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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>77553</law_id><section_number>18.2-429</section_number><catch_line>Causing a telephone, digital pager, or other device to ring or signal with intent to annoy; emergency communications; 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="9">Crimes Against Peace and Order</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="6">Unlawful Use of Telephones</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Any person who, with or without <span class="dictionary">intent</span> to communicate but with <span class="dictionary">intent</span> to annoy any other person, causes any telephone or digital pager, not his own, to ring or to otherwise signal, and any person who permits or condones the use of any telephone under his control for such purpose, is guilty of a Class 3 <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span>. A second or subsequent <span class="dictionary">conviction</span> under this subsection is punishable as a Class 2 <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span> if such prior <span class="dictionary">conviction</span> occurred before the date of the <span class="dictionary">offense</span> charged. <a id="paragraph-278211" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-429/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Any person who, with or without <span class="dictionary">intent</span> to communicate but with <span class="dictionary">intent</span> to annoy, harass, hinder, or delay <span class="dictionary">emergency personnel</span> in the performance of their duties as such, causes a telephone to ring or other device to signal, which is owned or leased for the purpose of receiving communications by a public or private entity providing fire, police, or emergency medical services, and any person who knowingly permits the use of a telephone or other device under his control for such purpose, is guilty of a Class 1 <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span>. <a id="paragraph-278212" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-429/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 18.1-238.2; 1962, c. 495; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1989, c. 59; 1995, cc. 410, 478, 791; 2012, c. 133; 2015, cc. 502, 503; 2023, cc. 201, 202.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
