{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/18.2-130.1.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/18.2-130.1.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/18.2-130.1.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/18.2-130.1.html"}],"law_id":70019,"edition_id":1,"section_id":70019,"structure_id":15771,"section_number":"18.2-130.1","catch_line":"Peeping or spying into dwelling or occupied building by electronic device or unmanned aircraft system; penalty","history":"2017, c. 502; 2023, c. 381.","full_text":"A\n\nIt is unlawful for any person to knowingly and intentionally cause an electronic device to enter the property of another to secretly or furtively peep or spy or attempt to peep or spy into or through a window, door, or other aperture of any building, structure, or other enclosure occupied or intended for occupancy as a dwelling, whether or not such building, structure, or enclosure is permanently situated or transportable and whether or not such occupancy is permanent or temporary, or to do the same, without just cause, upon property owned by him and leased or rented to another under circumstances that would violate the occupant’s reasonable expectation of privacy.B\n\nIt is unlawful for any person to knowingly and intentionally cause an unmanned aircraft system to secretly or furtively peep or spy or attempt to peep or spy into or through a window, door, or other aperture of any building, structure, or other enclosure occupied or intended for occupancy as a dwelling, whether or not such building, structure, or enclosure is permanently situated or transportable and whether or not such occupancy is permanent or temporary, without just cause, under circumstances that would violate the occupant’s reasonable expectation of privacy.C\n\nA violation of this section is a Class 1 misdemeanor. The provisions of this section shall not apply to a lawful criminal investigation.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":252972,"text":"It is unlawful for any person to knowingly and intentionally cause an electronic device to enter the property of another to secretly or furtively peep or spy or attempt to peep or spy into or through a window, door, or other aperture of any building, structure, or other enclosure occupied or intended for occupancy as a dwelling, whether or not such building, structure, or enclosure is permanently situated or transportable and whether or not such occupancy is permanent or temporary, or to do the same, without just cause, upon property owned by him and leased or rented to another under circumstances that would violate the occupant’s reasonable expectation of privacy.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":252973,"text":"It is unlawful for any person to knowingly and intentionally cause an unmanned aircraft system to secretly or furtively peep or spy or attempt to peep or spy into or through a window, door, or other aperture of any building, structure, or other enclosure occupied or intended for occupancy as a dwelling, whether or not such building, structure, or enclosure is permanently situated or transportable and whether or not such occupancy is permanent or temporary, without just cause, under circumstances that would violate the occupant’s reasonable expectation of privacy.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":252974,"text":"A violation of this section is a Class 1 misdemeanor. The provisions of this section shall not apply to a lawful criminal investigation.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B"}},"ancestry":[{"id":15771,"edition_id":1,"name":"Trespass to Realty","identifier":"5","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13243,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:59:19","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:59:19","permalink":{"id":165549,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15771,"identifier":"5","token":"18.2\/5\/5","url":"\/18.2\/5\/5\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13243,"edition_id":1,"name":"Crimes Against Property","identifier":"5","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12972,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:30","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:30","permalink":{"id":165299,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13243,"identifier":"5","token":"18.2\/5","url":"\/18.2\/5\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12972,"edition_id":1,"name":"Crimes and Offenses Generally","identifier":"18.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:05","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:05","permalink":{"id":164139,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12972,"identifier":"18.2","token":"18.2","url":"\/18.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":76989,"structure_id":15771,"section_number":"18.2-119","catch_line":"Trespass after having been forbidden to do so; penalties","url":"\/18.2-119\/","token":"18.2\/5\/5\/18.2-119","metadata":false},{"id":74410,"structure_id":15771,"section_number":"18.2-119.1","catch_line":"Validity of signs forbidding trespass; penalty","url":"\/18.2-119.1\/","token":"18.2\/5\/5\/18.2-119.1","metadata":false},{"id":82145,"structure_id":15771,"section_number":"18.2-120","catch_line":"Instigating, etc., such trespass by others; preventing service to persons not forbidden to trespass","url":"\/18.2-120\/","token":"18.2\/5\/5\/18.2-120","metadata":false},{"id":68767,"structure_id":15771,"section_number":"18.2-121","catch_line":"Entering property of another for purpose of damaging it, etc.; penalties","url":"\/18.2-121\/","token":"18.2\/5\/5\/18.2-121","metadata":false},{"id":80533,"structure_id":15771,"section_number":"18.2-121.1","catch_line":"Permitting certain animals to run at large","url":"\/18.2-121.1\/","token":"18.2\/5\/5\/18.2-121.1","metadata":false},{"id":70083,"structure_id":15771,"section_number":"18.2-121.2","catch_line":"Trespass by spotlight on agricultural land","url":"\/18.2-121.2\/","token":"18.2\/5\/5\/18.2-121.2","metadata":false},{"id":78050,"structure_id":15771,"section_number":"18.2-121.3","catch_line":"Trespass with an unmanned aircraft system; 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This law was first created in 2017. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 502<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. It has been modified 1 time. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. That modification is as follows: in 2023, chapter 381<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":55101,"section_number":"19.2-303.2","catch_line":"Persons charged with first offense may be placed on probation","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-303.2\/"},{"id":74660,"section_number":"19.2-392.12","catch_line":"(Effective July 1, 2026) Sealing of offenses resulting in a deferred and dismissed disposition or conviction by petition","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-392.12\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":165615,"object_type":"law","relational_id":70019,"identifier":"18.2-130.1","token":"18.2\/5\/5\/18.2-130.1","url":"\/18.2-130.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/18.2-130.1\/","token":"18.2\/5\/5\/18.2-130.1","dublin_core":{"Title":"Peeping or spying into dwelling or occupied building by electronic device or unmanned aircraft system; penalty","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 18.2-130.1","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> It is unlawful for any person to knowingly and intentionally cause an electronic device to enter the property of another to secretly or furtively peep or spy or attempt to peep or spy into or through a window, door, or other aperture of any building, structure, or other enclosure occupied or intended for occupancy as a dwelling, whether or not such building, structure, or enclosure is permanently situated or transportable and whether or not such occupancy is permanent or temporary, or to do the same, without just cause, upon property owned by him and leased or rented to another under circumstances that would violate the occupant’s reasonable expectation of privacy. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> It is unlawful for any person to knowingly and intentionally cause an unmanned aircraft system to secretly or furtively peep or spy or attempt to peep or spy into or through a window, door, or other aperture of any building, structure, or other enclosure occupied or intended for occupancy as a dwelling, whether or not such building, structure, or enclosure is permanently situated or transportable and whether or not such occupancy is permanent or temporary, without just cause, under circumstances that would violate the occupant’s reasonable expectation of privacy. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> A violation of this section is a Class 1 misdemeanor<\/span>. The provisions of this section shall not apply to a lawful criminal investigation. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nPEEPING OR SPYING INTO DWELLING OR OCCUPIED BUILDING BY ELECTRONIC DEVICE OR\nUNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEM; PENALTY (\u00a7 18.2-130.1)\n\nA. It is unlawful for any person to knowingly and intentionally cause an\nelectronic device to enter the property of another to secretly or furtively peep\nor spy or attempt to peep or spy into or through a window, door, or other\naperture of any building, structure, or other enclosure occupied or intended for\noccupancy as a dwelling, whether or not such building, structure, or enclosure\nis permanently situated or transportable and whether or not such occupancy is\npermanent or temporary, or to do the same, without just cause, upon property\nowned by him and leased or rented to another under circumstances that would\nviolate the occupant’s reasonable expectation of privacy.\n\nB. It is unlawful for any person to knowingly and intentionally cause an\nunmanned aircraft system to secretly or furtively peep or spy or attempt to peep\nor spy into or through a window, door, or other aperture of any building,\nstructure, or other enclosure occupied or intended for occupancy as a dwelling,\nwhether or not such building, structure, or enclosure is permanently situated or\ntransportable and whether or not such occupancy is permanent or temporary,\nwithout just cause, under circumstances that would violate the occupant’s\nreasonable expectation of privacy.\n\nC. A violation of this section is a Class 1 misdemeanor. The provisions of this\nsection shall not apply to a lawful criminal investigation.\n\nHISTORY: 2017, c. 502; 2023, c. 381.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}