In 2009, Virginia enacted a law that prohibits the knowing and intentional possession or transportation of ammunition by any person: 1) convicted of a felony; 2) adjudicated delinquent as a juvenile 14 years of age or older at the time of the offense of murder, kidnapping, robbery by the threat or presentation of firearms, or rape; or 3) who is under the age of 29 and was found guilty as a juvenile (14 years of age or older) of a delinquent act which would be a felony if committed by an adult.¹

Virginia law does not:

• Prohibit other individuals ineligible to possess firearms under state law from possessing ammunition;

• Prohibit the sale or possession of unreasonably dangerous ammunition;²;

• Impose a minimum age for the purchase or possession of ammunition (although federal law applies);

• Require a license for the purchase or possession of ammunition; or

• Require a license to sell ammunition.

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1. Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-308.2(A).[↩]
2. Pursuant to Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-308.3, it is a separate and distinct felony to knowingly use or attempt to use “restricted firearm ammunition” while committing or attempting to commit a crime. Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-308.3 provides that: “Restricted firearm ammunition” applies to bullets, projectiles or other types of ammunition that are: (i) coated with or contain, in whole or in part, polytetrafluorethylene or a similar product, (ii) commonly known as “KTW” bullets or “French Arcanes;” or (iii) any cartridges containing bullets coated with a plastic substance with other than lead or lead alloy cores, jacketed bullets with other than lead or lead alloy cores, or cartridges of which the bullet itself is wholly comprised of a metal or metal alloy other than lead. This definition shall not be construed to include shotgun shells or solid plastic bullets.[↩]