{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/54.1-4201.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/54.1-4201.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/54.1-4201.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/54.1-4201.html"}],"law_id":80515,"edition_id":1,"section_id":80515,"structure_id":15979,"section_number":"54.1-4201","catch_line":"Inspection of records","history":"1989, c. 490; 1993, cc. 461, 493; 2005, c. 859.","full_text":"A\n\nEvery dealer in firearms shall keep at his place of business, for not less than a period of two years, the original consent form required to be completed by § 18.2-308.2:2 for each firearm sale.B\n\nEvery dealer in firearms shall admit to his place of business during regular business hours the chief law-enforcement officer, or his designee, of the jurisdiction in which the dealer is located, or any law-enforcement official of the Commonwealth, and shall permit such law-enforcement officer, in the course of a bona fide criminal investigation, to examine and copy those federal and state records related to the acquisition or disposition of a particular firearm required by this section. This section shall not be construed to authorize the seizure of any records.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":288433,"text":"Every dealer in firearms shall keep at his place of business, for not less than a period of two years, the original consent form required to be completed by § 18.2-308.2:2 for each firearm sale.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":288434,"text":"Every dealer in firearms shall admit to his place of business during regular business hours the chief law-enforcement officer, or his designee, of the jurisdiction in which the dealer is located, or any law-enforcement official of the Commonwealth, and shall permit such law-enforcement officer, in the course of a bona fide criminal investigation, to examine and copy those federal and state records related to the acquisition or disposition of a particular firearm required by this section. This section shall not be construed to authorize the seizure of any records.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A"}},"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":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},"next_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},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/54.1-4201\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1989. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 490 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. Unfortunately, the 1989 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 2 times. 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. Those modifications are as follows: in 1993, chapters 461 and 493; in 2005, chapter 859<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"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\/"}],"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\/"}],"permalink":{"id":244583,"object_type":"law","relational_id":80515,"identifier":"54.1-4201","token":"54.1\/V\/42\/54.1-4201","url":"\/54.1-4201\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/54.1-4201\/","token":"54.1\/V\/42\/54.1-4201","dublin_core":{"Title":"Inspection of records","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 54.1-4201","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> Every dealer in firearms<\/span> shall keep at his place of business, for not less than a period of two years, the original consent form required to be completed by § 18.2-308.2:2<\/a> for each firearm sale. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> Every dealer in firearms<\/span> shall admit to his place of business during regular business hours the chief law<\/span>-enforcement officer, or his designee, of the jurisdiction<\/span> in which the dealer is located, or any law<\/span>-enforcement official of the Commonwealth, and shall permit such law<\/span>-enforcement officer, in the course of a bona fide criminal investigation, to examine and copy those federal and state records related to the acquisition or disposition<\/span> of a particular firearm required by this section. This section shall not be construed to authorize the seizure of any records. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nINSPECTION OF RECORDS (\u00a7 54.1-4201)\n\nA. Every dealer in firearms shall keep at his place of business, for not less\nthan a period of two years, the original consent form required to be completed\nby § 18.2-308.2:2 for each firearm sale.\n\nB. Every dealer in firearms shall admit to his place of business during regular\nbusiness hours the chief law-enforcement officer, or his designee, of the\njurisdiction in which the dealer is located, or any law-enforcement official of\nthe Commonwealth, and shall permit such law-enforcement officer, in the course\nof a bona fide criminal investigation, to examine and copy those federal and\nstate records related to the acquisition or disposition of a particular firearm\nrequired by this section. This section shall not be construed to authorize the\nseizure of any records.\n\nHISTORY: 1989, c. 490; 1993, cc. 461, 493; 2005, c. 859.","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}}