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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>71320</law_id><section_number>18.2-287.5</section_number><catch_line>Reporting lost or stolen firearms; civil penalty</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="18.2">Crimes and Offenses Generally</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="7">Crimes Involving Health and Safety</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="4">Dangerous Use of Firearms or Other Weapons</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> If a firearm is lost or stolen from a person who lawfully possessed it, then such person shall report the loss or theft to any local <span class="dictionary">law</span>-enforcement agency or the Department of State Police within 48 hours after such person discovers the loss or theft or is informed by a person with personal knowledge of the loss or theft. The <span class="dictionary">law</span>-enforcement agency shall enter such report information into the National <span class="dictionary">Crime</span> Information Center maintained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to the loss or theft of an antique firearm as defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Criminal history record information check required for the transfer of certain firearms" href="/18.2-308.2_2/">18.2-308.2:2</a>. <a id="paragraph-257099" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-287.5/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> A violation of this section is punishable by a civil <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> of not more than $250. The attorney for the county, city, or town in which an alleged violation of this section has occurred is authorized to enforce the provisions of this section and may bring an action to recover the civil <span class="dictionary">penalty</span>, which shall be paid into the local treasury. <a id="paragraph-257100" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-287.5/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> No person who, in good faith, reports a lost or stolen firearm shall be held criminally or civilly liable for any <span class="dictionary">damages</span> from acts or omissions resulting from the loss or theft. This subsection shall not apply to any person who makes a report in violation of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Falsely summoning or giving false reports to law-enforcement officials" href="/18.2-461/">18.2-461</a>. <a id="paragraph-257101" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-287.5/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2020, c. 743.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
