Virginia Administrative Code

Whenever federal migratory waterfowl regulations permit a special season for taking scaup ducks outside the regular duck hunting season, or permit an extra bag limit on scaup ducks during the regular duck hunting season, within an area designated under regulations adopted by the …

It shall be unlawful to take or attempt to take ducks, geese, brant, swans, coots, mergansers, rails, snipe, gallinules or moorhens while possessing shotshells loaded with shot other than steel, bismuth-tin, tungsten-iron or other nontoxic shot approved for such use by the direct…

The waters of the Great Hunting Creek embayment within the City of Alexandria, and the waters of the Potomac River in Fairfax County north of Dyke Marsh and south of the City of Alexandria and between the shore and a line 1,000 feet from the Maryland state line, are declared a no…

No license shall be issued for stationary waterfowl blinds on the Potomac River in Fairfax County adjacent to National Park Service lands in the Great Hunting Creek and Dyke Marsh areas. Waterfowl hunting in Commonwealth waters adjacent to the above mentioned lands shall be by li…

A. As used in this section, "affected area" means all of that portion of the James River known as the Dutch Gap Cutoff and waters adjacent to and within the Dutch Gap Conservation Area and Henricus Park, from the Dutch Gap Boat Landing downstream to the northeast tip of Farrar's …

Only persons with a valid Tundra Swan hunting permit will be allowed to take Tundra Swans during the prescribed season in Virginia. Tundra Swan hunting permits are nontransferable and are valid for use only by the person to whom issued. Permits must be in the immediate possession…

In determining whether or not stationary blinds shall be licensed to persons other than riparian owners pursuant to § 29.1-345 of the Code of Virginia, the department shall presume that the correct depth of water at mean high tide at a given location as required by said statute i…

A violation of federal statute or a regulation based thereunder as relates to the taking, capturing, killing or attempting to take, capture or kill any migratory game bird shall constitute a violation of this section. Statutory Authority§§ 29.1-501 and 29.1-502 of the Code of Vir…

No person shall hunt migratory waterfowl in the public waters of this Commonwealth within 500 yards of any legally licensed erected stationary blind or legally licensed offshore blind stake site of another without possessing the written consent of the licensee that is immediately…

(Repealed.)

In the City of Virginia Beach, except for blinds and floating blind sites that may be erected by the department, no new blinds in the public waters shall be erected and no licenses shall be issued for the erection of new stationary water blinds in the public waters, nor may float…

No license shall be issued for stationary waterfowl blinds on Morris Creek and the Chickahominy River in Charles City County adjacent to the Chickahominy Wildlife Management Area. Statutory Authority§§ 29.1-103, 29.1-501, and 29.1-502 of the Code of Virginia.

No stationary waterfowl blinds shall be licensed, and no stationary or floating blind license shall be required for hunting waterfowl on the Game Farm Marsh Wildlife Management Area, or in, or on, the public waters of the Chickahominy River, north of the New Kent-Charles City Cou…

Except for blinds built or maintained by the department, no stationary waterfowl blinds shall be licensed on the public waters of Philbates and Ware Creeks, or on the York River within 1000 yards of the Ware Creek Wildlife Management Area. Waterfowl hunting within 500 yards of th…

No license shall be issued for stationary waterfowl blinds in the adjacent waters to mid-channel of Kings Creek and Ragged Island Creek or in the adjacent waters of the James River and Batten Bay within 1000 yards of the Ragged Island Wildlife Management Area in Isle of Wight Cou…

A. The waters adjacent to the Free School and Michael marshes in the vicinity of the Town of Saxis in Accomack County shall be closed to stationary blinds as defined by 4VAC15-260-10, starting from a stake on the north shore of Back Creek S 230° 37' E for a distance of 7560' more…

It shall be unlawful to use a rifle of a caliber less than 23 for the hunting of bear, elk, and deer.Statutory Authority§§ 29.1-103, 29.1-501, and 29.1-502 of the Code of Virginia.

Except as otherwise provided in 4VAC15-270-30 of this chapter or by local ordinance, it shall be unlawful to use a rifle of any caliber for the hunting of bear and deer in the counties of Chesterfield, Isle of Wight, New Kent, Southampton and Sussex and in the City of Chesapeake …

Notwithstanding the provisions of 4VAC15-270-20 of this chapter, it shall be lawful to use rifles for the hunting and killing of big game in that part of Dismal Swamp in the cities of Chesapeake and Suffolk located as much as 100 yards from any railroad or public highway when the…

It shall be unlawful to shoot a rifle or pistol at wild birds or animals on or over the public inland waters of this Commonwealth; provided, however that licensed trappers may shoot a .22 caliber rimfire rifle or pistol on or over public inland waters for the purpose of dispatchi…

(Repealed.)

A. It shall be unlawful to possess outside of a vehicle, or shoot or hunt with a rifle, muzzleloader, pistol, or shotgun loaded with slugs, or to possess shotgun slugs, on Ragged Island Wildlife Management Area in Isle of Wight County. In addition, it shall be unlawful to dischar…

Where the use of shotguns with slugs is permitted, shotguns with barrels that are partially or entirely rifled may be used unless otherwise prohibited by local ordinance. Statutory Authority§§ 29.1-501, 29.1-502 and 29.1-701 of the Code of Virginia.

A. It shall be lawful to hunt nonmigratory game and crows with unplugged shotguns. B. It shall be unlawful to hunt migratory game birds with a shotgun capable of holding more than three shells in the magazine and chamber combined, unless otherwise authorized by the director and c…

Per the provisions of § 29.1-528 A of the Code of Virginia, the following model ordinances related to hunting with firearms may be adopted by counties and cities. In accordance with § 29.1-528 B of the Code of Virginia, no such ordinance shall be enforceable unless the governing …

Pursuant to § 29.1-528.1 A of the Code of Virginia, the following model ordinances related to hunting deer with bow and arrow (including crossbows) may be adopted by those counties and cities where there is an overabundance of the deer population, which is creating conflicts betw…

Pneumatic (air or gas) rifles must be .35 caliber or larger for the hunting or killing of deer. Pneumatic rifles are prohibited for the hunting or killing of bear and elk.Statutory Authority§§ 29.1-103 and 29.1-501 of the Code of Virginia.

This chapter applies to any person who has never obtained a license to hunt in any state or country or any person who is younger than 16 years of age, unless such a person presents to the Department of Wildlife Resources or one of its authorized license vendors a certificate of c…

(Repealed.)

Unless otherwise specified, any person who violates any of the provisions of this chapter shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor. Statutory Authority§§ 29.1-300.2 and 29.1-501 of the Code of Virginia.

The following words and terms when used in this chapter shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly requires a different meaning: "Accompanied and directly supervised" means, in the case of an apprentice hunter, that a licensed person older than 18 years of age m…

A. A person shall be considered in compliance with the requirements for hunter education if the person meets one or more of the following provisions pursuant to § 29.1-300.2 of the Code of Virginia: 1. Completes and passes a hunter education course that is accepted by the departm…

A. As of January 1, 2016, any hunter education courses offered through the Internet and accepted by the department shall: 1. Meet the International Hunter Education Association-USA Education Standards, December 13, 2024, set by IHEA-USA for course content; and 2. Be provided only…

A. The department shall provide classroom-based hunter education courses across the Commonwealth on a schedule determined by the department. B. The department shall coordinate with approved course providers of Internet-based courses so that courses developed and offered in accord…

A. Upon successful completion of an online hunter education course, the approved course provider shall provide the student with a course certificate or wallet-size card. At a minimum, such certificate or card shall include the student's name and date of birth, the issuance date, …

(Repealed.)

A. The department may designate as a hunter instructor any person found by the department to be competent to give instruction in the courses required. B. Volunteer instructors are designated to work on a voluntary basis and at the pleasure of the department. C. To be certified as…

(Repealed.)

To legally possess furs purchased out of state prior to the open season therefor in this Commonwealth, the purchaser must have a fixed place of business, receive all such furs from out of state in a container showing the number, kind of hides of fur-bearing animals and the name o…

A holder of a permit to breed fur-bearing animals, as provided for in § 29.1-417 of the Code of Virginia may breed and raise fur-bearing animals in captivity and sell and ship the same alive or dead, including the carcasses and furs of them. Statutory Authority§§ 29.1-103, 29.1-5…

A holder of a permit to breed fur-bearing animals shall keep a record of the number of animals raised or acquired, and the number of animals, furs or carcasses sold or disposed of. The permittee shall provide reports to the agency at an interval specified on the permit. Statutory…

Packages containing animals or carcasses thereof raised under a permit to breed fur-bearing animals shall show the name and address of the breeders and the contents of the package. Statutory Authority§§ 29.1-103, 29.1-501, and 29.1-502 of the Code of Virginia.

Animals confined under a permit to breed fur-bearing animals shall be confined in sanitary escape-proof enclosures and shall be open to inspection by representatives of the department at all times. Statutory Authority§§ 29.1-103, 29.1-501, and 29.1-502 of the Code of Virginia.

(Repealed.)

Pheasants raised under a permit from the department shall be confined in sanitary escape-proof enclosures, which shall be open to inspection by representatives of the department at all times. Statutory Authority§§ 29.1-103, 29.1-501, and 29.1-502 of the Code of Virginia.

In accordance with § 29.1-422 of the Code of Virginia, permits for field trials with dogs may be authorized by the department during the period between August 1 to May 31, both dates inclusive, under conditions and for the species specified in the permit, except that permits for …

(Repealed.)