Virginia HB 2125 — Two-Year Moratorium and Permanent Warrantless-Drone Ban for Law Enforcement
Virginia · Va. Code § 19.2-60.1
Virginia was the first state to limit law-enforcement drone use, imposing a two-year moratorium in 2013 and then permanently barring police use of drones without a warrant or specific exception (search-and-rescue, training, surveillance of an Amber-alert subject). Evidence from unlawful drone surveillance is inadmissible.
Technical detail
Va. Code § 19.2-60.1 (Use of unmanned aircraft systems by law-enforcement and regulatory agencies); enacted via HB 2125 of 2013 and made permanent by HB 412 / SB 1301 of 2015.
Who is protected: Virginians subject to law-enforcement drone surveillance
Who must comply: Virginia state and local law-enforcement and regulatory agencies
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Virginia |
|---|---|
| Level | State |
| Status | In effect |
| Protection strength | Moderate protection |
| Effective date | 2013-04-03 |
| Enacted | 2013-04-03 |
| Citation | Va. Code § 19.2-60.1 |
| Enforced by | Virginia courts (suppression remedy) |
| Private right of action | No — agency enforcement only |
| Penalties | Inadmissibility of evidence; agency policy enforcement |
| Topics | consumer data privacy · police and surveillance AI |
| Last verified | 2026-06-17 |
| Official source | Virginia LIS — HB 2125 (2013 Session) ↗ |
More AI rules in Virginia
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- Virginia IVO AI Safety Study (SB 384/HB 797, 2026) · In effect
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Related consumer data privacy rules elsewhere
- Vermont Data Broker Law (H.211) · Enacted (not yet in effect)
- Chatrie v. United States (Fourth Amendment protection for lo · Blocked / in litigation
- House Bill 2512 — Banning surveillance pricing by rideshare · Proposed / pending
- Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act (KIDS Act) (H.R. 7757) · Proposed / pending
- Maine LD 61 (employer surveillance disclosure & prohibition) · In effect
- Washington SHB 1672 (employee monitoring notice, ADS restrictions, emotion AI ban) · In effect
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