{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/18.2-291.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/18.2-291.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/18.2-291.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/18.2-291.html"}],"law_id":350664,"edition_id":2,"section_id":350664,"structure_id":50169,"section_number":"18.2-291","catch_line":"What constitutes aggressive purpose","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 18.1-261; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15.","full_text":"Possession or use of a machine gun shall be presumed to be for an offensive or aggressive purpose:\n\n1\n\nWhen the machine gun is on premises not owned or rented for bona fide permanent residence or business occupancy by the person in whose possession the machine gun may be found;\n\n2\n\nWhen the machine gun is in the possession of, or used by, a person who has been convicted of a crime of violence in any court of record, state or federal, of the United States of America, its territories or insular possessions;\n\n3\n\nWhen the machine gun has not been registered as required in § 18.2-295; or\n\n4\n\nWhen empty or loaded shells which have been or are susceptible of use in the machine gun are found in the immediate vicinity thereof.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1306328,"text":"Possession or use of a machine gun shall be presumed to be for an offensive or aggressive purpose:","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"next_prefix":"1"},"1":{"id":1306329,"text":"When the machine gun is on premises not owned or rented for bona fide permanent residence or business occupancy by the person in whose possession the machine gun may be found;","type":"section","prefixes":["1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"1","prefix_anchor":"1","level":1,"prior_prefix":"","next_prefix":"2"},"2":{"id":1306330,"text":"When the machine gun is in the possession of, or used by, a person who has been convicted of a crime of violence in any court of record, state or federal, of the United States of America, its territories or insular possessions;","type":"section","prefixes":["2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"2","prefix_anchor":"2","level":1,"prior_prefix":"1","next_prefix":"3"},"3":{"id":1306331,"text":"When the machine gun has not been registered as required in § 18.2-295; or","type":"section","prefixes":["3"],"prefix":"3","entire_prefix":"3","prefix_anchor":"3","level":1,"prior_prefix":"2","next_prefix":"4"},"4":{"id":1306332,"text":"When empty or loaded shells which have been or are susceptible of use in the machine gun are found in the immediate vicinity thereof.","type":"section","prefixes":["4"],"prefix":"4","entire_prefix":"4","prefix_anchor":"4","level":1,"prior_prefix":"3"}},"ancestry":[{"id":50169,"edition_id":2,"name":"Uniform Machine Gun Act","identifier":"5","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":9,"parent_id":50159,"metadata":{"child_laws":12,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:23:50","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:22","permalink":{"id":1394033,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50169,"identifier":"5","token":"18.2\/7\/5","url":"\/18.2\/7\/5\/","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":350660,"structure_id":50169,"section_number":"18.2-288","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/18.2-288\/","token":"18.2\/7\/5\/18.2-288","metadata":false},{"id":350661,"structure_id":50169,"section_number":"18.2-289","catch_line":"Use of machine gun for crime of violence","url":"\/18.2-289\/","token":"18.2\/7\/5\/18.2-289","metadata":false},{"id":350663,"structure_id":50169,"section_number":"18.2-290","catch_line":"Use of machine gun for aggressive purpose","url":"\/18.2-290\/","token":"18.2\/7\/5\/18.2-290","metadata":false},{"id":350664,"structure_id":50169,"section_number":"18.2-291","catch_line":"What constitutes aggressive purpose","url":"\/18.2-291\/","token":"18.2\/7\/5\/18.2-291","metadata":false},{"id":350665,"structure_id":50169,"section_number":"18.2-292","catch_line":"Presence prima facie evidence of use","url":"\/18.2-292\/","token":"18.2\/7\/5\/18.2-292","metadata":false},{"id":350667,"structure_id":50169,"section_number":"18.2-293","catch_line":"What article does not apply to","url":"\/18.2-293\/","token":"18.2\/7\/5\/18.2-293","metadata":false},{"id":350666,"structure_id":50169,"section_number":"18.2-293.1","catch_line":"What article does not prohibit","url":"\/18.2-293.1\/","token":"18.2\/7\/5\/18.2-293.1","metadata":false},{"id":350668,"structure_id":50169,"section_number":"18.2-294","catch_line":"Manufacturer's and dealer's register; inspection of stock","url":"\/18.2-294\/","token":"18.2\/7\/5\/18.2-294","metadata":false},{"id":350669,"structure_id":50169,"section_number":"18.2-295","catch_line":"Registration of machine guns","url":"\/18.2-295\/","token":"18.2\/7\/5\/18.2-295","metadata":false},{"id":350670,"structure_id":50169,"section_number":"18.2-296","catch_line":"Search warrants for machine guns","url":"\/18.2-296\/","token":"18.2\/7\/5\/18.2-296","metadata":false},{"id":350671,"structure_id":50169,"section_number":"18.2-297","catch_line":"How article construed","url":"\/18.2-297\/","token":"18.2\/7\/5\/18.2-297","metadata":false},{"id":350672,"structure_id":50169,"section_number":"18.2-298","catch_line":"Short title of article","url":"\/18.2-298\/","token":"18.2\/7\/5\/18.2-298","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":350663,"structure_id":50169,"section_number":"18.2-290","catch_line":"Use of machine gun for aggressive purpose","url":"\/18.2-290\/","token":"18.2\/7\/5\/18.2-290","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":350665,"structure_id":50169,"section_number":"18.2-292","catch_line":"Presence prima facie evidence of use","url":"\/18.2-292\/","token":"18.2\/7\/5\/18.2-292","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/18.2-291\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 2 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 1960, chapter 358; in 1975, chapters 14 and 15.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":350669,"section_number":"18.2-295","catch_line":"Registration of machine guns","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-295\/"}],"permalink":{"id":1394047,"object_type":"law","relational_id":350664,"identifier":"18.2-291","token":"18.2\/7\/5\/18.2-291","url":"\/18.2-291\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/18.2-291\/","token":"18.2\/7\/5\/18.2-291","dublin_core":{"Title":"What constitutes aggressive purpose","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 18.2-291","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Possession<\/span> or use of a machine gun shall be presumed to be for an offensive or aggressive purpose:<\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> When the machine gun is on premises not owned or rented for bona fide permanent residence or business occupancy by the person<\/span> in whose possession<\/span> the machine gun may be found; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> When the machine gun is in the possession<\/span> of, or used by, a person<\/span> who has been convicted of a crime of violence<\/span> in any court<\/span> of record, state or federal, of the United States of America, its territories or insular possessions<\/span>; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

3.<\/span> When the machine gun has not been registered as required in § 18.2-295<\/a>; or <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

4.<\/span> When empty or loaded shells which have been or are susceptible of use in the machine gun are found in the immediate vicinity thereof. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nWHAT CONSTITUTES AGGRESSIVE PURPOSE (\u00a7 18.2-291)\n\nPossession or use of a machine gun shall be presumed to be for an offensive or\naggressive purpose:\n\n1. When the machine gun is on premises not owned or rented for bona fide\npermanent residence or business occupancy by the person in whose possession the\nmachine gun may be found;\n\n2. When the machine gun is in the possession of, or used by, a person who has\nbeen convicted of a crime of violence in any court of record, state or federal,\nof the United States of America, its territories or insular possessions;\n\n3. When the machine gun has not been registered as required in § 18.2-295;\nor\n\n4. When empty or loaded shells which have been or are susceptible of use in the\nmachine gun are found in the immediate vicinity thereof.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 18.1-261; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15.","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"}}