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Hammerhead sharks (great, scalloped, smooth) Regulations in Virginia (2026)

Recreational hammerhead sharks (great, scalloped, smooth) rules in Virginia saltwater, as published by the Virginia Marine Resources Commission. Last checked November 7, 2026.

Size limit
78 in minimum
Bag limit
A. Recreational fishing vessels are allowed a maximum possession…
Season
E. It shall be unlawful for any person to take, harvest, land, or…

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Recreational Hammerhead sharks (great, scalloped, smooth) rules in Virginia

Where
All waters
Size limit
It shall be unlawful for any person to possess any recreationally caught great hammerhead, scalloped hammerhead, or smooth hammerhead shark that is less than 78 inches in fork length.
Bag limit
A. Recreational fishing vessels are allowed a maximum possession limit of one recreationally permitted shark, excluding smooth dogfish, per trip, regardless of the number of people on board the vessel.
Season
E. It shall be unlawful for any person to take, harvest, land, or possess any blacktip, bull, great hammerhead, lemon, nurse, scalloped hammerhead, smooth hammerhead, spinner or tiger shark from May 15 through July 15 of any calendar year.

Official source

Commercial rules

Show 1 commercial rule
Where
All waters
Bag limit
A. Beginning January 1 of any given year it shall be unlawful for any person to possess on board a vessel or to land in Virginia more than a combined total of 36 commercially permitted aggregated large coastal sharks and commercially permitted hammerhead sharks in one 24-hour period, unless the Marine Resources Commission has posted notice of any change to possession limits on its website at http://mrc.virginia.gov/Regulations/VA-commercial-shark-possession-limits.shtm.
Season
F. Except as described in this section, it shall be unlawful for any person to take, harvest, land, or possess in Virginia any blacktip, bull, great hammerhead, lemon, nurse, scalloped hammerhead, silky, smooth hammerhead, spinner, or tiger shark from May 15 through July 15.
  • A. It shall be unlawful for any person to place, set, or fish any longline in Virginia's tidal waters.
  • B. It shall be unlawful for any person to place, set, or fish any shark shortline in Virginia's tidal waters with more than 50 hooks.
  • A licensed commercial fisherman may eviscerate and remove the head of any shark, but the tail and all fins of any shark, except smooth dogfish as provided in subsection C of this section, shall remain naturally attached to the carcass through landing.
  • H. All sharks harvested from state waters or federal waters, for commercial purposes, shall only be sold to a federally permitted shark dealer.
  • D. It shall be unlawful to possess, on board a vessel, or to land in Virginia any species of shark, after the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries has closed the fishery for that species in federal waters.

Official source

Quick answers

What is the hammerhead sharks (great, scalloped, smooth) size limit in Virginia?

It shall be unlawful for any person to possess any recreationally caught great hammerhead, scalloped hammerhead, or smooth hammerhead shark that is less than 78 inches in fork length..

How many hammerhead sharks (great, scalloped, smooth) can I keep in Virginia?

A. Recreational fishing vessels are allowed a maximum possession limit of one recreationally permitted shark, excluding smooth dogfish, per trip, regardless of the number of people on board the vessel..

When is hammerhead sharks (great, scalloped, smooth) season in Virginia?

E. It shall be unlawful for any person to take, harvest, land, or possess any blacktip, bull, great hammerhead, lemon, nurse, scalloped hammerhead, smooth hammerhead, spinner or tiger shark from May 15 through July 15 of any calendar year.. Whether it is open on a specific day can change by emergency rule — check today's status in the app.

More offshore & pelagic in Virginia

All Virginia saltwater fishing regulations →

Source: Virginia Marine Resources Commission. Most anglers need a Virginia saltwater license or registry: get one here.