Gun Laws in Virginia Beach 

Gun laws in Virginia Beach are very important to understand. Virginia is a friendlier state for guns than most. Still, if an individual is using a gun to commit a crime or an individual has an illegal weapon, there will be consequences. Contact a professional attorney if you need assistance with gun laws in Virginia Beach.

Changes to Gun Laws in Virginia Beach

There was a bill passed in Virginia that allowed the state to recognize concealed carry permit of other states. If the person is licensed to carry a firearm in one state, Virginia will recognize it. It also affected how long the person has to turn in their firearm if that person has been convicted of a domestic abuse crime or other crime that requires them to turn in firearms.

Virginia in Relation to the Rest of the US

Nationally, there are arguments about whether or not there should be some sort of mandatory background check and a national registry. Virginia’s changes came about in part because the governor did not want to recognize the concealed carry permits in certain states.

In Virginia, it is a strange situation because the head of the National Rifle Association is located in Manassas, Virginia. They have a huge presence and that works against a lot of gun laws that trying to go through the General Assembly.

Registering Firearms

Virginia does not require an individual to register firearms like other states do. If an individual is registered in another state, they would not have to register in Virginia, but they will want to make sure that they have all that information together just in case people start asking questions.

Gun Laws Changing in the Future

Gun laws in Virginia Beach could change in the future. In most states that do not have registries, there might be a push to require anyone who owns a firearm to register their firearm with the state police. Virginia does not have a registration for handguns, so that might be challenged in the future. They are also going to try to regulate the sizes of the clips, the ammunition that a weapon can hold.

Treatment of Gun Charges

Prosecutors are always going to take these cases very seriously because of how dangerous the guns are and how they can be used to take the life of multiple people in a short period of time. When the legislature starts passing stricter and stricter gun laws, prosecutors are going to show less and less tolerance and they are going to be less willing to make deals. That is something to consider in one’s process. The Commonwealth’s attorneys in Virginia are elected officials, so if the mood of the people is to partially punish gun crimes, they are going to do that or they risk not getting reelected. Gun laws in Virginia Beach are dependent on this factor.

Virginia Beach Reciprocity

Virginia has pre-recognized permits in other states. If they recognize a Virginia concealed permit, they recognize their permits. More than likely, if the person has a permit and is licensed in another state that has a concealed weapon permit, the person is going to be able to take that into Virginia and Virginia will recognize.

With regards to general possession of firearms, each state has its own regulations. The person may be eligible in Virginia to own a firearm, but in another state, the person may have something on their record that renders them to be ineligible. Each state can make its own rules and they are not bound by full faith and credit. For more on gun law considerations in Virginia Beach, consult with a qualfied attorney.