Before any money changed hands, Elias had to fill out a series of forms for the Virginia State Police background check. The clerk entered his information into the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) [5, 16, 22]. Elias knew that Virginia had recently moved to ensure these checks were universal, covering not just store sales but private transactions as well [6, 7, 22]. He waited nervously for a few minutes while the system verified he had no disqualifying criminal record or certain mental health adjudications [1, 4, 16]. New Rules and Requirements
The background check cleared without a hitch. Elias paid for the pistol and a box of ammunition, noting a slight increase in price due to recent state discussions about firearm-related taxes [29]. He walked out of the store with his new purchase boxed and locked in his trunk, feeling a mix of responsibility and relief as he headed home to practice at the local range. buying a gun in va
: Had Elias been under 21, he wouldn't have been able to buy the handgun, as Virginia recently raised the minimum age for handguns and certain semi-automatic firearms [7, 9, 13]. Before any money changed hands, Elias had to