← Virginia drone laws›Drone Privacy & Surveillance

Virginia Drone Privacy & Surveillance (2026)

Conditional: Virginia (Va. Code 18.2-121.3): flying a drone within 50 ft of a dwelling to coerce/intimidate/harass, or imaging an inmate, is a Class 1 misdemeanor.

ConditionalVerified Jul 7, 2026

Drone rules change at the state line — and in your state.Track them in the free LawLert iPhone app: it alerts you when you cross into a state where they differ, and when they change in your state. No account.Get the app

Official source: law.lis.virginia.gov →

General legal information, not legal advice — verify important decisions with a licensed attorney.

Drone Privacy & Surveillance in states bordering Virginia

The same rule in each neighboring state LawLert has verified, from that state’s own official source.

District of ColumbiaInfo
DC has no drone-specific privacy statute; its general voyeurism law (22-3531) criminalizes surreptitiously capturing images of a person's private areas by any electronic device.
Verified Jul 7, 2026 · Source: code.dccouncil.gov · Full District of Columbia rule →
KentuckyRestricted
Kentucky (HB 19, 2025) bars using a drone to record images of private property or its occupants to conduct surveillance without consent (KRS 500.130).
Verified Jul 7, 2026 · Source: apps.legislature.ky.gov · Full Kentucky rule →
MarylandInfo
Maryland has no drone-specific privacy crime; Econ. Dev. 14-301 reserves all UAS regulation to the State and preempts local drone rules.
Verified Jul 7, 2026 · Source: mgaleg.maryland.gov · Full Maryland rule →
North CarolinaRestricted
North Carolina (G.S. 15A-300.1) bars using a drone to surveil a person, dwelling or private property without consent, or to photograph someone without consent for publication; civil action.
Verified Jul 7, 2026 · Source: ncleg.gov · Full North Carolina rule →
TennesseeRestricted
Tennessee (TCA 39-13-903) makes it a Class C misdemeanor to use a drone to capture an image of a person or private property with intent to conduct surveillance.
Verified Jul 7, 2026 · Source: publications.tnsosfiles.com · Full Tennessee rule →
West VirginiaRestricted
West Virginia (61-16-2(a)) makes it a misdemeanor to operate a drone to capture images/audio of another person or private property, without permission, invading a reasonable expectation of privacy.
Verified Jul 7, 2026 · Source: code.wvlegislature.gov · Full West Virginia rule →

Don't get caught off guardCross into a state where this law is different and the free iPhone app tells you what changed, even with the app closed. It also alerts you when a law you track changes where you live. No account.Get the free app

Track this law — get alerted when it changes

We watch the official sources behind Virginia drones rules. If a tracked rule changes, you get one short email — never more than one a week. Free, unsubscribe anytime.