VA state gun laws

Based on 2021 changes to the law regarding who can get a concealed handgun permit, we updated the following questions in our Virginia State Gun Laws pages in English and Spanish:

• I am a victim of domestic violence and the abuser has a gun. Is that legal?
• If the abuser has been convicted of a crime, can s/he keep or buy a gun?
• I do not have a protective order against the abuser and s/he has not been convicted of a crime. Can s/he own a gun?

The changes to the law said: 1) a person cannot get a concealed handgun permit for three years following a conviction for assault and battery of a family or household member for an offense that occurred on or after July 1, 2021 and 2) a person who is enrolled into the Voluntary Do Not Sell Firearms List cannot get such a permit.

We also added information to I am the child’s grandparent. Can I get visitation? in our Virginia Custody section about the fact that a grandparent who wants visitation can show the judge proof of the parent’s consent to the grandchild having visitation with the grandparent if the parent is deceased or incapacitated.