Where Guns Are Barred
Va. Code 18.2-308.1 — a firearm on school property is a Class 6 felony, and Va. Code 18.2-283.1 — courthouses
School property. Knowingly possessing a firearm on the property of a child day center or a public, private or religious preschool, elementary, middle or high school, on property then used exclusively for a school-sponsored function, or on a school bus, is a Class 6 felony.
Using or showing it. Possessing a firearm in a school building and intending to use it, attempting to, or displaying it in a threatening manner carries a mandatory minimum term of five years, served consecutively.
A permit holder in a vehicle. The section does not apply to a person with a valid concealed handgun permit who possesses a concealed handgun while in a motor vehicle in a parking lot, traffic circle or other vehicle entrance or exit of the school, or to an unloaded firearm in a closed container in a vehicle, among the exceptions it lists.
Courthouses. It is unlawful to possess or transport into any courthouse a gun or other projectile weapon, ammunition, or another dangerous weapon. A violation is a Class 1 misdemeanor, and the weapon may be seized. The section does not apply to the officials it names in the conduct of their duties.
Federal buildings, federal school zone rules and private property owners' own rules are set out elsewhere and are not on this page. Whether a particular place is covered is a question for a licensed Virginia attorney.
Sources for this section (2)
- Va. Code 18.2-308.1 — Possession of firearm, stun weapon, or other weapon on school property prohibited
- Va. Code 18.2-283.1 — Carrying weapon into courthouse
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Virginia attorney.