Virginia statute
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-370.2 — Sex offenses prohibiting proximity to children; penalty
Current through 2026 Regular Session
Part of Article 4: Family Offenses; Crimes Against Children, Etc, Code of Virginia.
Criminal charges under this statute
Full text of Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-370.2
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. "Offense prohibiting proximity to children" means a violation or an attempt to commit a violation of (i) subsection A of § 18.2-47 , clause (ii) or (iii) of § 18.2-48 , subsection B of § 18.2-361 , or subsection B of § 18.2-366 , where the victim of one of the foregoing offenses was a minor, or (ii) clause (iii) of subsection A of § 18.2-61 , § 18.2-63 or 18.2-64.1 , subdivision A 1 of § 18.2-67.1 , subdivision A 1 of § 18.2-67.2 , subdivision A 1 or A 4 (a) of § 18.2-67.3 , § 18.2-370 or 18.2-370.1 , clause (ii) of § 18.2-371 , or § 18.2-374.1 , 18.2-374.1:1 or 18.2-379 . As of July 1, 2006, "offense prohibiting proximity to children" includes a violation of § 18.2-472.1 when the offense requiring registration was one of the foregoing offenses.
B. Every adult who is convicted of an offense prohibiting proximity to children when the offense occurred on or after July 1, 2000, shall as part of his sentence be forever prohibited from loitering within 100 feet of the premises of any place he knows or has reason to know is a primary, secondary or high school. In addition, every adult who is convicted of an offense prohibiting proximity to children when the offense occurred on or after July 1, 2006, shall as part of his sentence be forever prohibited from loitering within 100 feet of the premises of any place he knows or has reason to know is a child day program as defined in § 22.1-289.02 .
C. Every adult who is convicted of an offense prohibiting proximity to children, when the offense occurred on or after July 1, 2008, shall as part of his sentence be forever prohibited from going, for the purpose of having any contact whatsoever with children who are not in his custody, within 100 feet of the premises of any place owned or operated by a locality or, for any offense that occurred on or after July 1, 2026, a state park that he knows or should know is a playground, athletic field or facility, or gymnasium.
D. Every adult who is convicted of an offense prohibiting proximity to children, when the offense occurred on or after July 1, 2026, shall as part of his sentence be forever prohibited from going, for the purpose of having any contact whatsoever with children who are not in his custody, within 100 feet of the premises of any place owned or operated by an authority created pursuant to the Park Authorities Act (§ 15.2-5700 et seq.) that he knows or should know is a playground, athletic field or facility, or gymnasium.
E. Any person convicted of an offense under the laws of any foreign country or any political subdivision thereof, or the United States or any political subdivision thereof, similar to any offense set forth in subsection A shall be forever prohibited from loitering within 100 feet of the premises of any place he knows or has reason to know is a primary, secondary, or high school or any place he knows or has reason to know is a child day program as defined in § 22.1-289.02 . In addition, he shall be forever prohibited from going, for the purpose of having any contact whatsoever with children who are not in his custody, within 100 feet of the premises of any place owned or operated by either (i) a locality or (ii) an authority created pursuant to the Park Authorities Act (§ 15.2-5700 et seq.), that he knows or has reason to know is a playground, athletic field or facility, or gymnasium. He shall also be forever prohibited from going, for the purpose of having any contact whatsoever with children who are not in his custody, within 100 feet of a playground, athletic field or facility, or gymnasium he knows or has reason to know is located on the premises of a state park.
F. A violation of this section is punishable as a Class 6 felony.
Official sources
Legal terms used in this section
Questions this section answers
Is sex offenses prohibiting proximity to children a felony or a misdemeanor in Virginia?
Sex offenses prohibiting proximity to children is a class 6 felony in Virginia under Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-370.2.
Which Virginia statute covers sex offenses prohibiting proximity to children?
Sex offenses prohibiting proximity to children is governed by Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-370.2 (Sex offenses prohibiting proximity to children; penalty).
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.