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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>81080</law_id><section_number>18.2-391</section_number><catch_line>Unlawful acts; 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="8">Crimes Involving Morals and Decency</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="6">Prohibited Sales and Loans to Juveniles</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> It shall be unlawful for any person to sell, rent or loan to a <span class="dictionary">juvenile</span>, knowing or having reason to know that such person is a <span class="dictionary">juvenile</span>, or to <span class="dictionary">knowingly</span> display for commercial purpose in a manner whereby <span class="dictionary">juveniles</span> may examine and peruse: <a id="paragraph-290578" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-391/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> Any picture, photography, drawing, sculpture, <span class="dictionary">motion</span> picture in any format or medium, <span class="dictionary">video or computer game</span>, electronic file or message containing an image, or similar visual representation or image of a person or portion of the human body which depicts sexually explicit <span class="dictionary">nudity</span>, <span class="dictionary">sexual conduct</span> or <span class="dictionary">sadomasochistic abuse</span> and which is <span class="dictionary">harmful to juveniles</span>, or <a id="paragraph-290579" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-391/#A1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> Any book, pamphlet, magazine, printed matter however reproduced, electronic file or message containing words, or sound recording which contains any matter enumerated in subdivision 1 of this subsection, or explicit and detailed verbal descriptions or narrative accounts of <span class="dictionary">sexual excitement</span>, <span class="dictionary">sexual conduct</span> or <span class="dictionary">sadomasochistic abuse</span> and which, taken as a whole, is <span class="dictionary">harmful to juveniles</span>.
				However, if a person uses services of an Internet service provider or an electronic mail service provider in committing acts prohibited under this subsection, such Internet service provider or electronic mail service provider shall not be held responsible for violating this subsection. <a id="paragraph-290580" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-391/#A2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> It shall be unlawful for any person <span class="dictionary">knowingly</span> to sell to a <span class="dictionary">juvenile</span> an admission ticket or pass, or <span class="dictionary">knowingly</span> to admit a <span class="dictionary">juvenile</span> to premises whereon there is exhibited a <span class="dictionary">motion</span> picture, show or other presentation which, in whole or in part, depicts sexually explicit <span class="dictionary">nudity</span>, <span class="dictionary">sexual conduct</span> or <span class="dictionary">sadomasochistic abuse</span> and which is <span class="dictionary">harmful to juveniles</span> or to exhibit any such <span class="dictionary">motion</span> picture at any such premises which are not designed to prevent viewing from any public way of such <span class="dictionary">motion</span> picture by juveniles not admitted to any such premises. <a id="paragraph-290581" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-391/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> It shall be unlawful for any <span class="dictionary">juvenile</span> falsely to represent to any person mentioned in subsection A or subsection B hereof, or to his agent, that such <span class="dictionary">juvenile</span> is 18 years of age or older, with the <span class="dictionary">intent</span> to procure any <span class="dictionary">material</span> set forth in subsection A, or with the <span class="dictionary">intent</span> to procure such <span class="dictionary">juvenile</span>&#x2019;s admission to any <span class="dictionary">motion</span> picture, show or other presentation, as set forth in subsection B. <a id="paragraph-290582" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-391/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> It shall be unlawful for any person <span class="dictionary">knowingly</span> to make a false representation to any person mentioned in subsection A or subsection B hereof or to his agent, that he is the parent or guardian of any <span class="dictionary">juvenile</span>, or that any <span class="dictionary">juvenile</span> is 18 years of age, with the <span class="dictionary">intent</span> to procure any <span class="dictionary">material</span> set forth in subsection A, or with the <span class="dictionary">intent</span> to procure such <span class="dictionary">juvenile</span>&#x2019;s admission to any <span class="dictionary">motion</span> picture, show or other presentation, as set forth in subsection B. <a id="paragraph-290583" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-391/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E"><p><span class="prefix-number">E.</span> No person shall sell, rent, or loan any item described in subdivision A 1 or A 2 to any individual who does not demonstrate his age in accordance with the provisions of subsection B of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Prohibiting sale or distribution, etc. of retail tobacco products and hemp products intended for smoking by persons under 21 years of age; civil penalties" href="/18.2-371.2/">18.2-371.2</a>. <a id="paragraph-290584" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-391/#E"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="F"><p><span class="prefix-number">F.</span> A violation of subsection A, B, C, or D is a Class 1 <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span>. A person or separate retail establishment who violates subsection E shall be liable for a civil <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> not to exceed $100 for a first violation, a civil <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> not to exceed $200 for a second violation, and a civil <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> not to exceed $500 for a third or subsequent violation. <a id="paragraph-290585" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-391/#F"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 18.1-236.7; 1970, c. 560; 1972, c. 421; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1976, c. 504; 1985, c. 506; 1987, c. 356; 1999, c. 936; 2000, c. 1009; 2001, c. 451; 2006, c. 463.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
