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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>83171</law_id><section_number>18.2-311.1</section_number><catch_line>Removing, altering, etc., serial number or other identification on firearm; selling, giving, etc., or possessing firearm without serial number; penalties</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="7">Other Illegal Weapons</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> It is unlawful for any person, firm, association, or corporation to intentionally remove, alter, change, destroy, or obliterate in any manner or way or cause to be removed, altered, changed, destroyed, or obliterated in any manner or way the name of the maker, model, manufacturer&#x2019;s or serial number, or any other identification required by federal <span class="dictionary">law</span> on any pistol, shotgun, rifle, machine gun, or any other firearm. A violation of this subsection is a Class 1 <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span>. <a id="paragraph-298024" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-311.1/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> It is unlawful for any person, firm, association, or corporation to knowingly possess any pistol, shotgun, rifle, machine gun, or any other firearm that has a serial number that has been removed, altered, changed, destroyed, or obliterated in any manner. A violation of this subsection is a Class 1 <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span>. <a id="paragraph-298025" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-311.1/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> It is unlawful for any person, firm, association, or corporation to knowingly sell, give, or distribute any pistol, shotgun, rifle, machine gun, or any other firearm that has a serial number that has been removed, altered, changed, destroyed, or obliterated in any manner. A violation of this subsection is a Class 6 <span class="dictionary">felony</span>. <a id="paragraph-298026" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-311.1/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> The provisions of this section shall not apply to antique firearms 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-298027" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-311.1/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1975, c. 590; 2024, c. 786.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
