Carrying
Va. Code 18.2-308 — concealed without a permit, the exceptions, and a permit at 21
In Virginia, carrying a pistol, revolver or other firearm, or certain knives and other weapons the section lists, about one's person and hidden from common observation is a Class 1 misdemeanor. A second violation is a Class 6 felony, and a third a Class 5 felony. A valid concealed handgun permit at the time is an affirmative defense as to a handgun.
- The section does not apply in a person's own home or its curtilage, or in their own place of business.
- It does not apply to a person who may lawfully possess a firearm carrying a handgun in a private vehicle or vessel, secured in a container or compartment.
- It does not apply going to or from a shooting range, or between home and a place of purchase or repair, with the weapons unloaded and securely wrapped.
A person 21 or older may apply to the circuit court clerk where they live for a five-year permit to carry a concealed handgun.
Pointing or brandishing to cause fear is a crime of its own. Pointing, holding or brandishing a firearm, or an object that looks like one, so as to reasonably cause another to fear being shot or injured is a Class 1 misdemeanor, and a Class 6 felony at a school or on public property within 1,000 feet of one. It does not apply to excusable or justifiable self-defense.
Sources for this section (3)
- Va. Code 18.2-308 — Carrying concealed weapons; exceptions; penalty
- Va. Code 18.2-308.02 — Application for a concealed handgun permit; Virginia resident or domiciliary
- Va. Code 18.2-282 — Pointing, holding, or brandishing firearm or object similar in appearance
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Virginia attorney.