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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>363890</law_id><section_number>44-5</section_number><catch_line>Exemptions from militia duty</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="97" identifier="44">Military and Emergency Laws</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="1">Military Laws of Virginia</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="1">Classification of Militia</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>In addition to those exempted by the <span class="dictionary">laws</span> of the United States, the following persons shall be exempt from military duty under a state call:</p></section>
						<section id="1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> The officers, judicial and executive, of the governments of the United States and the Commonwealth of Virginia; <a id="paragraph-1355433" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/44-5/#1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="2"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> The members of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia and of the Congress of the United States; <a id="paragraph-1355434" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/44-5/#2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="3"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> Persons in the active military or naval services of the United States; <a id="paragraph-1355435" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/44-5/#3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="4"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> Persons employed by the United States in the transmission of the mail; <a id="paragraph-1355436" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/44-5/#4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="5"><p><span class="prefix-number">5.</span> The <span class="dictionary">judges</span> and clerks of <span class="dictionary">courts</span> of record; <a id="paragraph-1355437" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/44-5/#5"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="6"><p><span class="prefix-number">6.</span> The mayor and councilmen of incorporated cities and towns; <a id="paragraph-1355438" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/44-5/#6"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="7"><p><span class="prefix-number">7.</span> Members of the governing bodies of counties; <a id="paragraph-1355439" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/44-5/#7"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="8"><p><span class="prefix-number">8.</span> Sheriffs, United States district attorneys, attorneys for the Commonwealth and city attorneys; <a id="paragraph-1355440" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/44-5/#8"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="9"><p><span class="prefix-number">9.</span> Marine pilots; <a id="paragraph-1355441" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/44-5/#9"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="10"><p><span class="prefix-number">10.</span> All persons who because of religious belief shall claim exemption from military service, if the conscientious holding of such belief by such person shall be established under such regulations as the President of the United States shall prescribe, shall be exempted from militia service in any capacity that the President shall declare to be combatant; and <a id="paragraph-1355442" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/44-5/#10"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="11"><p><span class="prefix-number">11.</span> Such other persons as may be designated by the Governor in the best interests of the public and of the Commonwealth. <a id="paragraph-1355443" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/44-5/#11"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1930, p. 949; Michie Code 1942, &#xA7; 2673(5); 1958, c. 393; 1976, c. 399; 2011, cc. 572, 586.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
