Virginia statute
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-308.2:3 — Criminal background check required for employees of a gun dealer to transfer firearms; exemptions; penalties
Current through 2026 Regular Session
Part of Article 7: Other Illegal Weapons, Code of Virginia.
Criminal charges under this statute
Full text of Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-308.2:3
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.
A. No person, corporation, or proprietorship licensed as a firearms dealer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 921 et seq. shall employ any person to act as a seller, whether full-time or part-time, permanent, temporary, paid or unpaid, for the transfer of firearms under § 18.2-308.2:2 , if such employee would be prohibited from possessing a firearm under § 18.2-308.1:1 , 18.2-308.1:2 , or 18.2-308.1:3 , subsection B of § 18.2-308.1:4 , or § 18.2-308.1:6 , 18.2-308.1:7 , 18.2-308.1:8 , 18.2-308.1:9, 18.2-308.2 , or 18.2-308.2:01 , or is an illegal alien, or is prohibited from purchasing or transporting a firearm pursuant to subsection A of § 18.2-308.1:4 or § 18.2-308.1:5 .
B. Prior to permitting an applicant to begin employment, the dealer shall obtain a written statement or affirmation from the applicant that he is not disqualified from possessing a firearm and shall submit the applicant's fingerprints and personal descriptive information to the Central Criminal Records Exchange to be forwarded to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for the purpose of obtaining national criminal history record information regarding the applicant.
C. Prior to August 1, 2000, the dealer shall obtain written statements or affirmations from persons employed before July 1, 2000, to act as a seller under § 18.2-308.2:2 that they are not disqualified from possessing a firearm. Within five working days of the employee's next birthday, after August 1, 2000, the dealer shall submit the employee's fingerprints and personal descriptive information to the Central Criminal Records Exchange to be forwarded to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for the purpose of obtaining national criminal history record information regarding the request.
C1. In lieu of submitting fingerprints pursuant to this section, any dealer holding a valid federal firearms license (FFL) issued by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) may submit a sworn and notarized affidavit to the Department of State Police on a form provided by the Department, stating that the dealer has been subjected to a record check prior to the issuance and that the FFL was issued by the ATF. The affidavit may also contain the names of any employees that have been subjected to a record check and approved by the ATF. This exemption shall apply regardless of whether the FFL was issued in the name of the dealer or in the name of the business. The affidavit shall contain the valid FFL number, state the name of each person requesting the exemption, together with each person's identifying information, including their social security number and the following statement: "I hereby swear, under the penalty of perjury, that as a condition of obtaining a federal firearms license, each person requesting an exemption in this affidavit has been subjected to a fingerprint identification check by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms subsequently determined that each person satisfied the requirements of 18 U.S.C. § 921 et seq. I understand that any person convicted of making a false statement in this affidavit is guilty of a Class 5 felony and that in addition to any other penalties imposed by law, a conviction under this section shall result in the forfeiture of my federal firearms license."
D. The Department of State Police, upon receipt of an individual's record or notification that no record exists, shall submit an eligibility report to the requesting dealer within 30 days of the applicant beginning his duties for new employees or within 30 days of the applicant's birthday for a person employed prior to July 1, 2000.
E. If any applicant is denied employment because of information appearing on the criminal history record and the applicant disputes the information upon which the denial was based, the Central Criminal Records Exchange shall, upon written request, furnish to the applicant the procedures for obtaining a copy of the criminal history record from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The information provided to the dealer shall not be disseminated except as provided in this section.
F. The applicant shall bear the cost of obtaining the criminal history record unless the dealer, at his option, decides to pay such cost.
G. Upon receipt of the request for a criminal history record information check, the State Police shall establish a unique number for that firearm seller. Beginning September 1, 2001, the firearm seller's signature, firearm seller's number and the dealer's identification number shall be on all firearm transaction forms. The State Police shall void the firearm seller's number when a disqualifying record is discovered. The State Police may suspend a firearm seller's identification number upon the arrest of the firearm seller for a potentially disqualifying crime.
H. This section shall not restrict the transfer of a firearm at any place other than at a dealership or at any event required to be registered as a gun show.
I. Any person who willfully and intentionally requests, obtains, or seeks to obtain criminal history record information under false pretenses, or who willfully and intentionally disseminates or seeks to disseminate criminal history record information except as authorized by this section and § 18.2-308.2:2 , is guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor.
J. Any person willfully and intentionally making a materially false statement on the personal descriptive information required in this section is guilty of a Class 5 felony. Any person who offers for transfer any firearm in violation of this section is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. Any dealer who willfully and knowingly employs or permits a person to act as a firearm seller in violation of this section is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.
K. There is no civil liability for any seller for the actions of any purchaser or subsequent transferee of a firearm lawfully transferred pursuant to this section.
L. The provisions of this section requiring a seller's background check shall not apply to a licensed dealer.
M. Any person who willfully and intentionally makes a false statement in the affidavit as set out in subdivision C 1 is guilty of a Class 5 felony.
N. For purposes of this section:
"Dealer" means any person, corporation or proprietorship licensed as a dealer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 921 et seq.
"Firearm" means any handgun, shotgun, or rifle that will or is designed to or may readily be converted to expel single or multiple projectiles by action of an explosion of a combustible material.
"Place of business" means any place or premises where a dealer may lawfully transfer firearms.
"Seller" means for the purpose of any single sale of a firearm any person who is a dealer or an agent of a dealer, who may lawfully transfer firearms and who actually performs the criminal background check in accordance with the provisions of § 18.2-308.2:2 .
"Transfer" means any act performed with intent to sell, rent, barter, or trade or otherwise transfer ownership or permanent possession of a firearm at the place of business of a dealer.
Official sources
Legal terms used in this section
Questions this section answers
Is criminal background check required for employees of a gun dealer to transfer firearms a felony or a misdemeanor in Virginia?
It depends on the circumstances: criminal background check required for employees of a gun dealer to transfer firearms ranges from a class 2 misdemeanor to a class 5 felony in Virginia under Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-308.2:3.
False statement in FFL affidavit under C1: class 5 felony (Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-308.2:3C) · Wrongful request or dissemination of criminal history record information: class 2 misdemeanor (Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-308.2:3I) · Materially false statement on personal descriptive information: class 5 felony (Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-308.2:3J) · Offering a firearm for transfer in violation of section: class 1 misdemeanor (Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-308.2:3J) · Dealer knowingly employing disqualified seller: class 1 misdemeanor (Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-308.2:3J) · False statement in C1 affidavit: class 5 felony (Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-308.2:3M)
Which Virginia statute covers criminal background check required for employees of a gun dealer to transfer firearms?
Criminal background check required for employees of a gun dealer to transfer firearms is governed by Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-308.2:3 (Criminal background check required for employees of a gun dealer to transfer firearms; exemptions; penalties).
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.