Verified against 4VAC20 and Code of Virginia 28.2-708, September 2026. Rules change. Confirm with the Virginia Marine Resources Commission before you set gear. This page is a reference, not legal advice.
Cull rings: Virginia is not Maryland
This is the one most suppliers get wrong. Under 4VAC20-700-20, a crab pot set in Virginia's Bay and tributaries must have at least two unobstructed cull rings of at least 2-3/8" inside diameter, located one each in opposite exterior side panels of the upper chamber. Not 2-5/16". A 2-5/16" ring is a sixteenth undersized in Virginia Bay water.
On the seaside of Accomack and Northampton Counties, the rule flips to match Maryland: two rings, one at least 2-5/16" and one at least 2-3/16", one each in opposite exterior side panels of the upper chamber.
Peeler pots with mesh under 1-1/2" are exempt from the ring requirement.
What that means for rigging
Bay and rivers: two 2-3/8" rings. Seaside: one 2-5/16" and one 2-3/16". Our 2-5/16" cull rings are the right part for the larger seaside ring. They are not the right part for the Bay and tributaries. We do not sell a 2-3/8" today; if you run Virginia Bay water and want one, tell us, that is how we decide what to cut next.
Crab pounds and traps
Under 4VAC20-460-50, a crab trap or pound must have at least four unobstructed cull rings of at least 1-1/2" inside diameter, two each under water in the lower portion of the side panels perpendicular to the shoreline.
Minimum sizes
| Crab | Minimum |
|---|---|
| Hard crab (male and immature female) | 5" |
| Peeler, season start through Jul 15 | 3-1/4" |
| Peeler, Jul 16 to end of season | 3-1/2" (seaside of Accomack & Northampton stays 3-1/4") |
| Soft crab | 3-1/2" |
| Mature female | No minimum |
Measured tip to tip of the longest spikes. Code 28.2-708 allows a tolerance of 10 undersized hard crabs per bushel or 35 per barrel; anything over that goes back alive. Peelers carry a tolerance of 10 per bushel or 5% in other containers.
Virginia's 5" hard crab minimum holds all season. If you run a cull stick, that is a 5" notch. Our aluminum cull stick is listed at 5-1/4" for Maryland's late season; call the shop for a 5" cut.
Sponge crabs
Dark sponge crabs (brown through black) must be returned alive, with a tolerance of 10 per bushel. Orange sponge crabs are legal in Virginia; many watermen return them anyway.
Recreational gear
Up to two commercial-style pots, dip net, or hand line require no license, for up to one bushel of hard crabs and two dozen peelers per day. More than two pots requires a recreational gear license, up to five pots. Recreational pots must carry the same 2-3/8" rings as commercial pots in Bay water. Recreational buoys are marked with the letter R followed by the last four digits of the licensee's driver's license or social security number, at least 1" high.
Sources
- 4VAC20-700-20, Cull ring requirements
- 4VAC20-460-50, Cull Rings (traps and pounds)
- 4VAC20-270-55, Minimum size limits
- VMRC Recreational Crabbing Rules
Gear for Virginia pots
- Door hooks: FlatStack, 4-1/4" overall, 3-1/2" center to center, cut for a commercial Chesapeake pot door. Bulk boxes from 100 to 10,000.
- Cull rings: our 2-5/16" ring is the larger seaside ring. It is not legal in Bay and tributary water, which requires 2-3/8"; we don't cut that yet.
- Cull stick: Virginia is a 5" measure all season. Machined aluminum, held to .005"; call for the 5" cut.