Virginia statute
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-77 — Burning or destroying dwelling house, etc
Current through 2026 Regular Session
Part of Article 1: Arson and Related Crimes, Code of Virginia.
Criminal charges under this statute
Full text of Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-77
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. If any person maliciously (i) burns, or by use of any explosive device or substance destroys, in whole or in part, or causes to be burned or destroyed, or (ii) aids, counsels or procures the burning or destruction of any dwelling house or manufactured home whether belonging to himself or another, or any occupied hotel, hospital, mental health facility, or other house in which persons usually dwell or lodge, any occupied railroad car, boat, vessel, or river craft in which persons usually dwell or lodge, or any occupied jail or prison, or any occupied church or occupied building owned or leased by a church that is immediately adjacent to a church, he shall be guilty of a felony, punishable by imprisonment for life or for any period not less than five years and, subject to subdivision g of § 18.2-10 , a fine of not more than $100,000. Any person who maliciously sets fire to anything, or aids, counsels or procures the setting fire to anything, by the burning whereof such occupied dwelling house, manufactured home, hotel, hospital, mental health facility or other house, or railroad car, boat, vessel, or river craft, jail or prison, church or building owned or leased by a church that is immediately adjacent to a church, is burned shall be guilty of a violation of this subsection.
B. Any such burning or destruction when the building or other place mentioned in subsection A is unoccupied, shall be punishable as a Class 4 felony.
C. For purposes of this section, "church" shall be defined as in § 18.2-127 .
Official sources
Legal terms used in this section
Questions this section answers
Is burning or destroying dwelling house, etc a felony or a misdemeanor in Virginia?
Burning or destroying dwelling house, etc is a class 4 felony in Virginia under Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-77.
Which Virginia statute covers burning or destroying dwelling house, etc?
Burning or destroying dwelling house, etc is governed by Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-77 (Burning or destroying dwelling house, etc).
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.