OBSCENITY

Richmond, Va., City Code ch. 19, art. VI, div. 2

in effect

Richmond, Va., City Code § 19-227 Purpose.

Sec. 19-227. - Purpose. This division is adopted pursuant to the powers conferred by Section 2.04(a) of the Charter and Code of Virginia, § 15.2-926.2 for the prevention of vice and immorality and lewd and disorderly conduct or exhibitions. (Code 1993, § 20-91; Code 2004, § 66-236; Code 2015, § 19-227; Code 2020, § 19-227)

Richmond, Va., City Code § 19-228 Definitions.

Sec. 19-228. - Definitions. The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this division, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning: Obscene means that which, considered as a whole, has as its dominant theme or purpose an appeal to the prurient interest in sex, that is, a shameful or morbid interest in nudity, sexual conduct, sexual excitement, excretory functions or products thereof or sadomasochistic abuse, and which goes substantially beyond customary limits of candor in description or representation of such matters and which, taken as a whole, does not have serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value. (Code 1993, § 20-92; Code 2004, § 66-237; Code 2015, § 19-228; Code 2020, § 19-228)

Richmond, Va., City Code § 19-229 Obscene items enumerated.

Sec. 19-229. - Obscene items enumerated. For the purposes of this division, obscene items shall include the following: (1) Any obscene book; (2) Any obscene leaflet, pamphlet, magazine, booklet, picture, painting, bumper sticker, drawing, photograph, film, negative, slide, motion picture, videotape recording; (3) Any obscene figure, object, article, instrument, novelty device, or recording or transcription used or intended to be used in disseminating any obscene song, ballad, words, or sounds; or (4) Any obscene writing, picture or similar visual representation, or sound recording, stored in an electronic or other medium retrievable in a perceivable form. (Code 1993, § 20-93; Code 2004, § 66-238; Code 2015, § 19-229; Code 2020, § 19-229)

Richmond, Va., City Code § 19-230 Production, publication, sale or possession of obscene items.

Sec. 19-230. - Production, publication, sale or possession of obscene items. (a) For the purposes of this section, the term "distribute" means delivery in person, by mail, by messenger or by any other means by which obscene items may pass from one person to another. (b) It shall be unlawful for any person knowingly to: (1) Prepare any obscene item for the purposes of sale or distribution; (2) Print, copy, manufacture, produce, or reproduce any obscene item for purposes of sale or distribution; (3) Publish, sell, rent, lend, transport in intrastate commerce, or distribute or exhibit any obscene item or offer to do any of these things; or (4) Have in such person's possession with intent to sell, rent, lend, transport, or distribute any obscene item. Possession in public or in a public place of any obscene item shall be deemed prima facie evidence of a violation of this section. (Code 1993, § 20-94; Code 2004, § 66-239; Code 2015, § 19-230; Code 2020, § 19-230)

Richmond, Va., City Code § 19-231 Obscene exhibitions and performances.

Sec. 19-231. - Obscene exhibitions and performances. It shall be unlawful for any person knowingly to: (1) Produce, promote, prepare, present, manage, direct, carry on or participate in any obscene exhibitions or performances, including the exhibition or performance of any obscene motion picture, play, drama, show, entertainment, exposition, tableau or scene, provided that no employee of any person or legal entity operating a theater, garden, building, structure, room or place which presents such obscene exhibition or performance shall be subject to prosecution under this section if the employee is not the manager of the theater or an officer of such entity and has no financial interest in such theater other than receiving salary and wages; or (2) Own, lease or manage any theater, garden, building, structure, room or place and lease, let, lend or permit such theater, garden, building, structure, room or place to be used for the purpose of presenting such obscene exhibition or performance or to fail to post prominently therein the name and address of a person resident in the locality who is the manager of such theater, garden, building, structure, room or place. (Code 1993, § 20-95; Code 2004, § 66-240; Code 2015, § 19-231; Code 2020, § 19-231)

Richmond, Va., City Code § 19-232 Advertising obscene items, exhibitions or performances.

Sec. 19-232. - Advertising obscene items, exhibitions or performances. It shall be unlawful for any person knowingly to prepare, print, publish, or circulate or cause to be prepared, printed, published or circulated any notice or advertisement of any obscene item proscribed in Section 19-229 or of any obscene performance or exhibition proscribed in Section 19-231, stating or indicating where such obscene item, exhibition, or performance may be purchased, obtained, seen or heard. (Code 1993, § 20-96; Code 2004, § 66-241; Code 2015, § 19-232; Code 2020, § 19-232)

Richmond, Va., City Code § 19-233 Placards, posters, banners, bills, writings or pictures.

Sec. 19-233. - Placards, posters, banners, bills, writings or pictures. It shall be unlawful for any person knowingly to expose, place, display, post up, exhibit, paint, print, or mark or cause to be exposed, placed, displayed, posted, exhibited, painted, printed or marked in or on any building, structure, billboard, wall or fence or on any street or in or upon any public place any placard, poster, banner, bill, writing, or picture which is obscene or which advertises or promotes any obscene item proscribed in Section 19-229 or any obscene exhibition or performance proscribed in Section 19-231 or knowingly to permit such to be displayed on property belonging to or controlled by such person. (Code 1993, § 20-97; Code 2004, § 66-242; Code 2015, § 19-233; Code 2020, § 19-233)

Richmond, Va., City Code § 19-234 Coercing acceptance of obscene articles or publications.

Sec. 19-234. - Coercing acceptance of obscene articles or publications. It shall be unlawful for any person, as a condition to any sale, allocation, consignment or delivery for resale of any paper, magazine, book, periodical or publication, to require that the purchaser or consignee receive for resale any other article, book, or other publication which is obscene; nor shall any person deny or threaten to deny any franchise or impose or threaten to impose any penalty, financial or otherwise, by reason of the failure or refusal of any person to accept such articles, books, or publications or by reason of the return thereof. (Code 1993, § 20-98; Code 2004, § 66-243; Code 2020, § 19-234)

Richmond, Va., City Code § 19-235 Employing or permitting minor to assist in offense.

Sec. 19-235. - Employing or permitting minor to assist in offense. It shall be unlawful for any person knowingly to hire, employ, use or permit any minor to do or assist in doing any act or thing constituting an offense under this division. (Code 1993, § 20-99; Code 2004, § 66-244; Code 2015, § 19-235; Code 2020, § 19-235)

Richmond, Va., City Code § 19-236 Photographs, slides and motion pictures.

Sec. 19-236. - Photographs, slides and motion pictures. A person shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor if the person knowingly: (1) Photographs such person's own body or that of any other person, for purposes of preparing an obscene film, photograph, negative, slide or motion picture for purposes of sale or distribution; or (2) Models, poses, acts, or otherwise assists in the preparation of any obscene film, photograph, negative, slide or motion picture for purposes of sale or distribution. (Code 1993, § 20-100; Code 2004, § 66-245; Code 2015, § 19-236; Code 2020, § 19-236)

Richmond, Va., City Code § 19-237 Showing previews of certain motion pictures.

Sec. 19-237. - Showing previews of certain motion pictures. It shall be unlawful for any person to exhibit any trailer or preview of any motion picture which has a motion picture industry rating which would not permit persons in the audience viewing the feature motion picture to see the complete motion picture from which the trailer or preview is taken. (Code 1993, § 20-101; Code 2004, § 66-246; Code 2015, § 19-237; Code 2020, § 19-237)

Richmond, Va., City Code § 19-238 Indecent exposure.

Sec. 19-238. - Indecent exposure. Every person who intentionally makes an obscene display or exposure of such person's own body or the private parts thereof in any public place or in any place where others are present or procures another person to so expose such other person's body shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. No person shall be deemed to be in violation of this section for breastfeeding a child in any public place or any place where others are present. (Code 1993, § 20-102; Code 2004, § 66-247; Code 2020, § 19-238)

Richmond, Va., City Code § 19-239 Public urination and defecation.

Sec. 19-239. - Public urination and defecation. (a) It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly, voluntarily and intentionally urinate or defecate in public or in a public place or in a place open to public view, except in a public restroom facility. (b) Any person, upon conviction of violation of this section, shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. (Code 1993, § 20-103; Code 2004, § 66-248; Code 2015, § 19-239; Code 2020, § 19-239)

Richmond, Va., City Code § 19-240 Exceptions to application of division.

Sec. 19-240. - Exceptions to application of division. Nothing contained in this division shall be construed to apply to the following: (1) The purchase, distribution, exhibition, or loan of any book, magazine, or other printed or manuscript material by any library, school, or institution of higher learning, supported by public appropriation. (2) The purchase, distribution, exhibition, or loan of any work of art by any museum of fine arts, school, or institution of higher learning, supported by public appropriation. (3) The exhibition or performance of any play, drama, tableau, or motion picture by any theater, museum of fine arts, school or institution of higher learning, supported by public appropriation. (Code 1993, § 20-105; Code 2004, § 66-250; Code 2015, § 19-240; Code 2020, § 19-240)

Richmond, Va., City Code § 19-241 Penalties.

Sec. 19-241. - Penalties. Any person convicted for the first time of an offense under this division shall, except where otherwise provided, be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. (Code 1993, § 20-106; Code 2004, § 66-251; Code 2015, § 19-241; Code 2020, § 19-241)

Source: City of Richmond, Virginia, Code (2026 recodification) and Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/va/richmond/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICICO_CH19OFMIPR_ARTVIOFAGPUMO_DIV2OBFetched: 11/8/2026