SlotGaugeCheck a catchHard Clam regulations in Virginia
Clams & oysters · Shellfish & crabs · 2026 season
Hard Clam size limit, season and daily limit
| Where | Season | Size limit | Daily limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia open shellfish areas | Open year-round | None stated for personal use | 250 clams per person per day |
Notes
- A 2026-10-31 check against the official source found a discrepancy in this species' notes. Read the official wording before keeping the fish: https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title4/agency20/chapter720/section40/
- By hand or ordinary tongs only; no license needed for personal use. Check VDH condemned-area closures.
Exact Virginia Marine Resources Commission wording
- Season
- Open year-round from areas open to harvest
- Size
- None stated for personal use
- Limit
- 250 clams per person per day
- Virginia open shellfish areas — as printed
- “Taking a maximum of 250 clams in any one day for personal use when taken by hand or with ordinary tongs from open areas.”
Source: Virginia Marine Resources Commission, captured 2026-09-21 (2026 season).
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About the hard clam
Mollusc species native to the Americas
The hard clam, also known as the round clam, hard-shell clam, or the quahog, is an edible marine bivalve mollusk that is native to the eastern shores of North America and Central America from Prince Edward Island to the Yucatán Peninsula. It is one of many unrelated edible bivalves that in the United States are frequently referred to simply as clams. Older literature sources may use the systematic name Venus mercenaria; this species is in the family Veneridae, the venus clams.
Read more about Hard clam on Wikipedia →
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Regulations on this page come from Virginia Marine Resources Commission, not Wikipedia.
Frequently asked
What is the size limit for Hard Clam in Virginia?
None stated for personal use in Virginia state waters.
How many Hard Clam can you keep per day in Virginia?
250 clams per person per day.
When is Hard Clam season in Virginia?
Open year-round.
Is my Hard Clam a keeper today?
Hard Clam has no size limit today, with a daily limit of 250.