⚖️ A note on the law: Virginia’s assault firearm and magazine ban is currently blocked by a statewide court injunction, expected to stay in place until the U.S. Supreme Court rules on similar bans (the Court hears arguments December 2, 2026, and a decision is expected by June 2027). In the meantime, we accept and transfer these items normally. One uncertainty: the grandfather date (July 1, 2026) hasn’t changed, so a firearm bought now may not be grandfathered if the ban is ultimately upheld — though we expect the injunction to hold. This isn’t legal advice.
Virginia Gun Laws
2026 Virginia General Assembly — Status as of October 9, 2026
Last updated: October 9, 2026 · General Assembly adjourned March 14, 2026
Virginia passed a large package of firearm laws in 2026. Here’s what passed and what it means, in plain terms. The assault-firearm and magazine ban is on the books, but its enforcement is currently blocked by a court injunction — see the note at the top of the page. This is general information, not legal advice.
Law
What it does
Status
Assault firearm & magazine ban HB217 / SB749
Bans the sale, transfer, import, and purchase of “assault firearms” and magazines over 15 rounds. Anything lawfully owned before July 1, 2026 is grandfathered.
Took effect July 1, 2026 — enforcement currently blocked by a court injunction (see the note at the top).
Magazines over 15 rounds § 18.2-309.1
A separate rule about the magazine itself: you can’t buy, sell, or bring into Virginia one that holds over 15 rounds (.22 tube magazines are exempt). Keeping one you already owned is fine.
Same date — enforcement blocked by the same injunction.
Age to buy raised to 21 HB1525
You must be 21 to buy a handgun or assault firearm. The same law restored Virginia State Police background checks on private-party sales.
In effect (April 22, 2026).
Public carry ban — assault firearms HB1524 / SB727
Would bar open or concealed carry of an “assault firearm” in public — including for grandfathered owners.
Delayed to July 1, 2027. Lawmakers pushed the start date back a year in the state budget — it is not in effect today.
Mandatory safe storage SB348 / HB871
Firearms must be stored locked when a minor or prohibited person is present in the home.
In effect July 1, 2026.
Handguns in unattended vehicles HB110 / SB496
If you leave a handgun in an unattended vehicle, it must be in a locked hard-sided container — a locked glove box or center console counts. Class 4 misdemeanor.
In effect July 1, 2026.
Ghost guns HB40 / SB323
Privately made firearms must be serialized; unserialized frames/receivers are restricted. Note the later dates.
Manufacture & sale: Jan 1, 2027. Possession ban: July 1, 2027.
Firearm-industry liability SB27 / HB21
Creates civil “public nuisance” liability for the firearm industry; dealers must show “reasonable controls” against straw purchases.
In effect July 1, 2026.
Dating-relationship DV conviction HB19 / SB160
Adds a prohibited-person category for certain dating-relationship domestic-violence misdemeanors.
In effect July 1, 2026.
Transfer path for newly-prohibited owners HB93 / SB38
If you become prohibited because of a protective order or a domestic assault-and-battery conviction, you may transfer your firearms to an eligible adult 21 or older who doesn’t live with you, instead of surrendering them.
In effect July 1, 2026.
Weapons in mental-health hospitals SB173 / HB229
No weapons in hospitals that provide mental-health or developmental services (a written-authorization carve-out remains).
In effect July 1, 2026.
← Scroll the table sideways on a phone. Dates are effective dates; “blocked by injunction” means the law is on the books but can’t currently be enforced.
Grandfathering — July 1, 2026 is the line
An “assault firearm” or a magazine over 15 rounds that you legally owned before July 1, 2026 stays legal for you to keep. The ban targets buying, selling, and transferring these items going forward. A court injunction currently blocks enforcement, but the grandfather date itself hasn’t changed — so if the ban is ultimately upheld, an item bought after that date may not be protected.
Federal & ATF updates (2026)
NFA non-enforcement (October 9, 2026) — ATF no longer requires approval or registration for suppressors, SBRs, SBSs, and AOWs. Machine guns are unchanged, and Virginia still requires SBRs and SBSs to be possessed in compliance with federal law. See our NFA update.
“Engaged in the business” rolled back — a federal court set aside the 2024 expansion, and ATF has proposed formally rolling it back, so fewer private sellers are pushed into the FFL-required category.
End of “zero-tolerance” FFL enforcement — ATF no longer revokes licenses over single paperwork errors; willfulness and history are weighed instead.
Track it & dig deeper
VCDL bill tracker — live status of every 2026 Virginia gun bill. · JohnPierceEsq.com — plain-language attorney analysis of these laws and NFA trusts.
Provided as helpful resources; John Pierce is not affiliated with Outdoor Arms. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed attorney.
Questions about how these laws affect your transfer? We’ll walk you through the specifics.