{"data":{"id":"us-va/4vac20-70-150","jurisdiction":"us-va","citation":"4VAC20-70-150","heading":"Penalty","body":"A. Except as provided in subsections B and C of this section, as set forth below in § 28.2-903 of the Code of Virginia, any person violating any provision of this chapter shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor, and a second or subsequent violation of any provision of this chapter committed by the same person within 12 months of a prior violation is a Class 1 misdemeanor.\n\nB. As set forth in § 28.2-520 of the Code of Virginia, and reiterated in 4VAC20-70-110, any person using a hydraulic dredge to take hard shell clams from any tidal waters of the Commonwealth shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.\n\nC. As set forth in § 28.2-531 of the Code of Virginia, and reiterated in part in 4VAC20-70-50 A, 4VAC20-70-90, and 4VAC20-70-120 C, any person taking clams from public, unassigned, or leased ground during the hours from sunset to sunrise or on Sunday, and not otherwise excepted by § 28.2-531 of the Code of Virginia, shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor; provided, however, that any person violating the additional provisions of (i) no use of a hydraulic dredge on Saturday for the catching of soft shell clams from public or unassigned ground imposed by 4VAC20-70-90 and (ii) no use of a conventional dredge between the hours of one hour before sunset and one hour after sunrise for the catching of hard shell clams from unassigned grounds imposed by 4VAC20-70-120 shall be subject to the penalty set forth in § 28.2-903 of the Code of Virginia.","path":["Title 4. Conservation And Natural Resources","Agency 20. Marine Resources Commission","Chapter 70. Pertaining to the Harvesting of Clams","Part V. Penalty and Sanctions"],"source_url":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title4/agency20/chapter70/section150/","current_through":"2026 Regular Session (effective July 1, 2026)","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T04:45:29Z","sha256":"47c3eb3167232644d976e65b5f20d84388151a4faee59b44cd3a6c2622b2f50e","source_id":"us-va-vac","stale":false,"prev":"us-va/4vac20-70-140","next":"us-va/4vac20-70-160"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}