{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/9.1-146.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/9.1-146.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/9.1-146.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/9.1-146.html"}],"law_id":71626,"edition_id":1,"section_id":71626,"structure_id":14163,"section_number":"9.1-146","catch_line":"Limitation on powers of registered armed security officers","history":"1976, c. 737, \u00a7 54-729.33; 1978, c. 560, \u00a7 54.1-1907; 1980, c. 425; 1988, cc. 48, 765; 1992, c. 578, \u00a7 9-183.8; 1994, c. 45; 2001, c. 844.","full_text":"Compliance with the provisions of this article shall not itself authorize any person to carry a concealed weapon or exercise any powers of a conservator of the peace. A registered armed security officer of a private security services business while at a location which the business is contracted to protect shall have the power to effect an arrest for an offense occurring (i) in his presence on such premises or (ii) in the presence of a merchant, agent, or employee of the merchant the private security business has contracted to protect, if the merchant, agent, or employee had probable cause to believe that the person arrested had shoplifted or committed willful concealment of goods as contemplated by \u00a7 18.2-106. For the purposes of \u00a7 19.2-74, a registered armed security officer of a private security services business shall be considered an arresting officer.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":258119,"text":"Compliance with the provisions of this article shall not itself authorize any person to carry a concealed weapon or exercise any powers of a conservator of the peace. A registered armed security officer of a private security services business while at a location which the business is contracted to protect shall have the power to effect an arrest for an offense occurring (i) in his presence on such premises or (ii) in the presence of a merchant, agent, or employee of the merchant the private security business has contracted to protect, if the merchant, agent, or employee had probable cause to believe that the person arrested had shoplifted or committed willful concealment of goods as contemplated by \u00a7 18.2-106. For the purposes of \u00a7 19.2-74, a registered armed security officer of a private security services business shall be considered an arresting officer.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":14163,"edition_id":1,"name":"Private Security Services Businesses","identifier":"4","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12897,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:47:05","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:47:05","permalink":{"id":284871,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14163,"identifier":"4","token":"9.1\/1\/4","url":"\/9.1\/1\/4\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12897,"edition_id":1,"name":"Department of Criminal Justice Services","identifier":"1","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12896,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:59","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:59","permalink":{"id":284489,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12897,"identifier":"1","token":"9.1\/1","url":"\/9.1\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12896,"edition_id":1,"name":"Commonwealth Public Safety","identifier":"9.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:59","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:59","permalink":{"id":284487,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12896,"identifier":"9.1","token":"9.1","url":"\/9.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":69682,"structure_id":14163,"section_number":"9.1-138","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/9.1-138\/","token":"9.1\/1\/4\/9.1-138","metadata":false},{"id":63110,"structure_id":14163,"section_number":"9.1-139","catch_line":"Licensing, certification, and registration required; qualifications; temporary licenses","url":"\/9.1-139\/","token":"9.1\/1\/4\/9.1-139","metadata":false},{"id":68663,"structure_id":14163,"section_number":"9.1-140","catch_line":"Exceptions from article; training requirements for out-of-state central station dispatchers","url":"\/9.1-140\/","token":"9.1\/1\/4\/9.1-140","metadata":false},{"id":55329,"structure_id":14163,"section_number":"9.1-140.01","catch_line":"Exemption from training requirements; central station dispatchers employed by central stations certified by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory","url":"\/9.1-140.01\/","token":"9.1\/1\/4\/9.1-140.01","metadata":false},{"id":78631,"structure_id":14163,"section_number":"9.1-140.1","catch_line":"Registration; waiver of examination; locksmiths","url":"\/9.1-140.1\/","token":"9.1\/1\/4\/9.1-140.1","metadata":false},{"id":80366,"structure_id":14163,"section_number":"9.1-141","catch_line":"Powers of Board relating to private security services business","url":"\/9.1-141\/","token":"9.1\/1\/4\/9.1-141","metadata":false},{"id":75892,"structure_id":14163,"section_number":"9.1-142","catch_line":"Powers of Department relating to private security services businesses","url":"\/9.1-142\/","token":"9.1\/1\/4\/9.1-142","metadata":false},{"id":68760,"structure_id":14163,"section_number":"9.1-143","catch_line":"Private Security Services Advisory Board; membership","url":"\/9.1-143\/","token":"9.1\/1\/4\/9.1-143","metadata":false},{"id":79924,"structure_id":14163,"section_number":"9.1-144","catch_line":"Insurance required","url":"\/9.1-144\/","token":"9.1\/1\/4\/9.1-144","metadata":false},{"id":59393,"structure_id":14163,"section_number":"9.1-145","catch_line":"Fingerprints required; penalty","url":"\/9.1-145\/","token":"9.1\/1\/4\/9.1-145","metadata":false},{"id":71626,"structure_id":14163,"section_number":"9.1-146","catch_line":"Limitation on powers of registered armed security officers","url":"\/9.1-146\/","token":"9.1\/1\/4\/9.1-146","metadata":false},{"id":63070,"structure_id":14163,"section_number":"9.1-147","catch_line":"Unlawful conduct generally; penalty","url":"\/9.1-147\/","token":"9.1\/1\/4\/9.1-147","metadata":false},{"id":80236,"structure_id":14163,"section_number":"9.1-148","catch_line":"Unlawful procurement of a license; penalty","url":"\/9.1-148\/","token":"9.1\/1\/4\/9.1-148","metadata":false},{"id":67420,"structure_id":14163,"section_number":"9.1-149","catch_line":"Unlicensed activity prohibited; penalty","url":"\/9.1-149\/","token":"9.1\/1\/4\/9.1-149","metadata":false},{"id":60196,"structure_id":14163,"section_number":"9.1-149.1","catch_line":"Unlawful advertisement for regulated services; notice; penalty","url":"\/9.1-149.1\/","token":"9.1\/1\/4\/9.1-149.1","metadata":false},{"id":78865,"structure_id":14163,"section_number":"9.1-150","catch_line":"Monetary penalty","url":"\/9.1-150\/","token":"9.1\/1\/4\/9.1-150","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":59393,"structure_id":14163,"section_number":"9.1-145","catch_line":"Fingerprints required; penalty","url":"\/9.1-145\/","token":"9.1\/1\/4\/9.1-145","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":63070,"structure_id":14163,"section_number":"9.1-147","catch_line":"Unlawful conduct generally; penalty","url":"\/9.1-147\/","token":"9.1\/1\/4\/9.1-147","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/9.1-146\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1976. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 737 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 1976 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 6 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 1978, chapter 560; in 1980, chapter 425; in 1988, chapters 48 and 765; in 1992, chapter 578; in 1994, chapter 45<\/a>; in 2001, chapter 844<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":85827,"section_number":"18.2-106","catch_line":"\"Agents of the merchant\" defined","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-106\/"},{"id":57508,"section_number":"19.2-74","catch_line":"Issuance and service of summons in place of warrant in misdemeanor case; issuance of summons by special conservators of the peace","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-74\/"}],"permalink":{"id":284913,"object_type":"law","relational_id":71626,"identifier":"9.1-146","token":"9.1\/1\/4\/9.1-146","url":"\/9.1-146\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/9.1-146\/","token":"9.1\/1\/4\/9.1-146","dublin_core":{"Title":"Limitation on powers of registered armed security officers","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 9.1-146","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Compliance with the provisions of this article shall not itself authorize any person to carry a concealed weapon or exercise any powers of a conservator of the peace. A registered armed security officer<\/span> of a private security services business<\/span> while at a location which the business is contracted to protect shall have the power to effect an arrest<\/span> for an offense<\/span> occurring (i) in his presence on such premises or (ii) in the presence of a merchant, agent, or employee of the merchant the private security business has contracted to protect, if the merchant, agent, or employee had probable cause<\/span> to believe that the person arrested had shoplifted or committed willful concealment of goods as contemplated by \u00a7 18.2-106<\/a>. For the purposes of \u00a7 19.2-74<\/a>, a registered armed security officer<\/span> of a private security services business<\/span> shall be considered an arresting officer.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nLIMITATION ON POWERS OF REGISTERED ARMED SECURITY OFFICERS (\u00a7 9.1-146)\n\nCompliance with the provisions of this article shall not itself authorize any\nperson to carry a concealed weapon or exercise any powers of a conservator of\nthe peace. A registered armed security officer of a private security services\nbusiness while at a location which the business is contracted to protect shall\nhave the power to effect an arrest for an offense occurring (i) in his presence\non such premises or (ii) in the presence of a merchant, agent, or employee of\nthe merchant the private security business has contracted to protect, if the\nmerchant, agent, or employee had probable cause to believe that the person\narrested had shoplifted or committed willful concealment of goods as\ncontemplated by \u00a7 18.2-106. For the purposes of \u00a7 19.2-74, a registered armed\nsecurity officer of a private security services business shall be considered an\narresting officer.\n\nHISTORY: 1976, c. 737, \u00a7 54-729.33; 1978, c. 560, \u00a7 54.1-1907; 1980, c. 425;\n1988, cc. 48, 765; 1992, c. 578, \u00a7 9-183.8; 1994, c. 45; 2001, c. 844.","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}}