{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/19.2-396.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/19.2-396.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/19.2-396.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/19.2-396.html"}],"law_id":351861,"edition_id":2,"section_id":351861,"structure_id":50315,"section_number":"19.2-396","catch_line":"Conduct of inspection, testing or collection of samples for testing; special procedure for dwelling","history":"1976, c. 625; 1979, c. 122.","full_text":"An inspection, testing or collection of samples for testing pursuant to such warrant may not be made in the absence of the owner, custodian or possessor of the particular place, things or persons unless specifically authorized by the issuing judge upon a showing that such authority is reasonably necessary to effectuate the purpose of the law or regulation being enforced. An entry pursuant to this warrant shall not be made forcibly, except that the issuing judge may expressly authorize a forcible entry where facts are shown sufficient to create a reasonable suspicion of an immediate threat to public health or safety, or where facts are shown establishing that reasonable attempts to serve a previous warrant have been unsuccessful. In the case of entry into a dwelling, prior consent must be sought and refused and notice that a warrant has been issued must be given at least twenty-four hours before the warrant is executed, unless the issuing judge finds that failure to seek consent is justified and that there is a reasonable suspicion of an immediate threat to public health or safety.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1309787,"text":"An inspection, testing or collection of samples for testing pursuant to such warrant may not be made in the absence of the owner, custodian or possessor of the particular place, things or persons unless specifically authorized by the issuing judge upon a showing that such authority is reasonably necessary to effectuate the purpose of the law or regulation being enforced. An entry pursuant to this warrant shall not be made forcibly, except that the issuing judge may expressly authorize a forcible entry where facts are shown sufficient to create a reasonable suspicion of an immediate threat to public health or safety, or where facts are shown establishing that reasonable attempts to serve a previous warrant have been unsuccessful. In the case of entry into a dwelling, prior consent must be sought and refused and notice that a warrant has been issued must be given at least twenty-four hours before the warrant is executed, unless the issuing judge finds that failure to seek consent is justified and that there is a reasonable suspicion of an immediate threat to public health or safety.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":50315,"edition_id":2,"name":"Inspection Warrants","identifier":"24","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":34,"parent_id":50226,"metadata":{"child_laws":5,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:26:36","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:48","permalink":{"id":1397593,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50315,"identifier":"24","token":"19.2\/24","url":"\/19.2\/24\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":50226,"edition_id":2,"name":"Criminal Procedure","identifier":"19.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":54,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":771,"child_structures":99},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:25:04","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:30","permalink":{"id":1395171,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50226,"identifier":"19.2","token":"19.2","url":"\/19.2\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":351858,"structure_id":50315,"section_number":"19.2-393","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/19.2-393\/","token":"19.2\/24\/19.2-393","metadata":false},{"id":351859,"structure_id":50315,"section_number":"19.2-394","catch_line":"Issuance of warrant","url":"\/19.2-394\/","token":"19.2\/24\/19.2-394","metadata":false},{"id":351860,"structure_id":50315,"section_number":"19.2-395","catch_line":"Duration of warrant","url":"\/19.2-395\/","token":"19.2\/24\/19.2-395","metadata":false},{"id":351861,"structure_id":50315,"section_number":"19.2-396","catch_line":"Conduct of inspection, testing or collection of samples for testing; special procedure for dwelling","url":"\/19.2-396\/","token":"19.2\/24\/19.2-396","metadata":false},{"id":351862,"structure_id":50315,"section_number":"19.2-397","catch_line":"Refusal to permit authorized inspection; penalty","url":"\/19.2-397\/","token":"19.2\/24\/19.2-397","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":351860,"structure_id":50315,"section_number":"19.2-395","catch_line":"Duration of warrant","url":"\/19.2-395\/","token":"19.2\/24\/19.2-395","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":351862,"structure_id":50315,"section_number":"19.2-397","catch_line":"Refusal to permit authorized inspection; penalty","url":"\/19.2-397\/","token":"19.2\/24\/19.2-397","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/19.2-396\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1976. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 625 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. Unfortunately, the 1976 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 1 time. 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. That modification is as follows: in 1979, chapter 122.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":1397607,"object_type":"law","relational_id":351861,"identifier":"19.2-396","token":"19.2\/24\/19.2-396","url":"\/19.2-396\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/19.2-396\/","token":"19.2\/24\/19.2-396","dublin_core":{"Title":"Conduct of inspection, testing or collection of samples for testing; special procedure for dwelling","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 19.2-396","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

An inspection, testing or collection of samples for testing pursuant to such warrant may not be made in the absence of the owner, custodian or possessor of the particular place, things or persons unless specifically authorized by the issuing judge<\/span> upon a showing that such authority is reasonably necessary to effectuate the purpose of the law<\/span> or regulation being enforced. An entry pursuant to this warrant shall not be made forcibly, except that the issuing judge<\/span> may expressly authorize a forcible entry where facts<\/span> are shown sufficient to create a reasonable suspicion of an immediate threat to public health or safety, or where facts<\/span> are shown establishing that reasonable attempts to serve a previous warrant have been unsuccessful. In the case of entry into a dwelling, prior consent must be sought and refused and notice that a warrant has been issued must be given at least twenty-four hours before the warrant is executed, unless the issuing judge<\/span> finds that failure to seek consent is justified and that there is a reasonable suspicion of an immediate threat to public health or safety.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nCONDUCT OF INSPECTION, TESTING OR COLLECTION OF SAMPLES FOR TESTING; SPECIAL\nPROCEDURE FOR DWELLING (\u00a7 19.2-396)\n\nAn inspection, testing or collection of samples for testing pursuant to such\nwarrant may not be made in the absence of the owner, custodian or possessor of\nthe particular place, things or persons unless specifically authorized by the\nissuing judge upon a showing that such authority is reasonably necessary to\neffectuate the purpose of the law or regulation being enforced. An entry\npursuant to this warrant shall not be made forcibly, except that the issuing\njudge may expressly authorize a forcible entry where facts are shown sufficient\nto create a reasonable suspicion of an immediate threat to public health or\nsafety, or where facts are shown establishing that reasonable attempts to serve\na previous warrant have been unsuccessful. In the case of entry into a dwelling,\nprior consent must be sought and refused and notice that a warrant has been\nissued must be given at least twenty-four hours before the warrant is executed,\nunless the issuing judge finds that failure to seek consent is justified and\nthat there is a reasonable suspicion of an immediate threat to public health or\nsafety.\n\nHISTORY: 1976, c. 625; 1979, c. 122.","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"}}