Virginia
Hunting Agency:
http://www.dgif.state.va.us/
Obtaining a license
Online
Telephone: call 1-866-721-6911 (available Monday -
Friday, 8 AM - 5 PM, except
holidays)
In person: choose from hundreds of
license agents located around the Commonwealth. Licenses are also sold by
some clerks of the Circuit Court.
By mail: simply
download and print the proper form and mail it to the address provided.
Customer Service
Need assistance with your license purchase? Contact customer service by phone
at 1-866-721-6911 or by email at
CustomerService@dgif.virginia.gov. Customer service is available Monday -
Friday, 8 AM - 5 PM, except
holidays.
License Fees and Requirements
§ 29.1-521.1. Willfully
impeding hunting or trapping; penalty.
A. It shall be unlawful to willfully
and intentionally impede the
lawful hunting or trapping of wild birds or wild animals.
B. Any person convicted of a violation of this section shall be guilty of a
Class 3 misdemeanor.
(1988, c. 584.)
4VAC15-40-160. Molesting, damaging, removing, or disturbing
traps prohibited; release of game from lawful traps prohibited.
It shall be unlawful to
willfully molest, damage or
remove any trap, or any lawfully caught bird or animal therefrom, or in any way
disturb traps or snares legally set by another person.
Statutory Authority
§§29.1-103,
29.1-501,
and
29.1-502 of the Code of Virginia.
It is unlawful to:
 | Hunt wild birds and wild animals with firearms or other
weapons on Sunday, except on licensed shooting preserves. Raccoon hunters may
hunt until 2:00 a.m. Sunday mornings. |
| Hunt migratory game birds with a shotgun capable of holding more than
three shells in the magazine and chamber, combined, unless allowed by Federal
regulations and authorized by the Department. |
| Discharge a firearm or archery tackle in or across or within the
right-of-way of any public road. |
| Cast a light attached to a vehicle or from a vehicle beyond a roadway upon
places used by deer without written permission of the landowner or at anytime
while in the possession of a rifle, shotgun, pistol, archery tackle, or
speargun. |
| Handle any firearm in a reckless manner so as to endanger the life, limb,
or property of any person. |
| Destroy, mutilate, or take down "posted" signs or to litter. |
| Hunt adjacent to forest fires. |
| Willfully and intentionally impede the lawful hunting or trapping of wild
birds or wild animals. |
| Kill or cripple and knowingly allow any non-migratory game bird or game
animal to be wasted without making a reasonable effort to retrieve the animal
and retain it in possession. |
| Hunt under age 12 without being accompanied and directly supervised by a
licensed parent, guardian, or other adult designated by the parent or
guardian. The term �accompanied and directly supervised� means the adult is
within sight of the person under the age of 12. |
| Hunt with an Apprentice Hunting License without being accompanied and
directly supervised by a licensed adult over the age of 18. The term
"accompanied and directly supervised" means the adult maintains close visual
and verbal contact, provides adequate direction to, and can immediately assume
control of the firearm. |
| Shoot a rifle or pistol at wild birds or animals on or over the public
inland waters of the state. However, licensed trappers may shoot a .22 caliber
rimfire rifle or pistol on or over public inland waters for the purpose of
dispatching trapped animals. |
| Carry a loaded rifle or pistol on a boat or other floating device on
public inland waters for hunting wild birds or animals. |
| Shoot waterfowl or migratory game birds from a boat being propelled by a
motor. |
| Hunt while under the influence of intoxicants or narcotic drugs. |
| Molest eggs, nest, den or young of any wild bird or animal, except
nuisance species, at any time without a permit as required by law. |
| Occupy any baited blind or other baited place for the purpose of taking or
attempting to take any wild game bird or wild game animal or to put out bait
or salt for the purpose of taking or killing any wild game bird or wild game
animal, except for the purpose of trapping furbearing animals. |
| Shoot or attempt to take any wild bird or animal from any vehicle, except
as otherwise provided by law. |
| Exceed the bag limit or possess over the daily limit of any wild bird or
animal while in the forests, fields, or waters of this state. |
| Use vehicles or possess firearms while retrieving dogs on private lands
without permission of the landowner. |
| Use live birds or animals to decoy or call game. |
| Kill or attempt to kill any deer while in a boat or other type of
watercraft. |
| Hunt or attempt to kill or trap any species of wild bird or wild animal
after having obtained the daily bag or season limit during such day or season.
However, any properly licensed person, or a person exempt from having to
obtain a license, who has obtained such daily bag or season limit while
hunting may assist others who are hunting game by calling game, retrieving
game, handling dogs or conducting drives if the weapon in his possession is an
unloaded firearm, a bow without a nocked arrow or an unloaded crossbow. Any
properly licensed person, or person exempt from having to obtain a license,
who has obtained such season limit prior to commencement of the hunt may
assist others who are hunting game by calling game, retrieving game, handling
dogs, or conducting drives, provided he does not have a firearm, bow or
crossbow in his possession. |
| Hold in captivity any live wild birds or wild animals outside the limits
allowed by regulations without a permit. |
| Alter, change, borrow or lend a hunting license or permit. |
| Hunt with arrows to which any drug, chemical or toxic substance has been
added or explosive-head arrows. |
| Possess or transport any wild bird or wild animal or the carcass or the
parts thereof, unless specifically allowed and only in accordance with
regulations. |
| Hunt wild birds and wild animals with fully automatic firearms, (i.e.
machine guns). |
| Sell or purchase any wild bird or wild animal carcass or parts thereof,
except as specifically permitted by law. |
| Virginia law specifies that it shall be unlawful for any person who has
been convicted of a felony to knowingly and intentionally possess or transport
any firearm. Amuzzleloading firearm is considered a firearm under Virginia
law. Any person prohibited from possessing, transporting, or carrying a
firearm under this law may petition the circuit court of the jurisdiction in
which he resides for a permit to possess or carry a firearm. |
| Use radio tracking equipment, except on dogs or on raptors permitted by a
falconry permit, to aid in the chase, harvest or capture of wildlife. |
