State desk
Ranks 28th of 50 on the Liberty Index.
Where Virginia stands on 12 policies, sourced from our 50-state trackers, with the latest headlines from 22 Virginia outlets.
12 policies · each strip is all 50 states, grouped by rule · Virginia in red. Free to cite with attribution.
A permit is required; courts must issue a concealed-handgun permit to qualified applicants meeting objective criteria.
Virginia is 1 of 15 states with this rule
29 · Constitutional (Permitless) Carry6 · Restrictive: Permit Required
Virginia taxes individual income at graduated rates rising to 5.75 percent across 4 brackets, ranking 17 of 41 among the states that tax income.
Virginia is 1 of 26 states with this rule
8 · No Income Tax1 · Capital Gains Only15 · Single Flat Rate
Virginia charges 42.40 cents per gallon in state tax, ranking 9 of 50, which is among the highest in the country. With the federal 18.40 cents added, a driver pays 60.80 cents per gallon in tax. Diesel is taxed at 43.50 cents.
Virginia is 1 of 17 states with this rule
16 · Near the Middle17 · Among the Lowest
Abolished in 2021 — the first Southern state to do so.
Virginia is 1 of 23 states with this rule
23 · Retains the death penalty4 · Retains it, executions paused
Right-to-work by statute since 1947; voters rejected adding it to the constitution in 2016.
Virginia is 1 of 26 states with this rule
24 · No Right-to-Work Law
State minimum wage is $12.77, above the federal $7.25 floor; adjusted annually for inflation.
Virginia is 1 of 30 states with this rule
12 · Matches the Federal Floor3 · Below Federal, So Federal Applies5 · No State Minimum Wage Law
Voters are asked for ID that need not bear a photo, but may still vote after signing an identity confirmation statement.
Virginia is 1 of 8 states with this rule
10 · Strict Photo ID14 · Photo ID Requested4 · Strict Non-Photo ID14 · No Document Required
Education Improvement Scholarships Tax Credit serves only lower-income students.
Virginia is 1 of 16 states with this rule
17 · Universal / Near-Universal17 · No Private-Choice Program
Virginia permits the use of deadly force in self-defense through judicial decisions or jury instructions rather than a stand-your-ground statute.
Virginia is 1 of 7 states with this rule
31 · No Duty to Retreat12 · Not Listed by NCSL
Any registered voter may request an absentee ballot by mail without providing a reason.
Virginia is 1 of 29 states with this rule
8 · All-Mail13 · Excuse Required
Virginia's unemployment rate was 3.6% in September 2026, seasonally adjusted, unchanged from August. It ranks 20th lowest of 51 (the 50 states and D.C.), up from 21st. A year earlier, in September 2025, it was 3.4%. The U.S. rate was 4.2%.
Data retrieved from the BLS public API on October 30, 2026. BLS.gov cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from BLS.gov.
Elected statewide to a four-year term.
Virginia is 1 of 43 states with this rule
5 · Appointed by the governor1 · Chosen by the legislature1 · Appointed by the state supreme court