Jury duty pay in Virginia is $50 for each day you report, set by Virginia Code 17.1-618 and paid as a flat amount that already covers travel and other expenses. There is no separate mileage check on top of it. Federal jury duty in Virginia pays the same $50 daily rate but adds a mileage allowance, and the job protections work a little differently. Either way, your employer cannot punish you for serving.
What the $50 a Day Covers in State Court
Every person summoned as a juror in a Virginia civil or criminal case receives $50 for each day of attendance.1Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code Title 17.1 – Chapter 6, Costs Generally You earn it for each day the court requires you to show up, even if you report and are not seated on a panel.
The amount is all-inclusive. The statute describes it as covering “expenses of travel incident to jury service and other necessary and reasonable costs as the court may direct.”2Supreme Court of Virginia. Chart of Allowances You will not get a separate mileage reimbursement or parking stipend. A long drive to the courthouse comes out of the $50. Jurors summoned from a different city or county under a special venue order can receive additional actual expenses at the court’s discretion, but that situation is rare.
Federal Jury Duty Pays Differently
Virginia has two federal district courts, the Eastern District and the Western District. If your summons comes from one of them rather than from a state court, federal rules apply.
Federal jurors also receive $50 per day. Grand jurors who serve more than 45 days can receive up to $10 extra per day at the judge’s discretion. Unlike state court, federal jurors get a separate travel allowance based on round-trip mileage between home and the courthouse, at a rate the Administrative Office of the United States Courts sets each year.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1871 – Fees Parking reimbursement varies by courthouse.4United States District Court Eastern District of Virginia. Jury Service FAQs
How and When You Get Paid
Virginia Code 17.1-619 lets the court pay you by check, warrant, cash, prepaid debit card, or electronic transfer.1Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code Title 17.1 – Chapter 6, Costs Generally The method depends on your local clerk’s office. Most courts mail a check after your service ends, and a few weeks is typical. Confirm the court has your correct mailing address before you leave the building on your last day.
Your Job While You Serve
Virginia law makes it illegal for an employer to fire you, demote you, or take any other adverse action against you because you missed work for jury duty, as long as you gave reasonable notice of the summons.5Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 18.2-465.1 – Penalizing Employee for Court Appearance or Service on Jury Panel Your employer also cannot force you to use sick days or vacation time to cover the absence.
A less familiar protection matters for shift workers. If you spend four or more hours on jury duty in a single day, including travel time, your employer cannot require you to start a shift that begins at or after 5:00 p.m. that same day or before 3:00 a.m. the next morning.5Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 18.2-465.1 – Penalizing Employee for Court Appearance or Service on Jury Panel Report at 8:00 a.m. and get released at noon, and your employer still cannot pull you in for a 5:00 p.m. shift that night.
An employer who breaks these rules commits a Class 3 misdemeanor, which carries a fine of up to $500 and no jail time.6Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 18.2-11 – Punishment for Conviction of Misdemeanor The fine is modest, but the leverage is that most employers do not want a criminal charge over a scheduling fight.
One thing Virginia law does not do: it does not require your employer to pay your regular wages while you serve. Some employers keep you on full salary as a company benefit, and some ask you to turn over the $50 court payment in return. Whether you receive a paycheck during jury duty is between you and your employer.
Federal Jury Service Adds Stronger Protection
If you serve on a federal jury, 28 U.S.C. 1875 separately bars any employer from firing, threatening, intimidating, or coercing a permanent employee because of the service. An employer who violates the federal rule faces liability for lost wages, a court order to reinstate you, and a civil penalty of up to $5,000 per violation.7Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 U.S. Code 1875 – Protection of Jurors Employment A reinstated employee is treated as having been on leave, with no loss of seniority or benefits.
Taxes on the Pay
Jury duty pay is taxable income. Report it on Schedule 1 (Form 1040), line 8h.8Internal Revenue Service. Publication 525 (2025), Taxable and Nontaxable Income At $50 a day, the total is usually small, but it still belongs on the return.
If your employer paid your regular salary during jury duty and required you to hand over the $50 court payments, you can deduct what you surrendered. Report the full jury pay as income on line 8h, then enter the amount you turned over to your employer on Schedule 1, line 24a as an adjustment.8Internal Revenue Service. Publication 525 (2025), Taxable and Nontaxable Income You are not taxed on money you never kept.
Asking the Court to Defer
If the summons lands at a bad time, Virginia law lets you ask the court to defer your service or limit it to certain dates within the term. The standard is “particular occupational inconvenience,” and the statute specifically names two situations: full-time students attending classes during the term, and people with legal custody of a child 16 or younger who needs continuous personal care during court hours.9Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 8.01-341.2 – Deferral or Limitation of Jury Service
A deferral is not a permanent excuse. If the court grants it, your obligation shifts to the next term after the inconvenience ends. Many courts accept the request by phone, mail, or through the clerk’s office before your reporting date. Contact the clerk listed on the summons as early as you can rather than waiting until the morning you are supposed to appear.
If You Skip Jury Duty
Ignoring a Virginia jury summons is not treated casually. Under Virginia Code 8.01-356, a juror who received proper notice and fails to show up without a sufficient excuse faces a fine between $50 and $200.10Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 8.01-356 – Failure of Juror to Appear A court can also pursue contempt charges, which carry a fine of up to $250 and up to ten days in jail when decided by a judge without a jury.11Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code Title 18.2 – Chapter 10, Article 5, Contempt of Court
Federal courts take non-appearance even more seriously. Failing to respond to a federal jury summons, or failing to show good cause for missing it, can bring a fine of up to $1,000, up to three days in jail, community service, or a combination of all three. The same penalties apply to lying on a juror qualification form to get out of serving. Most courts start with a follow-up letter or an order to show cause before anything harsher, but calling the clerk to explain a conflict is always the better move.