Virginia Administrative Code

It shall be unlawful to set on land any steel foothold trap with teeth set upon the jaws or with a maximum inside jaw spread exceeding 6-1/2 inches measured perpendicular to the hinges.Statutory Authority§§ 29.1-501 and 29.1-502 of the Code of Virginia.

There shall be a special license to hunt bears that shall be in addition to the state resident license to hunt or state nonresident license to hunt. The fee for the special bear license shall be as specified in 4VAC15-20-65. Statutory Authority§ 29.1-501 of the Code of Virginia.

It shall be unlawful to trap, or attempt to trap, on land any wild bird or wild animal with any deadfall or snare; provided that snares with loops no more than 38 inches in circumference and with the bottom of the snare loop set not to exceed 12 inches above ground level may be u…

It shall be unlawful to intentionally set foothold traps, body-gripping traps, or snares within 50 feet of an animal carcass, or parts thereof, unless the carcass, or parts thereof, are completely covered at the time the trap is set or visited. For the purposes of this section, "…

It shall be lawful to kill wild animals legally captured in live traps using any humane method of dispatch not specifically prohibited by law.Statutory Authority§§ 29.1-103 and 29.1-501 of the Code of Virginia.

It shall be lawful to set traps in water from December 1 through the last day of February, both dates inclusive, and at any time within the incorporated limits of any city or town in the Commonwealth and in the counties of Arlington, Chesterfield, Fairfax, Henrico, James City, Lo…

Whenever biological evidence suggests that populations of game animals or fur-bearing animals may exceed or threaten to exceed the carrying capacity of a specified range, or whenever population reduction of a species is necessary to manage for another wildlife species, or wheneve…

No person shall kill or cripple and knowingly allow any nonmigratory game bird or game animal to be wasted without making a reasonable effort to retrieve the animal and retain it in their possession. Nothing in this section shall permit a person to trespass or violate any state, …

Except as otherwise provided in the sections appearing in this chapter, it shall be lawful to hunt pen-raised game birds seven days a week as provided by § 29.1-514 of the Code of Virginia. The length of the hunting season on such preserves and the size of the bag limit shall be …

Unclaimed mounted native wildlife specimens or their processed hides, when taken in accordance with the provisions of law and regulations, may be sold by a Virginia licensed taxidermist with the exception of migratory waterfowl, migratory birds, and state and federally listed thr…

It shall be unlawful to buy, sell, barter, traffic or trade in, bargain for, or solicit for purchase raw pelts and unskinned carcasses of fur-bearing animals defined in § 29.1-100 of the Code of Virginia, coyotes, and nutria without having first obtained a fur dealer permit in ac…

It shall be lawful for any person to purchase or sell skins, pelts, skulls, bones, teeth, claws, feet, spurs, tails, hair, feathers, taxidermy mounts, and other nonmeat parts of legally taken and possessed rabbits, squirrels, bobwhite quail, ruffed grouse, pheasants, and wild tur…

A. The open seasons for hunting and trapping as well as hours, methods of taking, and bag limits for department-owned or department-controlled lands, or lands managed by the department under cooperative agreement shall conform to the regulations of the board, unless excepted by p…

It shall be unlawful to place or direct the placement of, deposit, distribute, or scatter food or salt capable of attracting or being eaten by bear, deer, or turkey on national forest lands or on department-owned lands without the written authorization of the Director of the Depa…

It shall be unlawful for any person, as defined in § 1-230 of the Code of Virginia, to place, distribute, or allow the placement of food, minerals, carrion, trash, or similar substances to feed or attract bear. No person shall continue to place, distribute, or allow the placement…

Except as prescribed in subdivision 4 of § 29.1-521 of the Code of Virginia, it shall be unlawful to chase with dogs or hunt with dogs or to attempt to chase or hunt with dogs any wild animal from a baited site or to train dogs on any wild animal from a baited site. Furthermore, …

A. No person shall intentionally cripple or otherwise harm any game animal for the intent of continuing a hunt or chase, or for the purpose of training dogs. Upon treeing, baying, or otherwise containing an animal in a manner that offers the animal no avenue of escape, the person…

A. It shall be unlawful for any person to place or distribute food, salt, minerals, or similar substances to feed or attract cervids (i) at any time in the Counties (including the cities and towns within) of Buchanan, Dickenson, Wise, and in any county (including the cities and t…

It shall be unlawful for any person as defined in § 1-230 of the Code of Virginia to place, distribute, or allow the placement of food, minerals, carrion, trash, or similar substances when it attracts any species of wildlife in such numbers or circumstances to cause property dama…

Per the provisions of § 29.1-527.2 of the Code of Virginia, the following model ordinance related to the feeding of deer may be adopted by a city or town. Any city or town must notify the director of the Department of Wildlife Resources of the adoption of such an ordinance by reg…

A. If a hunter holds a license or permit to kill a bear, deer, elk, or turkey, the following apply: 1. The hunter killing a bear, deer, elk, or turkey shall, before removing the carcass from the place of kill, validate an appropriate tag on the hunter's special license for huntin…

It shall be unlawful to take or attempt to take wild animals and wild birds with the exception of bobcats, coyotes, crows, foxes, and raccoons by the use or aid of recorded animal or bird calls or sounds or recorded or electrically amplified imitation of animal or bird calls or s…

(Repealed.)

A. The director or the director's designee may, at the director's discretion, authorize a person to dispatch any nonmigratory game bird, fur-bearing animal, or game animal, except elk, as those animals are defined in § 29.1-100 of the Code of Virginia, provided that the authorizi…

Game birds and game animals shall not be taken by the use or aid of live birds or animals as decoys. Statutory Authority§§ 29.1-103, 29.1-501 and 29.1-502 of the Code of Virginia.

It shall be unlawful to put out poison at any time for the purpose of killing any wild birds and wild animals, provided that rats and mice may be poisoned on one's own property. The provisions of this section shall not apply to the Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Service…

(Repealed.)

A. Except as provided in subsection B of this section, it shall be unlawful to hunt or trap, as defined in § 29.1-100 of the Code of Virginia, on all national forest lands and state forest lands statewide and on department-owned and department-managed lands, except during the per…

A. It shall be unlawful to use or discharge a weapon, as described in § 29.1-519 of the Code of Virginia, on department-owned and department-managed lands other than to take legal wildlife while hunting or trapping during open seasons, as defined in 4VAC15-40-61. B. Discharge of …

A. Private lands and certain military areas. It shall be lawful to train dogs during daylight hours on squirrels and nonmigratory game birds on private lands, and on rabbits and nonmigratory game birds on Fort A.P. Hill, Fort Pickett, and Quantico Marine Reservation. Participants…

(Repealed.)

(Repealed.)

The sections contained in this chapter apply to each vessel in use on waters subject to the jurisdiction of the Commonwealth if such vessel is (i) used by its operator for recreational purposes, or (ii) is required to be numbered under the Federal Boat Safety Act of 1971 (85 Stat…

When an accident occurs that requires a written report in accordance with 4VAC15-400-30, the operator shall, without delay, by the quickest means available, notify the department headquarters, or the most immediately available member of the department, of: 1. The date, time, and …

A. In addition to the notification required by 4VAC15-400-20 of this chapter, the operator of a vessel shall submit a written casualty or accident report to the department when, as a result of an occurrence that involves the vessel or its equipment: 1. A person dies; 2. A person …

Each report required by 4VAC15-400-30 of this chapter must be in writing, on the appropriate printed form furnished by the department, dated upon completion, and signed by the person who prepared it, and must contain, if available, all of the information about the casualty or acc…

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…

This chapter applies to all operators of a motorboat with a motor of 10 horsepower or greater or personal watercraft on the public waters of the Commonwealth. However, the provisions of this chapter shall not apply to law-enforcement officers while they are engaged in the perform…

A boating safety education course offered in a classroom setting by either the department or an approved course provider shall offer the student the option of taking the end-of-course exam either closed-book or open-book. The minimum standards for boating safety education course …

A. The department shall develop and make available a written equivalency exam to test the knowledge of information included in the curriculum of a boating safety education course. B. The equivalency exam shall be proctored by an individual specifically designated by the departmen…

A. Any person, business, or organization that provides a motorboat with a motor of 10 horsepower or greater or personal watercraft for rent or lease shall provide the rental/lease boat operator with a dockside safety checklist provided by the department. Other persons authorized …

The registered owner of a motorboat or personal watercraft, if the boat is new or was sold with a transfer of ownership, shall be issued with the certificate of number for the motorboat or personal watercraft a temporary operator's certificate that shall allow the owner to operat…

A. The department may establish an optional long-lasting and durable Virginia Boater Education Card for issuance to persons who have demonstrably met the minimum standard of boating safety education course competency, who possess a valid license to operate a vessel issued to mari…

A. Pursuant to § 29.1-735.2 E of the Code of Virginia, the board may establish fees for boating safety courses and certificates provided by the department. Such fees shall not exceed the cost of giving such instruction for each person participating in and receiving the instructio…

Any person who operates a motorboat with a motor of 10 horsepower or greater or personal watercraft on the public waters of the Commonwealth shall, upon the request of a law-enforcement officer, present to the officer evidence that he has complied with § 29.1-735.2 B of the Code …

As used in this chapter, unless the context clearly requires a different meaning, the following words and terms shall have the following meanings: "Approved course provider" is any individual, business, or organization that makes available to the boating public a boating safety e…

(Repealed.)