Admittance, parking, and use at certain Department-owned facilities or Department-leased land; civil penalty

Checkout our iOS App for a better way to browser and research.

A. No person shall make use of, gain admittance to, or attempt to use or gain admittance to any Department-owned or Department-managed facility or boat ramp where the Department charges a fee established by the Board pursuant to § 29.1-103, unless the person pays such fee. However, such fee shall not apply to (i) any person holding a valid hunting, trapping, or fishing permit or an access permit or current certificate of boat registration issued by the Department; (ii) any person 16 years of age or younger; or (iii) any person who is a passenger in but not the owner or operator of a paddlecraft or registered vessel.

B. No person shall hunt on private lands managed by the Department through a lease agreement or other similar memorandum of agreement where the Department issues an annual hunting stamp without having purchased a valid annual hunting stamp.

C. Any person violating subsection A or B may, in lieu of any criminal penalty, be assessed a civil penalty of up to $50 by the Department. Civil penalties assessed under this section shall be paid into the Game Protection Fund established pursuant to § 29.1-101.

D. No owner or driver shall cause or permit a vehicle to stand:

1. On property owned or managed by the Department outside of a designated parking space, except for a reasonable time in order to receive or discharge passengers or in the case of an emergency;

2. In any designated parking space on property owned or managed by the Department in violation of any posted rule regarding use of the space; or

3. In any space on property owned or managed by the Department designated for use by persons with disabilities unless the vehicle displays a license plate or decal issued by the Commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles, or a similar identification issued by a similar authority of another state or the District of Columbia, that authorizes parking in such a designated space. Notwithstanding the provisions of § 29.1-554, any regulation of the Board, or any other trespass provision in the Code of Virginia, no person violating this subsection shall be subject to a criminal penalty. Any person violating this subsection may, in lieu of any criminal penalty, be assessed a civil penalty of $25, which shall be paid into the Game Protection Fund.

2003, c. 562; 2004, c. 280; 2011, c. 768; 2020, c. 321.


Download our app to see the most-to-date content.