Virginia Concealed Carry Permit Information

Concealed Permit:
Shall Issue to Residents and Non-Residents

Example Resident Permit:

Example Non-Resident Permit:

Issuing Authority:
Virginia Resident Concealed Handgun Permits are issued by the circuit court of the county or city in which the applicant resides. Please contact the applicable court for specific instruction on the application process.

Out Of State Permit Issue:
The 2004 Virginia General Assembly amended § 18.2-308, Code of Virginia, to authorize nonresidents of Virginia to apply for a concealed handgun permit. Nonresidents of the Commonwealth 21 years of age or older may apply in writing to the Virginia State Police for a five-year permit to carry a concealed handgun. The application shall be made under oath before a notary or other person qualified to take oaths on a form provided by the Virginia State Police, requiring only that information necessary to determine eligibility for the permit. If the permittee is later found by the Virginia State Police to be disqualified, the permit shall be revoked and the person shall return the permit after being so notified by the Department of State Police.

For more information and how to apply for a non-resident permit click here.

NICS check:
Yes

Permit Valid For:
5 years.

Permit Issued Timeline
The court shall issue the permit within 45 days of receipt of the completed application unless it appears that the applicant is disqualified.

Cost:
The court shall charge a fee of $10.00 for the processing of an application or issuing of a permit. Local law enforcement agencies may charge a fee not to exceed $35.00 to cover the cost of conducting an investigation pursuant to this Code section. The State Police may charge a fee not to exceed $5.00 to cover the cost associated with processing the application. The total amount of the charges may not exceed $50.00, and payment may be made by any method accepted by the court. Out of state permits have a fee of $100.

Requirements:
1. Applicant must be 21 years of age or older
2. There is no requirement as to the length of time an applicant for a Concealed Handgun Permit must have been a resident or domiciliary of the county or city where he or she resides.
3. The court shall require proof that the applicant has demonstrated competence with a handgun and the applicant may demonstrate such competence by one of the following, but no applicant shall be required to submit to any additional demonstration of competence:

1. Completing any hunter education or hunter safety course approved by the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries or a similar agency of another state;
2. Completing any National Rifle Association firearms safety or training course;
3. Completing any firearms safety or training course or class available to the general public offered by a law-enforcement agency, junior college, college, or private or public institution or organization or firearms training school utilizing instructors certified by the National Rifle Association or the Department of Criminal Justice Services;
4. Completing any law-enforcement firearms safety or training course or class offered for security guards, investigators, special deputies, or any division or subdivision of law enforcement or security enforcement;
5. Presenting evidence of equivalent experience with a firearm through participation in organized shooting competition or current military service or proof of an honorable discharge from any branch of the armed services;
6. Obtaining or previously having held a license to carry a firearm in this Commonwealth or a locality thereof, unless such license has been revoked for cause;
7. Completing any firearms training or safety course or class conducted by a state-certified or National Rifle Association-certified firearms instructor;
8. Completing any governmental police agency firearms training course and qualifying to carry a firearm in the course of normal police duties; or
9. Completing any other firearms training which the court deems adequate.

Required Documents:
1. A photocopy of a certificate of completion of any of the courses or classes; an affidavit from the instructor, school, club, organization, or group that conducted or taught such course or class attesting to the completion of the course or class by the applicant; or a copy of any document which shows completion of the course or class or evidences participation in firearms competition shall constitute evidence of qualification under this subsection.
2. Completed application.
3. Fingerprint impressions

Renewal Information:
Persons who previously have held a Virginia resident permit shall be issued, upon application, a new permit unless there is good cause shown for refusing to reissue a permit. The same fees and time constraints apply in the instance of renewal.

Fingerprint impressions are not required for the renewal of an existing permit pursuant to §15.2-915.3.

Change of Address:

Informing Law Enforcement of Carry:
The person issued a permit or in possession of a de facto permit must have the permit on his person at all times during which he is carrying a concealed handgun and must display the permit and a photo-identification issued by a government agency of the Commonwealth or by the United States Department of Defense or United States State Department upon demand by a law enforcement officer.

Automobile carry:
Vehicle carry is allowed in a secured compartment, or plainly visible without a permit. As of July 1, 2010, a concealed handgun permit is not necessary when carrying a handgun while in a personal, private motor vehicle or vessel and such handgun is secured in a container or compartment in the vehicle or vessel. [Source]

Places off-limits when carrying:
§18.2-308 (O.) : Private property when prohibited by the owner of the property, or where posted as prohibited.

§18.2-283: To a place of worship while a meeting for religious purposes is being held at such place, without good and sufficient reason.

§18.2-283.1: Courthouse.

§18.2-308.1 : School property. Exemptions to this statute include a person who has a valid concealed handgun permit and possesses a concealed handgun while in a motor vehicle in a parking lot, traffic circle, or other means of vehicular ingress or egress to the school.

§18.2-287.01 : Carrying weapon in air carrier airport terminal.

Alcohol and Drugs:
Waiting For Information. As always, alcohol/drugs don’t mix with firearms. That’s a pretty simple rule of thumb.

 

Deadly Force / Castle Doctrine:
While Virginia does not have Castle Doctrine or Stand-your-ground laws on the books, they do have common law versions of both. Virginia Common Law is very clear that both apply ANYWHERE a citizen is, and not just in your home/business/car.

 

Open Carry:
Unrestricted under state law and becoming generally accepted.

Localities with Varying Laws:
The following information is provided as a general overview of various state statutes relating to firearms and other weapons.

Included herein are several statutes found in the Code of Virginia, which address transporting firearms through Virginia, as well as other related firearm laws, which may be of interest.

§ 15.2-1209.1. This section empowers the governing body of any county to adopt ordinances making it unlawful for any person to carry or have in his possession, for the purpose of hunting, while on any part of a public highway within such county a loaded firearm when such person is not authorized to hunt on the private property on both sides of the highway along which he is standing or walking; and to provide a penalty for violation of such ordinance not to exceed a fine of $100. The provisions of this section shall not apply to persons carrying loaded firearms in moving vehicles or for purposes other than hunting, or to persons acting at the time in defense of persons or property.

§ 15.2-915.2. This section empowers the governing body of any county or city to, by ordinance, make it unlawful for any person to transport, possess or carry a loaded shotgun or loaded rifle in any vehicle on any public street, road, or highway within such locality. Any violation of such ordinance shall be punishable by a fine of not more than $100. Game wardens, sheriffs and all other law-enforcement officers shall enforce theprovisions of this section. No ordinance adopted pursuant to this section shall be enforceable unless the governing body adopting such ordinance so notifies the Director of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries by registered mail prior to May 1 of the year in which such ordinance is to take effect. The provisions of this section shall not apply to duly authorized law-enforcement officers or military personnel in the performance of their lawful duties, nor to any person who reasonably believes that a loaded rifleor shotgun is necessary for his personal safety in the course of his employment or business.

§18.2-308. Prohibits the carrying of any pistol, revolver, or other weapon designed or intended to propel a missile of any kind by action of an explosion of any combustible material; any dirk, bowie knife, switchblade knife, ballistic knife, machete, razor, slingshot, spring stick, metal knucks, or blackjack; any flailing instrument consisting of two or more rigid parts connected in such a manner as to allow them to swing freely, which may be known as a nun chahka, nun chuck, nunchaku, shuriken, or fighting chain; any disc, of whatever configuration, having at least two points or pointed blades which is designed to be thrown or propelled and which may be known as a throwing star or oriental dart; or any weapon of like kind by any person hidden from common observance about his person. Any of the enumerated weapons shall be seized and forfeited to the Commonwealth. A weapon shall be deemed to be hidden from common observation when it is observable but is of such deceptive appearance as to disguise the weapon’s true nature.

Forms & Links:
NRA-ILA: Virginia Laws
Virginia State Police: Firearms / Concealed Handguns
Virginia State Police: Forms

Go To Another State’s Concealed Carry Page

To view a state’s concealed carry permit information click on the state. The state’s color represents whether a state is Shall Issue, May Issue, Constitutional Carry, or Right Denied.

Shall Issue to Residents Only:
California, Colorado, Georgia, Guam, Michigan, New Mexico

Shall Issue to Residents and Non-Residents:
District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin

May Issue to Residents Only:
Delaware, Virgin Islands

May Issue to Residents and Non-Residents:
Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York

Constitutional Carry and Shall Issue to Residents Only:
Alabama, Alaska, Louisiana, Montana, Nebraska, Wyoming

Constitutional Carry and Shall Issue to Residents and Non-Residents:
Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia

Constitutional Carry and Does Not Issue Permits:
Vermont

Right Denied:
American Samoa, N. Mariana Islands

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