Virginia prohibits any person under age 18 from knowingly and intentionally possessing or transporting a handgun or assault firearm anywhere in Virginia.1
This section does not apply to any person:
- While present in his home or on the property of his parent, grandparent, or legal guardian and possessing the firearm with the consent of his parent, grandparent, or legal guardian who owns such firearm;
- Who, while accompanied by an adult, is present at a lawful shooting range or firearms educational class; or
- Who, while accompanied by an adult, is actually engaged in lawful hunting.
Virginia law also prohibits anyone from furnishing a handgun to a person under age 18, having good cause to believe that he or she is a minor. This rule does not apply to a transfer made between family members or for the purpose of engaging in a sporting event or activity.2
In 2026, Virginia passed legislation raising the minimum age to purchase a handgun or assault firearm to 21 years old.3 For the definition of “assault firearm” see Assault Weapons in Virginia. There is no minimum age to purchase or possess rifles that are not considered “assault firearms.”
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- Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-308.7. In addition to other criminal penalties, a court that has found a child at least 13 years of age guilty of the unlawful use or possession of a handgun or a “Striker 12, commonly called a ‘streetsweeper'” must order that the child be denied a driver’s license. Va. Code Ann. § 16.1-278.9. The denial of driving privileges shall be for at least 30 days, except when the offense involves possession of a concealed handgun or a striker 12 or any semi-automatic folding stock shotgun with a spring tension drum magazine capable of holding 12 shotgun shells, in which case the denial of driving privileges shall be for two years unless the offense is committed by a child under the age of 16 years and three months, in which event the child’s ability to apply for a driver’s license shall be delayed for a period of two years following the date he reaches the age of 16 and three months. Id.[↩]
- Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-309. See also Va. Code Ann. § 1-207 (defining “minor”).[↩]
- Va. Code Ann. § 308.7(C).[↩]