Abhortion · State legal snapshot
Legal to ~27 weeks; third-trimester limited. Virginia permits abortion freely through the first and second trimesters (~26 weeks 6 days LMP); after the second trimester, abortion is lawful only…
§ I · Gestational limit
│ Legal through second trimester; third trimester restricted · measured from LMP · Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-72
§ II · Restriction inventory — 15 checked, 4 in force
◐27-week ban · LMPIn force
◐1 in-person visitIn force
◐Method ban · D&XIn force
●Physician-only lawNone
◐One-parent consentIn force
●Telehealth prescribing banNone
●Waiting periodNone
●Spousal consent or noticeNone
●Abortion trafficking lawNone
●Scripted counselingNone
●Civil bounty (SB8-style)None
●Private insurance restrictionNone
●Ultrasound requirementNone
●Pill-mailing banNone
●Self-managed abortion crimeNone
§ III · Access
Criminal exposure
Procedure
Coverage & interstate
Available now
Yes
Pregnant person
Expressly exempt
Waiting period
0 hours
Medicaid
Hyde only
Medication · telehealth
Legal · telehealth allowed
Self-managed
Not a crime
Compelled visits
1 in person
Private insurance
No state restriction
Who may perform
Physicians & APCs
Provider max penalty
Class 4 felony, 2–10 years, fine up…
Minors
One-parent consent
Shield state
No
Mailing pills
Not banned
Fetal homicide law
Yes · abortion carved out
Judicial bypass
Available
Major pending change
Yes · see p. 2
✓ Abolition-aligned — forbids abortion or imposes liability◐ Partial — a hurdle, an enjoined law, or a carve-out● No restriction○ Unclear or not applicable
§ IV · Where the line is drawn — governing authorities
Va. Code § 18.2-71, Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-71 — Baseline criminal prohibition: Class 4 felony for producing abortion or miscarriage,…
■Va. Code §§ 18.2-72, 18.2-73, 18.2-74, Va. Code Ann. §§ 18.2-72, 18.2-73, 18.2-74 — The three lawful pathways: first trimester (physician or APRN), second trimester…
■Va. Code § 18.2-71.1, Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-71.1 — Partial birth infanticide/D&X ban, with express exclusion of D&E and express mother…
“Notwithstanding any of the provisions of § 18.2-71 and in addition to the provisions of § 18.2-72, it shall be lawful for any physician licensed by the Board of Medicine to practice medicine and surgery, to terminate or…”— Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-73
Fetal personhood — how the contradiction is walled off
● No general fetal personhood definition
Virginia has no constitutional or statutory provision generally defining 'person,' 'human being,' or 'child' to include the unborn for all purposes; fetal homicide and…
No general fetal personhood definition
→
● Exempt · pregnant woman
Expressly exempt from partial-birth ban; not targeted by general statute
● Carved out · abortion
Abortion is not chargeable under the homicide statutes.
✓ Reached · third parties
Fetal homicide: felony; 'unlawful' killing required
Virginia's legal regime contains a significant internal tension between its permissive abortion framework and its fetal-protection statutes. Wrongful death: Fetal wrongful death action from conception.
§ V · Criminal exposure by actor
●
Pregnant woman
Expressly exempt from partial-birth…
✓
Physician
Class 4 felony; license consequences…
●
Non-physician prescriber
APRN prescribers liable same as…
○
Helpers · funds
Encouraging/promoting abortion a…
●
Travel helpers
No travel ban or trafficking law
●
Civil bounty
No civil bounty law
✓ the actor faces criminal or civil exposure under state law · ● no exposure · ○ unclear or theoretical
Penalties on the books — top 5
§ VI · How the law got here ● court ■ statute ◆ executive / agency
U.S. District Judge Henry E.
9 Apr 2020■Governor Ralph Northam signed the Reproductive Health Protection Act (SB 733/HB 980), repealing the 24-hour waiting…
28 Jul 2020●Falls Church Medical Center v.
31 Mar 2021■Governor Northam signed HB 1896/SB 1276, repealing the prohibition on abortion coverage in qualified health insurance…
24 Jun 2022●The U.S. Supreme Court decided Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, overturning Roe v. Wade.
5 Apr 2024◆Governor Glenn Youngkin vetoed four reproductive health shield-law bills (including SB 16 and SB 1098), preventing…
15 Jan 2025■The Virginia House of Delegates and Senate passed HJ 1/SJ 247, the first legislative passage of a constitutional…
24 Mar 2025■Governor Youngkin signed SB 754, amending the Virginia Consumer Protection Act to prohibit businesses from obtaining…
§ VII · Exceptions matrix
Named in law: ◐ the exception is written into the ban · ✓ no such exception · ● no ban for an exception to operate against. Verified (neutral): ✓ quoted text confirmed at source · ◐ semi-verified · ○ verify before publication · — not applicable.
§ VIII · Interstate & helpers
✓ No shield law
No shield law; hostile bills vetoed
● Travel unrestricted
Out-of-state travel unrestricted
● Telehealth prescribing allowed
Telehealth prescribing permitted
● Pill mailing not banned
No Virginia ban on mailing pills
○ Funding help unclear
No liability for funding lawful abortion
○ Providing information
Statute on books, constitutionally unenforceable
Interstate postureVirginia has no shield law protecting providers or patients from other states' investigations; shield-law bills in 2024 were vetoed by Governor Youngkin; new bills may be viable under Governor…
§ IX · Who pays
Hyde-only plus fetal anomaly
Life
Hyde · federal
Rape
Hyde · federal
Incest
Hyde · federal
Beyond Hyde
Not covered
No coverage ban; exchange ban repealed
Exchange plans may cover abortion
◐No defunding statute; mixed funding posture
§ X · Pending changes status and effect as recorded — no forecast
Virginia Right to Reproductive Freedom Amendment (2026)Passed first legislative passage (2025); requires second passage in 2026 General Assembly before November 3,…
If adopted by voters, the Virginia Constitution would be amended to add Article I, § 11-A, establishing a 'fundamental right to reproductive freedom' including decisions…
LitigationFalls Church Medical Center v. Oliver — post-dismissal effect…No active proceeding; the district court's 2019 injunction striking the second-trimester hospital requirement…
If a new administration or prosecutor sought to enforce the hospital requirement in § 18.2-73, litigation would likely revisit whether the district court's 2019…
Legislation2026 Shield Law Legislation (anticipated)With Governor Spanberger's election and continuing Democratic majorities, new shield-law bills are expected…
Would prohibit Virginia agencies from cooperating with out-of-state abortion investigations, bar extradition for abortion-related charges, and protect Virginia-licensed…
§ XI · Key authorities ● case ■ statute ◆ agency
■Va. Code § 18.2-71 Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-71
■Va. Code §§ 18.2-72, 18.2-73, 18.2-74 Va. Code Ann. §§ 18.2-72, 18.2-73, 18.2-74
■Va. Code § 18.2-71.1 Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-71.1
■Va. Code § 18.2-76 Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-76
■Va. Code § 18.2-76.1 Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-76.1
■Va. Code § 16.1-241(W) Va. Code Ann. § 16.1-241(W)
■Va. Code § 18.2-32.2 Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-32.2
■Va. Code § 8.01-50(B) Va. Code Ann. § 8.01-50(B)
■Va. Code §§ 32.1-92.1, 32.1-92.2 Va. Code Ann. §§ 32.1-92.1, 32.1-92.2
■2020 Reproductive Health Protection Act 2020 Va. Acts chs. 898, 899
●Falls Church Medical Center v. Oliver Falls Church Medical Center, LLC v. Oliver, No.…
●Bigelow v. Virginia Bigelow v. Virginia, 421 U.S. 809 (1975)