Virginia statute

Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-283.3 — Possession of a weapon in a hospital that provides mental health services or developmental services prohibited; penalty

Current through 2026 Regular Session

Part of Article 4: Dangerous Use of Firearms or Other Weapons, Code of Virginia.

Criminal charges under this statute

Possession of a weapon in a hospital that provides mental health services or developmental services prohibited

Full text of Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-283.3

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. § 18.2-283.3Primary source, current through the 2026 Regular Session

A. As used in this section: "Developmental services" means the same as that term is defined in § 37.2-100 . "Hospital" means a public or private institution licensed pursuant to Chapter 5 (§ 32.1-123 et seq.) of Title 32.1 or Article 2 (§ 37.2-403 et seq.) of Chapter 4 of Title 37.2. "Location-restricted knife" means a knife with a blade over three and one-half inches. "Mental health services" means the same as that term is defined in § 37.2-100 . B. It is unlawful for any person to knowingly and intentionally possess a (i) firearm, (ii) location-restricted knife, or (iii) other dangerous weapon, including explosives and stun weapons as defined in § 18.2-308.1 , in the building of any hospital that provides mental health services or developmental services in the Commonwealth, including an emergency department or other facility rendering emergency medical care. Any such firearm, knife, explosive, or weapon shall be subject to seizure by a law-enforcement officer and forfeited to the Commonwealth and disposed of as provided in § 19.2-386.28 . A violation of this subsection is punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanor. C. The provisions of subsection B shall not apply to (i) a person while in the actual discharge of his official duties as a police officer, sheriff, law-enforcement agent or official, officer or guard of any state correctional institution, or armed security officer; (ii) any person who has written authorization from the hospital, including authorization related to an employee's scope of employment; or (iii) any person brought into a hospital pursuant to the issuance of an emergency custody order or involuntary detention order under the provisions of Article 4 (§ 37.2-808 et seq.) of Chapter 8 of Title 37.2. D. Notice of the provisions of this section shall be posted conspicuously at each public entrance of any hospital and no person shall be convicted of an offense under this section if such notice is not posted at each such public entrance, unless such person had actual notice of the prohibitions of this section.

Official sources

Official section text (law.lis.virginia.gov)

Legal terms used in this section

Questions this section answers

Is possession of a weapon in a hospital that provides mental health services or developmental services prohibited a felony or a misdemeanor in Virginia?

Possession of a weapon in a hospital that provides mental health services or developmental services prohibited is a class 1 misdemeanor in Virginia under Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-283.3.

Which Virginia statute covers possession of a weapon in a hospital that provides mental health services or developmental services prohibited?

Possession of a weapon in a hospital that provides mental health services or developmental services prohibited is governed by Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-283.3 (Possession of a weapon in a hospital that provides mental health services or developmental services prohibited; penalty).

This reference is informational and is not legal advice.