                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

CARRYING CONCEALED WEAPONS; EXCEPTIONS; PENALTY (§ 18.2-308)

A. If any person carries about his person, hidden from common observation, (i)
any pistol, revolver, or other weapon designed or intended to propel a missile
of any kind by action of an explosion of any combustible material; (ii) any
dirk, bowie knife, stiletto knife, ballistic knife, machete, razor, sling bow,
spring stick, metal knucks, or blackjack; (iii) any flailing instrument
consisting of two or more rigid parts connected in such a manner as to allow
them to swing freely, which may be known as a nun chahka, nun chuck, nunchaku,
shuriken, or fighting chain; (iv) any disc, of whatever configuration, having at
least two points or pointed blades which is designed to be thrown or propelled
and which may be known as a throwing star or oriental dart; or (v) any weapon of
like kind as those enumerated in this subsection, he is guilty of a Class 1
misdemeanor. A second violation of this section or a conviction under this
section subsequent to any conviction under any substantially similar ordinance
of any county, city, or town shall be punishable as a Class 6 felony, and a
third or subsequent such violation shall be punishable as a Class 5 felony. For
the purpose of this section, a weapon shall be deemed to be hidden from common
observation when it is observable but is of such deceptive appearance as to
disguise the weapon&#8217;s true nature. It shall be an affirmative defense to a
violation of clause (i) regarding a handgun, that a person had been issued, at
the time of the offense, a valid concealed handgun permit.

B. This section shall not apply to any person while in his own place of abode or
the curtilage thereof.

C. Except as provided in subsection A of § 18.2-308.012, this section shall not
apply to:

   1. Any person while in his own place of business;

   2. Any law-enforcement officer, or retired law-enforcement officer pursuant to
   &#xA7; 18.2-308.016, wherever such law-enforcement officer may travel in the
   Commonwealth;

   3. Any person who is at, or going to or from, an established shooting range,
   provided that the weapons are unloaded and securely wrapped while being
   transported;

   4. Any regularly enrolled member of a weapons collecting organization who is
   at, or going to or from, a bona fide weapons exhibition, provided that the
   weapons are unloaded and securely wrapped while being transported;

   5. Any person carrying such weapons between his place of abode and a place of
   purchase or repair, provided the weapons are unloaded and securely wrapped
   while being transported;

   6. Any person actually engaged in lawful hunting, as authorized by the Board
   of Wildlife Resources, under inclement weather conditions necessitating
   temporary protection of his firearm from those conditions, provided that
   possession of a handgun while engaged in lawful hunting shall not be construed
   as hunting with a handgun if the person hunting is carrying a valid concealed
   handgun permit;

   7. Any attorney for the Commonwealth or assistant attorney for the
   Commonwealth, wherever such attorney may travel in the Commonwealth;

   8. Any person who may lawfully possess a firearm and is carrying a handgun
   while in a personal, private motor vehicle or vessel and such handgun is
   secured in a container or compartment in the vehicle or vessel;

   9. Any enrolled participant of a firearms training course who is at, or going
   to or from, a training location, provided that the weapons are unloaded and
   securely wrapped while being transported; and

   10. Any judge or justice of the Commonwealth, wherever such judge or justice
   may travel in the Commonwealth.

D. This section shall also not apply to any of the following individuals while
in the discharge of their official duties, or while in transit to or from such
duties:

   1. Carriers of the United States mail;

   2. Officers or guards of any state correctional institution;

   3. Conservators of the peace, except that a judge or justice of the
   Commonwealth, an attorney for the Commonwealth, or an assistant attorney for
   the Commonwealth may carry a concealed handgun pursuant to subdivisions C 7
   and 10. However, the following conservators of the peace shall not be
   permitted to carry a concealed handgun without obtaining a permit as provided
   in this article: (i) notaries public; (ii) registrars; (iii) drivers,
   operators, or other persons in charge of any motor vehicle carrier of
   passengers for hire; or (iv) commissioners in chancery; and

   4. Noncustodial employees of the Department of Corrections designated to carry
   weapons by the Director of the Department of Corrections pursuant to &#xA7;
   53.1-29.

HISTORY: Code 1950, § 18.1-269; 1960, c. 358; 1964, c. 130; 1975, cc. 14, 15,
594; 1976, c. 302; 1978, c. 715; 1979, c. 642; 1980, c. 238; 1981, c. 376; 1982,
cc. 71, 553; 1983, c. 529; 1984, cc. 360, 720; 1985, c. 427; 1986, cc. 57, 451,
625, 641; 1987, cc. 592, 707; 1988, cc. 359, 793; 1989, cc. 538, 542; 1990, cc.
640, 648, 825; 1991, c. 637; 1992, cc. 510, 705; 1993, cc. 748, 861; 1994, cc.
375, 697; 1995, c. 829; 1997, cc. 916, 921, 922; 1998, cc. 662, 670, 846, 847;
1999, cc. 628, 666, 679; 2001, cc. 25, 384, 657; 2002, cc. 699, 728, 826; 2004,
cc. 355, 423, 462, 876, 885, 900, 901, 903, 905, 926, 995, 1012; 2005, cc. 344,
420, 424, 441, 839; 2006, c. 886; 2007, cc. 87, 272, 408, 455; 2008, cc. 69, 75,
80, 309, 464, 742; 2009, cc. 235, 779, 780; 2010, cc. 387, 433, 576, 586, 602,
677, 700, 709, 740, 741, 754, 841, 863; 2011, cc. 231, 234, 384, 410; 2012, cc.
132, 175, 291, 557, 776; 2013, cc. 559, 746; 2014, cc. 45, 225, 450; 2015, cc.
38, 221, 730; 2016, cc. 257, 589, 672; 2020, cc. 142, 958; 2023, c. 611.