The element that has 7 valence electrons is chlorine (Cl). Valence electrons are the electrons in the outermost shell of an atom, and they play a crucial role in chemical bonding. Chlorine, which is in Group 17 (also known as the halogens) of the periodic table, has 7 electrons in its outermost shell. This makes chlorine highly reactive, as it tends to gain one more electron to achieve a stable electron configuration, similar to that of the noble gases. This characteristic is why chlorine is commonly found in compounds rather than in its pure form in nature.