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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>71434</law_id><section_number>19.2-8</section_number><catch_line>Limitation of prosecutions</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>36-106</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="1">General Provisions</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>A <span class="dictionary">prosecution</span> for a <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span>, or any pecuniary fine, forfeiture, <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> or amercement, shall be commenced within one year next after there was cause therefor, except that a <span class="dictionary">prosecution</span> for petit <span class="dictionary">larceny</span> may be commenced within five years, and for an attempt to produce abortion, within two years after commission of the <span class="dictionary">offense</span>.
		A <span class="dictionary">prosecution</span> for any <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span> violation of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Penalty for practicing without authority" href="/54.1-3904/">54.1-3904</a> shall be commenced within two years of the <span class="dictionary">discovery</span> of the <span class="dictionary">offense</span>.
		A <span class="dictionary">prosecution</span> for violation of <span class="dictionary">laws</span> governing the placement of children for adoption without a license pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Licenses required; issuance, expiration, and renewal; maximum number of residents, participants or children; posting of licenses" href="/63.2-1701/">63.2-1701</a> shall be commenced within one year from the date of the filing of the <span class="dictionary">petition</span> for adoption.
		A <span class="dictionary">prosecution</span> for making a false statement or representation of a <span class="dictionary">material</span> <span class="dictionary">fact</span> knowing it to be false or knowingly failing to disclose a <span class="dictionary">material</span> <span class="dictionary">fact</span>, to obtain or increase any benefit or other payment under the Virginia Unemployment Compensation Act (&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Short title" href="/60.2-100/">60.2-100</a> et seq.) shall be commenced within three years next after the commission of the <span class="dictionary">offense</span>.
		A <span class="dictionary">prosecution</span> for any violation of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Penalties; chapter not to affect right to relief or to maintain action" href="/10.1-1320/">10.1-1320</a>, <a class="law" title="Penalties" href="/62.1-44.32/">62.1-44.32</a> (b), <a class="law" title="Obstructing or contaminating state waters" href="/62.1-194.1/">62.1-194.1</a>, or Article 11 (&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/62.1-44.34_14/">62.1-44.34:14</a> et seq.) of Chapter 3.1 of Title 62.1 that involves the discharge, dumping or emission of any toxic substance as defined in &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/32.1-239/">32.1-239</a> shall be commenced within three years next after the commission of the <span class="dictionary">offense</span>.
		<span class="dictionary">Prosecution</span> of Building Code violations under &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Violation a misdemeanor; civil penalty" href="/36-106/">36-106</a> shall commence within one year of <span class="dictionary">discovery</span> of the <span class="dictionary">offense</span> by the building official, provided that such <span class="dictionary">discovery</span> occurs within two years of the date of initial occupancy or use after construction of the building or structure, or the issuance of a certificate of use and occupancy for the building or structure, whichever is later. However, <span class="dictionary">prosecutions</span> under &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Violation a misdemeanor; civil penalty" href="/36-106/">36-106</a> relating to the maintenance of existing buildings or structures as contained in the Uniform Statewide Building Code shall commence within one year of the issuance of a notice of violation for the <span class="dictionary">offense</span> by the building official.
		<span class="dictionary">Prosecution</span> of any <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span> violation of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Unlawful acts; prosecution; proceedings in equity; civil penalty" href="/54.1-111/">54.1-111</a> shall commence within one year of the <span class="dictionary">discovery</span> of the <span class="dictionary">offense</span> by the complainant, but in no case later than five years from occurrence of the <span class="dictionary">offense</span>.
		<span class="dictionary">Prosecution</span> of any <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span> violation of any professional licensure requirement imposed by a locality shall commence within one year of the <span class="dictionary">discovery</span> of the <span class="dictionary">offense</span> by the complainant, but in no case later than five years from occurrence of the <span class="dictionary">offense</span>.
		<span class="dictionary">Prosecution</span> of nonfelonious <span class="dictionary">offenses</span> which constitute malfeasance in office shall commence within two years next after the commission of the <span class="dictionary">offense</span>.
		<span class="dictionary">Prosecution</span> for a violation for which a <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> is provided for by &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Penalties" href="/55.1-1989/">55.1-1989</a> shall commence within three years next after the commission of the <span class="dictionary">offense</span>.
		<span class="dictionary">Prosecution</span> of illegal sales or purchases of wild birds, wild animals and freshwater fish under &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Selling or offering for sale; penalty" href="/29.1-553/">29.1-553</a> shall commence within three years after commission of the <span class="dictionary">offense</span>.
		<span class="dictionary">Prosecution</span> of violations under Title 58.1 for <span class="dictionary">offenses</span> involving false or fraudulent statements, documents or returns, or for the <span class="dictionary">offense</span> of willfully attempting in any manner to evade or defeat any tax or the payment thereof, or for the <span class="dictionary">offense</span> of willfully failing to pay any tax, or willfully failing to make any return at the time or times required by <span class="dictionary">law</span> or regulations shall commence within three years next after the commission of the <span class="dictionary">offense</span>, unless a longer period is otherwise prescribed.
		<span class="dictionary">Prosecution</span> of violations of subsection A or B of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Cruelty to animals; penalty" href="/3.2-6570/">3.2-6570</a> shall commence within five years of the commission of the <span class="dictionary">offense</span>, except violations regarding agricultural animals shall commence within one year of the commission of the <span class="dictionary">offense</span>.
		A <span class="dictionary">prosecution</span> for a <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span> violation of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Unlawful creation of image of another; penalty" href="/18.2-386.1/">18.2-386.1</a> or <a class="law" title="Unlawful dissemination or sale of images of another; penalty" href="/18.2-386.2/">18.2-386.2</a> shall be commenced within five years of the commission of the <span class="dictionary">offense</span> or within one year of the date the victim discovers the <span class="dictionary">offense</span> or, by the exercise of due diligence, reasonably should have discovered the <span class="dictionary">offense</span>, whichever is later.
		A <span class="dictionary">prosecution</span> for any violation of the Campaign Finance Disclosure Act, Chapter 9.3 (&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Elections to which chapter applicable; chapter exclusive" href="/24.2-945/">24.2-945</a> et seq.) of Title 24.2, shall commence within one year of the <span class="dictionary">discovery</span> of the <span class="dictionary">offense</span> but in no case more than three years after the date of the commission of the <span class="dictionary">offense</span>.
		A <span class="dictionary">prosecution</span> of a <span class="dictionary">crime</span> that is punishable as a <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span> pursuant to the Virginia Computer <span class="dictionary">Crimes</span> Act (&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Short title" href="/18.2-152.1/">18.2-152.1</a> et seq.) or pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Identity theft; penalty; restitution; victim assistance" href="/18.2-186.3/">18.2-186.3</a> for identity theft shall be commenced before the earlier of (i) five years after the commission of the last act in the course of conduct constituting a violation of the article or (ii) one year after the existence of the illegal act and the identity of the offender are discovered by the Commonwealth, by the owner, or by anyone else who is damaged by such violation.
		A <span class="dictionary">prosecution</span> of a <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span> under &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Carnal knowledge of a person detained or arrested by a law-enforcement officer or an inmate, parolee, probationer, juvenile detainee, pretrial defendant or posttrial offender, or confidential informant; penalty" href="/18.2-64.2/">18.2-64.2</a>, <a class="law" title="Sexual battery" href="/18.2-67.4/">18.2-67.4</a>, <a class="law" title="Infected sexual battery; penalty" href="/18.2-67.4_1/">18.2-67.4:1</a>, <a class="law" title="Sexual abuse of a child under 15 years of age; penalty" href="/18.2-67.4_2/">18.2-67.4:2</a>, <a class="law" title="Attempted rape, forcible sodomy, object sexual penetration, aggravated sexual battery, and sexual battery" href="/18.2-67.5/">18.2-67.5</a>, or <a class="law" title="Penetration of mouth of child with lascivious intent; penalty" href="/18.2-370.6/">18.2-370.6</a> or clause (ii) of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Causing or encouraging acts rendering children delinquent, abused, etc.; penalty; abandoned infant" href="/18.2-371/">18.2-371</a> where the victim is a <span class="dictionary">minor</span> at the time of the <span class="dictionary">offense</span> shall be commenced no later than one year after the victim reaches majority, unless the alleged offender of such <span class="dictionary">offense</span> was an adult and more than three years older than the victim at the time of the <span class="dictionary">offense</span>, in which instance such <span class="dictionary">prosecution</span> shall be commenced no later than five years after the victim reaches majority.
		A <span class="dictionary">prosecution</span> for a violation of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Falsifying patient records" href="/18.2-260.1/">18.2-260.1</a> shall be commenced within three years of the commission of the <span class="dictionary">offense</span>.
		Nothing in this section shall be construed to apply to any person fleeing from justice or concealing himself within or without the Commonwealth to avoid <span class="dictionary">arrest</span> or be construed to limit the time within which any <span class="dictionary">prosecution</span> may be commenced for desertion of a spouse or child or for neglect or refusal or failure to provide for the support and maintenance of a spouse or child.</p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 19.1-8; 1960, c. 366; 1974, c. 466; 1975, c. 495; 1976, cc. 114, 620; 1977, c. 108; 1978, c. 730; 1979, c. 243; 1980, c. 496; 1981, c. 31; 1984, c. 601; 1987, c. 488; 1990, cc. 575, 976; 1992, cc. 177, 435, 650; 1996, c. 484; 1998, c. 566; 1999, c. 620; 2005, cc. 746, 761, 827; 2006, cc. 193, 787, 892; 2008, c. 769; 2011, cc. 118, 143, 494, 553; 2014, c. 169; 2015, c. 176; 2016, cc. 233, 253; 2017, c. 667; 2018, c. 549; 2020, cc. 277, 1122; 2022, c. 110; 2024, c. 697.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
