Virginia Charge Code Lookup

Type a Virginia charge code from a booking sheet, jail roster or ticket and see which law book and section it points to, with a link to the official text. It runs in your browser and nothing is stored.

Enter a code to see which law book it comes from and open the official text.

Virginia criminal code books and abbreviations

Virginia offenses are cited to one main law book:

  • Code of Virginia (Va. Code, VA Code). Sections are written as title-section (18.2-57), for example 18.2-57, 18.2-248, 18.2-266. See section 18.2-57

After an arrest in Virginia: the first court appearance

An officer who arrests on a warrant or capias, without issuing a summons, must bring the person without unnecessary delay before a judicial officer, who holds a bail hearing at once. (Va. Code § 19.2-80)

In any case in which an officer does not issue a summons pursuant to § 19.2-74 or § 46.2-936 , a law-enforcement officer making an arrest under a warrant or capias shall bring the arrested person without unnecessary delay before a judicial officer. The judicial officer shall immediately conduct a bail hearing and either admit the accused to bail or commit him to jail.

Virginia courts call this hearing the bail hearing before a magistrate.

What this page does not do

  • It does not look up a person, a booking or a case.
  • It does not say what a charge will lead to; the prosecutor decides what is filed.
  • It collects nothing; what you type stays in your browser.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I read a Virginia charge code?

Find the number and the abbreviation. Va. Code is the Code of Virginia. A section is written as title-section (18.2-57). The lookup above links the official text.

How long can you be held in Virginia before seeing a judge?

An officer who arrests on a warrant or capias, without issuing a summons, must bring the person without unnecessary delay before a judicial officer, who holds a bail hearing at once. (Va. Code § 19.2-80).

Sources

Checked against the sources above on October 20, 2026.

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