Virginia Gun Owners Forum - VGOF

Hello,
i just moved in to this state so what are the requirements for purchasing a rifle. It has been 3 weeks since i moved in. What type of documents do i need when purchasing a rifle? i dont have a VA drivers license yet and i am 18. I want to get the S&W M&P 15-22 22lr. What are the laws regarding transporting rifle and handguns in a car?

If you're purchasing from a dealer (FFL), then you'll want to go ahead and get your VA driver's license or state ID card, and you'll also need another document to show proof of residency. Purchasing requirements outlined below from the Virginia State Police website:

Identification and Residency Requirements

A primary and secondary form of identification must be presented to the firearms dealer at the time of purchase of any firearm except an antique weapon, or replica of an antique weapon.

Primary Identification

The primary form of ID shall consist of a valid photo-ID form issued by a governmental agency of the Commonwealth or of the prospective purchaser or transferee’s home state that denotes the individual’s name, race, sex, address, and date of birth. Where the primary form is a photo-ID issued by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), the dealer shall not transfer a firearm to the prospective purchaser until 30-days after the date of issue of an original or duplicate driver's license unless a copy of his/her DMV driver's record is presented showing that the original date of issue was more than 30-days prior to the attempted purchase.

The primary form of ID for a non-Virginia resident, for the purchase of a rifle or shotgun, must consist of a valid photo-ID issued by a governmental agency of the prospective purchaser’s home state that denote the purchaser’s name, race, sex, date of birth and address. Federal law prohibits the sale or transfer of a handgun to a nonresident of the state in which the handgun is being purchased.

Secondary Identification

The secondary form of identification, for Virginia residents and residents of other states, must show an address identical to that shown on the primary form of identification. Some acceptable forms of secondary ID are:

a current lease,
evidence of currently paid personal property tax or real estate tax,
a current utility or telephone bill,
a current voter registration card,
a current bank check,
a current passport,
a current automobile registration and
current hunting or fishing license.

So a bank statement and VA drivers license would work with current address?

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dipenp wrote:So a bank statement and VA drivers license would work with current address?

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bank statement isn't identified specifically in the list of acceptable documents. Not sure if it would be acceptable or not.

Would a cellphone bill under my mother's name be okay with the current address? i dont have any second form of id because i m only 18.

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I can confirm that I have been allowed to purchase with a driver's license and bank statement of matching address.

Multiple gun stores and purchases.

Hope it helps, and welcome to VA!
-Alex

doesn't hurt to go to the DMV and register to vote while getting your license. They can use that card too.

Be careful just getting a VA ID card. I went to DMV and was told that if you apply for an ID card, that will cancel your DL from another state. They said under current laws you can only have a single DL or ID, and not both. That is a change from years ago. You used to be able to have a DL from one state and an ID from another state, if you lived/worked in both.