Firearms, certain; definitions, possession, transportation, or purchase by certain persons, penalty., the official text

2026 RECONVENED SESSION
REENROLLED
VIRGINIA ACTS OF ASSEMBLY -- CHAPTER
An Act to amend and reenact § 18.2-308.7 of the Code of Virginia, relating to possession or transportation of certain firearms by certain persons; penalty; emergency.
[H 1525]
Approved

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That § 18.2-308.7 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§ 18.2-308.7. Possession, transportation, or purchase of certain firearms by certain persons; penalty.
A. For the purposes of this section:
"Assault firearm" means the same as that term is defined in § 18.2-308.2:2.
"Handgun" means the same as that term is defined in § 18.2-307.1.
B. It [shall] [be] is unlawful for any person [under] younger than 18 years of age to knowingly and intentionally possess or transport a handgun or assault firearm anywhere in the Commonwealth. [For] [the] [purposes] [of] [this] [section,] ["handgun"] [means] [any] [pistol] [or] [revolver] [or] [other] [firearm] [originally] [designed,] [made] [and] [intended] [to] [fire] [single] [or] [multiple] [projectiles] [by] [means] [of] [an] [explosion] [of] [a] [combustible] [material] [from] [one] [or] [more] [barrels] [when] [held] [in] [one] [hand] [and] ["assault] [firearm"] [means] [any] [(i)] [semi-automatic] [centerfire] [rifle] [or] [pistol] [which] [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] [or] [(ii)] [shotgun] [with] [a] [magazine] [which] [will] [hold] [more] [than] [seven] [rounds] [of] [the] [longest] [ammunition] [for] [which] [it] [is] [chambered.] [A] [violation] [of] [this] [section] [shall] [be] [a] [Class] [1] [misdemeanor.]
C. It is unlawful for any person younger than 21 years of age to knowingly and intentionally purchase a handgun or assault firearm anywhere in the Commonwealth.
D. A violation of this section is a Class 1 misdemeanor.
[This] [section] E. The provisions of subsection B shall not apply to:
1. Any person [(i)] [while] [in] [his] [home] [or] [on] [his] [property;] [(ii)] while present in [the] his home or on the property of his parent, grandparent, or legal guardian[;] [or] [(iii)] [while] [on] [the] [property] [of] [another] [who] [has] [provided] [prior] [permission,] and [with] [the] [prior] [permission] possessing the firearm with the consent of his parent, grandparent, or legal guardian [if] [the] [person] [has] [the] [landowner's] [written] [permission] [on] [his] [person] [while] [on] [such] [property] who owns such firearm;
2. Any person who, while accompanied by an adult, is present at[,] [or] [going] [to] [and] [from,] a lawful shooting range or firearms educational class[,] [provided] [that] [the] [weapons] [are] [unloaded] [while] [being] [transported];
3. Any person who, while accompanied by an adult, is actually engaged in lawful hunting [or] [going] [to] [and] [from] [a] [hunting] [area] [or] [preserve,] [provided] [that] [the] [weapons] [are] [unloaded] [while] [being] [transported]; [and]
4. Any person while engaged in official training or carrying out his duties [in] as a law-enforcement officer or as a member of the Armed Forces of the United States or the National Guard of [this] the Commonwealth or any other state;
5. Any cadet who is participating in training, competitive, or ceremonial activities as a member of the Corps of Cadets or the Reserve Officers' Training Corps at a public institution of higher education; and
6. Any active duty law-enforcement officer in the course of his duties or an active participant in a Trooper Basic Academy Session administered by the Virginia State Police.
2. That the Department of State Police shall administer, enforce, and otherwise implement § 18.2-308.2:5 of the Code of Virginia from the effective date of this bill.
3. That the provisions of this act may result in a net increase in periods of imprisonment or commitment. Pursuant to § 30-19.1:4 of the Code of Virginia, the estimated amount of the necessary appropriation cannot be determined for periods of imprisonment in state adult correctional facilities; therefore, Chapter 725 of the Acts of Assembly of 2025 requires the Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission to assign a minimum fiscal impact of $50,000. Pursuant to § 30-19.1:4 of the Code of Virginia, the estimated amount of the necessary appropriation cannot be for periods of commitment to the custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice.
4. That an emergency exists and this act is in force from its passage.