{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/44-120.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/44-120.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/44-120.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/44-120.html"}],"law_id":363750,"edition_id":2,"section_id":363750,"structure_id":51906,"section_number":"44-120","catch_line":"Protection of the uniform","history":"1930, p. 971; Michie Code 1942, \u00a7 2673(105); 1958, c. 393; 2011, cc. 572, 586.","full_text":"It shall be unlawful for any person, not an officer, warrant officer or enlisted person in the armed forces of the United States, to wear the duly prescribed uniform thereof, or any distinctive part of such uniform, or a uniform any part of which is similar to a distinctive part of the duly prescribed uniform of the armed forces of the United States.\n\nThe foregoing provision shall not be construed so as to prevent officers, warrant officers or enlisted persons of the National Guard, nor to prevent members of the organization known as the Boy Scouts of America, or such other organizations as the Secretary of Defense may designate, from wearing their prescribed uniforms; nor to prevent persons who in time of war have served honorably as officers of the armed forces of the United States and whose most recent service was terminated by an honorable discharge, muster out, or resignation, from wearing, upon occasions of ceremony, the uniform of the highest grade they have held in such service; nor to prevent any person who has been honorably discharged from the armed forces of the United States from wearing his uniform from the place of his discharge to his home, within three months after his discharge; nor to prevent the members of military societies composed entirely of honorably discharged officers and enlisted persons, or both, of the armed forces of the United States from wearing, upon occasions of ceremony, the uniform duly prescribed by such societies to be worn by members thereof; nor to prevent the instructors and members of the duly organized cadet corps of any educational institution offering a regular course in military instruction from wearing the uniform duly prescribed by appropriate respective authority to be worn by instructors and members of such cadet corps; nor to prevent the instructors and members of such duly organized cadet corps of such institution of learning offering a regular course in military instruction and at which an officer, warrant officer or enlisted person of the armed forces of the United States is lawfully detailed for duty as instructor in military science and tactics, from wearing the uniform duly prescribed by appropriate authority to be worn by instructors and members of such cadet corps; nor to prevent civilians attending a course of military instruction authorized and conducted by the military authorities of the United States from wearing while attending such a course the uniform authorized and prescribed by such military authorities to be worn during such course of instruction; nor to prevent any person from wearing the uniform of the armed forces of the United States, in any playhouse or theater or in motion picture films or television while actually engaged in representing therein a military character not tending to bring discredit or reproach upon the armed forces of the United States.\n\nThe uniform worn by members of military societies, or the instructors and members of the cadet corps referred to in the preceding paragraph, shall include some distinctive mark or insignia approved by the Secretary of Defense, to distinguish such uniforms from the uniform of the armed forces of the United States. The members of the military societies and the instructors and members of the cadet corps hereinbefore mentioned shall not wear the insignia of rank prescribed to be worn by the officers of the armed forces of the United States, or any insignia of rank similar thereto, unless otherwise authorized.\n\nAny person who offends against the provisions of this section shall, on conviction, be punished by a fine not exceeding $100, or by imprisonment not exceeding 30 days, or by both such fine and imprisonment.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1355072,"text":"It shall be unlawful for any person, not an officer, warrant officer or enlisted person in the armed forces of the United States, to wear the duly prescribed uniform thereof, or any distinctive part of such uniform, or a uniform any part of which is similar to a distinctive part of the duly prescribed uniform of the armed forces of the United States.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"next_prefix":""},"1":{"id":1355073,"text":"The foregoing provision shall not be construed so as to prevent officers, warrant officers or enlisted persons of the National Guard, nor to prevent members of the organization known as the Boy Scouts of America, or such other organizations as the Secretary of Defense may designate, from wearing their prescribed uniforms; nor to prevent persons who in time of war have served honorably as officers of the armed forces of the United States and whose most recent service was terminated by an honorable discharge, muster out, or resignation, from wearing, upon occasions of ceremony, the uniform of the highest grade they have held in such service; nor to prevent any person who has been honorably discharged from the armed forces of the United States from wearing his uniform from the place of his discharge to his home, within three months after his discharge; nor to prevent the members of military societies composed entirely of honorably discharged officers and enlisted persons, or both, of the armed forces of the United States from wearing, upon occasions of ceremony, the uniform duly prescribed by such societies to be worn by members thereof; nor to prevent the instructors and members of the duly organized cadet corps of any educational institution offering a regular course in military instruction from wearing the uniform duly prescribed by appropriate respective authority to be worn by instructors and members of such cadet corps; nor to prevent the instructors and members of such duly organized cadet corps of such institution of learning offering a regular course in military instruction and at which an officer, warrant officer or enlisted person of the armed forces of the United States is lawfully detailed for duty as instructor in military science and tactics, from wearing the uniform duly prescribed by appropriate authority to be worn by instructors and members of such cadet corps; nor to prevent civilians attending a course of military instruction authorized and conducted by the military authorities of the United States from wearing while attending such a course the uniform authorized and prescribed by such military authorities to be worn during such course of instruction; nor to prevent any person from wearing the uniform of the armed forces of the United States, in any playhouse or theater or in motion picture films or television while actually engaged in representing therein a military character not tending to bring discredit or reproach upon the armed forces of the United States.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"prior_prefix":"","next_prefix":""},"2":{"id":1355074,"text":"The uniform worn by members of military societies, or the instructors and members of the cadet corps referred to in the preceding paragraph, shall include some distinctive mark or insignia approved by the Secretary of Defense, to distinguish such uniforms from the uniform of the armed forces of the United States. The members of the military societies and the instructors and members of the cadet corps hereinbefore mentioned shall not wear the insignia of rank prescribed to be worn by the officers of the armed forces of the United States, or any insignia of rank similar thereto, unless otherwise authorized.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"prior_prefix":"","next_prefix":""},"3":{"id":1355075,"text":"Any person who offends against the provisions of this section shall, on conviction, be punished by a fine not exceeding $100, or by imprisonment not exceeding 30 days, or by both such fine and imprisonment.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"prior_prefix":""}},"ancestry":[{"id":51906,"edition_id":2,"name":"General Provisions","identifier":"13","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":16,"parent_id":51899,"metadata":{"child_laws":10,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:50:52","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:33:31","permalink":{"id":1448737,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":51906,"identifier":"13","token":"44\/1\/13","url":"\/44\/1\/13\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":51899,"edition_id":2,"name":"Military Laws of Virginia","identifier":"1","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":51898,"metadata":{"child_laws":150,"child_structures":16},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:50:49","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:33:29","permalink":{"id":1448553,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":51899,"identifier":"1","token":"44\/1","url":"\/44\/1\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":51898,"edition_id":2,"name":"Military and Emergency Laws","identifier":"44","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":97,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":233,"child_structures":28},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:50:49","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:33:29","permalink":{"id":1448551,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":51898,"identifier":"44","token":"44","url":"\/44\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":363742,"structure_id":51906,"section_number":"44-115","catch_line":"Custom and usage of United States army, air force and navy; applicability of \u00a7\u00a7 44-40, 44-40.01 and Article 4 (\u00a7 44-42 et seq.)","url":"\/44-115\/","token":"44\/1\/13\/44-115","metadata":false},{"id":363743,"structure_id":51906,"section_number":"44-116","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/44-116\/","token":"44\/1\/13\/44-116","metadata":false},{"id":363745,"structure_id":51906,"section_number":"44-117","catch_line":"Officers of Virginia Military Institute, the Virginia Women's Institute for Leadership at Mary Baldwin College, the Fishburne Military School, the Massanutten Military Academy, the Randolph-Macon Academy, and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University to be officers of militia","url":"\/44-117\/","token":"44\/1\/13\/44-117","metadata":false},{"id":363744,"structure_id":51906,"section_number":"44-117.1","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/44-117.1\/","token":"44\/1\/13\/44-117.1","metadata":false},{"id":363746,"structure_id":51906,"section_number":"44-119","catch_line":"Retired list of officers, warrant officers and enlisted persons","url":"\/44-119\/","token":"44\/1\/13\/44-119","metadata":false},{"id":363750,"structure_id":51906,"section_number":"44-120","catch_line":"Protection of the uniform","url":"\/44-120\/","token":"44\/1\/13\/44-120","metadata":false},{"id":363748,"structure_id":51906,"section_number":"44-120.1","catch_line":"Manufacture of Virginia military medals and decorations in United States","url":"\/44-120.1\/","token":"44\/1\/13\/44-120.1","metadata":false},{"id":363749,"structure_id":51906,"section_number":"44-120.2","catch_line":"Commonwealth's Twenty marksmanship award","url":"\/44-120.2\/","token":"44\/1\/13\/44-120.2","metadata":false},{"id":363751,"structure_id":51906,"section_number":"44-121","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/44-121\/","token":"44\/1\/13\/44-121","metadata":false},{"id":363752,"structure_id":51906,"section_number":"44-122","catch_line":"Citation of chapter","url":"\/44-122\/","token":"44\/1\/13\/44-122","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":363746,"structure_id":51906,"section_number":"44-119","catch_line":"Retired list of officers, warrant officers and enlisted persons","url":"\/44-119\/","token":"44\/1\/13\/44-119","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":363748,"structure_id":51906,"section_number":"44-120.1","catch_line":"Manufacture of Virginia military medals and decorations in United States","url":"\/44-120.1\/","token":"44\/1\/13\/44-120.1","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/44-120\/","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 1958, chapter 393; in 2011, chapters 572<\/a> and 586<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":1448759,"object_type":"law","relational_id":363750,"identifier":"44-120","token":"44\/1\/13\/44-120","url":"\/44-120\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/44-120\/","token":"44\/1\/13\/44-120","dublin_core":{"Title":"Protection of the uniform","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 44-120","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

It shall be unlawful for any person, not an officer, warrant officer or enlisted person in the armed forces of the United States, to wear the duly prescribed uniform thereof, or any distinctive part of such uniform, or a uniform any part of which is similar to a distinctive part of the duly prescribed uniform of the armed forces of the United States.<\/p>

The foregoing provision shall not be construed so as to prevent officers, warrant officers or enlisted persons of the National Guard, nor to prevent members of the organization known as the Boy Scouts of America, or such other organizations as the Secretary of Defense may designate, from wearing their prescribed uniforms; nor to prevent persons who in time of war have served honorably as officers of the armed forces of the United States and whose most recent service was terminated by an honorable discharge, muster out, or resignation, from wearing, upon occasions of ceremony, the uniform of the highest grade they have held in such service; nor to prevent any person who has been honorably discharged from the armed forces of the United States from wearing his uniform from the place of his discharge to his home, within three months after his discharge; nor to prevent the members of military societies composed entirely of honorably discharged officers and enlisted persons, or both, of the armed forces of the United States from wearing, upon occasions of ceremony, the uniform duly prescribed by such societies to be worn by members thereof; nor to prevent the instructors and members of the duly organized cadet corps of any educational institution offering a regular course in military instruction from wearing the uniform duly prescribed by appropriate respective authority to be worn by instructors and members of such cadet corps; nor to prevent the instructors and members of such duly organized cadet corps of such institution of learning offering a regular course in military instruction and at which an officer, warrant officer or enlisted person of the armed forces of the United States is lawfully detailed for duty as instructor in military science and tactics, from wearing the uniform duly prescribed by appropriate authority to be worn by instructors and members of such cadet corps; nor to prevent civilians attending a course of military instruction authorized and conducted by the military authorities of the United States from wearing while attending such a course the uniform authorized and prescribed by such military authorities to be worn during such course of instruction; nor to prevent any person from wearing the uniform of the armed forces of the United States, in any playhouse or theater or in motion<\/span> picture films or television while actually engaged in representing therein a military character not tending to bring discredit or reproach upon the armed forces of the United States.<\/p>

The uniform worn by members of military societies, or the instructors and members of the cadet corps referred to in the preceding paragraph, shall include some distinctive mark or insignia approved by the Secretary of Defense, to distinguish such uniforms from the uniform of the armed forces of the United States. The members of the military societies and the instructors and members of the cadet corps hereinbefore mentioned shall not wear the insignia of rank prescribed to be worn by the officers of the armed forces of the United States, or any insignia of rank similar thereto, unless otherwise authorized.<\/p>

Any person who offends against the provisions of this section shall, on conviction<\/span>, be punished by a fine not exceeding $100, or by imprisonment not exceeding 30 days, or by both such fine and imprisonment.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nPROTECTION OF THE UNIFORM (\u00a7 44-120)\n\nIt shall be unlawful for any person, not an officer, warrant officer or enlisted\nperson in the armed forces of the United States, to wear the duly prescribed\nuniform thereof, or any distinctive part of such uniform, or a uniform any part\nof which is similar to a distinctive part of the duly prescribed uniform of the\narmed forces of the United States.\n\nThe foregoing provision shall not be construed so as to prevent officers,\nwarrant officers or enlisted persons of the National Guard, nor to prevent\nmembers of the organization known as the Boy Scouts of America, or such other\norganizations as the Secretary of Defense may designate, from wearing their\nprescribed uniforms; nor to prevent persons who in time of war have served\nhonorably as officers of the armed forces of the United States and whose most\nrecent service was terminated by an honorable discharge, muster out, or\nresignation, from wearing, upon occasions of ceremony, the uniform of the\nhighest grade they have held in such service; nor to prevent any person who has\nbeen honorably discharged from the armed forces of the United States from\nwearing his uniform from the place of his discharge to his home, within three\nmonths after his discharge; nor to prevent the members of military societies\ncomposed entirely of honorably discharged officers and enlisted persons, or\nboth, of the armed forces of the United States from wearing, upon occasions of\nceremony, the uniform duly prescribed by such societies to be worn by members\nthereof; nor to prevent the instructors and members of the duly organized cadet\ncorps of any educational institution offering a regular course in military\ninstruction from wearing the uniform duly prescribed by appropriate respective\nauthority to be worn by instructors and members of such cadet corps; nor to\nprevent the instructors and members of such duly organized cadet corps of such\ninstitution of learning offering a regular course in military instruction and at\nwhich an officer, warrant officer or enlisted person of the armed forces of the\nUnited States is lawfully detailed for duty as instructor in military science\nand tactics, from wearing the uniform duly prescribed by appropriate authority\nto be worn by instructors and members of such cadet corps; nor to prevent\ncivilians attending a course of military instruction authorized and conducted by\nthe military authorities of the United States from wearing while attending such\na course the uniform authorized and prescribed by such military authorities to\nbe worn during such course of instruction; nor to prevent any person from\nwearing the uniform of the armed forces of the United States, in any playhouse\nor theater or in motion picture films or television while actually engaged in\nrepresenting therein a military character not tending to bring discredit or\nreproach upon the armed forces of the United States.\n\nThe uniform worn by members of military societies, or the instructors and\nmembers of the cadet corps referred to in the preceding paragraph, shall include\nsome distinctive mark or insignia approved by the Secretary of Defense, to\ndistinguish such uniforms from the uniform of the armed forces of the United\nStates. The members of the military societies and the instructors and members of\nthe cadet corps hereinbefore mentioned shall not wear the insignia of rank\nprescribed to be worn by the officers of the armed forces of the United States,\nor any insignia of rank similar thereto, unless otherwise authorized.\n\nAny person who offends against the provisions of this section shall, on\nconviction, be punished by a fine not exceeding $100, or by imprisonment not\nexceeding 30 days, or by both such fine and imprisonment.\n\nHISTORY: 1930, p. 971; Michie Code 1942, \u00a7 2673(105); 1958, c. 393; 2011, cc.\n572, 586.","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"}}