Virginia

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Virginia

This jurisdictional hub aggregates FRC holdings related to Virginia. It supports research on the Commonwealth’s firearms history, technology, law, policy, and culture from the colonial period through statehood to the present.

Legal sources: statutes and session laws, administrative code, attorney general opinions, appellate decisions, and select municipal ordinances.
Historical materials: newspapers, photographs, maps, catalogs, colonial and militia records, maritime and manufacturing archives, agricultural and law-enforcement collections, and oral histories tied to Virginia people and places.
Research outputs: technical reports, academic studies, training manuals, and curated datasets relevant to the Commonwealth.

Cite the Firearms Research Center and the item’s handle/DOI when using materials. Rights and licensing vary by item.

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Now showing 1 - 40 of 70

1874-75 Va. Acts 282-83
(1874)
Ch. 239, § 6, sched. B(18): Included the value of all "rifles, muskets, and other fire-arms, bowie-knives, dirks, and all weapons of a similar kind" in list of taxable personal property, imposing a tax payable of 50 cents per 100 dollars of value.
The Charter and General Ordinances of the Town of Lexington 108 (1892)
(1873)
Prohibited the discharge of firearms and other weapons in public streets and alleys, punishable by a fine of one to five dollars.
The Charter and General Ordinances of the Town of Lexington 87 (1892)
(1869)
Penalized carrying concealed weapons (including pistols and bowie knives) with fines and forfeiture, except for officers on duty. Further prohibited supplying cigarettes or specified weapons to minors under sixteen, punishable by fines.
9 William Waller Hening, Stat. at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 267-68 (1823)
(1777)
Applied to "all free male persons, hired servants [not indentured], and apprentices, between the ages of sixteen and fifty years." "The county lieutenant, colonels, lieutenant colonels, and major" had to appear "with a sword." Every captain and lieutenant needed a "firelock and bayonet, a cartouch box, a sword, and three charges of powder and ball." Ensigns needed a sword. Non-commissioned officers and privates had to have a rifle and tomahawk, or good fire-lock and bayonet, with a pouch and horn, or a cartouch or cartridge box, and with three charges of powder and ball; and, moreover, each of the said officers and soldiers shall constantly keep one pound of powder and four pounds of ball, to be produced whenever called for by his commanding officer.
9 William Waller Hening, Stat. at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 16, 28 (1823)
(1775)
Established militia age limits of 16 and 50. Every militiaman had to "furnish himself with a good rifle, if to be had, or otherwise with a tomahawk, common firelock, bayonet, pouch, or cartouch box, three charges of powder and ball, and appear with the same at the place appointed for mustering, and shall constantly keep by him one pound of powder and four pounds of ball."
11 William Waller Hening, Stat. at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 476-78 (1823)
(1784)
Increased its militia's minimum age to 18, and kept the maximum age at 50. Militiamen were required to appear "armed, equipped, and accoutred" according to rank. "The county lieutenants, lieutenant colonels commandant, and majors, with a sword; the captains, lieutenants, and ensigns, with a sword and espontoon." Noncommissioned officers and privates needed to supply themselves "with a good clean musket, carrying an ounce ball, and three feet eight inches long in the barrel, with a good bayonet and iron ramrod well fitted thereto." Plus also "a cartridge box properly made, to contain and secure twenty cartridges" and "a good knapsack and canteen."
9 William Waller Hening, Stat. at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 281 (1823)
(1777)
Required "all free born male inhabitants of this state, above the age of sixteen years" to "renounce and refuse all allegiance to George the third" and swear to "be faithful and bear true allegiance to the commonwealth of Virginia, as a free and independent state."
7 William Waller Hening, Stat. at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 93-94 (1823)
(1757)
Restored the minimum militia age to 18 and set the maximum age at 60. Soldiers had to furnish themselves with "a firelock well fixed, a bayonet fitted to the same," and keep an extra pound of powder and "four pounds of ball" at home.
7 William Waller Hening, Stat. at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 534, 537 (1823)
(1762)
Ensured that "every person so exempted shall always keep in his house or place of abode such arms, accoutrements, and ammunition, as are by the [1757] act required to be kept by the militia."
1786 Va. Acts 35
(1786)
Ch. 49, An Act Forbidding and Punishing Affrays: "Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that no man, great nor small, of what condition soever he be, except the Ministers of Justice in executing the precepts of the Courts of Justice, or in executing of their office, and such as be in their company assisting them, be so hardy to come before the justices of any court, or either of their Ministers of Justice, doing their office, with force and arms, on pain, to forfeit their armour to the Commonwealth, and their bodies to prison, at the pleasure of a Court; nor go nor ride armed by night nor by day, in fair or markets, or in other places, in terror of the county, upon pain of being arrested and committed to prison by any Justice on his own view, or proof by others, there to abide for so long a time as a jury, to be sworn for that purpose by the said Justice, shall direct, and in like manner to forfeit his armour to the Commonwealth; but no person shall be imprisoned for such offence by a longer space of time than one month."
9 William Waller Hening, Stat. at Large; Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 281-82 (1821)
(1777)
Act of May 5, 1777, ch. 3: An act to oblige the free male inhabitants of this state above a certain age to give assurance of Allegiance to the same, and for other purposes. WHEREAS allegiance and protection are reciprocal, and those who will not bear the former are not entitled to the benefits of the later, Therefore Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that all free born male inhabitants of this state, above the age of sixteen years, except imported servants during the time of their service, shall, on or before the tenth day of October next, take and subscribe the following oath or affirmation before some one of the justices of the peace of the county, city, or borough, where they shall respectively inhabit; and the said justice shall give a certificate thereof to every such person, and the said oath or affirmation shall be as followeth, viz . . . And the justices tendering such oath or affirmation are hereby directed to deliver a list of the names of such recusants to the county lieutenant, or chief commanding officer of the militia, who is hereby authorised and directed forthwith to cause such recusants to be disarmed
6 William Waller Hening, Stat. at Large; Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 531 (1819)
(1755)
§ 5: That every person so as aforesaid enlisted (except free mulattoes, negroes, and Indians) shall be armed in the manner following, that is to say: That every person so as aforesaid enlisted (except free mulattoes, negroes, and Indians) shall be armed in the manner following, that is to say: Every soldier shall be furnished with a firelock well fixed, a bayonet fitted to the same, a double cartouch-box.
University of Virginia Board of Visitors Minutes 6-7 (Oct. 4-5, 1824)
(1824)
Banned students from keeping or using weapons or arms of any kind or gunpowder on campus.
An Ordinance, for the Government of the Powder Magazine of this City, and for other purposes (1828)
(1828)
That no person or persons within the City of Richmond, shall retain in his, her or their possession at any time, more than twenty-five pounds of Powder.
Laws of the Town of Alexandria § 3 (1800)
(1800)
To prevent accidents... Sec. 3, No person to discharge any fire arms: "Sec. III. No person shall discharge any Musket, Fowling-piece, Pistol, or other Fire Arms, within the limits of the corporation, unless in defence of his or her person or proprety, under the penalty of One Dollar for each offence."
1934 Va. Acts 137-39
(1934)
Ch. 96, §§ 1-7: Prohibited possession or use of a machine gun during a violent crime; punishable by death or imprisonment for a minimum of 20 years. Prohibited unlawful possession or use of a machine gun for offensive or aggressive purposes; punishable by imprisonment for a minimum of 10 years. Requires manufacturers to keep a register of machine guns.
The Code of Lynchburg 116 (Thomas D. Davis ed., 1887)
(1887)
Prohibited discharge of any gun, pistol, other fire-arm, fireworks, or popcrackers without written consent of the mayor, or fire any cannon within one hundred yards of any dwelling-house. Violators fined not less than one dollar but no more than ten dollars.
Ordinances of the Corporation of the City of Richmond ch. 26, § 13 (1830)
(1830)
That it shall not be lawful for any person or persons to fire or discharge any Gun, Pistol, Fowling-Piece or Fire-Arms, or to make any other unusual noise within the limits of this City, whereby the inhabitants thereof may be alarmed, except in cases of necessity or in the performance of some public and lawful act of duty, nor to discharge or set-off any Rocket, Cracker, Torpedo, Squib or Balloon, containing any substance in a state of combustion, or other Fire-works within the said City, without permission first had and obtained in writing, from the Mayor of the City, under the penalty of six dollars and sixty-six cents for each offence, if free
Code of the City of Staunton 115 (1910)
(1910)
Ch. II, § 135 p. 115: Prohibited carrying of firearms, throwing stones, or other missiles within the park.
The Charters and Ordinances of the City of Richmond 227 (1859)
(1859)
An Ordinance Concerning Nuisances Other Than in the Streets, § 11: If any person shall sell, or expose for sale in this city, any torpedos, popcrackers, squibs, or other fire-works, of any kind whatever, except in packages containing each at least one hundred, or shall without permission in writing from the mayor, discharge, or set off, in any street or alley of the city, any balloon, rocket, torpedo, popcracker, fireworks or any combination of gunpowder, or any other combustible or dangerous material; or if any person shall, except under the fortieth section of the ordinance concerning streets, without necessity fire or discharge in this city any cannon, gun, pistol, or other fire-arms of any kind, or shall make therein any unusual noise, whereby the inhabitants thereof may be alarmed, or raise or fly a kite in this city, or if any auctioneer shall use any bell or herald to notify the public of any sale, except of real property, every such person herein offending, shall pay a fine of not less than one nor more than twenty dollars.
The Charters and Ordinances of the City of Richmond ch. 62, §§ 1–7 (1869)
(1869)
Ch. 62, Concerning Powder, §§1-7: Not more than fifty pounds of powder shall be transported in the city at one time, except by a military company, or in a vehicle constructed as the Engineer of the city shall prescribe.
1901-02 Va. Acts 526
(1902)
Ch. 467, § 35, pt. 8: To direct the location of all building for storing gunpowder, fire-crackers, or other fireworks manufactured or prepared therefrom, kerosene oil, nitroglycerine, camphene, burning fluid, or other combustible material; to regulate the exhibition of fireworks, the discharge of fire-arms, the use of candles and lights in barns, stables, or other buildings, and to regulate or restrain the making of bonfires in streets and yards.
1902-03 Va. Acts & Resolutions 155-57
(1903)
Extra Session, ch. 148, § 6, pt. 18.The aggregate value of all shot-guns, rifles, muskets, and other fire-arms, bowie knives, dirks, and all weapons of a similar kind: provided, that all fire-arms issued by the State to members of volunteer companies, or for purposes of police, shall not be listed for taxation (along with other tangible property taxed at twenty cents per 100.00)
1908 Va. Laws 381
(1908)
Ch. 259, § 1: If any person carry about his person, hid from common observation, any pistol, dirk, bowie knife, razor, slungshot, or any weapon of like kind he shall be fined not less than twenty dollars nor more than one hundred dollars, or be committed to jail not more than thirty days, or both, in the discretion of the court, or jury, trying the case
1902-03 Va. Acts 331-32
(1903)
Extra Session, ch. 227, §2070a: It shall be unlawful for any person to shoot at, kill or capture any wild water fowl or wild turkey at any time during the night in this State. . . or to shoot at any game on land or water in this State with a gun larger than an eight bore. . . The possession of any of said guns, sneak boats, nets, traps, reflectors, or other unlawful appliances shall be prima facie evidence of the guilt of the person in whose possession they are found.
Ordinances of the City of Norfolk 262 (1902) (enacted 1899).
(1899)
Ch. 62, § 561: No person shall discharge a fire arm or bring any dog in the park.
The Code of the City of Staunton 115 (1910)
(1910)
All persons are forbidden to enter or leave the park except by the gateways; to climb or walk upon any of the walls or fence, to turn cattle, horses, goats or swine into the park; to carry firearms, or to throw stones or other missiles within it; to cut, break, or in any way injure or deface the trees, benches, shrubs, plants, turf, or any of the buildings, fences, bridges, or other constructions upon the park; or to converse with, or in any way hinder those engaged in its construction.
1901 Va. Acts 203, Extra Session, ch. 189, § 13.
(1901)
The council shall have, subject to the provisions of this act, the control and management of the fiscal and municipal affairs of the town; of all property, real and personal, belonging to said town; and may make such ordinances, orders, and by-laws and regulations as it may deem necessary to carry out the following powers, which are hereby conferred on it . . . to regulate or prevent the storing of gunpowder
1923 Va. Gen. Laws 1422
(1902)
§ 4697: Prohibited transfer of "any toy gun, pistol, rifle, or other toy firearm, if the same shall, by means of powder or other explosive discharge blank or ball charges, to any person under the age of twelve years."
1926 Va. Acts. 285-87
(1926)
Ch. 158, §§ 1-9: Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That it shall be the duty of every person residing in this State and owning a pistol or revolver therein, to pay on or before the first day of January of each year a license tax of one dollar on each pistol or revolver so owned, or in the event that such pistol or revolver shall be acquired by any such person on or after the first day of February, such license tax shall be forthwith paid thereon.
1902-03 Va. Acts 261
(1903)
Ch. 186, §§ 1-2: 1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That it shall be unlawful for any person, firm, corporation, or association, to sell, barter, exchange, furnish, or dispose of by purchase, gift, or in any other manner, any toy gun, pistol, rifle, or other toy firearm, if the same shall, by means of powder or other explosive discharge blank or ball charges, to any person under the age of twelve years.
1916 Va. Acts 568
(1916)
Ch. 348, §1: Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That it shall be unlawful for any person or persons to hunt, pursue, kill, or destroy in any way, any wild game or to enter with dog or gun or both with intent to hunt, kill, pursue, destroy any wild game upon any of those tracts of land in Shenandoah county in what is known as the Massanutten purchase area to which the government of the United States of America has acquired the legal title under the Week's law for the acquisition of lands upon the head waters . . .
Ordinances of the City of Norfolk 60 (1894)
(1894)
Ch. 8, § 1: If any person carry about his person, hid from common observation, any pistol, dirk, bowie-knife, razor, slung-shot, or any weapon of the like kind, he shall be fined not less than twenty nor more than one hundred dollars, and such pistol, dirk, bowie knife, razor, slungshot, or any weapon of the like kind, may be seized by an officer
1898 Va. Code Supp. 377 (1898)
(1895)
Tit. 52, ch. 184, § 3780: Prohibited the carrying of a concealed pistol, dirk, Bowie knife, razor, slungshot, or any weapon of the like kind. Punishable by fine of $20-100 and forfeiture of the weapon.
Ordinances of the City of Norfolk 115-16 (1894)
(1894)
Ch. 33, § 1: No person shall keep, in any house or store, any quantity of gunpowder exceeding two kegs or vessels thereof, of the weight of twenty-five pounds each,
1881 Va. Acts 499
(1881)
Extra Session, ch. 119, § 1, pt. 18: Taxed the aggregate value of all shot-guns, rifles, muskets, and other fire-arms, Bowie-knives, dirks, and other weapons of a similar kind. Applied to all males over the age of twenty one.
1883-84 Va. Acts 180
(1884)
Ch. 143, § 1: Prohibited the concealed carry of any pistol, dirk, bowie-knife, razor, slung-shot, or any weapon of the like kind. Violators fined not less than twenty but no more than one hundred dollars. Violators also punished with confiscation of the weapon.
Thomas D. Davis, The Code of the City of Lynchburg 117 (1887)
(1887)
Section 19: Vehicles carrying explosives (gunpowder, blasting powder, dynamite) must secure them in kegs, boxes, or canisters to prevent spilling or escaping. Section 20: Limits vehicles carrying over 25 lbs (or one keg/case) of explosives to maximum stays of 2 hours within city limits and 30 minutes on public streets or sidewalks. Daytime transport from storage facilities to supply merchants or wholesalers is permitted as needed.
1889-90 Va. Acts 118
(1890)
Ch. 152, § 1: Banned the sale, barter, transfer, giving, or furnishing, or cause to be sold to any minor under sixteen pistols, dirks, Bowie knives. Violators fined not less than ten nor more than one hundred dollars.
Thomas D. Davis, The Code of the City of Lynchburg 116 (1887)
(1887)
Prohibited fireworks, firecrackers, and firearm discharge within city limits, restricted cannon firing, and imposed $1–$10 fines. It limited possession of gunpowder or explosives to 10 pounds, except for licensed retailers, who could store up to 50 pounds in secure metal containers.

Virginia

Virginia

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