<?xml version="1.0"?>
<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>350664</law_id><section_number>18.2-291</section_number><catch_line>What constitutes aggressive purpose</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2026/" slug="2026" current="TRUE" last_updated="2026-08-02">2026</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="52" identifier="18.2">Crimes and Offenses Generally</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="7" identifier="7">Crimes Involving Health and Safety</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="9" identifier="5">Uniform Machine Gun Act</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p><span class="dictionary">Possession</span> or use of a machine gun shall be presumed to be for an offensive or aggressive purpose:</p></section>
						<section id="1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> When the machine gun is on premises not owned or rented for bona fide permanent residence or business occupancy by the <span class="dictionary">person</span> in whose <span class="dictionary">possession</span> the machine gun may be found; <a id="paragraph-1306329" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-291/#1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="2"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> When the machine gun is in the <span class="dictionary">possession</span> of, or used by, a <span class="dictionary">person</span> who has been convicted of a <span class="dictionary">crime of violence</span> in any <span class="dictionary">court</span> of record, state or federal, of the United States of America, its territories or insular <span class="dictionary">possessions</span>; <a id="paragraph-1306330" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-291/#2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="3"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> When the machine gun has not been registered as required in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Registration of machine guns" href="/18.2-295/">18.2-295</a>; or <a id="paragraph-1306331" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-291/#3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="4"><p><span class="prefix-number">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. <a id="paragraph-1306332" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-291/#4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 18.1-261; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
