{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/18.2-300.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/18.2-300.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/18.2-300.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/18.2-300.html"}],"law_id":350676,"edition_id":2,"section_id":350676,"structure_id":50170,"section_number":"18.2-300","catch_line":"Possession or use of “sawed-off” shotgun or rifle","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 18.1-268.2; 1968, c. 661; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1978, c. 710; 1992, c. 580.","full_text":"A\n\nPossession or use of a “sawed-off” shotgun or “sawed-off” rifle in the perpetration or attempted perpetration of a crime of violence is a Class 2 felony.\n\nB\n\nPossession or use of a “sawed-off” shotgun or “sawed-off” rifle for any other purpose, except as permitted by this article and official use by those persons permitted possession by § 18.2-303, is a Class 4 felony.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1306352,"text":"Possession or use of a “sawed-off” shotgun or “sawed-off” rifle in the perpetration or attempted perpetration of a crime of violence is a Class 2 felony.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":1306353,"text":"Possession or use of a “sawed-off” shotgun or “sawed-off” rifle for any other purpose, except as permitted by this article and official use by those persons permitted possession by § 18.2-303, is a Class 4 felony.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A"}},"ancestry":[{"id":50170,"edition_id":2,"name":"\"Sawed-Off\" Shotgun and \"Sawed-Off\" Rifle Act","identifier":"6","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":10,"parent_id":50159,"metadata":{"child_laws":9,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:23:51","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:22","permalink":{"id":1394083,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50170,"identifier":"6","token":"18.2\/7\/6","url":"\/18.2\/7\/6\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":50159,"edition_id":2,"name":"Crimes Involving Health and Safety","identifier":"7","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":7,"parent_id":50131,"metadata":{"child_laws":216,"child_structures":13},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:23:33","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:20","permalink":{"id":1393503,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50159,"identifier":"7","token":"18.2\/7","url":"\/18.2\/7\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":50131,"edition_id":2,"name":"Crimes and Offenses Generally","identifier":"18.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":52,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":960,"child_structures":94},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:22:59","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:15","permalink":{"id":1391141,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50131,"identifier":"18.2","token":"18.2","url":"\/18.2\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":350673,"structure_id":50170,"section_number":"18.2-299","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/18.2-299\/","token":"18.2\/7\/6\/18.2-299","metadata":false},{"id":350676,"structure_id":50170,"section_number":"18.2-300","catch_line":"Possession or use of \"sawed-off\" shotgun or rifle","url":"\/18.2-300\/","token":"18.2\/7\/6\/18.2-300","metadata":false},{"id":350677,"structure_id":50170,"section_number":"18.2-301","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/18.2-301\/","token":"18.2\/7\/6\/18.2-301","metadata":false},{"id":350679,"structure_id":50170,"section_number":"18.2-303","catch_line":"What article does not apply to","url":"\/18.2-303\/","token":"18.2\/7\/6\/18.2-303","metadata":false},{"id":350678,"structure_id":50170,"section_number":"18.2-303.1","catch_line":"What article does not prohibit","url":"\/18.2-303.1\/","token":"18.2\/7\/6\/18.2-303.1","metadata":false},{"id":350680,"structure_id":50170,"section_number":"18.2-304","catch_line":"Manufacturer's and dealer's register; inspection of stock","url":"\/18.2-304\/","token":"18.2\/7\/6\/18.2-304","metadata":{"court_decisions":{"0":{"name":"Armstrong v. Commonwealth","case_number":"1388993","citation":"549 S.E.2d 641","date":"2001-07-31","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/1064969\/armstrong-v-commonwealth\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. UPON A REHEARING EN BANC .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"COA<\/abbr>"}}}},{"id":350681,"structure_id":50170,"section_number":"18.2-305","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/18.2-305\/","token":"18.2\/7\/6\/18.2-305","metadata":false},{"id":350682,"structure_id":50170,"section_number":"18.2-306","catch_line":"Search warrants for \"sawed-off\" shotguns and rifles; confiscation and destruction","url":"\/18.2-306\/","token":"18.2\/7\/6\/18.2-306","metadata":false},{"id":350684,"structure_id":50170,"section_number":"18.2-307","catch_line":"Short title of article","url":"\/18.2-307\/","token":"18.2\/7\/6\/18.2-307","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":350673,"structure_id":50170,"section_number":"18.2-299","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/18.2-299\/","token":"18.2\/7\/6\/18.2-299","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":350677,"structure_id":50170,"section_number":"18.2-301","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/18.2-301\/","token":"18.2\/7\/6\/18.2-301","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/18.2-300\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 4 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1968, chapter 661; in 1975, chapters 14 and 15; in 1978, chapter 710; in 1992, chapter 580.<\/p>","references":[{"id":350225,"section_number":"17.1-805","catch_line":"Adoption of initial discretionary sentencing guideline midpoints","order_by":null,"url":"\/17.1-805\/"},{"id":350988,"section_number":"18.2-46.1","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-46.1\/"},{"id":351098,"section_number":"18.2-513","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-513\/"},{"id":351833,"section_number":"19.2-392.02","catch_line":"National criminal background checks by businesses and organizations regarding employees or volunteers providing care to children or the elderly or disabled","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-392.02\/"},{"id":367665,"section_number":"53.1-202.3","catch_line":"Rate at which sentence credits may be earned; prerequisites","order_by":null,"url":"\/53.1-202.3\/"},{"id":367750,"section_number":"53.1-40.02","catch_line":"Conditional release of terminally ill prisoners","order_by":null,"url":"\/53.1-40.02\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":350679,"section_number":"18.2-303","catch_line":"What article does not apply to","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-303\/"}],"permalink":{"id":1394089,"object_type":"law","relational_id":350676,"identifier":"18.2-300","token":"18.2\/7\/6\/18.2-300","url":"\/18.2-300\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/18.2-300\/","token":"18.2\/7\/6\/18.2-300","dublin_core":{"Title":"Possession or use of “sawed-off” shotgun or rifle","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 18.2-300","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> Possession<\/span> or use of a “sawed-off” shotgun or “sawed-off” rifle in the perpetration or attempted perpetration of a crime of violence<\/span> is a Class 2 felony<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> Possession<\/span> or use of a “sawed-off” shotgun or “sawed-off” rifle for any other purpose, except as permitted by this article and official use by those persons<\/span> permitted possession<\/span> by § 18.2-303<\/a>, is a Class 4 felony<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nPOSSESSION OR USE OF “SAWED-OFF” SHOTGUN OR RIFLE (\u00a7 18.2-300)\n\nA. Possession or use of a “sawed-off” shotgun or\n“sawed-off” rifle in the perpetration or attempted perpetration of a\ncrime of violence is a Class 2 felony.\n\nB. Possession or use of a “sawed-off” shotgun or\n“sawed-off” rifle for any other purpose, except as permitted by this\narticle and official use by those persons permitted possession by §\n18.2-303, is a Class 4 felony.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 18.1-268.2; 1968, c. 661; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1978, c. 710;\n1992, c. 580.","edition":{"id":2,"name":"2026","slug":"2026","date_created":"2026-07-16 18:40:23","date_modified":"2026-08-02 15:14:36","current":1,"order_by":2,"last_import":"2026-08-02 12:37:30"}}