NARRATIVE · 01
How qualification works in Virginia
Virginia has a statewide standard. Under Virginia Code § 18.2-308.016, a retired law-enforcement officer may annually complete "the same training and testing to carry firearms as is required of active law-enforcement officers in the Commonwealth" — a Commonwealth-wide standard, not an individual agency's own standard. The qualification is administered by a DCJS-certified (often NRA-certified) law enforcement firearms instructor, and the certifying chief law-enforcement officer's documentation must state that the retired officer "has met the standards of the Commonwealth to carry a firearm."
NARRATIVE · 02
What to carry afterward
Agency photo ID
From the agency you separated from.
Proficiency certificate
Dated within the past 12 months.1
NARRATIVE · 03
Where LEOSA doesn't apply
Private property where the owner prohibits firearms.
State & local government property buildings, parks and installations that restrict firearms.
Federal facilities courthouses, federal buildings and military installations.
School zones under the Gun-Free School Zones Act, unless separately licensed by your state.
Commercial aircraft LEOSA does not change federal aviation rules.
SOURCES
Not legal advice. Confirm with Virginia's POST commission or your former agency.