Virginia Administrative Code

The person responsible for a regulatory marker or aid to navigation shall maintain such marker or aid to ensure visibility, readability and proper placement of the marker or aid to navigation. The department may remove, have removed or require removal of any marker not maintained…

A. A throughway channel is established in the waters of the City of Virginia Beach from Bird Neck Point through Linkhorn Bay, the Narrows and Broad Bay to the mouth of Old Long Creek. The channel shall be clearly designated by appropriate channel markers approved by the departmen…

A. If a watercraft contains a permanent hull identification number placed on it by the manufacturer, the manufacturer's number must be used as the hull identification number. If there is no manufacturer's hull identification number on a watercraft manufactured after November 1, 1…

Except as otherwise provided by statute, any person who violates any provision of this chapter shall be guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor for each such violation as provided by § 29.1-746 of the Code of Virginia. Statutory Authority§§ 29.1-501, 29.1-502, 29.1-701, 29.1-735, and 29.…

(Repealed.)

The uniform registration rate for the first 10 and reduced rate for each additional watercraft as authorized in § 29.1-702 of the Code of Virginia for an individual owner apply only when the owner maintains a minimum of 10 watercraft with active registrations. Statutory Authority…

The term "lifeboat" as used in § 29.1-710 of the Code of Virginia shall mean a boat used exclusively as a lifesaving device during times of emergency. The term "tender vessel" as authorized under § 29.1-710 of the Code of Virginia shall mean a vessel equipped with propulsion mach…

A. The following fees shall be paid by applicants for certificates of registration: For a motorboat under 16 feet $32 For a motorboat 16 feet to less than 20 feet $36 For a motorboat 20 feet to less than 40 feet $42 For a motorboat 40 feet and over $50 For first 10 actively regis…

Except as otherwise provided by statute, any person who violates any provision of this chapter shall be guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor for each such violation as provided by § 29.1-746 of the Code of Virginia. Statutory Authority§§ 29.1-501, 29.1-502, 29.1-701, and 29.1-735 of t…

The motorboat number assigned shall consist of the symbol "VA" identifying the Commonwealth followed by not more than four Arabic numerals and two capital letters, in sequence, separated by a hyphen or letter space that is greater than "I" or "1" and is in accordance with the ser…

The numbers assigned for a motorboat shall be painted on or attached to each side of the forward half of the vessel to which the numbers are issued in such a position as to provide clear legibility for identification, provided that on vessels so configured that a number on the hu…

Whenever a motorboat for which there exists a certificate of number changes ownership, the seller shall report such transfer to the department within 15 days in writing and in a format approved by the department. The holder of a certificate of number shall notify the department w…

(Repealed.)

A. Certificate of number shall be invalid: 1. When the watercraft is documented, or required to be documented, except as provided for in 4VAC15-380-71; 2. Sixty days after the watercraft is no longer principally used in the Commonwealth; 3. The owner loses his interest in the ves…

A. The owner of a federally documented vessel otherwise exempt from motorboat numbering requirements pursuant to § 29.1-710 of the Code of Virginia may nonetheless request the issuance of motorboat registration decals. Upon application and payment of the same fees prescribed in 4…

The effective date of cancellation of a certificate of number or certificate of title shall be the date the cancellation request was processed by the department, or up to 15 days prior to the receipt of the cancellation request, provided the owner furnishes evidence satisfactory …

Any officer whose duty it is to enforce the game and inland fish laws may, when requested by the department, inspect watercraft for which an application for certificate of number or certificate of title has been received by the department. Statutory Authority§§ 29.1-501, 29.1-502…

The following sections in this chapter apply to the operation of "vessels," as defined in § 29.1-700 of the Code of Virginia, on all waters within the Commonwealth. Vessels complying with the Inland Navigation Rules, 33 CFR Parts 83, 84, 86, 87, and 88, as established by the U.S.…

(Repealed.)

(Repealed.)

(Repealed.)

(Repealed.)

(Repealed.)

It shall be unlawful for the operator of a motorboat to operate a vessel while any person is riding or sitting on the bow, gunwales, or transom or on the decking over the bow of the vessel while under power unless such motorboat is provided with adequate guards or railing to prev…

It shall be unlawful to operate a watercraft in excess of a safe speed. A safe speed is a speed less than the maximum at which the operator can take proper and effective action to avoid collision and stop within a distance appropriate to the prevailing circumstances and condition…

Except as otherwise provided by statute, any person who violates any provision of this chapter shall be guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor for each such violation as provided by § 29.1-746 of the Code of Virginia. Statutory Authority§§ 29.1-501, 29.1-502, 29.1-701, and 29.1-735 of t…

(Repealed.)

(Repealed.)

(Repealed.)

(Repealed.)

(Repealed.)

(Repealed.)

Every motorboat, when approaching or passing vessels under way or lying to or at anchor or made fast to the shore; or when approaching or passing piers, docks, or boathouses; or when approaching or passing persons in the water or using water skis or surfboards; shall slacken spee…

Every motorboat, when approaching or passing within 200 feet of any law-enforcement vessel or emergency services vessel that is displaying flashing blue, red, or public safety lights, as defined in 33 CFR Part 88, shall slow to no wake speed so that the effect of the wake does no…

(Repealed.)

(Repealed.)

Hog Island, in Surry County, and all of the waters of the James River within a radius of 1,000 yards contiguous to that is hereby declared a waterfowl refuge for the purpose of developing a feeding and resting area for such birds. Statutory Authority§§ 29.1-103, 29.1-501, and 29.…

It shall be unlawful to hunt, shoot, kill, trap or molest or attempt to hunt, shoot, kill, trap or molest at any time any waterfowl including ducks, geese, brant, or coot, or to hunt, shoot, kill, trap, molest, or attempt to hunt, shoot, kill, trap, or molest any other birds or a…

It shall be unlawful to have in possession at any time a gun which is not unloaded and cased or dismantled on that portion of the Hog Island Wildlife Management Area bordering on the James River and lying north of the Surry Nuclear Power Plant, except while hunting deer or waterf…

It shall be unlawful to hunt, pursue, or disturb waterfowl in the public waters within 1,000 yards adjacent to the Lands End Waterfowl Management Area located adjacent to the Rappahannock River in King George County, provided that this section shall not abridge the privileges pre…

It shall be unlawful to hunt or have in one's possession a loaded gun on Buggs Island or to shoot over or have a loaded gun upon the water on Gaston Reservoir (Roanoke River) from a point beginning at High Rock and extending to the John H. Kerr Dam. Statutory Authority§§ 29.1-103…

(Repealed.)

It shall be unlawful to willfully molest, damage or remove any trap, or any lawfully caught bird or animal therefrom, or in any way disturb traps or snares legally set by another person. Statutory Authority§§ 29.1-103, 29.1-501, and 29.1-502 of the Code of Virginia.

Any person setting or in possession of a steel foothold or body gripping trap or snare shall have it marked by means of a nonferrous metal tag bearing the name and address of the trapper or an identification number issued by the department. This requirement shall not apply to lan…

(Repealed.)

The use of body-gripping traps with a jaw spread in excess of 7-1/2 inches is prohibited except when such traps are at least half submerged by water.Statutory Authority§§ 29.1-103, 29.1-501, and 29.1-502 of the Code of Virginia.

A. Except as provided in subsections B and C of this section, it shall be unlawful to fail to visit all traps once each day and remove all animals caught. B. Body-gripping traps that are completely submerged by water must be visited at least once every 72 hours. C. Remote trap ch…