Thursday Thirteen

Here are 13 weird laws in Virginia:

1. Single people cannot have sexual relations. According to this Virginia law, any person, not being married, who voluntarily shall have sexual intercourse with any other person, shall be guilty of fornication, punishable as a Class 4 misdemeanor which is punishable by a fine of up to $250. (There are a lot of people who have committed this crime, I'm sure.)

2. Until 2004, it was illegal to work on Sundays. This old blue law (laws designed to restrict or ban some or all Sunday activities mostly for religious reasons) stated that “On the first day of the week, commonly known and designated as Sunday, no person shall engage in work, labor or business or employ others to engage in work, labor or business." That certainly didn't fit in with the loss of the blue laws, which happened in the 1980s. All the stores have been open on Sundays since the blue laws were eliminated. I remember when this happened.

4. Don’t use an X-Ray machine for shoe fitting. It’s unlawful for any person to use any X-ray, fluoroscope, or other equipment or apparatus employing roentgen rays, in the fitting of shoes or other footwear. This section shall not apply to any licensed physician nor surgeon in the practice of his profession. Any person who violates the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a Class 3 Misdemeanor which is punishable by a fine of up to $500. I have no clue why this is a thing.

5. You are not allowed to drive a golf cart on the highway. Virginia code 46.2-916.2 states that “No public highway shall be designated for use by golf carts and utility vehicles if such golf cart and utility vehicle operations will impede the safe and efficient flow of motor vehicle traffic.” This law, however, does not apply to state employees provided the golf cart or utility vehicle is being operated on highways with speed limits of no more than 35 miles per hour.

6. Being in possession of a radar gun is illegal. Virginia Code Section 46.2–1079 makes it illegal on the highways of the state to operate any device or mechanism, passive or active, that can detect or purposely interfere with the measurement and use of radar, LIDAR, or any other speed detection equipment used by law enforcement. Additionally, a person cannot sell them, and they cannot possess them.

7. No one is allowed to keep a skunk as a pet, at least not in Prince William County. There is also illegal to keep a raccoon, skunk, wolf, squirrel, fox, leopard, panther, tiger, lion, lynx, or any other warm-blooded animal, poisonous snake or tarantula which can normally be found in the wild, as a pet.

8. Referring to any other brand of ham as "Smithfield" is against the law. Virginia takes its cured meats very seriously. Unless it's been smoked and processed within the Smithfield area, you could get fined for trying to label a generic ham as "Smithfield."

9. Certain walking sticks or canes are unlawful in Virginia Beach. I have no idea why or which ones.

10. Parking on railroad tracks is forbidden. One would hope this would be self-evident, but perhaps not.

11.  Washing a mule on the sidewalk in Culpeper is illegal. While it’s unclear why this law was originally enacted, it’s likely tied to historical concerns about sanitation or public obstruction

12. In Virginia, owning a pet skunk is illegal due to concerns about disease transmission, particularly rabies. The Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) strictly prohibits keeping skunks as pets without special permits or licenses. Skunks are considered wild animals, and their natural defense mechanism, which stinks terribly, can make them difficult to care for. Additionally, if someone is caught illegally possessing a skunk, they may face fines or even imprisonment, depending on the severity of the offense.

13. The state has several laws that regulate public displays of affection, including kissing on the lips in certain public places. While this law isn't widely enforced today, it was originally intended to maintain public decorum and prevent disturbances in areas with high foot traffic. Virginia has a history of morality-based laws, some of which still exist in the legal code. Many of these laws were enacted decades ago and remain technically valid, even if they are rarely applied in modern times.

Sources:

14 Weird Laws In Virginia That Are Sure To Baffle You

14 Surprising (But True) Laws You’ll Only Hear About in Virginia

The 8 Weirdest and Strangest Laws in Virginia (2025)

Code of Virginia Code - Article 5. Obscenity and Related Offenses

*This idea for this came about with the assistance of an AI tool and then the article was curated and written by a human.

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Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 909th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.