                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

ENFORCEMENT OF CHAPTER; VESSELS DISPLAYING COAST GUARD INSPECTION DECAL (§
29.1-745)

A. Every conservation police officer, officer of the Virginia Marine Police, and
other law-enforcement officer of the Commonwealth and its subdivisions shall
have the authority to enforce the provisions of this chapter and shall have
authority to stop, board, and inspect any vessel subject to this chapter after
having identified himself in his official capacity. Except for enforcement of
&#xA7; 29.1-738 and the requirement of having the registration certificate on
board, the provisions of this subsection shall not apply to any vessel of 26
feet or more in length on which is displayed a current valid United States Coast
Guard or United States Coast Guard Auxiliary inspection decal.

B. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection A, no conservation police
officer, officer of the Virginia Marine Police, or other law-enforcement officer
shall, without the consent of the owner, stop, board, or inspect any
noncommercial vessel subject to this chapter unless such officer has reasonable
suspicion that a violation of law or regulation exists, except that conservation
police officers and officers of the Virginia Marine Police may conduct lawful
stops or boardings to inspect hunting, fishing, and trapping licenses pursuant
to &#xA7;&#xA7; 28.2-231 and 29.1-337 or to inspect creel and bag limits
pursuant to &#xA7; 29.1-209 and may conduct lawful boating safety checkpoints in
accordance with established agency policy.

HISTORY: 1960, c. 500, § 62-174.17; 1964, c. 654; 1968, c. 659, § 62.1-184;
1980, c. 567; 1987, c. 488; 2007, c. 87; 2015, c. 484.