{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/54.1-4201.2.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/54.1-4201.2.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/54.1-4201.2.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/54.1-4201.2.html"}],"law_id":62857,"edition_id":1,"section_id":62857,"structure_id":15979,"section_number":"54.1-4201.2","catch_line":"Firearm transactions by persons other than dealers; mandatory background checks","history":"2016, cc. 44, 45; 2020, cc. 828, 1111, 1112.","full_text":"A\n\nThe Department of State Police shall be available at every firearms show held in the Commonwealth and shall make determinations in accordance with the procedures set out in § 18.2-308.2:2 of whether a prospective purchaser or transferee is prohibited under state or federal law from possessing a firearm prior to the completion of any firearm transaction at a firearms show held in the Commonwealth. The Department of State Police shall establish policies and procedures in accordance with 28 C.F.R. § 25.6 to permit such determinations to be made by the Department of State Police.\n\t\t\tThe Department of State Police may charge a reasonable fee for the determination.B\n\nThe promoter, as defined in § 54.1-4201.1, shall give the Department of State Police notice of the time and location of a firearms show at least 30 days prior to the show. The promoter shall provide the Department of State Police with adequate space, at no charge, to conduct such prohibition determinations. The promoter shall ensure that a notice that such determinations are available is prominently displayed at the show.C\n\nNo person who sells or transfers a firearm at a firearms show after receiving a determination from the Department of State Police that the purchaser or transferee is not prohibited by state or federal law from possessing a firearm shall be liable for selling or transferring a firearm to such person.D\n\nThe provisions of § 18.2-308.2:2, including definitions, procedures, and prohibitions, shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the provisions of this section.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":229120,"text":"The Department of State Police shall be available at every firearms show held in the Commonwealth and shall make determinations in accordance with the procedures set out in § 18.2-308.2:2 of whether a prospective purchaser or transferee is prohibited under state or federal law from possessing a firearm prior to the completion of any firearm transaction at a firearms show held in the Commonwealth. The Department of State Police shall establish policies and procedures in accordance with 28 C.F.R. § 25.6 to permit such determinations to be made by the Department of State Police.\n\t\t\tThe Department of State Police may charge a reasonable fee for the determination.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":229121,"text":"The promoter, as defined in § 54.1-4201.1, shall give the Department of State Police notice of the time and location of a firearms show at least 30 days prior to the show. The promoter shall provide the Department of State Police with adequate space, at no charge, to conduct such prohibition determinations. The promoter shall ensure that a notice that such determinations are available is prominently displayed at the show.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":229122,"text":"No person who sells or transfers a firearm at a firearms show after receiving a determination from the Department of State Police that the purchaser or transferee is not prohibited by state or federal law from possessing a firearm shall be liable for selling or transferring a firearm to such person.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"D"},"3":{"id":229123,"text":"The provisions of § 18.2-308.2:2, including definitions, procedures, and prohibitions, shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the provisions of this section.","type":"section","prefixes":["D"],"prefix":"D","entire_prefix":"D","prefix_anchor":"D","level":1,"prior_prefix":"C"}},"ancestry":[{"id":15979,"edition_id":1,"name":"Dealers in Firearms","identifier":"42","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13011,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 04:03:08","date_modified":"2026-06-26 04:03:08","permalink":{"id":244577,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15979,"identifier":"42","token":"54.1\/V\/42","url":"\/54.1\/V\/42\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13011,"edition_id":1,"name":"Occupations Regulated by Local Governing Bodies","identifier":"V","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12754,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:08","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:08","permalink":{"id":244463,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13011,"identifier":"V","token":"54.1\/V","url":"\/54.1\/V\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12754,"edition_id":1,"name":"Professions and Occupations","identifier":"54.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","permalink":{"id":239313,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12754,"identifier":"54.1","token":"54.1","url":"\/54.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":68120,"structure_id":15979,"section_number":"54.1-4200","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/54.1-4200\/","token":"54.1\/V\/42\/54.1-4200","metadata":false},{"id":80515,"structure_id":15979,"section_number":"54.1-4201","catch_line":"Inspection of records","url":"\/54.1-4201\/","token":"54.1\/V\/42\/54.1-4201","metadata":false},{"id":82936,"structure_id":15979,"section_number":"54.1-4201.1","catch_line":"Notification by sponsor of firearms show to State Police and local law-enforcement authorities required; records; penalty","url":"\/54.1-4201.1\/","token":"54.1\/V\/42\/54.1-4201.1","metadata":false},{"id":62857,"structure_id":15979,"section_number":"54.1-4201.2","catch_line":"Firearm transactions by persons other than dealers; mandatory background checks","url":"\/54.1-4201.2\/","token":"54.1\/V\/42\/54.1-4201.2","metadata":false},{"id":62327,"structure_id":15979,"section_number":"54.1-4202","catch_line":"Penalties for violation of the provisions of this chapter","url":"\/54.1-4202\/","token":"54.1\/V\/42\/54.1-4202","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":82936,"structure_id":15979,"section_number":"54.1-4201.1","catch_line":"Notification by sponsor of firearms show to State Police and local law-enforcement authorities required; records; penalty","url":"\/54.1-4201.1\/","token":"54.1\/V\/42\/54.1-4201.1","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":62327,"structure_id":15979,"section_number":"54.1-4202","catch_line":"Penalties for violation of the provisions of this chapter","url":"\/54.1-4202\/","token":"54.1\/V\/42\/54.1-4202","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/54.1-4201.2\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2016. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapters 44<\/a> and 45<\/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 2020, chapters 828<\/a>, 1111<\/a>, and 1112<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":56633,"section_number":"18.2-308.2:5","catch_line":"Criminal history record information check required to sell firearm; penalty","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-308.2_5\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":80010,"section_number":"18.2-308.2:2","catch_line":"Criminal history record information check required for the transfer of certain firearms","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-308.2_2\/"},{"id":82936,"section_number":"54.1-4201.1","catch_line":"Notification by sponsor of firearms show to State Police and local law-enforcement authorities required; records; penalty","order_by":null,"url":"\/54.1-4201.1\/"}],"permalink":{"id":244591,"object_type":"law","relational_id":62857,"identifier":"54.1-4201.2","token":"54.1\/V\/42\/54.1-4201.2","url":"\/54.1-4201.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/54.1-4201.2\/","token":"54.1\/V\/42\/54.1-4201.2","dublin_core":{"Title":"Firearm transactions by persons other than dealers; mandatory background checks","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 54.1-4201.2","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> The Department of State Police shall be available at every firearms show<\/span> held in the Commonwealth and shall make determinations in accordance with the procedures set out in § 18.2-308.2:2<\/a> of whether a prospective purchaser or transferee is prohibited under state or federal law<\/span> from possessing a firearm prior to the completion of any firearm transaction at a firearms show<\/span> held in the Commonwealth. The Department of State Police shall establish policies and procedures in accordance with 28 C.F.R. § 25.6 to permit such determinations to be made by the Department of State Police.\n\t\t\tThe Department of State Police may charge a reasonable fee for the determination. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> The promoter, as defined in § 54.1-4201.1<\/a>, shall give the Department of State Police notice of the time and location of a firearms show<\/span> at least 30 days prior to the show. The promoter shall provide the Department of State Police with adequate space, at no charge, to conduct such prohibition determinations. The promoter shall ensure that a notice that such determinations are available is prominently displayed at the show. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> No person who sells or transfers a firearm at a firearms show<\/span> after receiving a determination from the Department of State Police that the purchaser or transferee is not prohibited by state or federal law<\/span> from possessing a firearm shall be liable for selling or transferring a firearm to such person. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

D.<\/span> The provisions of § 18.2-308.2:2<\/a>, including definitions, procedures, and prohibitions, shall apply, mutatis mutandis<\/span>, to the provisions of this section. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nFIREARM TRANSACTIONS BY PERSONS OTHER THAN DEALERS; MANDATORY BACKGROUND CHECKS\n(\u00a7 54.1-4201.2)\n\nA. The Department of State Police shall be available at every firearms show held\nin the Commonwealth and shall make determinations in accordance with the\nprocedures set out in § 18.2-308.2:2 of whether a prospective purchaser or\ntransferee is prohibited under state or federal law from possessing a firearm\nprior to the completion of any firearm transaction at a firearms show held in\nthe Commonwealth. The Department of State Police shall establish policies and\nprocedures in accordance with 28 C.F.R. § 25.6 to permit such\ndeterminations to be made by the Department of State Police.\n\t\t\tThe Department of State Police may charge a reasonable fee for the\ndetermination.\n\nB. The promoter, as defined in § 54.1-4201.1, shall give the Department of\nState Police notice of the time and location of a firearms show at least 30 days\nprior to the show. The promoter shall provide the Department of State Police\nwith adequate space, at no charge, to conduct such prohibition determinations.\nThe promoter shall ensure that a notice that such determinations are available\nis prominently displayed at the show.\n\nC. No person who sells or transfers a firearm at a firearms show after receiving\na determination from the Department of State Police that the purchaser or\ntransferee is not prohibited by state or federal law from possessing a firearm\nshall be liable for selling or transferring a firearm to such person.\n\nD. The provisions of § 18.2-308.2:2, including definitions, procedures, and\nprohibitions, shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the provisions of this section.\n\nHISTORY: 2016, cc. 44, 45; 2020, cc. 828, 1111, 1112.","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}}