Are firearms legal in Virginia?

Q: Are firearms legal in Virginia?

Firearms in Virginia are legal only under specific conditions. A permit is required to carry a concealed handgun on your person, and you must be 21 or older. Virginia residents get a Concealed Handgun Permit from the circuit court, which must issue it within 45 days unless the applicant is disqualified. Applicants must show handgun competence in person, by a course or other listed proof. Out-of-state permits are honored for visitors for now; that is under review.

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VIRGINIA · FIREARMS

Firearms

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Conditional: A permit is required to carry a concealed handgun on your person, and you must be 21 or older.

Conditional

Summary

A permit is required to carry a concealed handgun on your person, and you must be 21 or older. Virginia residents get a Concealed Handgun Permit from the circuit court, which must issue it within 45 days unless the applicant is disqualified. Applicants must show handgun competence in person, by a course or other listed proof. Out-of-state permits are honored for visitors for now; that is under review.

Source: vsp.virginia.gov → · Updated October 12, 2026

Virginia Firearms topics

Concealed Carry in Virginia →Conditional
A permit is required to carry a concealed handgun on your person, and you must be 21 or older.
Open Carry in Virginia →Permitted
Open carry of a handgun is legal without a permit unless a law bars it.
Magazine Capacity in Virginia →Conditional
Virginia bans importing, selling, bartering, transferring or buying a magazine holding more than 15 rounds (Class 1 misdemeanor, effective July 1, 2026).
Gun Possession in Virginia →Conditional
Virginia has a red-flag law (Extreme Risk Protection Order, or ERPO) in effect, and SB 749 (2026) — the ban on selling, transferring or importing "assault firearms" — took effect on July 1, 2026 but is blocked by preliminary injunctions.
Transporting Firearms in Virginia →Conditional
Without a permit, you may carry a handgun in a private vehicle if it is secured in a container or compartment; it does not have to be locked.
Duty to Inform Police in Virginia →Conditional
You do not have to tell an officer you are armed or have a permit.
Suppressors & Silencers in Virginia →Conditional
Suppressors are legal in Virginia, which has no ban on possessing a lawfully-registered suppressor, as long as you comply with the federal National Firearms Act (NFA).
Reciprocity — where is my Virginia permit honored? →
State-by-state map of which states honor a Virginia concealed-carry permit.

Other Virginia laws

Firearms in nearby states

Browse all state laws →

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