Virginia Code

Va. Code Ann. § 19.2-310.2 (2026)

Blood, saliva, or tissue sample required for DNA analysis upon conviction of certain crimes; fee

✓ current as of May 2026

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A. Every person convicted of a felony on or after July 1, 1990, every person convicted of a felony offense under Article 7 (§ 18.2-61 et seq.) of Chapter 4 of Title 18.2 who was incarcerated on July 1, 1989, and every person convicted of a misdemeanor violation of § 16.1-253.2, 18.2-57, 18.2-60.3, 18.2-60.4, 18.2-67.4, 18.2-67.4:1, 18.2-67.4:2, 18.2-67.5, 18.2-102, 18.2-119, 18.2-121, 18.2-130, 18.2-370.6, 18.2-387, or 18.2-387.1 or subsection E of § 18.2-460 or of any similar ordinance of any locality shall have a sample of his blood, saliva, or tissue taken for DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) analysis to determine identification characteristics specific to the person. If a sample from the person is stored in the DNA data bank as indicated by the Department of Forensic Science DNA data bank sample tracking system, no additional sample shall be taken. A fee of $53 shall be charged for the withdrawal of this sample. The fee shall be taxed as part of the costs of the criminal case resulting in the conviction and $15 of the fee shall be paid into the general fund of the locality where the sample was taken and $38 of the fee shall be paid into the general fund of the state treasury. This fee shall only be taxed one time regardless of the number of samples taken. The assessment provided for herein shall be in addition to any other fees prescribed by law. The analysis shall be performed by the Department of Forensic Science or other entity designated by the Department. The identification characteristics of the profile resulting from the DNA analysis shall be stored and maintained by the Department in a DNA data bank and shall be made available only as provided in § 19.2-310.5.

B. After July 1, 1990, the blood, saliva, or tissue sample shall be taken prior to release from custody. Notwithstanding the provisions of § 53.1-159, any person convicted of an offense listed in subsection A who is in custody after July 1, 1990, shall provide a blood, saliva, or tissue sample prior to his release. Every person so convicted after July 1, 1990, who is not sentenced to a term of confinement shall provide a blood, saliva, or tissue sample as a condition of such sentence. A person required under this section to submit a sample for DNA analysis is not relieved from this requirement regardless of whether no blood, saliva, or tissue sample has been taken from the person or, if a sample has been taken, whether the sample or the results from the analysis of a sample cannot be found in the DNA data bank maintained by the Department of Forensic Science.

C. Nothing in this section shall prevent the Department of Forensic Science from including the identification characteristics of an individual's DNA profile in the DNA data bank as ordered by a circuit court pursuant to a lawful plea agreement.

D. A collection or placement of a sample for DNA analysis that was taken or retained in good faith does not invalidate the sample's use in the data bank pursuant to the provisions of this article. The detention, arrest, or conviction of a person based upon a data bank match or data bank information is not invalidated if it is determined that the sample was obtained, placed, or retained in the data bank in good faith, or if the conviction or juvenile adjudication that resulted in the collection of the DNA sample was subsequently vacated or otherwise altered in any future proceeding, including but not limited to post-trial or post-fact-finding motions, appeals, or collateral attacks.

E. The Virginia Department of Corrections and the Department of Forensic Science shall, on a quarterly basis, compare databases of offenders under the custody or supervision of the Department of Corrections with the DNA data bank of the Department of Forensic Science. The Virginia Department of Corrections shall require a DNA sample of those offenders under its custody or supervision who are required to submit a sample pursuant to this section if they are not identified in the DNA data bank.

F. The Department of State Police shall verify that a DNA sample required to be taken for the Sex Offender and Crimes Against Minors Registry pursuant to § 9.1-903 has been received by the Department of Forensic Science. In any instance where a DNA sample has not been received, the Department of State Police or its designee shall obtain from the person required to register a sample for DNA analysis.

G. Each community-based probation services agency established pursuant to § 9.1-174 shall determine by reviewing the Department of Forensic Science DNA data bank sample tracking system upon intake and again prior to discharge whether a blood, saliva, or tissue sample is stored in the DNA data bank for each offender required to submit a sample pursuant to this section and, if an offender's sample is not stored in the data bank, require the offender to submit a sample for DNA analysis.

H. The sheriff or regional jailer shall determine by reviewing the Department of Forensic Science DNA data bank sample tracking system upon intake and again prior to release whether a blood, saliva, or tissue sample is stored in the DNA data bank for each offender required to submit a sample pursuant to this section and, if an offender's sample is not stored in the data bank, require the offender to submit a sample for DNA analysis.

1990, c. 669; 1993, c. 33; 1996, cc. 154, 952; 1998, c. 280; 2002, cc. 54, 753, 773; 2005, cc. 868, 881; 2007, c. 528; 2011, c. 247; 2015, cc. 193, 209, 437; 2018, cc. 417, 543, 544; 2019, cc. 201, 786; 2022, cc. 41, 42.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 20 cases, 1991–2014 · leading case: Johnson v. Commonwealth, 529 S.E.2d 769 (Va. 2000).

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Johnson v. Commonwealth, 529 S.E.2d 769 (Va. 2000). · cites it 10× “Constitutionality of Virginia’s DNA Data Bank Johnson argues that the statutes providing for the Commonwealth’s DNA data bank, Code §§ 19.2-310.2 through -310.7 (DNA statutes), which include a requirement that all convicted felons submit blood samples for DNA testing, violate…”

Anderson v. Com., 650 S.E.2d 702 (Va. 2007). · cites it 6× “1 or a violation or attempt to commit a violation of § 18.2-31, 18.2-89, 18.”

Alston v. Com., 652 S.E.2d 456 (Va. 2007). · cites it 2× “2 of a person convicted of possession of controlled substances; collection of a DNA sample under Code § 19.2-310.2 of a person convicted of a felony; and ordering restitution to victims under Code § 19.”

United States v. Kriesel, 508 F.3d 941 (9th Cir. 2007). · cites it 2× “1992) (upholding Va.Code Ann. § 19.2-310.2 (1990)); Doles v.”

State v. Raines, 857 A.2d 19 (Md. 2004). · cites it 2× “See Va.Code Ann. § 19.2-310.2. ... "... [G]iven the DNA technology that is currently available,.”

Ewell v. Murray, 813 F. Supp. 1180 (W.D. Va. 1993). · cites it 5× “In April of 1990, the Commonwealth of Virginia enacted legislation, Va.Code §§ 19.2-310.2 through 310.7, which requires incarcerated felons to provide a blood sample to the Department of Corrections for deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) analysis and storage.”

Wright v. Com., 655 S.E.2d 7 (Va. 2008). · cites it 2× “We do not decide today whether a circuit court would have to reject a plea agreement containing an agreed disposition that directly conflicted with particular mandated statutory requirements such as the ones before us, those relating to the taking of a defendant's blood, saliva…”

State v. Olivas, 856 P.2d 1076 (Wash. 1993). · cites it 2× “, Nuger, The Special Needs Rationale: Creating a Chasm in Fourth Amendment Analysis, 32 Santa Clara L. Rev.”

Jones v. Murray, 763 F. Supp. 842 (W.D. Va. 1991). · cites it 21× “October 26, the Court certified a class of all felons who have been or will be convicted of a felony under the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia and who will be subject to blood tests for DNA analysis pursuant to Va.Code Ann. § 19.2-310.2 (1990). The case is presently before…”

Andy DeWayne Cumbo v. Dickenson Cnty. Dep't of Soc. Servs., 742 S.E.2d 885 (Va. Ct. App. 2013). · cites it 2× “1-901 (requiring every person convicted of certain sexual offenses to register under the Sex Offender and Crimes Against Minors Registry Act); see also Code § 19.2-310.2 (requiring every person convicted of a felony to submit to DNA testing).”

Landry v. Attorney Gen., 429 Mass. 336 (Mass. 1999). · cites it 2× “Others require samples from a broader group, such as all felons, see Va. Code Ann. § 19.2-310.2 (Michie 1998), or include juveniles tried as adults, see, e.”

Doe v. Gainer, 642 N.E.2d 114 (Ill. 1994). · cites it 2× “" (4A Va.Code Ann. § 19.2-310.2 (Michie 1990).) Plaintiff in Murray argued that the genetic marker statute was an ex post facto law.”

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