SlotGaugeCheck a catchOyster regulations in Virginia
Clams & oysters · Shellfish & crabs · 2026 season
Oyster size limit, season and daily limit
| Where | Season | Size limit | Daily limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia public oyster grounds | Open year-round | 3 inch minimum | 1 bushel per person per day |
Notes
- A 2026-10-31 check against the official source found a discrepancy in this species' seasons. Read the official wording before keeping the fish: https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title4/agency20/chapter720/section40/
- No license needed for personal use from open public grounds by hand or ordinary tongs. Season dates differ by area — see the VMRC public oyster harvest season notice before going.
Exact Virginia Marine Resources Commission wording
- Season
- Public oyster season (set each year by area, generally fall and winter); open 7 days a week to hand tongs
- Size
- 3 inches (culling rules, 4VAC20-260)
- Limit
- 1 bushel per person per day
- Virginia public oyster grounds — as printed
- “Taking a maximum of one bushel of oysters in any one day for personal use when taken by hand or with ordinary tongs during the oyster season from open rocks. One bushel per person limit and culling regulations applies.”
Source: Virginia Marine Resources Commission, captured 2026-09-21 (2026 season).
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About the oyster
Species of bivalve
The eastern oyster —also called the Atlantic oyster, American oyster, or East Coast oyster—is a species of true oyster native to eastern North and South America. Other names in local or culinary use include the Wellfleet oyster, Virginia oyster, Malpeque oyster, Blue Point oyster, Chesapeake Bay oyster, and Apalachicola oyster. C. virginica ranges from northern New Brunswick south through parts of the West Indies to Venezuela. It is farmed in all of the Maritime provinces of Canada and all Eastern Seaboard and Gulf states of the United States, as well as Puget Sound, Washington, where it is known as the Totten Inlet Virginica. It was introduced to the Hawaiian Islands in the 19th century and is common in Pearl Harbor.
Read more about Eastern oyster 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 Oyster in Virginia?
3 inch minimum in Virginia state waters.
How many Oyster can you keep per day in Virginia?
1 bushel per person per day.
When is Oyster season in Virginia?
Open year-round.
Is my Oyster a keeper today?
A oyster is a keeper today if it measures at least 3 inches, with 1 bushel per person per day.