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Virginia statute

Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-102 — Unauthorized use of animal, aircraft, vehicle or boat; consent; accessories or accomplices

Current through 2026 Regular Session

Part of Article 3: Larceny and Receiving Stolen Goods, Code of Virginia.

Criminal charges under this statute

Full text of Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-102

Statutory text current through the 2026 Regular Session. This publication reproduces the text of the Code of Virginia from the official Virginia Law Portal API published by the Virginia General Assembly's Division of Legislative Automated Systems; it is not the official Code of Virginia.

Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-102Primary source, current through the 2026 Regular Session
Any person who shall take, drive or use any animal, aircraft, vehicle, boat or vessel, not his own, without the consent of the owner thereof and in the absence of the owner, and with intent temporarily to deprive the owner thereof of his possession thereof, without intent to steal the same, shall be guilty of a Class 6 felony, provided, however, that if the value of such animal, aircraft, vehicle, boat or vessel shall be less than $1,000, such person shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. The consent of the owner of an animal, aircraft, vehicle, boat or vessel to its taking, driving or using shall not in any case be presumed or implied because of such owner's consent on a previous occasion to the taking, driving or using of such animal, aircraft, vehicle, boat or vessel by the same or a different person. Any person who assists in, or is a party or accessory to, or an accomplice in, any such unauthorized taking, driving or using shall be subject to the same punishment as if he were the principal offender.

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Legal terms used in this section

Questions this section answers

Is unauthorized use of animal, aircraft, vehicle or boat a felony or a misdemeanor in Virginia?

It depends on the circumstances: unauthorized use of animal, aircraft, vehicle or boat ranges from a class 1 misdemeanor to a class 6 felony in Virginia under Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-102.

Unauthorized use — value $1,000 or more: class 6 felony (Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-102) · Unauthorized use — value less than $1,000: class 1 misdemeanor (Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-102)

Which Virginia statute covers unauthorized use of animal, aircraft, vehicle or boat?

Unauthorized use of animal, aircraft, vehicle or boat is governed by Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-102 (Unauthorized use of animal, aircraft, vehicle or boat; consent; accessories or accomplices).

This reference is informational and is not legal advice.