Virginia’s New Gun Laws: What Gun Owners Need to Know in 2026

Virginia is once again at the center of the gun-control debate.

With a new governor and full Democratic control of state government, lawmakers have pushed through one of the most sweeping packages of gun laws the Commonwealth has seen in years. Roughly two dozen bills are now headed to the governor’s desk, and most are expected to take effect July 1, 2026.

If you’re a gun owner in Virginia — or travel there — these changes matter. Some affect what you can buy. Others affect how and where you carry. And a few could impact how you store firearms at home or in your vehicle.

Virginia Gun Bills 2026

Bill	Topic	Status	What It Does
HB217/SB749	Assault weapons/magazines	Signed	Bans future sale, transfer, manufacture, and importation of covered semi-automatic firearms and certain large-capacity feeding devices. Existing lawful owners are generally not the direct target
HB21/SB27	Firearm industry liability	Signed	Creates “standards of responsible conduct” for firearm industry members and opens a path for civil suits and enforcement
HB1525	Minimum age	Signed	Raises the age to purchase handguns and covered “assault firearms” from 18 to 21
HB40/SB323	“Ghost guns”/unserialized firearms	Signed	Prohibits transfer, possession, manufacture or sale of certain unserialized or undetectable firearms and components
HB871/SB348	Secure storage at home	Signed	Requires secure storage in residences where minors or prohibited persons are present
HB110/SB496	Gun left in vehicle	Signed	Makes it a Class 4 misdemeanor to leave a handgun unattended in a vehicle unless it is out of plain view and in a locked container
HB626/SB272	College-campus carry	Signed	Expands firearm restrictions at public institutions of higher education
HB229/SB173	Hospital restrictions	Signed	Prohibits firearms in hospitals that provide mental-health or developmental services, subject to exceptions
HB1524/SB727	Public carry expansion	Signed	Expands Virginia’s existing prohibition on carrying certain loaded semi-automatic firearms in public areas statewide
HB19/SB160	“Intimate partner loophole”	Signed	Expands firearm disability rules after certain assault-and-battery convictions involving intimate partners
HB93/SB38	Protective-order gun transfers	Signed	Creates a clearer process for transferring or relinquishing firearms when a person is subject to a protective order
HB1015	Hate-crime firearm prohibition	Signed	Bars firearm possession and concealed carry after certain misdemeanor hate-crime assault convictions
HB909	Polling-place firearm restrictions	Signed	Prohibits most people from knowingly carrying a firearm within 100 feet of a polling place entrance and extends restrictions to in-person absentee voting locations
HB969/SB364	Gun Violence Prevention Center	Signed	Starts the process for creating a Virginia Gun Violence Prevention Center through a work group and recommendations

“Assault Weapons” Ban

One of the headline measures is a ban on the future sale of so-called “assault weapons” and standard-capacity magazines.

However, current owners are grandfathered in. If you already own these firearms or magazines, you can keep them. The law targets future sales, transfers and manufacturing.

If you’ve been considering purchasing a modern sporting rifle or standard-capacity magazines, the timeline matters. Once the law takes effect, your ability to legally acquire them in Virginia could disappear.

Magazine Capacity Limits

Lawmakers are also targeting magazine capacity, with proposals limiting magazines to around 10 rounds.

Even if enforcement details vary, this type of law typically affects future purchases of standard magazines as well as potential transport or carry restrictions in certain locations.

Expect confusion and legal challenges early on.

More Carry Restrictions

The new laws expand sensitive places and where firearms are prohibited, including:

• Hospitals
• College campuses
• Additional public spaces

There are also new restrictions tied to how firearms are carried in vehicles, including penalties for having a gun visible in your car.

Even if you have a valid concealed carry permit, the list of off-limits locations is growing.

You’ll need to be more aware than ever of where you’re carrying, how your firearm is stored in your vehicle and whether a location has been newly designated as restricted.

‘Ghost Gun’ Crackdown

Virginia lawmakers are also moving to ban certain unserialized or undetectable firearms, often referred to as “ghost guns.”

If you build firearms or purchase parts kits, expect tighter regulations on kits and components and increased scrutiny on serialization requirements. There could be criminal penalties for non-compliance.

Safe Storage Requirements

Several bills tighten expectations for firearms storage, especially in homes with children or prohibited persons.

Failure to properly secure a firearm could now carry more serious legal consequences. This is a shift from “best practice” to potential criminal liability, depending on circumstances.

Expanded Firearms Prohibitions

Lawmakers also moved to close what they call the “intimate partner loophole,” expanding firearm prohibitions to include more individuals convicted of domestic-violence offenses.

This expands the categories of people who are legally barred from possessing firearms. This has the potential to affect the background check system and private transfers, as well as household firearm access mentioned above.

Increased Legal Pressure on the Firearms Industry

Another bill aims to expand civil liability for gun manufacturers and dealers, which could reduce product availability, increase costs and impact where and how firearms are sold.

What Is Next for This Legislation?

Procedurally, Virginia is now in the stage where the governor decides what to do with each bill. Gov. Spanberger may sign, recommend amendments, veto or take no action, in which case the bill becomes law without the governor’s signature. The current deadline is April 13, 2026.

Signs point toward approval of most or all of the major gun bills. Gov. Spanberger previously said she would sign legislation to “make progress” on these issues, and her campaign site highlighted support for cracking down on ghost guns, safe-storage standards and raising the age for certain rifle purchases. 

Though the bills were developed in consultation with her office, Gov. Spanberger’s office was still publicly saying she was carefully reviewing the legislation. She is expected to approve the package or most of it, but amendments remain possible and final action has not yet occurred.

What Gun Owners Should Do Right Now

If you live in or travel to Virginia, now is the time to stay ahead of the curve.

1. Review your current firearms and magazines
   Make sure you understand what may be affected under new definitions.
2. Watch the effective dates
   Most of these laws are expected to take effect July 1, 2026.
3. Reevaluate your carry habits
   New “gun-free zones” and vehicle rules mean old habits could now be violations.
4. Upgrade your storage practices
   Secure storage is smart, but it may soon be legally required as well.
5. Stay informed on legal challenges
   Court rulings could change how (or whether) some of these laws are enforced.

Virginia’s latest gun laws represent a significant shift to a layered approach that touches nearly every aspect of gun ownership: what you can buy, where you can carry and how you store your firearms.

Supporters call these bills “commonsense” reforms. Gun owners should understand them as another major expansion of state power over lawful ownership and carry. Some bills may survive court review. Others may not. Either way, these reforms mark one of the most aggressive pushes for tighter gun laws Virginia has seen in years.