{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/18.2-177.1.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/18.2-177.1.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/18.2-177.1.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/18.2-177.1.html"}],"law_id":350395,"edition_id":2,"section_id":350395,"structure_id":50146,"section_number":"18.2-177.1","catch_line":"False representation of military status; penalty","history":"2016, c. 236.","full_text":"A\n\nIt is unlawful for any person, with the intent to obtain any services, to falsely represent himself to be a member or veteran of the United States Armed Forces, Armed Forces Reserves, or National Guard by wearing the uniform or any medal or insignia authorized for use by the members or veterans of the United States Armed Forces, Armed Forces Reserves, or National Guard by federal or state law or regulation and obtain any services through such false representation.\n\nB\n\nIt is unlawful for any person, with the intent to obtain any services, to falsely represent himself as a recipient of any decoration or medal created by federal or state law or regulation to honor the members or veterans of the United States Armed Forces, Armed Forces Reserves, or National Guard and obtain any services through such false representation.\n\nC\n\nA violation of this section is a Class 1 misdemeanor.\n\nD\n\nThe provisions of this section shall not preclude prosecution under any other statute.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1305469,"text":"It is unlawful for any person, with the intent to obtain any services, to falsely represent himself to be a member or veteran of the United States Armed Forces, Armed Forces Reserves, or National Guard by wearing the uniform or any medal or insignia authorized for use by the members or veterans of the United States Armed Forces, Armed Forces Reserves, or National Guard by federal or state law or regulation and obtain any services through such false representation.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":1305470,"text":"It is unlawful for any person, with the intent to obtain any services, to falsely represent himself as a recipient of any decoration or medal created by federal or state law or regulation to honor the members or veterans of the United States Armed Forces, Armed Forces Reserves, or National Guard and obtain any services through such false representation.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":1305471,"text":"A violation of this section is a Class 1 misdemeanor.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"D"},"3":{"id":1305472,"text":"The provisions of this section shall not preclude prosecution under any other statute.","type":"section","prefixes":["D"],"prefix":"D","entire_prefix":"D","prefix_anchor":"D","level":1,"prior_prefix":"C"}},"ancestry":[{"id":50146,"edition_id":2,"name":"Impersonation","identifier":"2","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":2,"parent_id":50144,"metadata":{"child_laws":6,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:23:19","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:19","permalink":{"id":1393013,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50146,"identifier":"2","token":"18.2\/6\/2","url":"\/18.2\/6\/2\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":50144,"edition_id":2,"name":"Crimes Involving Fraud","identifier":"6","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":6,"parent_id":50131,"metadata":{"child_laws":136,"child_structures":11},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:23:18","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:19","permalink":{"id":1392935,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50144,"identifier":"6","token":"18.2\/6","url":"\/18.2\/6\/","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":350392,"structure_id":50146,"section_number":"18.2-174","catch_line":"Impersonating law-enforcement officer; penalty","url":"\/18.2-174\/","token":"18.2\/6\/2\/18.2-174","metadata":false},{"id":350391,"structure_id":50146,"section_number":"18.2-174.1","catch_line":"Impersonating certain public safety personnel; penalty","url":"\/18.2-174.1\/","token":"18.2\/6\/2\/18.2-174.1","metadata":false},{"id":350393,"structure_id":50146,"section_number":"18.2-175","catch_line":"Unlawful wearing of officer's uniform or insignia; unlawful use of vehicle with word \"police\" shown thereon","url":"\/18.2-175\/","token":"18.2\/6\/2\/18.2-175","metadata":false},{"id":350394,"structure_id":50146,"section_number":"18.2-176","catch_line":"Unauthorized wearing or displaying on motor vehicles of any button, insignia or emblem of certain associations or societies or of Southern Cross of Honor","url":"\/18.2-176\/","token":"18.2\/6\/2\/18.2-176","metadata":false},{"id":350396,"structure_id":50146,"section_number":"18.2-177","catch_line":"Illegal use of insignia","url":"\/18.2-177\/","token":"18.2\/6\/2\/18.2-177","metadata":false},{"id":350395,"structure_id":50146,"section_number":"18.2-177.1","catch_line":"False representation of military status; penalty","url":"\/18.2-177.1\/","token":"18.2\/6\/2\/18.2-177.1","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":350396,"structure_id":50146,"section_number":"18.2-177","catch_line":"Illegal use of insignia","url":"\/18.2-177\/","token":"18.2\/6\/2\/18.2-177","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/18.2-177.1\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2016. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 236<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":1393035,"object_type":"law","relational_id":350395,"identifier":"18.2-177.1","token":"18.2\/6\/2\/18.2-177.1","url":"\/18.2-177.1\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/18.2-177.1\/","token":"18.2\/6\/2\/18.2-177.1","dublin_core":{"Title":"False representation of military status; penalty","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 18.2-177.1","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> It is unlawful for any person, with the intent<\/span> to obtain any services, to falsely represent himself to be a member or veteran of the United States Armed Forces, Armed Forces Reserves, or National Guard by wearing the uniform or any medal or insignia authorized for use by the members or veterans of the United States Armed Forces, Armed Forces Reserves, or National Guard by federal or state law<\/span> or regulation and obtain any services through such false representation. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> It is unlawful for any person, with the intent<\/span> to obtain any services, to falsely represent himself as a recipient of any decoration or medal created by federal or state law<\/span> or regulation to honor the members or veterans of the United States Armed Forces, Armed Forces Reserves, or National Guard and obtain any services through such false representation. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> A violation of this section is a Class 1 misdemeanor<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

D.<\/span> The provisions of this section shall not preclude prosecution<\/span> under any other statute<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nFALSE REPRESENTATION OF MILITARY STATUS; PENALTY (\u00a7 18.2-177.1)\n\nA. It is unlawful for any person, with the intent to obtain any services, to\nfalsely represent himself to be a member or veteran of the United States Armed\nForces, Armed Forces Reserves, or National Guard by wearing the uniform or any\nmedal or insignia authorized for use by the members or veterans of the United\nStates Armed Forces, Armed Forces Reserves, or National Guard by federal or\nstate law or regulation and obtain any services through such false\nrepresentation.\n\nB. It is unlawful for any person, with the intent to obtain any services, to\nfalsely represent himself as a recipient of any decoration or medal created by\nfederal or state law or regulation to honor the members or veterans of the\nUnited States Armed Forces, Armed Forces Reserves, or National Guard and obtain\nany services through such false representation.\n\nC. A violation of this section is a Class 1 misdemeanor.\n\nD. The provisions of this section shall not preclude prosecution under any other\nstatute.\n\nHISTORY: 2016, c. 236.","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"}}