{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/1-405.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/1-405.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/1-405.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/1-405.html"}],"law_id":69753,"edition_id":1,"section_id":69753,"structure_id":16176,"section_number":"1-405","catch_line":"Reversion to Commonwealth; recorded title prerequisite to vesting jurisdiction","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 7-25; 1966, c. 102, \u00a7 7.1-22; 1975, c. 449; 1976, c. 211; 1994, c. 23; 2005, c. 839.","full_text":"A\n\nAs used in this section, unless the context requires otherwise:\n\t\t\t“Corrective action” means the response and remediation to environmental contamination to the extent required by any applicable environmental law or regulation applicable to the property.\n\t\t\t“Environmental contamination” means any hazardous waste, substance or toxic material, or its discharge or release, that is regulated under any environmental law or regulation applicable to the property, and shall include petroleum (including crude oil), natural gas, liquefied natural gas, ordnance, unexploded munitions, and asbestos.B\n\nIf the United States shall cease to be the owner of any lands, or any part thereof, granted or conveyed to it by the Commonwealth; if the purposes of any such grant or conveyance to the United States shall cease; or if the United States shall for five consecutive years fail to use any such land for the purposes of the grant or conveyance, then, and in that event, the right and title to such land, or such part thereof, shall immediately revert to the Commonwealth unless such land, or part thereof, contains environmental contamination. No land containing environmental contamination shall be transferred or revert to the Commonwealth, unless and until all corrective action necessary to protect human health and the environment with respect to any environmental contamination on the lands, or portion thereof, has been completed to the satisfaction of the Commonwealth and approved by the Governor pursuant to § 2.2-1149, and the United States has executed and delivered a transfer instrument including covenants warranting that (i) all corrective action necessary to protect human health and the environment with respect to any environmental contamination on the land or any portion thereof has been taken, and (ii) any corrective action for environmental contamination occurring before the date of transfer found to be necessary after the date of the transfer of the title of the land or any portion thereof shall be conducted by the United States.\n\t\t\tIn cases where the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission (BRAC Commission) established pursuant to P.L. 101-510 (1990), as amended, identifies United States military bases located in the Commonwealth for closure, the Commonwealth shall have, in addition to the foregoing, the right to enter upon such lands so identified for the purpose of inspection for environmental contamination. Upon completion of such inspection, the Commonwealth shall report its findings to the Governor and the appropriate federal agencies.C\n\nAll deeds, conveyances or title papers for the transfer of title of lands to the United States shall be recorded in the county or city wherein the land or the greater part thereof lies, but no tax shall be required on any such instrument made to the United States by which they acquire lands for public purposes.D\n\nThe jurisdiction ceded by § 1-400 shall not vest until the United States shall have acquired the title of record to such lands, or rights or interest therein, by purchase, condemnation, lease or otherwise. So long as the lands, or any rights or interest therein, are held in fee simple by the United States, and no longer, such lands, rights or interest, as the case may be, shall continue exempt and exonerated, from all state and local taxes which may be levied or imposed under the authority of the Commonwealth.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":252109,"text":"As used in this section, unless the context requires otherwise:\n\t\t\t“Corrective action” means the response and remediation to environmental contamination to the extent required by any applicable environmental law or regulation applicable to the property.\n\t\t\t“Environmental contamination” means any hazardous waste, substance or toxic material, or its discharge or release, that is regulated under any environmental law or regulation applicable to the property, and shall include petroleum (including crude oil), natural gas, liquefied natural gas, ordnance, unexploded munitions, and asbestos.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":252110,"text":"If the United States shall cease to be the owner of any lands, or any part thereof, granted or conveyed to it by the Commonwealth; if the purposes of any such grant or conveyance to the United States shall cease; or if the United States shall for five consecutive years fail to use any such land for the purposes of the grant or conveyance, then, and in that event, the right and title to such land, or such part thereof, shall immediately revert to the Commonwealth unless such land, or part thereof, contains environmental contamination. No land containing environmental contamination shall be transferred or revert to the Commonwealth, unless and until all corrective action necessary to protect human health and the environment with respect to any environmental contamination on the lands, or portion thereof, has been completed to the satisfaction of the Commonwealth and approved by the Governor pursuant to § 2.2-1149, and the United States has executed and delivered a transfer instrument including covenants warranting that (i) all corrective action necessary to protect human health and the environment with respect to any environmental contamination on the land or any portion thereof has been taken, and (ii) any corrective action for environmental contamination occurring before the date of transfer found to be necessary after the date of the transfer of the title of the land or any portion thereof shall be conducted by the United States.\n\t\t\tIn cases where the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission (BRAC Commission) established pursuant to P.L. 101-510 (1990), as amended, identifies United States military bases located in the Commonwealth for closure, the Commonwealth shall have, in addition to the foregoing, the right to enter upon such lands so identified for the purpose of inspection for environmental contamination. Upon completion of such inspection, the Commonwealth shall report its findings to the Governor and the appropriate federal agencies.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":252111,"text":"All deeds, conveyances or title papers for the transfer of title of lands to the United States shall be recorded in the county or city wherein the land or the greater part thereof lies, but no tax shall be required on any such instrument made to the United States by which they acquire lands for public purposes.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"D"},"3":{"id":252112,"text":"The jurisdiction ceded by § 1-400 shall not vest until the United States shall have acquired the title of record to such lands, or rights or interest therein, by purchase, condemnation, lease or otherwise. So long as the lands, or any rights or interest therein, are held in fee simple by the United States, and no longer, such lands, rights or interest, as the case may be, shall continue exempt and exonerated, from all state and local taxes which may be levied or imposed under the authority of the Commonwealth.","type":"section","prefixes":["D"],"prefix":"D","entire_prefix":"D","prefix_anchor":"D","level":1,"prior_prefix":"C"}},"ancestry":[{"id":16176,"edition_id":1,"name":"Jurisdiction Over Lands Acquired by the United States","identifier":"4","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13464,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 04:08:17","date_modified":"2026-06-26 04:08:17","permalink":{"id":143171,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":16176,"identifier":"4","token":"1\/4","url":"\/1\/4\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13464,"edition_id":1,"name":"General Provisions","identifier":"1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:57","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:57","permalink":{"id":142799,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13464,"identifier":"1","token":"1","url":"\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":75149,"structure_id":16176,"section_number":"1-400","catch_line":"Conditional consent given to acquisition of lands by United States; concurrent jurisdiction ceded","url":"\/1-400\/","token":"1\/4\/1-400","metadata":false},{"id":86388,"structure_id":16176,"section_number":"1-401","catch_line":"Ceding additional jurisdiction to United States","url":"\/1-401\/","token":"1\/4\/1-401","metadata":false},{"id":69482,"structure_id":16176,"section_number":"1-402","catch_line":"Shenandoah National Park","url":"\/1-402\/","token":"1\/4\/1-402","metadata":false},{"id":66539,"structure_id":16176,"section_number":"1-403","catch_line":"Conveyances of certain waste and unappropriated lands and marshlands to the United States","url":"\/1-403\/","token":"1\/4\/1-403","metadata":false},{"id":70089,"structure_id":16176,"section_number":"1-404","catch_line":"Licensing sale of mixed alcoholic beverages on lands ceded to or owned by United States","url":"\/1-404\/","token":"1\/4\/1-404","metadata":false},{"id":69753,"structure_id":16176,"section_number":"1-405","catch_line":"Reversion to Commonwealth; recorded title prerequisite to vesting jurisdiction","url":"\/1-405\/","token":"1\/4\/1-405","metadata":false},{"id":74455,"structure_id":16176,"section_number":"1-406","catch_line":"Conveyances to political subdivisions of lands ceded to and no longer used by United States","url":"\/1-406\/","token":"1\/4\/1-406","metadata":false},{"id":64469,"structure_id":16176,"section_number":"1-407","catch_line":"Concurrent jurisdiction of Commonwealth and United States over certain lands leased to political subdivisions","url":"\/1-407\/","token":"1\/4\/1-407","metadata":false},{"id":84796,"structure_id":16176,"section_number":"1-408","catch_line":"Relinquishment by United States of jurisdiction over lands in the Commonwealth","url":"\/1-408\/","token":"1\/4\/1-408","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":70089,"structure_id":16176,"section_number":"1-404","catch_line":"Licensing sale of mixed alcoholic beverages on lands ceded to or owned by United States","url":"\/1-404\/","token":"1\/4\/1-404","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":74455,"structure_id":16176,"section_number":"1-406","catch_line":"Conveyances to political subdivisions of lands ceded to and no longer used by United States","url":"\/1-406\/","token":"1\/4\/1-406","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/1-405\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 5 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1966, chapter 102; in 1975, chapter 449; in 1976, chapter 211; in 1994, chapter 23<\/a>; in 2005, chapter 839<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":66539,"section_number":"1-403","catch_line":"Conveyances of certain waste and unappropriated lands and marshlands to the United States","order_by":null,"url":"\/1-403\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":75149,"section_number":"1-400","catch_line":"Conditional consent given to acquisition of lands by United States; concurrent jurisdiction ceded","order_by":null,"url":"\/1-400\/"},{"id":75383,"section_number":"2.2-1149","catch_line":"Department to review proposed acquisitions of real property; approval by the Governor; exceptions","order_by":null,"url":"\/2.2-1149\/"}],"permalink":{"id":143193,"object_type":"law","relational_id":69753,"identifier":"1-405","token":"1\/4\/1-405","url":"\/1-405\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/1-405\/","token":"1\/4\/1-405","dublin_core":{"Title":"Reversion to Commonwealth; recorded title prerequisite to vesting jurisdiction","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 1-405","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> As used in this section, unless the context requires otherwise:\n\t\t\t“Corrective action<\/span>” means the response and remediation to environmental contamination<\/span> to the extent required by any applicable environmental law<\/span> or regulation applicable to the property.\n\t\t\t“Environmental contamination<\/span>” means any hazardous waste, substance or toxic material<\/span>, or its discharge or release, that is regulated under any environmental law<\/span> or regulation applicable to the property, and shall include petroleum (including crude oil), natural gas, liquefied natural gas, ordnance, unexploded munitions, and asbestos. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> If the United States shall cease to be the owner of any lands, or any part thereof, granted or conveyed to it by the Commonwealth; if the purposes of any such grant or conveyance to the United States shall cease; or if the United States shall for five consecutive years fail to use any such land for the purposes of the grant or conveyance, then, and in that event, the right and title to such land, or such part thereof, shall immediately revert to the Commonwealth unless such land, or part thereof, contains environmental contamination<\/span>. No land containing environmental contamination<\/span> shall be transferred or revert to the Commonwealth, unless and until all corrective action<\/span> necessary to protect human health and the environment with respect to any environmental contamination<\/span> on the lands, or portion thereof, has been completed to the satisfaction of the Commonwealth and approved by the Governor pursuant to § 2.2-1149<\/a>, and the United States has executed and delivered a transfer instrument including covenants warranting that (i) all corrective action<\/span> necessary to protect human health and the environment with respect to any environmental contamination<\/span> on the land or any portion thereof has been taken, and (ii) any corrective action<\/span> for environmental contamination<\/span> occurring before the date of transfer found to be necessary after the date of the transfer of the title of the land or any portion thereof shall be conducted by the United States.\n\t\t\tIn cases where the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission (BRAC Commission) established pursuant to P.L. 101-510 (1990), as amended, identifies United States military bases located in the Commonwealth for closure, the Commonwealth shall have, in addition to the foregoing, the right to enter upon such lands so identified for the purpose of inspection for environmental contamination<\/span>. Upon completion of such inspection, the Commonwealth shall report its findings<\/span> to the Governor and the appropriate federal agencies. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> All deeds, conveyances or title papers for the transfer of title of lands to the United States shall be recorded in the county or city wherein the land or the greater part thereof lies, but no tax shall be required on any such instrument made to the United States by which they acquire lands for public purposes. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

D.<\/span> The jurisdiction<\/span> ceded by § 1-400<\/a> shall not vest until the United States shall have acquired the title of record to such lands, or rights or interest therein, by purchase, condemnation, lease or otherwise. So long as the lands, or any rights or interest therein, are held in fee simple by the United States, and no longer, such lands, rights or interest, as the case may be, shall continue exempt and exonerated, from all state and local taxes which may be levied or imposed under the authority of the Commonwealth. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nREVERSION TO COMMONWEALTH; RECORDED TITLE PREREQUISITE TO VESTING JURISDICTION\n(\u00a7 1-405)\n\nA. As used in this section, unless the context requires otherwise:\n\t\t\t“Corrective action” means the response and remediation to\nenvironmental contamination to the extent required by any applicable\nenvironmental law or regulation applicable to the property.\n\t\t\t“Environmental contamination” means any hazardous waste,\nsubstance or toxic material, or its discharge or release, that is regulated\nunder any environmental law or regulation applicable to the property, and shall\ninclude petroleum (including crude oil), natural gas, liquefied natural gas,\nordnance, unexploded munitions, and asbestos.\n\nB. If the United States shall cease to be the owner of any lands, or any part\nthereof, granted or conveyed to it by the Commonwealth; if the purposes of any\nsuch grant or conveyance to the United States shall cease; or if the United\nStates shall for five consecutive years fail to use any such land for the\npurposes of the grant or conveyance, then, and in that event, the right and\ntitle to such land, or such part thereof, shall immediately revert to the\nCommonwealth unless such land, or part thereof, contains environmental\ncontamination. No land containing environmental contamination shall be\ntransferred or revert to the Commonwealth, unless and until all corrective\naction necessary to protect human health and the environment with respect to any\nenvironmental contamination on the lands, or portion thereof, has been completed\nto the satisfaction of the Commonwealth and approved by the Governor pursuant to\n§ 2.2-1149, and the United States has executed and delivered a transfer\ninstrument including covenants warranting that (i) all corrective action\nnecessary to protect human health and the environment with respect to any\nenvironmental contamination on the land or any portion thereof has been taken,\nand (ii) any corrective action for environmental contamination occurring before\nthe date of transfer found to be necessary after the date of the transfer of the\ntitle of the land or any portion thereof shall be conducted by the United\nStates.\n\t\t\tIn cases where the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission (BRAC\nCommission) established pursuant to P.L. 101-510 (1990), as amended, identifies\nUnited States military bases located in the Commonwealth for closure, the\nCommonwealth shall have, in addition to the foregoing, the right to enter upon\nsuch lands so identified for the purpose of inspection for environmental\ncontamination. Upon completion of such inspection, the Commonwealth shall report\nits findings to the Governor and the appropriate federal agencies.\n\nC. All deeds, conveyances or title papers for the transfer of title of lands to\nthe United States shall be recorded in the county or city wherein the land or\nthe greater part thereof lies, but no tax shall be required on any such\ninstrument made to the United States by which they acquire lands for public\npurposes.\n\nD. The jurisdiction ceded by § 1-400 shall not vest until the United States\nshall have acquired the title of record to such lands, or rights or interest\ntherein, by purchase, condemnation, lease or otherwise. So long as the lands, or\nany rights or interest therein, are held in fee simple by the United States, and\nno longer, such lands, rights or interest, as the case may be, shall continue\nexempt and exonerated, from all state and local taxes which may be levied or\nimposed under the authority of the Commonwealth.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 7-25; 1966, c. 102, \u00a7 7.1-22; 1975, c. 449; 1976, c.\n211; 1994, c. 23; 2005, c. 839.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}