies of the county or city by the clerk of the court. The State Police shall enter the permittee's name and description in the Virginia Criminal Information Network so that the permit's existence and current status will be made known to law-enforcement personnel accessing the Network for investigative purposes.

B. The Department of State Police shall enter the name and description of a person issued a nonresident permit pursuant to § 18.2-308.06 in the Virginia Criminal Information Network so that the permit's existence and current status are known to law-enforcement personnel accessing the Network for investigative purposes.

C. The State Police shall withhold from public disclosure permittee information submitted to the State Police for purposes of entry into the Virginia Criminal Information Network, except that such information shall not be withheld from any law-enforcement agency, officer, or authorized agent thereof acting in the performance of official law-enforcement duties when such information is related to an ongoing criminal investigation or prosecution, nor shall such information be withheld from an entity that has a valid contract with any local, state, or federal law-enforcement agency for the purpose of performing official duties of the law-enforcement agency when such information is related to an ongoing criminal investigation or prosecution. However, nothing in this subsection shall be construed to prohibit the release of (i) records by the State Police concerning permits issued to nonresidents of the Commonwealth pursuant to § 18.2-308.06 or (ii) statistical summaries, abstracts, or other records containing information in an aggregate form that does not identify any individual permittees.

2013, c. 746 ; 2023, c. 279 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-508 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 12 / Article 3 / Section 18.2-508
Penalties
Status: in_force

Any person found guilty of violating any provision of § 18.2-505 shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by a fine not to exceed $1,000.

Code 1950, § 18.1-371.4; 1974, c. 342; 1975, cc. 14, 15.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-134.1 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 5 / Article 5 / Section 18.2-134.1
Method of posting lands
Status: in_force

A. The owner or lessee of property described in § 18.2-134 may post property by (i) placing signs prohibiting hunting, fishing or trapping where they may reasonably be seen; or (ii) placing identifying paint marks on trees or posts at each road entrance and adjacent to public roadways and public waterways adjoining the property. Each paint mark shall be a vertical line of at least two inches in width and at least eight inches in length and the center of the mark shall be no less than three feet nor more than six feet from the ground or normal water surface. Such paint marks shall be readily visible to any person approaching the property.

B. The type and color of the paint to be used for posting shall be prescribed by the Department of Wildlife Resources.

1987, c. 603; 2020, c. 958 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-488.1 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 11 / Article 2 / Section 18.2-488.1
Flag at half staff or mast for certain public safety personnel killed in the line of duty
Status: in_force

A. As used in this section, unless the context requires a different meaning:

"Emergency medical services provider" means the same as that term is defined in § 32.1-111.1 and any member of a volunteer emergency medical services agency.

"Firefighter" means the same as that term is defined in § 9.1-300 , and any member of a volunteer fire department.

"Police officer" means any full-time or part-time employee of a police department or sheriff's office which is a part of or administered by the Commonwealth or any political subdivision thereof and who is responsible for the prevention and detection of crime and the enforcement of the penal, traffic, or highway laws of the Commonwealth and a state correctional officer of the Department of Corrections.

"Service member" means a member of the United States armed forces, Virginia National Guard, or Virginia Defense Force.

B. Whenever a service member, police officer, firefighter, or emergency medical services provider who is a resident of Virginia is killed in the line of duty, all flags, state and local, flown at any building owned and operated by the Commonwealth or any political subdivision thereof shall be flown at half staff or mast for one day to honor and acknowledge respect for those who made the supreme sacrifice.

C. The Department of General Services shall develop procedures to effectuate the purposes of this section.

2012, c. 767 ; 2015, cc. 502 , 503 ; 2017, c. 344 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-67.2:1 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 4 / Article 7 / Section 18.2-67.2:1
Repealed
Status: repealed

Repealed by Acts 2005, c. 631 , cl. 2.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-216 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 6 / Article 8 / Section 18.2-216
Untrue, deceptive or misleading advertising, inducements, writings or documents
Status: in_force

A. Any person, firm, corporation or association who, with intent to sell or in anywise dispose of merchandise, securities, service or anything offered by such person, firm, corporation or association, directly or indirectly, to the public for sale or distribution or with intent to increase the consumption thereof, or to induce the public in any manner to enter into any obligation relating thereto, or to acquire title thereto, or any interest therein, makes, publishes, disseminates, circulates or places before the public, or causes, directly or indirectly to be made, published, disseminated, circulated or placed before the public, in a newspaper or other publications, or in the form of a book, notice, handbill, poster, blueprint, map, bill, tag, label, circular, pamphlet or letter or in any other way, an advertisement of any sort regarding merchandise, securities, service, land, lot or anything so offered to the public, which advertisement contains any promise, assertion, representation or statement of fact which is untrue, deceptive or misleading, or uses any other method, device or practice which is fraudulent, deceptive or misleading to induce the public to enter into any obligation, shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

The actions prohibited in this section, shall be construed as including (i) the advertising in any manner by any person of any goods, wares or merchandise as a bankrupt stock, receiver's stock or trustee's stock, if such stock contains any goods, wares or merchandise put therein subsequent to the date of the purchase by such advertiser of such stock, and if such advertisement of any such stock fail to set forth the fact that such stock contains other goods, wares or merchandise put therein, subsequent to the date of the purchase by such advertiser of such stock in type as large as the type used in any other part of such advertisement, including the caption of the same, it shall be a violation of this section; and (ii) the use of any writing or document which appears to be, but is not in fact a negotiable check, negotiable draft or other negotiable instrument unless the writing clearly and conspicuously, in at least 14-point bold type, bears the phrase "THIS IS NOT A CHECK" printed on its face.

B. An allegation made by a plaintiff in a civil pleading that a defendant real estate licensee has violated this section shall be stated with particularity.

Code 1950, § 59.1-44; 1968, c. 439; 1975, cc. 14, 15, 507; 2005, c. 150 ; 2014, cc. 650 , 696 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-251.1 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 7 / Article 1 / Section 18.2-251.1
(Repeal effective July 1, 2027) Possession or distribution of marijuana for medical purposes permitted.
Status: in_force

A. No person shall be prosecuted under § 18.2-250 or § 18.2-250.1 for the possession of marijuana or tetrahydrocannabinol when that possession occurs pursuant to a valid prescription issued by a medical doctor in the course of his professional practice for treatment of cancer or glaucoma.

B. No medical doctor shall be prosecuted under § 18.2-248 or § 18.2-248.1 for dispensing or distributing marijuana or tetrahydrocannabinol for medical purposes when such action occurs in the course of his professional practice for treatment of cancer or glaucoma.

C. No pharmacist shall be prosecuted under §§ 18.2-248 to 18.2-248.1 for dispensing or distributing marijuana or tetrahydrocannabinol to any person who holds a valid prescription of a medical doctor for such substance issued in the course of such doctor's professional practice for treatment of cancer or glaucoma.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-328 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 8 / Article 1 / Section 18.2-328
Conducting illegal gambling operation; penalties
Status: in_force

The operator of an illegal gambling enterprise, activity or operation shall be guilty of a Class 6 felony. However, any such operator who engages in an illegal gambling operation which (i) has been or remains in substantially continuous operation for a period in excess of thirty days or (ii) has gross revenue of $2,000 or more in any single day shall be fined not more than $20,000 and imprisoned not less than one year nor more than ten years.

As used in this section, the term "gross revenue" means the total amount of illegal gambling transactions handled, dealt with, received by or placed with such operation, as distinguished from any net figure or amount from which deductions are taken, without regard to whether money or any other thing of value actually changes hands.

Code 1950, § 18.1-318.1; 1972, c. 364; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1983, c. 331.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-273.2 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 7 / Article 2.1 / Section 18.2-273.2
Commission on VASAP; purpose; membership; terms; meetings; staffing; compensation and expenses; chair's executive summary
Status: in_force

A. There is hereby established in the legislative branch of state government the Commission on the Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program (VASAP), which shall be deemed an agency of the Commonwealth for the purposes of administration, regulation, and receipt or disbursement of funds pursuant to the provisions of this article. The Commission shall administer and supervise the system of local alcohol safety action programs throughout the Commonwealth, develop and maintain operation and performance standards for such programs, and administer the allocation of supplemental or emergency funding to such programs pursuant to subsection D of § 18.2-273.4.

B. The Commission shall have a total membership of 15 members that shall include six legislative members and nine nonlegislative citizen members. Members shall be appointed as follows: four current or former members of the House Committee for Courts of Justice, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates; two members of the Senate Committee for Courts of Justice, to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules; three sitting or retired judges, one each from the circuit, general district, and juvenile and domestic relations district courts, who regularly hear or heard cases involving driving under the influence and are familiar with their local alcohol safety action programs, to be appointed by the chair of the Committee on District Courts; one director of a local alcohol safety action program to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates upon consideration of the recommendations of the legislative members of the Commission; one director of a local alcohol safety action program to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules upon consideration of the recommendations of the legislative members of the Commission; one representative from the law-enforcement profession, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House; one nonlegislative citizen at large, to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules; one representative from the Department whose duties are substantially related to matters to be addressed by the Commission to be appointed by the Commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles; and one representative from the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services whose duties also substantially involve such matters, to be appointed by the Commissioner of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services. Legislative members shall serve terms coincident with their terms of office. In accordance with the staggered terms previously established, nonlegislative citizen members shall serve two-year terms. All members may be reappointed. Appointments to fill vacancies, other than by expiration of a term, shall be made for the unexpired terms. Any appointment to fill a vacancy shall be made in the same manner as the original appointment.

C. The Commission shall meet at least four times each year at such places as it may designate. A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum. The Commission shall elect a chair and vice-chair from among its membership, who shall be members of the General Assembly.

D. The Commission shall establish and ensure the maintenance of minimum standards and criteria for program operations and performance, accounting, auditing, public information, and administrative procedures for the various local alcohol safety action programs, including certification, decertification, regionalization, reorganization, or mergers of such local programs and finances and personnel at such local programs, and shall be responsible for overseeing the administration of the statewide VASAP system. Such programs shall be certified by the Commission in accordance with procedures set forth in the VASAP Certification Manual pursuant to § 18.2-273.3. The Commission shall also oversee program plans, operations, and performance and create a system for allocating funds to cover deficits that may occur in the budgets of local programs. The Commission may enter into cooperative agreements or memoranda of understanding with courts, law-enforcement agencies, the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, or other public or private entities to improve coordination, data sharing, and service delivery within the statewide VASAP system. The Commission is authorized to accept any gifts or bequest of money or property and any grant, loan, service, payment, or property from any source, including the federal government, for the purpose of driver alcohol education, and any such gifts, bequests, grants, loans, or payments shall be deposited in the separate fund described in subsection B of § 18.2-271.1 .

E. The Commission shall appoint and employ and, at its pleasure, remove an executive director and such other persons as it may deem necessary and shall determine their duties and fix their salaries or compensation.

F. The Commission shall appoint a Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program Advisory Board (the Board) to make recommendations to the Commission regarding its duties and administrative functions. The membership of the Board shall be appointed in the discretion of the Commission and include personnel from (i) local alcohol safety action programs; (ii) the State Board of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, community services boards, or behavioral health authorities; and (iii) other community mental health services organizations. An assistant Attorney General who provides counsel in matters relating to driving under the influence shall also be appointed to the Board.

G. Legislative members of the Commission shall receive compensation as provided in § 30-19.12 . Funding for the costs of compensation of legislative members shall be provided by the Commission. All members shall be reimbursed for all reasonable and necessary expenses as provided in §§ 2.2-2813 and 2.2-2825 to be paid out of that portion of moneys paid in VASAP defendant entry fees that is forwarded to the Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program.

H. The chair of the Commission shall submit to the Governor and the General Assembly an annual executive summary of the interim activity and work of the Commission no later than December 1 of each year. The executive summary shall be submitted as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports and shall be posted on the General Assembly's website.

I. Notwithstanding the provisions of Chapter 5 (§ 2.2-500 et seq.) of Title 2.2, the Attorney General shall provide representation in all cases, hearings, controversies, or matters involving the interests of the Commission. However, if, in the opinion of the Attorney General, it is impracticable or uneconomical for such legal services to be rendered by him or one of his assistants, the Commission may employ special counsel to represent it and provide such legal services. Any such special counsel shall be paid from funds appropriated to the Commission.

2026, cc. 686 , 687 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-374.1:2 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 8 / Article 5 / Section 18.2-374.1:2
Repealed
Status: repealed

Repealed by Acts 2007, cc. 759 and 823 , cl. 2.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-67.5:2 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 4 / Article 7 / Section 18.2-67.5:2
Punishment upon conviction of certain subsequent felony sexual assault
Status: in_force

A. Any person convicted of (i) more than one offense specified in subsection B or (ii) one of the offenses specified in subsection B of this section and one of the offenses specified in subsection B of § 18.2-67.5:3 when such offenses were not part of a common act, transaction, or scheme and who has been at liberty as defined in § 53.1-151 between each conviction shall, upon conviction of the second or subsequent such offense, be sentenced to the maximum term authorized by statute for such offense and shall not have all or any part of such sentence suspended, provided that it is admitted, or found by the jury or judge before whom the person is tried, that he has been previously convicted of at least one of the specified offenses.

B. The provisions of subsection A shall apply to felony convictions for:

1. Carnal knowledge of a child between 13 and 15 years of age in violation of § 18.2-63 when the offense is committed by a person over the age of 18;

2. Carnal knowledge of certain minors in violation of § 18.2-64.1 ;

3. Aggravated sexual battery in violation of § 18.2-67.3 ;

4. Crimes against nature in violation of subsection B of § 18.2-361 ;

5. Sexual intercourse with one's own child or grandchild in violation of § 18.2-366 ;

6. Taking indecent liberties with a child in violation of § 18.2-370 or 18.2-370.1 ; or

7. Conspiracy to commit any offense listed in subdivisions 1 through 6 pursuant to § 18.2-22 .

C. For purposes of this section, prior convictions shall include (i) adult convictions for felonies under the laws of any state or the United States that are substantially similar to those listed in subsection B and (ii) findings of not innocent, adjudications, or convictions in the case of a juvenile if the juvenile offense is substantially similar to those listed in subsection B, the offense would be a felony if committed by an adult in the Commonwealth, and the offense was committed less than 20 years before the second offense.

The Commonwealth shall notify the defendant in writing, at least 30 days prior to trial, of its intention to seek punishment pursuant to this section.

1995, c. 834 ; 2000, c. 333 ; 2020, cc. 122 , 900 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-374.3 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 8 / Article 5 / Section 18.2-374.3
Use of communications systems to facilitate certain offenses involving children; penalties
Status: in_force

A. As used in this section, "use a communications system" means making personal contact or direct contact through any agent or agency, any print medium, the United States mail, any common carrier or communication common carrier, any electronic communications system, the Internet, or any telecommunications, wire, computer network, or radio communications system.

B. It is unlawful for any person to use a communications system, including computers or computer networks or bulletin boards, or any other electronic means for the purposes of procuring or promoting the use of a minor for any activity in violation of § 18.2-370 or 18.2-374.1 . A violation of this subsection is a Class 6 felony.

C. It is unlawful for any person 18 years of age or older to use a communications system, including computers or computer networks or bulletin boards, or any other electronic means, for the purposes of soliciting, with lascivious intent, any person he knows or has reason to believe is a child younger than 15 years of age to knowingly and intentionally:

1. Expose his sexual or genital parts to any child to whom he is not legally married or propose that any such child expose his sexual or genital parts to such person;

2. Propose that any such child feel or fondle his own sexual or genital parts or the sexual or genital parts of such person or propose that such person feel or fondle the sexual or genital parts of any such child;

3. Propose to such child the performance of an act of sexual intercourse, anal intercourse, cunnilingus, fellatio, or anilingus or any act constituting an offense under § 18.2-361 ; or

4. Entice, allure, persuade, or invite any such child to enter any vehicle, room, house, or other place, for any purposes set forth in the preceding subdivisions.

Any person who violates this subsection is guilty of a Class 5 felony. However, if the person is at least seven years older than the child he knows or has reason to believe is less than 15 years of age, the person shall be punished by a term of imprisonment of not less than five years nor more than 30 years in a state correctional facility, five years of which shall be mandatory minimum term of imprisonment. Any person who commits a second or subsequent violation of this subsection when the person is at least seven years older than the child he knows or has reason to believe is less than 15 years of age shall be punished by a term of imprisonment of not less than 10 years nor more than 40 years, 10 years of which shall be a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment.

D. Any person who uses a communications system, including computers or computer networks or bulletin boards, or any other electronic means, for the purposes of soliciting, with lascivious intent, any child he knows or has reason to believe is at least 15 years of age but younger than 18 years of age to knowingly and intentionally commit any of the activities listed in subsection C if the person is at least seven years older than the child is guilty of a Class 5 felony. Any person who commits a second or subsequent violation of this subsection shall be punished by a term of imprisonment of not less than one nor more than 20 years, one year of which shall be a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment.

D1. Any person 18 years of age or older who uses a communications system, including computers or computer networks or bulletin boards, or any other electronic means, with lascivious intent, to expose his sexual or genital parts to any person he knows or has reason to know is a child to whom he is not legally married and such child is 15 years of age or older is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

E. Any person 18 years of age or older who uses a communications system, including computers or computer networks or bulletin boards, or any other electronic means, for the purposes of soliciting any person he knows or has reason to believe is a child younger than 18 years of age for (i) any activity in violation of § 18.2-355 or 18.2-361 , (ii) any activity in violation of § 18.2-374.1 , or (iii) a violation of § 18.2-374.1:1 is guilty of a Class 5 felony.

1992, c. 699; 1999, c. 659 ; 2003, cc. 935 , 938 ; 2004, cc. 414 , 444 , 459 , 864 ; 2007, cc. 759 , 823 ; 2013, cc. 423 , 470 ; 2014, c. 794 ; 2025, c. 261 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-481 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 11 / Article 1 / Section 18.2-481
Treason defined; how proved and punished
Status: in_force

Treason shall consist only in:

(1) Levying war against the Commonwealth;

(2) Adhering to its enemies, giving them aid and comfort;

(3) Establishing, without authority of the legislature, any government within its limits separate from the existing government;

(4) Holding or executing, in such usurped government, any office, or professing allegiance or fidelity to it; or

(5) Resisting the execution of the laws under color of its authority.

Such treason, if proved by the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act, or by confession in court, shall be punishable as a Class 2 felony.

Code 1950, § 18.1-418; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-196.1 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 6 / Article 6 / Section 18.2-196.1
Unlawful use of payment card scanning devices and re-encoders; penalty
Status: in_force

A. Any person who with malicious intent uses a scanning device or a re-encoder on the payment card of another without the permission of the authorized payment card user is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

B. Any person who violates this section and sells or distributes such information to another is guilty of a Class 6 felony.

C. Any person who violates this section and uses such information in the commission of another crime is guilty of a Class 6 felony.

D. For the purposes of this section:

1. "Authorized payment card user" means any person with the authorization or permission to use any payment card to obtain, purchase, or receive goods, services, money, or anything else of value from a merchant.

2. "Merchant" means an owner or operator of any mercantile establishment or any agent, employee, lessee, consignee, officer, director, franchisee, or independent contractor of such owner or operator who receives from an authorized payment card user or someone he believes to be an authorized payment card user, a payment card or information from a payment card, or what he believes to be a payment card or information from a payment card, as the instrument for obtaining, purchasing or receiving goods, services, money, or anything else of value from him.

3. "Payment card" means a credit card, charge card, debit card, hotel key card, stored-value card, white plastic, or any other card containing encoded information that allows an authorized payment card user to obtain, purchase, or receive goods, services, money, or anything else of value from a merchant.

4. "Re-encoder" means an electronic device that transfers encoded information from the magnetic strip or stripe of a payment card onto the magnetic strip or stripe of a different payment card.

5. "Scanning device" means a scanner, reader, or any other electronic device that is used to access, read, scan, obtain, memorize, temporarily store, or permanently store encoded information on the magnetic strip or stripe of a payment card.

2005, c. 166 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-334.2 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 8 / Article 1 / Section 18.2-334.2
Same; bingo games, raffles, duck races, and Texas Hold'em poker tournaments conducted by certain organizations
Status: in_force

Nothing in this article shall apply to any bingo game, instant bingo, network bingo, raffle, duck race, or Texas Hold'em poker tournament conducted solely by organizations as defined in § 18.2-340.16 which have received a permit as set forth in § 18.2-340.25 , or which are exempt from the permit requirement under § 18.2-340.23 .

1979, c. 420; 1993, c. 513; 1995, c. 837 ; 2013, cc. 36 , 350 ; 2020, c. 982 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-67.5 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 4 / Article 7 / Section 18.2-67.5
Attempted rape, forcible sodomy, object sexual penetration, aggravated sexual battery, and sexual battery
Status: in_force

A. An attempt to commit rape, forcible sodomy, or inanimate or animate object sexual penetration shall be punishable as a Class 4 felony.

B. An attempt to commit aggravated sexual battery shall be a felony punishable as a Class 6 felony.

C. An attempt to commit sexual battery is a Class 1 misdemeanor.

1981, c. 397; 1993, c. 549.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-471 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 10 / Article 6 / Section 18.2-471
Fraudulent issue of fee bills
Status: in_force

If any person authorized by law to charge fees for services performed by him and issue bills therefor fraudulently issue a fee bill for a service not performed by him, or for more than he is entitled to, he shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor and shall forfeit his office and be forever incapable of holding office of honor, profit or trust under the Constitution of Virginia.

Code 1950, §§ 18.1-305, 18.1-307; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-287.5 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 7 / Article 4 / Section 18.2-287.5
Reporting lost or stolen firearms; civil penalty
Status: in_force

A. If a firearm is lost or stolen from a person who lawfully possessed it, then such person shall report the loss or theft to any local law-enforcement agency or the Department of State Police within 48 hours after such person discovers the loss or theft or is informed by a person with personal knowledge of the loss or theft. The law-enforcement agency shall enter such report information into the National Crime Information Center maintained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to the loss or theft of an antique firearm as defined in § 18.2-308.2:2 .

B. A violation of this section is punishable by a civil penalty of not more than $250. The attorney for the county, city, or town in which an alleged violation of this section has occurred is authorized to enforce the provisions of this section and may bring an action to recover the civil penalty, which shall be paid into the local treasury.

C. No person who, in good faith, reports a lost or stolen firearm shall be held criminally or civilly liable for any damages from acts or omissions resulting from the loss or theft. This subsection shall not apply to any person who makes a report in violation of § 18.2-461 .

2020, c. 743 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-35 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 4 / Article 1 / Section 18.2-35
How voluntary manslaughter punished
Status: in_force

Voluntary manslaughter is punishable as a Class 5 felony.

Code 1950, § 18.1-24; 1960, c. 358; 1972, cc. 14, 15.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-22 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 3 / Article 1 / Section 18.2-22
Conspiracy to commit felony
Status: in_force

(a) If any person shall conspire, confederate or combine with another, either within or outside the Commonwealth, to commit a felony within the Commonwealth, or if he shall so conspire, confederate or combine with another within the Commonwealth to commit a felony either within or outside the Commonwealth, he shall be guilty of a felony that shall be punishable as follows:

(1) Every person who so conspires to commit an offense that is punishable as a Class 1 felony is guilty of a Class 3 felony;

(2) Every person who so conspires to commit an offense that is any other felony is guilty of a Class 5 felony; and

(3) Every person who so conspires to commit an offense the maximum punishment for which is confinement in a state correctional facility for a period of less than five years shall be confined in a state correctional facility for a period of one year, or, in the discretion of the jury or the court trying the case without a jury, may be confined in jail not exceeding 12 months and fined not exceeding $500, either or both.

(b) However, in no event shall the punishment for a conspiracy to commit an offense exceed the maximum punishment for the commission of the offense itself.

(c) Jurisdiction for the trial of any person accused of a conspiracy under this section shall be in the county or city wherein any part of such conspiracy is planned or in the county or city wherein any act is done toward the consummation of such plan or conspiracy.

(d) The penalty provisions of this section shall not apply to any person who conspires to commit any offense defined in the Drug Control Act (§ 54.1-3400 et seq.) or of Article 1 (§ 18.2-247 et seq.) of Chapter 7. The penalty for any such violation shall be as provided in § 18.2-256 .

Code 1950, § 18.1-15.3; 1972, c. 484; 1973, c. 399; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1983, c. 19; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 344 , 345 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-67.7 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 4 / Article 7 / Section 18.2-67.7
Admission of evidence (Supreme Court Rule 2:412 derived from this section)
Status: in_force

A. In prosecutions under this article, or under clause (iii) or (iv) of § 18.2-48 , 18.2-370 , 18.2-370.01 , or 18.2-370.1 , general reputation or opinion evidence of the complaining witness's unchaste character or prior sexual conduct shall not be admitted. Unless the complaining witness voluntarily agrees otherwise, evidence of specific instances of his or her prior sexual conduct shall be admitted only if it is relevant and is:

1. Evidence offered to provide an alternative explanation for physical evidence of the offense charged which is introduced by the prosecution, limited to evidence designed to explain the presence of semen, pregnancy, disease, or physical injury to the complaining witness's intimate parts; or

2. Evidence of sexual conduct between the complaining witness and the accused offered to support a contention that the alleged offense was not accomplished by force, threat or intimidation or through the use of the complaining witness's mental incapacity or physical helplessness, provided that the sexual conduct occurred within a period of time reasonably proximate to the offense charged under the circumstances of this case; or

3. Evidence offered to rebut evidence of the complaining witness's prior sexual conduct introduced by the prosecution.

B. Nothing contained in this section shall prohibit the accused from presenting evidence relevant to show that the complaining witness had a motive to fabricate the charge against the accused. If such evidence relates to the past sexual conduct of the complaining witness with a person other than the accused, it shall not be admitted and may not be referred to at any preliminary hearing or trial unless the party offering same files a written notice generally describing the evidence prior to the introduction of any evidence, or the opening statement of either counsel, whichever first occurs, at the preliminary hearing or trial at which the admission of the evidence may be sought.

C. Evidence described in subsections A and B of this section shall not be admitted and may not be referred to at any preliminary hearing or trial until the court first determines the admissibility of that evidence at an evidentiary hearing to be held before the evidence is introduced at such preliminary hearing or trial. The court shall exclude from the evidentiary hearing all persons except the accused, the complaining witness, other necessary witnesses, and required court personnel. If the court determines that the evidence meets the requirements of subsections A and B of this section, it shall be admissible before the judge or jury trying the case in the ordinary course of the preliminary hearing or trial. If the court initially determines that the evidence is inadmissible, but new information is discovered during the course of the preliminary hearing or trial which may make such evidence admissible, the court shall determine in an evidentiary hearing whether such evidence is admissible.

1981, c. 397; 2007, c. 890 ; 2011, c. 785 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-265.15 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 7 / Article 1.2 / Section 18.2-265.15
Prohibition on disclosure of information by pharmacy or retail distributor; civil immunity
Status: in_force

A pharmacy or retail distributor that sells any product containing ephedrine or related compounds shall not use or disclose the information in the system or a written log for any purpose other than (i) to ensure compliance with this article or the federal Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act of 2005, (ii) to comply with the United States government or a political subdivision thereof for law-enforcement purposes pursuant to state or federal law, or (iii) to facilitate a product recall necessary to protect public health and safety. A pharmacy or retail distributor shall report information in the written log or electronic system to law-enforcement personnel upon request, and any pharmacy or retail distributor that in good faith releases such information to federal, state, or local law-enforcement officers, or to any person acting on behalf of such officers, shall be immune from civil liability for the release unless the release constitutes gross negligence or intentional, wanton, or willful misconduct.

2012, cc. 160 , 252 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-340.26 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 8 / Article 1.1:1 / Section 18.2-340.26
Sale of raffle tickets; drawings
Status: in_force

A. Except as provided in subsection B, a qualified organization may sell raffle tickets both in and out of the jurisdiction designated in its permit and shall conduct the drawing within the Commonwealth.

B. A qualified organization may sell raffle tickets for a raffle drawing which will be held outside the Commonwealth, provided the raffle is conducted in accordance with (i) Department regulations and (ii) the laws and regulations of the jurisdiction in which the raffle drawing will be held.

C. Before a prize drawing, each stub or other detachable section of each ticket sold or won through some other authorized charitable game conducted by the same organization holding the raffle, shall be placed into a receptacle from which the winning tickets are drawn. The receptacle shall be designed so that each ticket placed in it has an equal chance of being drawn.

1995, c. 837 ; 1997, cc. 777 , 838 ; 2001, c. 833 ; 2003, c. 884 ; 2006, c. 644 ; 2008, c. 573 ; 2022, cc. 554 , 609 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-182 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 6 / Article 4 / Section 18.2-182
Issuing bad checks on behalf of business firm or corporation in payment of wages; penalty
Status: in_force

Any person who shall make, draw, or utter, or deliver any check, draft, or order for the payment of money, upon any bank, banking institution, trust company or other depository on behalf of any business firm or corporation, for the purpose of paying wages to any employee of such firm or corporation, or for the purpose of paying for any labor performed by any person for such firm or corporation, knowing, at the time of such making, drawing, uttering or delivering, that the account upon which such check, draft or order is drawn has not sufficient funds, or credit with, such bank, banking institution, trust company or other depository, for the payment of such check, draft or order, although no express representation is made in reference thereto, shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor; except that if this check, draft, or order has a represented value of $1,000 or more, such person shall be guilty of a Class 6 felony.

The word "credit," as used herein, shall be construed to mean any arrangement or understanding with the bank, banking institution, trust company, or other depository for the payment of such check, draft or order.

In addition to the criminal penalty set forth herein, such person shall be personally liable in any civil action brought upon such check, draft or order.

Code 1950, § 6.1-116; 1966, c. 584; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 2005, c. 598 ; 2018, cc. 764 , 765 ; 2020, cc. 89 , 401 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-258 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 7 / Article 1 / Section 18.2-258
(Effective July 1, 2027) Certain premises deemed common nuisance; penalty
Status: in_force

Any office, store, shop, restaurant, dance hall, theater, poolroom, clubhouse, storehouse, warehouse, dwelling house, apartment, building of any kind, vehicle, vessel, boat, or aircraft, which with the knowledge of the owner, lessor, agent of any such lessor, manager, chief executive officer, operator, or tenant thereof, is frequented by persons under the influence of illegally obtained controlled substances, as defined in § 54.1-3401 , or for the purpose of illegally obtaining possession of, manufacturing, or distributing controlled substances, or is used for the illegal possession, manufacture, or distribution of controlled substances shall be deemed a common nuisance. Any such owner, lessor, agent of any such lessor, manager, chief executive officer, operator, or tenant who knowingly permits, establishes, keeps or maintains such a common nuisance is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor and for a second or subsequent offense, a Class 6 felony.

Code 1950, § 54-524.104:2; 1972, c. 736; 1973, c. 400; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1979, c. 435; 1990, c. 948; 1992, cc. 248, 538; 2004, c. 462 ; 2011, cc. 384 , 410 ; 2014, cc. 674 , 719 ; 2026 Sp. Sess. I, c. 1 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-67.7:1 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 4 / Article 7 / Section 18.2-67.7:1
Evidence of similar crimes in child sexual offense cases (Supreme Court Rule 2:413 derived from this section)
Status: in_force

A. In a criminal case in which the defendant is accused of a felony sexual offense involving a child victim, evidence of the defendant's conviction of another sexual offense or offenses is admissible and may be considered for its bearing on any matter to which it is relevant.

B. The Commonwealth shall provide to the defendant 14 days prior to trial notice of its intention to introduce copies of final orders evidencing the defendant's qualifying prior criminal convictions. Such notice shall include (i) the date of each prior conviction, (ii) the name and jurisdiction of the court where each prior conviction was obtained, and (iii) each offense of which the defendant was convicted. Prior to commencement of the trial, the Commonwealth shall provide to the defendant photocopies of certified copies of the final orders that it intends to introduce.

C. This section shall not be construed to limit the admission or consideration of evidence under any other section or rule of court.

D. For purposes of this section, "sexual offense" means any offense or any attempt or conspiracy to engage in any offense described in Article 7 (§ 18.2-61 et seq.) of Chapter 4 or § 18.2-370 , 18.2-370.01 , or 18.2-370.1 or any substantially similar offense under the laws of another state or territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the United States.

E. Evidence offered in a criminal case pursuant to the provisions of this section shall be subject to exclusion in accordance with the Virginia Rules of Evidence, including but not limited to Rule 2:403.

2014, c. 782 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-441.1 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 10 / Article 2 / Section 18.2-441.1
Bribery of witnesses
Status: in_force

If any person give, offer, or promise to give any money or other thing of value to anyone with intent to prevent such person from testifying as a witness in any civil or criminal proceeding or with intent to cause that person to testify falsely, he shall be guilty of a Class 6 felony.

1978, c. 612.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-46.1 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 4 / Article 2.1 / Section 18.2-46.1
(Effective July 1, 2027) Definitions
Status: in_force

As used in this article, unless the context requires a different meaning:

"Act of violence" means those felony offenses described in subsection C of § 17.1-805 or subsection A of § 19.2-297.1 .

"Criminal street gang" means any ongoing organization, association, or group of three or more persons, whether formal or informal, (i) which has as one of its primary objectives or activities the commission of one or more criminal activities; (ii) which has an identifiable name or identifying sign or symbol; and (iii) whose members individually or collectively have engaged in the commission of, attempt to commit, conspiracy to commit, or solicitation of two or more predicate criminal acts, at least one of which is an act of violence, provided such acts were not part of a common act or transaction.

"Predicate criminal act" means (i) an act of violence; (ii) any violation of § 18.2-42, 18.2-46.3, 18.2-56.1, 18.2-57, 18.2-57.2, 18.2-59, 18.2-83, 18.2-95, 18.2-103.1, 18.2-108.1, 18.2-121, 18.2-127, 18.2-128, 18.2-137, 18.2-138, 18.2-146, 18.2-147, 18.2-248.01, 18.2-248.03, 18.2-255, 18.2-255.2, 18.2-287.4, 18.2-300, 18.2-308.1, 18.2-308.2, 18.2-308.2:01, 18.2-308.4, or 18.2-357.1; (iii) a felony violation of § 18.2-60.3, 18.2-346.01, 18.2-348, or 18.2-349; (iv) a felony violation of § 4.1-1101 or 18.2-248 or a conspiracy to commit a felony violation of § 4.1-1101 or 18.2-248; (v) any violation of a local ordinance adopted pursuant to § 15.2-1812.2; or (vi) any substantially similar offense under the laws of another state or territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the United States.

2000, c. 332 ; 2004, cc. 396 , 435 , 462 , 867 ; 2005, cc. 764 , 813 ; 2006, cc. 262 , 319 , 844 , 895 ; 2007, c. 499 ; 2012, c. 364 ; 2013, cc. 573 , 645 ; 2014, cc. 674 , 719 ; 2015, cc. 690 , 691 ; 2019, c. 617 ; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 188 , 550 , 551 ; 2023, cc. 357 , 358 , 396 , 397 ; 2026, Sp. Sess. I, c. 1 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-76.1 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 4 / Article 9 / Section 18.2-76.1
Encouraging or promoting abortion
Status: in_force

If any person, by publication, lecture, advertisement, or by the sale or circulation of any publication, or through the use of a referral agency for profit, or in any other manner, encourage or promote the performing of an abortion or the inducing of a miscarriage in this Commonwealth which is prohibited under this article, he shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor.

Code 1950, § 18.1-63; 1960, c. 358; 1972, c. 725; 1975, cc. 14, 15.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-177 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 6 / Article 2 / Section 18.2-177
Illegal use of insignia
Status: in_force

Any person who shall willfully wear, exhibit, display, print, or use, for any purpose, the badge, motto, button, decoration, charm, emblem, rosette, or other insignia of any such association or organization mentioned in § 2.2-411 , duly registered under Article 2 (§ 2.2-411 et seq.) of Chapter 4, Title 2.2, unless he shall be entitled to use and wear the same under the constitution and bylaws, rules and regulations of such association or organization, shall be guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor.

Code 1950, § 2.1-80; 1966, c. 677; 1975, cc. 14, 15.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-191 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 6 / Article 6 / Section 18.2-191
Definitions
Status: in_force

As used in this article, unless the context requires a different meaning:

"Acquirer" means a business organization, financial institution or an agent of a business organization or financial institution that authorizes a merchant to accept payment by credit card or credit card number for money, goods, services, or anything else of value.

"Cardholder" means the person or organization named on the face of a credit card to whom or for whose benefit the credit card is issued by an issuer.

"Closed-loop gift card" means a card, code, or device that is issued to a consumer on a prepaid basis in a specified amount, regardless of whether that amount may be increased or reloaded in exchange for payment, and is redeemable upon presentation by a consumer at a single merchant or group of affiliated merchants.

"Credit card" means any instrument or device, whether known as a credit card, credit plate, payment device number, or by any other name, issued with or without fee by an issuer for the use of the cardholder in obtaining money, goods, services or anything else of value on credit. For the purpose of this article, "credit card" shall also include a similar device, whether known as a debit card, or any other name, issued with or without fee by an issuer for the use of the cardholder in obtaining money, goods, services or anything else of value by charging the account of the cardholder with a bank or any other person even though no credit is thereby extended.

"Expired credit card" means a credit card which is no longer valid because the term shown on it has elapsed.

"Gift card" means a physical or digital closed-loop gift card or open-loop gift card that is either activated or inactivated.

"Gift card holder" means any person or party to whom a physical or virtual gift card is sold, gifted, or issued following the authorized sale of such gift card.

"Gift card issuer" means any person that issues a gift card.

"Gift card redemption information" means information unique to each gift card that allows the cardholder to access, transfer, or spend the funds on that gift card.

"Gift card seller" means a merchant that is engaged in the business of selling open-loop or closed-loop gift cards to consumers.

"Issuer" means the business organization or financial institution or its duly authorized agent which issues a credit card.

"Open-loop gift card" means a card, code, or device that is issued to a consumer on a prepaid basis, regardless of whether that amount may be increased or reloaded in exchange for payment, and is redeemable upon presentation at multiple unaffiliated merchants for goods or services within the payment card network.

"Payment device number" means any code, account number or other means of account access, other than a check, draft or similar paper instrument, that can be used to obtain money, goods, services or anything else of value, or to initiate a transfer of funds. "Payment device number" does not include an encoded or truncated credit card number or payment device number.

"Receives" or "receiving" means acquiring possession or control of the credit card number or payment device number or accepting the same as security for a loan.

"Revoked credit card" means a credit card which is no longer valid because permission to use it has been suspended or terminated by the issuer.

"Sales draft" means a paper or electronic form evidencing a purchase of goods, services or anything else of value from a merchant through the use of a credit card.

"Value" means the greatest amount of economic loss the card issuer, gift card seller, or cardholder might reasonably suffer, including the full or maximum monetary face or load value of the gift card, regardless of whether or not the gift card has been activated.

"Cash advance/withdrawal draft" means a paper form evidencing a cash advance or withdrawal from a bank or other financial institution through the use of a credit card.

Code 1950, § 18.1-125.2; 1968, c. 480; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1977, c. 103; 1980, c. 99; 1985, c. 266; 1991, c. 546; 2017, c. 41 ; 2026, cc. 196 , 197 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-125 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 5 / Article 5 / Section 18.2-125
Trespass at night upon any cemetery
Status: in_force

If any person, without the consent of the owner, proprietor or custodian, go or enter in the nighttime, upon the premises, property, driveways or walks of any cemetery, either public or private, for any purpose other than to visit the burial lot or grave of some member of his family, he shall be guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor.

Code 1950, § 18.1-181; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-260.1 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 7 / Article 1 / Section 18.2-260.1
Falsifying patient records
Status: in_force

Any person who, with the intent to defraud, falsifies any patient record shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

1997, c. 619 ; 2011, c. 204 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-46.6 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 4 / Article 2.2 / Section 18.2-46.6
Possession, manufacture, distribution, etc., of weapon of terrorism or hoax device prohibited; penalty
Status: in_force

A. Any person who, with the intent to commit an act of terrorism, possesses, uses, sells, gives, distributes or manufactures (i) a weapon of terrorism or (ii) a "fire bomb," "explosive material," or "device," as those terms are defined in § 18.2-85 , is guilty of a Class 2 felony.

B. Any person who, with the intent to commit an act of terrorism, possesses, uses, sells, gives, distributes or manufactures any device or material that by its design, construction, content or characteristics appears to be or appears to contain a (i) weapon of terrorism or (ii) a "fire bomb," "explosive material," or "device," as those terms are defined in § 18.2-85 , but that is an imitation of any such weapon of terrorism, "fire bomb," "explosive material," or "device" is guilty of a Class 3 felony.

C. Any person who, with the intent to (i) intimidate the civilian population, (ii) influence the conduct or activities of the government of the United States, a state or locality through intimidation, (iii) compel the emergency evacuation of any place of assembly, building or other structure or any means of mass transportation, or (iv) place any person in reasonable apprehension of bodily harm, uses, sells, gives, distributes or manufactures any device or material that by its design, construction, content or characteristics appears to be or appears to contain a weapon of terrorism, but that is an imitation of any such weapon of terrorism is guilty of a Class 6 felony.

D. Any person who knowingly and intentionally manufactures or knowingly and intentionally distributes a weapon of terrorism when such person knows that such weapon of terrorism is, or contains, any mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, including its isomers, esters, ethers, salts, and salts of isomers, as described in Schedule II of the Drug Control Act (§ 54.1-3400 et seq.) is guilty of a Class 4 felony.

2002, cc. 588 , 623 ; 2023, cc. 383 , 384 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-450 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 10 / Article 3 / Section 18.2-450
Immunity of witnesses
Status: in_force

No witness called by the court or attorney for the Commonwealth and giving evidence for the prosecution, either before the grand jury or the court in any prosecution under this article shall ever be proceeded against for any offense of giving, or offering to give, or accepting a bribe committed by him at the time and place indicated in such prosecution; but such witness shall be compelled to testify, and for refusing to answer questions, may by the court, be punished for contempt.

Code 1950, § 18.1-282.3; 1968, c. 552; 1975, cc. 14, 15.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-198.1 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 6 / Article 6 / Section 18.2-198.1
Venue
Status: in_force

Notwithstanding the provisions of § 19.2-244 , a prosecution for a violation of this article may be had in any county or city in which (i) any act in furtherance of the crime was committed; (ii) an issuer or acquirer, or an agent of either, or a gift card issuer or gift card holder, or an agent of either, sustained a financial loss as a result of the offense; or (iii) the cardholder or gift card holder resides. A prosecution for a violation of § 18.2-192 may be had in any county or city where a credit card number, gift card, or gift card redemption information is used, is attempted to be used, or is possessed with intent to violate § 18.2-193 , 18.2-195 , or 18.2-197 .

1991, c. 546; 2008, c. 797 ; 2019, c. 177 ; 2026, cc. 196 , 197 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-160.3 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 5 / Article 8 / Section 18.2-160.3
Fare enforcement inspectors; failure to produce proof of payment of fare; penalty
Status: in_force

A. For the purposes of this section, "eligible entity" means any transit operation that is owned or operated directly or indirectly by a political subdivision of the Commonwealth or any governmental entity established by an interstate compact of which Virginia is a signatory.

B. Any eligible entity that either directly or by contract operates any form of mass transit may appoint fare enforcement inspectors and establish the qualifications required for their appointment. Fare enforcement inspectors shall have the power to (i) request patrons at transit boarding locations or on transit vehicles to show proof of payment of the applicable fare; (ii) inspect the proof of payment for validity; (iii) issue a civil summons for violations authorized by this section; (iv) assist with crowd control while on a transit vehicle or at a transit boarding location; and (v) perform such other customer service and safety duties as may be assigned by the eligible entity. The powers of fare enforcement inspectors are limited to those powers enumerated in this section, and fare enforcement inspectors are not required to be law-enforcement officers. The powers of fare enforcement inspectors appointed pursuant to this section shall be exercisable anywhere in the Commonwealth where the appointing eligible entity operates transit service. Fare enforcement inspectors shall report to the department or agency designated by the appointing eligible entity.

C. It shall be unlawful for any person to board or ride a transit operation operated by an eligible entity when he fails or refuses to pay the applicable fare or refuses to produce valid proof of payment of the fare upon request of a fare enforcement inspector. Any person who violates this section shall be liable for a civil penalty of not more than $100. Any person summoned for a violation may make an appearance in person or in writing by mail to the department of finance or the treasurer of the locality, or the designee of the department of finance or the treasurer, where the violation occurred as specified on the summons prior to the date fixed for trial in court. Any person so appearing may enter a waiver of trial, admit liability, and pay the civil penalty established for the violation charged. Such persons shall be informed of their right to stand trial and that a signature to an admission of liability will have the same force and effect as a judgment of court. If a person charged with a violation does not elect to enter a waiver of trial and admit liability, the violation shall be brought by the eligible entity or the locality in which the violation occurred and tried as a civil case in the general district court in the same manner and with the same right of appeal as provided for by law. In any trial for a violation authorized by this section, it shall be the burden of the eligible entity or locality in which the violation occurred to show the liability of the violator by a preponderance of the evidence. The penalty for failure to pay the established fare on transit properties covered by another provision of law shall be governed by that provision and not by this section.

D. The governing bodies of counties, cities, and towns may adopt ordinances not in conflict with the provisions of this section to appoint fare enforcement inspectors and prescribe their duties in such counties, cities, and towns.

E. The penalty imposed by this section shall not apply to a law-enforcement officer while he is engaged in the performance of his official duties.

2014, cc. 281 , 447 ; 2017, cc. 70 , 548 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-152.14 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 5 / Article 7.1 / Section 18.2-152.14
Computer as instrument of forgery
Status: in_force

The creation, alteration, or deletion of any computer data contained in any computer or computer network, which if done on a tangible document or instrument would constitute forgery under Article 1 (§ 18.2-168 et seq.) of Chapter 6 of this Title, will also be deemed to be forgery. The absence of a tangible writing directly created or altered by the offender shall not be a defense to any crime set forth in Article 1 (§ 18.2-168 et seq.) of Chapter 6 of this Title if a creation, alteration, or deletion of computer data was involved in lieu of a tangible document or instrument.

1984, c. 751; 1985, c. 322.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-63 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 4 / Article 7 / Section 18.2-63
Carnal knowledge of child between thirteen and fifteen years of age
Status: in_force

A. If any person carnally knows, without the use of force, a child thirteen years of age or older but under fifteen years of age, such person shall be guilty of a Class 4 felony.

B. If any person carnally knows, without the use of force, a child thirteen years of age or older but under fifteen years of age who consents to sexual intercourse and the accused is a minor and such consenting child is three years or more the accused's junior, the accused shall be guilty of a Class 6 felony. If such consenting child is less than three years the accused's junior, the accused shall be guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor.

In calculating whether such child is three years or more a junior of the accused minor, the actual dates of birth of the child and the accused, respectively, shall be used.

C. For the purposes of this section, (i) a child under the age of thirteen years shall not be considered a consenting child and (ii) "carnal knowledge" includes the acts of sexual intercourse, cunnilingus, fellatio, anilingus, anal intercourse, and animate and inanimate object sexual penetration.

Code 1950, § 18.1-44; 1960, c. 358; 1972, c. 394; 1975, cc. 14, 15, 606; 1981, c. 397; 1993, c. 852; 2007, c. 718 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-251.03 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 7 / Article 1 / Section 18.2-251.03
(Effective July 1, 2027) Arrest and prosecution when experiencing or reporting an overdose or act of sexual violence
Status: in_force

A. For purposes of this section:

"Act of sexual violence" means an alleged violation of § 18.2-361 , 18.2-370 , or 18.2-370.1 or the laws pertaining to criminal sexual assault pursuant to Article 7 (§ 18.2-61 et seq.) of Chapter 4.

"Overdose" means a life-threatening condition resulting from the consumption or use of a controlled substance, alcohol, or any combination of such substances.

B. No individual shall be subject to arrest or prosecution for the unlawful purchase, possession, or consumption of alcohol pursuant to § 4.1-305 , unlawful purchase, possession, or consumption of marijuana pursuant to § 4.1-1105 , involuntary manslaughter pursuant to § 18.2-36.3, possession of a controlled substance pursuant to § 18.2-250 , intoxication in public pursuant to § 18.2-388 , or possession of controlled paraphernalia pursuant to § 54.1-3466 if:

1. Such individual (i) in good faith, seeks or obtains emergency medical attention (a) for himself, if he is experiencing an overdose, or (b) for another individual, if such other individual is experiencing an overdose; (ii) is experiencing an overdose and another individual, in good faith, seeks or obtains emergency medical attention for such individual, by contemporaneously reporting such overdose to a firefighter, as defined in § 65.2-102 , emergency medical services personnel, as defined in § 32.1-111.1 , a law-enforcement officer, as defined in § 9.1-101 , or an emergency 911 system; or (iii) in good faith, renders emergency care or assistance, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or the administration of naloxone or other opioid antagonist for overdose reversal, to an individual experiencing an overdose while another individual seeks or obtains emergency medical attention in accordance with this subdivision;

2. Such individual remains at the scene of the overdose or at any alternative location to which he or the person requiring emergency medical attention has been transported until a law-enforcement officer responds to the report of an overdose. If no law-enforcement officer is present at the scene of the overdose or at the alternative location, then such individual shall cooperate with law enforcement as otherwise set forth herein;

3. Such individual identifies himself to the law-enforcement officer who responds to the report of the overdose; and

4. The evidence for the prosecution of an offense enumerated in this subsection was obtained as a result of the individual seeking or obtaining emergency medical attention or rendering emergency care or assistance.

C. No individual shall be subject to arrest or prosecution for the unlawful purchase, possession, or consumption of alcohol pursuant to § 4.1-305 , unlawful purchase, possession, or consumption of marijuana pursuant to § 4.1-1105 , possession of a controlled substance pursuant to § 18.2-250 , intoxication in public pursuant to § 18.2-388 , or possession of controlled paraphernalia pursuant to § 54.1-3466 if:

1. Such individual, in good faith, seeks or obtains assistance for himself or another individual from emergency medical services personnel, as defined in § 32.1-111.1 , a health care provider, as defined in § 8.01-581.1 , or a law-enforcement officer, as defined in § 9.1-101 , and seeks to report an act of sexual violence committed against himself or another individual;

2. Such individual identifies himself to the law-enforcement officer who responds to the report of the act of sexual violence; and

3. The evidence for the prosecution of an offense enumerated in this subsection was obtained as a result of the individual seeking or obtaining medical attention, rendering care or assistance, or reporting to law enforcement.

This subsection shall not apply to an individual who is alleged to have committed the act of sexual violence.

D. The provisions of this section shall not apply to any person who seeks or obtains emergency medical attention for himself or another individual, to a person experiencing an overdose or who has experienced an act of sexual violence when another individual seeks or obtains emergency medical attention for him, or to a person who renders emergency care or assistance to an individual experiencing an overdose or who has experienced an act of sexual violence while another person seeks or obtains emergency medical attention during the execution of a search warrant or during the conduct of a lawful search or a lawful arrest.

E. This section does not establish protection from arrest or prosecution for any individual or offense other than those listed in subsection B or C. However, any individual immune to arrest or prosecution under this section shall not have his bail, probation, furlough, supervised release, suspended sentence, or parole revoked for the behavior immune from arrest or prosecution under the provisions of this section.

F. No law-enforcement officer acting in good faith shall be found liable for false arrest if it is later determined that the person arrested was immune from prosecution under this section.

2015, cc. 418 , 436 ; 2019, c. 626 ; 2020, c. 1016 ; 2021 Sp. Sess. I, cc. 29 , 550 , 551 ; 2025, cc. 396 , 719 , 721 ; 2026, Sp. Sess. I, c. 1 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-246.8 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 6 / Article 10 / Section 18.2-246.8
(Effective October 1, 2026) Age verification requirements
Status: in_force

A. No person shall mail, ship, or otherwise deliver cigarettes in connection with a delivery sale unless prior to the first delivery sale to a consumer such person:

1. Obtains from the prospective consumer a certification that includes (i) a reliable confirmation that the consumer is at least the legal minimum purchase age and (ii) a statement signed by the prospective consumer in writing that certifies the prospective consumer's address and that the consumer is at least 21 years of age. Such statement shall also confirm (a) that the prospective consumer understands that signing another person's name to such certification is illegal, (b) that the sale of cigarettes to individuals under the legal minimum purchase age is illegal, and (c) that the purchase of cigarettes by individuals under the legal minimum purchase age is illegal under the laws of the Commonwealth;

2. Makes a good faith effort to verify the information contained in the certification provided by the prospective consumer pursuant to subdivision 1 against a commercially available database of valid, government-issued identification that contains the date of birth or age of the individual placing the order, or obtains a photocopy or other image of the valid, government-issued identification stating the date of birth or age of the individual placing the order;

3. Provides to the prospective consumer, via email or other means, a notice that meets the requirements of § 18.2-246.9 ; and

4. Receives payment for the delivery sale from the prospective consumer by a credit or debit card that has been issued in such consumer's name or by a check drawn on the consumer's account.

B. 1. If a purchase order for a liquid nicotine or nicotine vapor product, as defined in § 58.1-1021.01 , is made via the internet, no person shall make a delivery for such order unless the delivery is to a retail dealer, as defined in § 58.1-1021.01 .

2. Persons accepting purchase orders made via the internet for delivery sales may request that prospective consumers provide their email addresses.

2003, c. 1010 ; 2019, cc. 90 , 102 ; 2024, cc. 796 , 821 ; 2026, cc. 1021 , 1044 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-114.1 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 5 / Article 4 / Section 18.2-114.1
When collection of money by commissioner, etc., larceny
Status: in_force

If any special commissioner or receiver, appointed by any court to collect money, and required by law, or decree of the court, to give bond before collecting the same, shall collect such money, or any part thereof, without giving such bond, and fail properly to account for the same, he shall be deemed guilty of larceny of the money so collected and not so accounted for.

1978, c. 718.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-87 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 5 / Article 1 / Section 18.2-87
Setting woods, etc., on fire intentionally whereby another is damaged or jeopardized
Status: in_force

Any person who intentionally sets or procures another to set fire to any woods, brush, leaves, grass, straw, or any other inflammable substance capable of spreading fire, and who intentionally allows the fire to escape to lands not his own, whereby the property of another is damaged or jeopardized, shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor, and shall be liable for the full amount of all expenses incurred in fighting the fire.

Code 1950, § 18.1-83; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1988, c. 403.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-337 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 8 / Article 1 / Section 18.2-337
Immunity of witnesses from prosecution
Status: in_force

No witness called by the Commonwealth or by the court, giving evidence either before the grand jury or in any prosecution under this article, shall ever be prosecuted for the offense being prosecuted concerning which he testifies. Such witness shall be compelled to testify and for refusing to do so may be punished for contempt.

Code 1950, § 19.1-266; 1960, c. 366; 1975, cc. 14, 15.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-150 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 5 / Article 7 / Section 18.2-150
Willfully destroying vessel, etc
Status: in_force

If any person willfully scuttle, cast away or otherwise dispose of, or in any manner destroy, except as otherwise provided, a ship, vessel or other watercraft, with intent to injure or defraud any owner thereof or of any property on board the same, or any insurer of such ship, vessel or other watercraft, or any part thereof, or of any such property on board the same, if the same be of the value of $1,000 or more, he shall be guilty of a Class 4 felony, but if it be of less value than $1,000, he shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

Code 1950, § 18.1-170; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1981, c. 197; 2018, cc. 764 , 765 ; 2020, cc. 89 , 401 .
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-504 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 12 / Article 3 / Section 18.2-504
Destroying or concealing wills
Status: in_force

If any person fraudulently destroy or conceal any will or codicil, with intent to prevent the probate thereof, he shall be guilty of a Class 6 felony.

Code 1950, § 18.1-309; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15.
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-138 — Virginia Code / Title 18.2 / Chapter 5 / Article 6 / Section 18.2-138
Damaging public buildings, etc.; penalty
Status: in_force

Any person who willfully and maliciously (i) breaks any window or door of the Capitol, any courthouse, house of public worship, institution of higher education, school house, city or town hall, or other public building or library, (ii) damages or defaces the Capitol or any other public building or any statuary in the Capitol, on the Capitol Square, or in or on any other public buildings or public grounds, or (iii) destroys any property in any of such buildings shall be guilty of a Class 6 felony if damage to the property is $1,000 or more or a Class 1 misdemeanor if the damage is less than $1,000.

Any person who willfully and unlawfully damages or defaces any book, newspaper, magazine, pamphlet, map, picture, manuscript, or other property located in any library, reading room, museum, or other educational institution shall be guilty of a Class 6 felony if damage to the property is $1,000 or more or a Class 1 misdemeanor if the damage is less than $1,000.

Code 1950, § 18.1-177; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1990, c. 454.