Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official page posted by the Virginia General Assembly, fetched 2026-08-29. Where this bill amends existing law, language marked for deletion in the official page appears here in brackets. This is the chaptered version. The official bill page.
CHAPTER 879 An Act to amend and reenact § 18.2-308.014 of the Code of Virginia, relating to concealed handgun permits; reciprocity with other states. [S 115] Approved April 13, 2026 Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia: 1. That § 18.2-308.014 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows: § 18.2-308.014. Concealed handgun permits; reciprocity. A. A valid concealed handgun or concealed weapon permit or license issued by another state shall authorize the holder of such permit or license who is at least 21 years of age to carry a concealed handgun in the Commonwealth, provided that (i) the issuing authority provides the means for instantaneous verification of the validity of all such permits or licenses issued within that state[,] accessible 24 hours a day [if] [available;] and (ii) [the] [permit] [or] [license] [holder] [carries] [a] [photo] [identification] [issued] [by] [a] [government] [agency] [of] [any] [state] [or] [by] [the] [U.S.] [Department] [of] [Defense] [or] [U.S.] [Department] [of] [State] [and] [displays] [the] [permit] [or] [license] [and] [such] [identification] [upon] [demand] [by] [a] [law-enforcement] [officer;] [and] [(iii)] [the] [permit] [or] [license] [holder] [has] [not] [previously] [had] [a] [Virginia] [concealed] [handgun] [permit] [revoked] except for the age of the permit or license holder and the type of weapon authorized to be carried, the requirements and qualifications of that state's law are substantially similar to the requirements provided in this article to prevent possession of a permit or license by persons who would be denied a permit in the Commonwealth under this article. The Office of the Attorney General shall determine, and the Department of State Police shall publish on its website, any state that meets the requirements and qualifications of this subsection. The Superintendent of State Police shall [enter] [into] [agreements] [for] [reciprocal] [recognition] [with] [such] [other] [states] [that] [require] [an] [agreement] [to] [be] [in] [place] [before] [such] [state] [will] [recognize] [a] [Virginia] [concealed] [handgun] [permit] [as] [valid] [in] [such] [state.] [The] [Attorney] [General] [shall] [provide] [the] [Superintendent] [with] [any] [legal] [assistance] [or] [advice] [necessary] [for] [the] [Superintendent] [to] [perform] [his] [duties] [set] [forth] [in] [this] [subsection.] [If] [the] [Superintendent] [determines] [that] [another] [state] [requires] [that] [an] [agreement] [for] [reciprocal] [recognition] [be] [executed] [by] [the] [Attorney] [General] [or] [otherwise] [formally] [approved] [by] [the] [Attorney] [General] [as] [a] [condition] [of] [such] [other] [state's] [entering] [into] [an] [agreement] [for] [reciprocal] [recognition,] [the] [Attorney] [General] [shall] [(a)] [execute] [such] [agreement] [or] [otherwise] [formally] [approve] [such] [agreement] [and] [(b)] [return] [to] [the] [Superintendent] [the] [executed] [agreement] [or,] [in] [a] [form] [deemed] [acceptable] [by] [such] [other] [state,] [documentation] [of] [his] [formal] [approval] [of] [such] [agreement] [within] [30] [days] [after] [the] [Superintendent] [notifies] [the] [Attorney] [General,] [in] [writing,] [that] [he] [is] [required] [to] [execute] [or] [otherwise] [formally] [approve] [such] [agreement] (a) maintain a registry of such states on the Virginia Criminal Information Network and (b) make the registry available to law-enforcement officers for investigative purposes. The Superintendent of State Police, in consultation with the Attorney General, may also enter into agreements for reciprocal recognition with any state qualifying for recognition under this subsection. B. For the purposes of participation in concealed handgun reciprocity agreements with other jurisdictions, the official government-issued law-enforcement identification card issued to an active-duty law-enforcement officer in the Commonwealth who is exempt from obtaining a concealed handgun permit under this article shall be deemed a concealed handgun permit. C. A Virginia resident who has not been issued a valid concealed handgun permit pursuant to § 18.2-308.02 shall not use a concealed handgun or concealed weapon permit or license issued by another state to carry a concealed handgun in the Commonwealth. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to an active duty service member of the United States Armed Forces or the spouse of such active duty service member. 2. That the Office of the Attorney General shall review any agreements for reciprocal recognition that are in place with any other states pursuant to § 18.2-308.014 of the Code of Virginia as of July 1, 2026, to determine whether the requirements and qualifications of those states' laws are substantially similar to the requirements under Article 6.1 (§ 18.2-307.1 et seq.) of Chapter 7 of Title 18.2 of the Code of Virginia to prevent possession of a permit or license by persons who would be denied a permit in the Commonwealth as required by § 18.2-308.014 of the Code of Virginia, as amended by this act, and revoke any reciprocity agreement or recognition of any states that do not meet such requirements or qualifications by December 1, 2026. The Attorney General shall provide a written explanation for any determination that a state's laws are substantially similar to the requirements of Article 6.1 of Chapter 7 of Title 18.2 of the Code of Virginia to prevent possession of such permit or license by persons who would be denied such permit in the Commonwealth. 3. That the provisions of the first enactment of this act shall become effective on July 1, 2027.
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