By State › Virginia

Virginia: Laws & Legal Considerations

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Rainwater harvesting: the most developed regulatory framework covered on this site

Virginia is the only state covered here with a full, dedicated administrative code chapter specifically governing rainwater harvesting systems, including potable use, effective October 2024.

RuleVirginia
Source water Rooftop or other catchment
Non-potable use No permit required for rain barrels up to 100 gallons; larger non-potable systems generally unregulated by the state
Approved non-potable uses Toilets, urinals, mechanical equipment, hose connections, vehicle washing, lawn maintenance, service sinks
Potable use ("Tier 4 end use") Requires a written construction permit from the Virginia Department of Health commissioner before installation, alteration, or rehabilitation
Underlying framework Code of Virginia §32.1-248.2; 12VAC5-635 Rainwater Harvesting System Regulations, effective October 21, 2024

Why Virginia's system stands out

Ohio was the first state covered on this site to allow potable rainwater use at all; Virginia goes further, with an actual tiered permit system and a dedicated regulatory chapter specifically for it, rather than folding rainwater into a general private-water-system rule. This reflects a more deliberate state-level effort to make potable harvesting a real, regulated option rather than an edge case.

Where to find it: the Virginia Department of Health (vdh.virginia.gov) administers the permit program.

Water rights: riparian, with a specific numeric diversion cap

Virginia’s riparian law is the ordinary reasonable-use doctrine, but it’s paired with an explicit percentage limit that most other states covered on this site don’t state as a hard number.

ConceptHow it works in Virginia
Surface water Riparian owners may withdraw water for use on their own riparian property; water can't be exported to non-riparian land
Diversion cap No more than 50% of streamflow may be diverted for a single property without a state permit
Groundwater Governed separately under the Virginia Ground Water Management Act (1992); no permit required for withdrawals under 300,000 gallons/month in a designated groundwater management area

Where to find it: the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality administers surface water and groundwater withdrawal permits.

Concealed carry: shall-issue, with a notably flexible competency option

Virginia requires a Concealed Handgun Permit (CHP), issued through the circuit court in the applicant’s county, with a competency requirement that can be satisfied in an unusually flexible way.

RequirementDetail
Standard Shall-issue: the circuit court of the applicant's county or city issues the CHP
Minimum age 21
Competency demonstration Can be satisfied by a hunter education/safety course, an NRA Basic Pistol course, or several other approved methods, not just a dedicated concealed-carry class
Cost and validity ~$50 state fee, valid 5 years, $50 renewal
Processing time Up to 45 days after a complete application

An unusual competency pathway

Letting a hunter education or hunter safety course satisfy the concealed carry competency requirement is a genuinely different approach from the dedicated firearms-training courses required in most other states covered on this site, useful to know if you already hold a hunter safety certification from Virginia or another state.

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