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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>63623</law_id><section_number>19.2-63</section_number><catch_line>Manufacture, possession, sale or advertising of certain devices unlawful; penalties; exceptions</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>19.2-63.1</reference><reference>19.2-64</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="19.2">Criminal Procedure</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="6">Interception of Wire, Electronic or Oral Communications</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Except as otherwise specifically provided in this chapter, any <span class="dictionary">person</span> who intentionally: <a id="paragraph-231786" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/19.2-63/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> Manufactures, assembles, possesses, or sells any electronic, mechanical, or other device, knowing or having reason to know that the design of such device renders it primarily useful for the purpose of the surreptitious interception of wire, electronic or <span class="dictionary">oral communications</span>; or <a id="paragraph-231787" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/19.2-63/#A1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> Places in any newspaper, magazine, handbill, or other publication any advertisement of: <a id="paragraph-231788" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/19.2-63/#A2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A2a" class="indent-2"><p><span class="prefix-number">a.</span> Any electronic, mechanical, or other device knowing or having reason to know that the design of such device renders it primarily useful for the purpose of the surreptitious interception of wire, electronic or <span class="dictionary">oral communications</span>, or <a id="paragraph-231789" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/19.2-63/#A2a"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A2b" class="indent-2"><p><span class="prefix-number">b.</span> Any other electronic, mechanical, or other device where such advertisement promotes the use of such device for the purpose of the surreptitious interception of wire, electronic or <span class="dictionary">oral communications</span>; shall be guilty of a Class 6 <span class="dictionary">felony</span>. <a id="paragraph-231790" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/19.2-63/#A2b"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> It shall not be unlawful under this section for: <a id="paragraph-231791" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/19.2-63/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> A provider of wire or <span class="dictionary">electronic communication service</span> or an officer, agent, or employee of, or a <span class="dictionary">person</span> under <span class="dictionary">contract</span> with, such provider in the normal course of the provider&#x2019;s business, or <a id="paragraph-231792" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/19.2-63/#B1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> An officer, agent, or employee of, or a <span class="dictionary">person</span> under <span class="dictionary">contract</span> with the United States, the Commonwealth or a political subdivision thereof, in the normal course of the activities of the United States, the Commonwealth, or a political subdivision thereof, to manufacture, assemble, possess, or sell any electronic, mechanical, or other device knowing or having reason to know that the design of such device renders it primarily useful for the purpose of the surreptitious interception of wire, electronic or <span class="dictionary">oral communications</span>. <a id="paragraph-231793" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/19.2-63/#B2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 19.1-89.3; 1973, c. 442; 1975, c. 495; 1988, c. 889.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
