{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/54.1-829.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/54.1-829.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/54.1-829.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/54.1-829.html"}],"law_id":76867,"edition_id":1,"section_id":76867,"structure_id":15638,"section_number":"54.1-829","catch_line":"Authorization from Director required; bond; physical examination; emergency medical services vehicles; physician; health insurance","history":"1998, c. 895; 2007, c. 853; 2015, cc. 216, 264, 502, 503; 2016, c. 756; 2025, cc. 95, 111.","full_text":"A\n\nNo person shall act as a promoter, matchmaker, trainer, boxer, martial artist, or professional wrestler in the Commonwealth without first having obtained authorization for such activity from the Department or sanctioning organization approved by the Director pursuant to § 54.1-829.1 and such authorization remains in full force and effect.B\n\nNo authorization to act as a promoter shall be granted unless the applicant executes and files with the Department a bond, in such penalty as the Department shall determine through regulation, conditioned on the payment of the fees and penalties imposed by this chapter and for the fulfillment of contracts made with professional contestants in accordance with Department regulations. This subsection shall not apply to a promoter applying to conduct an amateur-only event under the authority of a sanctioning organization approved by the Director pursuant to § 54.1-829.1.C\n\nEach boxer and martial artist shall, and each professional wrestler may, be examined prior to entering the ring by a physician who has held a license to practice medicine for at least three years in any jurisdiction of the United States and who is currently licensed to practice medicine in the Commonwealth. The physician shall be approved by the Director and shall certify in writing that the contestant’s physical condition is such that he is physically able to engage in the contest.D\n\nNo event in which boxers or martial artists are contestants shall be conducted without the continuous presence at ringside of a physician who has held a license to practice medicine for at least three years in any jurisdiction of the United States and who is currently licensed to practice medicine in the Commonwealth, and unless an emergency medical services vehicle is at the site of the event.E\n\nNo boxer or martial artist shall participate in any event unless covered by a health insurance policy with minimum coverage in an amount determined by Department regulation.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":275934,"text":"No person shall act as a promoter, matchmaker, trainer, boxer, martial artist, or professional wrestler in the Commonwealth without first having obtained authorization for such activity from the Department or sanctioning organization approved by the Director pursuant to § 54.1-829.1 and such authorization remains in full force and effect.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":275935,"text":"No authorization to act as a promoter shall be granted unless the applicant executes and files with the Department a bond, in such penalty as the Department shall determine through regulation, conditioned on the payment of the fees and penalties imposed by this chapter and for the fulfillment of contracts made with professional contestants in accordance with Department regulations. This subsection shall not apply to a promoter applying to conduct an amateur-only event under the authority of a sanctioning organization approved by the Director pursuant to § 54.1-829.1.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":275936,"text":"Each boxer and martial artist shall, and each professional wrestler may, be examined prior to entering the ring by a physician who has held a license to practice medicine for at least three years in any jurisdiction of the United States and who is currently licensed to practice medicine in the Commonwealth. The physician shall be approved by the Director and shall certify in writing that the contestant’s physical condition is such that he is physically able to engage in the contest.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"D"},"3":{"id":275937,"text":"No event in which boxers or martial artists are contestants shall be conducted without the continuous presence at ringside of a physician who has held a license to practice medicine for at least three years in any jurisdiction of the United States and who is currently licensed to practice medicine in the Commonwealth, and unless an emergency medical services vehicle is at the site of the event.","type":"section","prefixes":["D"],"prefix":"D","entire_prefix":"D","prefix_anchor":"D","level":1,"prior_prefix":"C","next_prefix":"E"},"4":{"id":275938,"text":"No boxer or martial artist shall participate in any event unless covered by a health insurance policy with minimum coverage in an amount determined by Department regulation.","type":"section","prefixes":["E"],"prefix":"E","entire_prefix":"E","prefix_anchor":"E","level":1,"prior_prefix":"D"}},"ancestry":[{"id":15638,"edition_id":1,"name":"Boxing and Wrestling Events","identifier":"8.1","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12755,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:57:13","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:57:13","permalink":{"id":240933,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15638,"identifier":"8.1","token":"54.1\/II\/8.1","url":"\/54.1\/II\/8.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12755,"edition_id":1,"name":"Professions and Occupations Regulated by the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation and Boards Within the Department","identifier":"II","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12754,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","permalink":{"id":239415,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12755,"identifier":"II","token":"54.1\/II","url":"\/54.1\/II\/","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":72810,"structure_id":15638,"section_number":"54.1-828","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/54.1-828\/","token":"54.1\/II\/8.1\/54.1-828","metadata":false},{"id":76867,"structure_id":15638,"section_number":"54.1-829","catch_line":"Authorization from Director required; bond; physical examination; emergency medical services vehicles; physician; health insurance","url":"\/54.1-829\/","token":"54.1\/II\/8.1\/54.1-829","metadata":false},{"id":78533,"structure_id":15638,"section_number":"54.1-829.1","catch_line":"Sanctioning organization; amateur martial arts events","url":"\/54.1-829.1\/","token":"54.1\/II\/8.1\/54.1-829.1","metadata":false},{"id":76841,"structure_id":15638,"section_number":"54.1-830","catch_line":"Exemptions","url":"\/54.1-830\/","token":"54.1\/II\/8.1\/54.1-830","metadata":false},{"id":82999,"structure_id":15638,"section_number":"54.1-831","catch_line":"Powers and duties of the Department","url":"\/54.1-831\/","token":"54.1\/II\/8.1\/54.1-831","metadata":false},{"id":61315,"structure_id":15638,"section_number":"54.1-831.01","catch_line":"Boxing, Martial Arts, and Professional Wrestling Advisory Board","url":"\/54.1-831.01\/","token":"54.1\/II\/8.1\/54.1-831.01","metadata":false},{"id":59748,"structure_id":15638,"section_number":"54.1-831.1","catch_line":"Summary suspension of boxing license","url":"\/54.1-831.1\/","token":"54.1\/II\/8.1\/54.1-831.1","metadata":false},{"id":77173,"structure_id":15638,"section_number":"54.1-832","catch_line":"Director authorized to contract for certain services; award of contract; authority when no contract is in effect","url":"\/54.1-832\/","token":"54.1\/II\/8.1\/54.1-832","metadata":false},{"id":75873,"structure_id":15638,"section_number":"54.1-833","catch_line":"Reports; cable television systems; fee on receipts","url":"\/54.1-833\/","token":"54.1\/II\/8.1\/54.1-833","metadata":false},{"id":77378,"structure_id":15638,"section_number":"54.1-834","catch_line":"Prohibited activities; penalties","url":"\/54.1-834\/","token":"54.1\/II\/8.1\/54.1-834","metadata":false},{"id":75464,"structure_id":15638,"section_number":"54.1-835","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/54.1-835\/","token":"54.1\/II\/8.1\/54.1-835","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":72810,"structure_id":15638,"section_number":"54.1-828","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/54.1-828\/","token":"54.1\/II\/8.1\/54.1-828","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":78533,"structure_id":15638,"section_number":"54.1-829.1","catch_line":"Sanctioning organization; amateur martial arts events","url":"\/54.1-829.1\/","token":"54.1\/II\/8.1\/54.1-829.1","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/54.1-829\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1998. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 895<\/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 4 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 2007, chapter 853<\/a>; in 2015, chapters 216<\/a>, 264<\/a>, 502<\/a>, and 503<\/a>; in 2016, chapter 756<\/a>; in 2025, chapters 95<\/a> and 111<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":78533,"section_number":"54.1-829.1","catch_line":"Sanctioning organization; amateur martial arts events","order_by":null,"url":"\/54.1-829.1\/"}],"permalink":{"id":240939,"object_type":"law","relational_id":76867,"identifier":"54.1-829","token":"54.1\/II\/8.1\/54.1-829","url":"\/54.1-829\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/54.1-829\/","token":"54.1\/II\/8.1\/54.1-829","dublin_core":{"Title":"Authorization from Director required; bond; physical examination; emergency medical services vehicles; physician; health insurance","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 54.1-829","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> No person<\/span> shall act as a promoter<\/span>, matchmaker<\/span>, trainer, boxer<\/span>, martial artist<\/span>, or professional wrestler<\/span> in the Commonwealth without first having obtained authorization for such activity from the Department<\/span> or sanctioning organization<\/span> approved by the Director<\/span> pursuant to § 54.1-829.1<\/a> and such authorization remains in full force and effect. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> No authorization to act as a promoter<\/span> shall be granted unless the applicant executes and files with the Department<\/span> a bond<\/span>, in such penalty<\/span> as the Department<\/span> shall determine through regulation, conditioned on the payment of the fees and penalties imposed by this chapter and for the fulfillment of contracts<\/span> made with professional contestants in accordance with Department<\/span> regulations. This subsection shall not apply to a promoter<\/span> applying to conduct an amateur<\/span>-only event<\/span> under the authority of a sanctioning organization<\/span> approved by the Director<\/span> pursuant to § 54.1-829.1<\/a>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> Each boxer<\/span> and martial artist<\/span> shall, and each professional wrestler<\/span> may, be examined prior to entering the ring by a physician who has held a license to practice medicine for at least three years in any jurisdiction<\/span> of the United States and who is currently licensed to practice medicine in the Commonwealth. The physician shall be approved by the Director<\/span> and shall certify in writing that the contestant’s physical condition is such that he is physically able to engage in the contest. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

D.<\/span> No event<\/span> in which boxers<\/span> or martial artists<\/span> are contestants shall be conducted without the continuous presence at ringside of a physician who has held a license to practice medicine for at least three years in any jurisdiction<\/span> of the United States and who is currently licensed to practice medicine in the Commonwealth, and unless an emergency medical services vehicle is at the site of the event<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

E.<\/span> No boxer<\/span> or martial artist<\/span> shall participate in any event<\/span> unless covered by a health insurance policy with minimum coverage in an amount determined by Department<\/span> regulation. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nAUTHORIZATION FROM DIRECTOR REQUIRED; BOND; PHYSICAL EXAMINATION; EMERGENCY\nMEDICAL SERVICES VEHICLES; PHYSICIAN; HEALTH INSURANCE (\u00a7 54.1-829)\n\nA. No person shall act as a promoter, matchmaker, trainer, boxer, martial\nartist, or professional wrestler in the Commonwealth without first having\nobtained authorization for such activity from the Department or sanctioning\norganization approved by the Director pursuant to § 54.1-829.1 and such\nauthorization remains in full force and effect.\n\nB. No authorization to act as a promoter shall be granted unless the applicant\nexecutes and files with the Department a bond, in such penalty as the Department\nshall determine through regulation, conditioned on the payment of the fees and\npenalties imposed by this chapter and for the fulfillment of contracts made with\nprofessional contestants in accordance with Department regulations. This\nsubsection shall not apply to a promoter applying to conduct an amateur-only\nevent under the authority of a sanctioning organization approved by the Director\npursuant to § 54.1-829.1.\n\nC. Each boxer and martial artist shall, and each professional wrestler may, be\nexamined prior to entering the ring by a physician who has held a license to\npractice medicine for at least three years in any jurisdiction of the United\nStates and who is currently licensed to practice medicine in the Commonwealth.\nThe physician shall be approved by the Director and shall certify in writing\nthat the contestant’s physical condition is such that he is physically\nable to engage in the contest.\n\nD. No event in which boxers or martial artists are contestants shall be\nconducted without the continuous presence at ringside of a physician who has\nheld a license to practice medicine for at least three years in any jurisdiction\nof the United States and who is currently licensed to practice medicine in the\nCommonwealth, and unless an emergency medical services vehicle is at the site of\nthe event.\n\nE. No boxer or martial artist shall participate in any event unless covered by a\nhealth insurance policy with minimum coverage in an amount determined by\nDepartment regulation.\n\nHISTORY: 1998, c. 895; 2007, c. 853; 2015, cc. 216, 264, 502, 503; 2016, c. 756;\n2025, cc. 95, 111.","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}}