                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

CERTIFICATION OF COMPETENCE IN HUNTER EDUCATION; INCENTIVES (§ 29.1-300.1)

A. Except as provided in subsection B and &#xA7;&#xA7; 29.1-300.4 and
29.1-305.2, no hunting license shall be issued to (i) a person who has never
obtained a license to hunt in any state or country, or (ii) a person who is
under the age of 16, unless such a person presents to the Board or one of its
authorized license vendors, a certificate of completion in hunter education
issued or authorized by the Board under the hunter education program, or proof
that he holds the equivalent certificate obtained from an authorized agency or
association of another state or country.

B. Although a resident under the age of 12 is not required to obtain a license
to hunt, any person under the age of 12, or an individual on his behalf, may
purchase a Virginia hunting license or a junior lifetime hunting license
pursuant to &#xA7; 29.1-302.1, without completing a hunter education program as
required in subsection A, provided that no person under the age of 12 shall hunt
unless accompanied and directly supervised by an adult who has, on his person, a
valid Virginia hunting license. The junior lifetime hunting license issued to an
individual under the age of 12 shall become invalid on the individual&#8217;s
twelfth birthday and remain invalid until certification of competence in hunter
education is shown as provided in this section. A lifetime license, indicating
the completion of hunter education or an equivalent certificate, shall be
reissued at no cost when such proof is provided.
			The adult shall be responsible for such supervision. For the purposes of this
section, &#8220;adult&#8221; means the parent or legal guardian of the person
under age 12, or such person over the age of 18 designated by the parent or
legal guardian.
			&#8220;Accompanied and directly supervised&#8221; means that the adult is
within sight of the person under the age of 12.

C. This section shall not apply to persons while on horseback hunting foxes with
hounds but without firearms.

D. The Board may adopt regulations that provide incentives for successful
completion of a hunter education course to hunters who are not required by law
to complete such a course. The regulations may include such incentives as the
Board deems appropriate.

HISTORY: 1987, c. 83, § 29-51.1; 1988, cc. 179, 384, 474; 1989, c. 204; 1996,
cc. 118, 151; 1997, c. 247; 2008, cc. 18, 416; 2014, c. 798; 2016, c. 123; 2020,
c. 958.