On November 19, the Virginia Conflict of Interest and Ethics Advisory Council formally increased the state gift cap—found in Virginia Code §§ 2.2-3103.1 and 30-103.1—to $131.
State law requires the Council to adjust the cap every five years based on inflation, using the United States Average Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) as published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The updated amount must reflect the cumulative CPI-U increase over the previous five-year period and be rounded to the nearest whole dollar.
The last adjustment occurred in 2020, when the cap rose from $100 to $108. This latest increase to $131 is retroactive to January 1, 2025, and will remain in effect for the 2025 calendar year and the following four years.
Local officials and employees with questions about the updated cap or related ethics requirements may contact the Ethics Council at ethicscouncil@dls.virginia.gov.
VACo Contact: Dean A. Lynch, CAE