{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/13.1-620.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/13.1-620.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/13.1-620.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/13.1-620.html"}],"law_id":63023,"edition_id":1,"section_id":63023,"structure_id":16052,"section_number":"13.1-620","catch_line":"Special kinds of business","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 13.1-50; 1956, c. 428; 1968, c. 110; 1970, c. 127; 1972, c. 123; 1974, c. 285; 1976, c. 284; 1981, c. 285; 1985, c. 522; 1990, c. 488; 1991, c. 263; 1993, cc. 61, 265, 419; 1995, c. 281; 1996, c. 16.","full_text":"A\n\nIf any corporation is to conduct the business of a bank or trust company, that shall be stated in the articles of incorporation and the corporation shall not have power to conduct other business except as may be related to or incidental to the banking or trust company business.B\n\nIf any corporation is to conduct the business of an insurance company, that shall be stated in the articles of incorporation and the articles shall further set forth the class or classes of insurance the corporation proposes to undertake and the corporation shall not have power to conduct other business except as may be related to or incidental to the insurance business.C\n\nIf any corporation is to conduct the business of a savings and loan association or savings bank, that shall be stated in the articles of incorporation and the corporation shall not have power to conduct other business except as may be related to or incidental to the stated business.D\n\nIf any corporation is to conduct the business of a railroad or other public service company, that shall be stated in the articles of incorporation and a brief description of the business shall be included. Otherwise the corporation shall not have the power to conduct a public service business or to exercise any of the privileges of a public service company. No corporation shall be organized under this chapter for the purpose of conducting in this Commonwealth more than one kind of public service business except that the telephone and telegraph businesses or the water and sewer businesses may be combined, but this provision shall not limit the powers of domestic corporations existing on January 1, 1986. No corporation organized under this chapter to conduct the business of a public service company shall have general business powers in this Commonwealth. Corporations organized under this chapter to conduct the business of a public service company may, however, conduct in this Commonwealth other public service business or nonpublic service business so far as may be related to or incidental to its stated business as a public service company and in any other state such business as may be authorized or permitted by the laws thereof. Nothing in this subsection shall limit the powers of such corporation in respect of the securities of other corporations or of limited liability companies.E\n\nIf one or more of the purposes set forth in the articles of incorporation is to own, manage or control any plant or equipment or any part of a plant or equipment within the Commonwealth for the conveyance of telephone messages or for the production, transmission, delivery or furnishing of heat, light, power or water, including heated or chilled water, or sewerage facilities, either directly or indirectly, to or for the public, the Commission shall not issue a certificate of incorporation unless the articles of incorporation expressly state that the corporation is to conduct business as a public service company.F\n\nWhether or not classified elsewhere in the Code as public service companies the following are not required to incorporate as public service companies: a person authorized by the Federal Communications Commission to provide commercial mobile service, household goods carriers, petroleum tank truck carriers, bottled gas companies, taxicab companies, community television companies, charter party carriers, restricted parcel carriers, sight-seeing carriers, companies excluded from the definition of “public utility” by § 56-265.1(b)(4) or by § 56-1.2 and compressed natural gas filling stations.G\n\nA water or sewer company that proposes to serve more than fifty customers shall incorporate as a public service company. A water or sewer company shall not serve more than fifty customers unless its articles of incorporation state that the corporation is to conduct business as a public service company. The two preceding sentences shall not apply to a water or sewer company incorporated before and operating a water or sewer system on January 1, 1970; however, as to any water or sewer system serving more than fifty customers, upon application to the Commission by a majority of the customers or by the company, a hearing may be held after thirty days’ notice to the company and the system’s customers or a majority thereof, and the Commission may order such, if any, improvements or rate changes or both as are just and reasonable. Upon ordering into effect any rate changes or improvements found to be just and reasonable, the water or sewer system shall remain subject to the Commission’s regulatory authority in the same manner as a public utility for such reasonable period as the Commission may direct. Nothing in this subsection shall apply to persons described in § 56-1.2.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":229858,"text":"If any corporation is to conduct the business of a bank or trust company, that shall be stated in the articles of incorporation and the corporation shall not have power to conduct other business except as may be related to or incidental to the banking or trust company business.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":229859,"text":"If any corporation is to conduct the business of an insurance company, that shall be stated in the articles of incorporation and the articles shall further set forth the class or classes of insurance the corporation proposes to undertake and the corporation shall not have power to conduct other business except as may be related to or incidental to the insurance business.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":229860,"text":"If any corporation is to conduct the business of a savings and loan association or savings bank, that shall be stated in the articles of incorporation and the corporation shall not have power to conduct other business except as may be related to or incidental to the stated business.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"D"},"3":{"id":229861,"text":"If any corporation is to conduct the business of a railroad or other public service company, that shall be stated in the articles of incorporation and a brief description of the business shall be included. Otherwise the corporation shall not have the power to conduct a public service business or to exercise any of the privileges of a public service company. No corporation shall be organized under this chapter for the purpose of conducting in this Commonwealth more than one kind of public service business except that the telephone and telegraph businesses or the water and sewer businesses may be combined, but this provision shall not limit the powers of domestic corporations existing on January 1, 1986. No corporation organized under this chapter to conduct the business of a public service company shall have general business powers in this Commonwealth. Corporations organized under this chapter to conduct the business of a public service company may, however, conduct in this Commonwealth other public service business or nonpublic service business so far as may be related to or incidental to its stated business as a public service company and in any other state such business as may be authorized or permitted by the laws thereof. Nothing in this subsection shall limit the powers of such corporation in respect of the securities of other corporations or of limited liability companies.","type":"section","prefixes":["D"],"prefix":"D","entire_prefix":"D","prefix_anchor":"D","level":1,"prior_prefix":"C","next_prefix":"E"},"4":{"id":229862,"text":"If one or more of the purposes set forth in the articles of incorporation is to own, manage or control any plant or equipment or any part of a plant or equipment within the Commonwealth for the conveyance of telephone messages or for the production, transmission, delivery or furnishing of heat, light, power or water, including heated or chilled water, or sewerage facilities, either directly or indirectly, to or for the public, the Commission shall not issue a certificate of incorporation unless the articles of incorporation expressly state that the corporation is to conduct business as a public service company.","type":"section","prefixes":["E"],"prefix":"E","entire_prefix":"E","prefix_anchor":"E","level":1,"prior_prefix":"D","next_prefix":"F"},"5":{"id":229863,"text":"Whether or not classified elsewhere in the Code as public service companies the following are not required to incorporate as public service companies: a person authorized by the Federal Communications Commission to provide commercial mobile service, household goods carriers, petroleum tank truck carriers, bottled gas companies, taxicab companies, community television companies, charter party carriers, restricted parcel carriers, sight-seeing carriers, companies excluded from the definition of “public utility” by § 56-265.1(b)(4) or by § 56-1.2 and compressed natural gas filling stations.","type":"section","prefixes":["F"],"prefix":"F","entire_prefix":"F","prefix_anchor":"F","level":1,"prior_prefix":"E","next_prefix":"G"},"6":{"id":229864,"text":"A water or sewer company that proposes to serve more than fifty customers shall incorporate as a public service company. A water or sewer company shall not serve more than fifty customers unless its articles of incorporation state that the corporation is to conduct business as a public service company. The two preceding sentences shall not apply to a water or sewer company incorporated before and operating a water or sewer system on January 1, 1970; however, as to any water or sewer system serving more than fifty customers, upon application to the Commission by a majority of the customers or by the company, a hearing may be held after thirty days’ notice to the company and the system’s customers or a majority thereof, and the Commission may order such, if any, improvements or rate changes or both as are just and reasonable. Upon ordering into effect any rate changes or improvements found to be just and reasonable, the water or sewer system shall remain subject to the Commission’s regulatory authority in the same manner as a public utility for such reasonable period as the Commission may direct. Nothing in this subsection shall apply to persons described in § 56-1.2.","type":"section","prefixes":["G"],"prefix":"G","entire_prefix":"G","prefix_anchor":"G","level":1,"prior_prefix":"F"}},"ancestry":[{"id":16052,"edition_id":1,"name":"Formation of Corporations","identifier":"3","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12983,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 04:04:45","date_modified":"2026-06-26 04:04:45","permalink":{"id":150887,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":16052,"identifier":"3","token":"13.1\/9\/3","url":"\/13.1\/9\/3\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12983,"edition_id":1,"name":"Virginia Stock Corporation Act","identifier":"9","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12744,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:06","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:06","permalink":{"id":150163,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12983,"identifier":"9","token":"13.1\/9","url":"\/13.1\/9\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12744,"edition_id":1,"name":"Corporations","identifier":"13.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","permalink":{"id":147493,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12744,"identifier":"13.1","token":"13.1","url":"\/13.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":86934,"structure_id":16052,"section_number":"13.1-618","catch_line":"Incorporators","url":"\/13.1-618\/","token":"13.1\/9\/3\/13.1-618","metadata":false},{"id":66733,"structure_id":16052,"section_number":"13.1-619","catch_line":"Articles of incorporation","url":"\/13.1-619\/","token":"13.1\/9\/3\/13.1-619","metadata":false},{"id":63023,"structure_id":16052,"section_number":"13.1-620","catch_line":"Special kinds of business","url":"\/13.1-620\/","token":"13.1\/9\/3\/13.1-620","metadata":false},{"id":70625,"structure_id":16052,"section_number":"13.1-621","catch_line":"Issuance of certificate of incorporation","url":"\/13.1-621\/","token":"13.1\/9\/3\/13.1-621","metadata":false},{"id":67794,"structure_id":16052,"section_number":"13.1-622","catch_line":"Liability for preincorporation transactions","url":"\/13.1-622\/","token":"13.1\/9\/3\/13.1-622","metadata":false},{"id":63296,"structure_id":16052,"section_number":"13.1-623","catch_line":"Organization of corporation","url":"\/13.1-623\/","token":"13.1\/9\/3\/13.1-623","metadata":false},{"id":65903,"structure_id":16052,"section_number":"13.1-624","catch_line":"Bylaws","url":"\/13.1-624\/","token":"13.1\/9\/3\/13.1-624","metadata":false},{"id":75810,"structure_id":16052,"section_number":"13.1-625","catch_line":"Emergency bylaws","url":"\/13.1-625\/","token":"13.1\/9\/3\/13.1-625","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":66733,"structure_id":16052,"section_number":"13.1-619","catch_line":"Articles of incorporation","url":"\/13.1-619\/","token":"13.1\/9\/3\/13.1-619","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":70625,"structure_id":16052,"section_number":"13.1-621","catch_line":"Issuance of certificate of incorporation","url":"\/13.1-621\/","token":"13.1\/9\/3\/13.1-621","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/13.1-620\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 13 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 1956, chapter 428; in 1968, chapter 110; in 1970, chapter 127; in 1972, chapter 123; in 1974, chapter 285; in 1976, chapter 284; in 1981, chapter 285; in 1985, chapter 522; in 1990, chapter 488; in 1991, chapter 263; in 1993, chapters 61, 265, and 419; in 1995, chapter 281<\/a>; in 1996, chapter 16<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":70379,"section_number":"13.1-626","catch_line":"Purposes","order_by":null,"url":"\/13.1-626\/"},{"id":71750,"section_number":"13.1-630","catch_line":"Corporate name","order_by":null,"url":"\/13.1-630\/"},{"id":73648,"section_number":"13.1-716","catch_line":"Merger","order_by":null,"url":"\/13.1-716\/"},{"id":84775,"section_number":"56-231.17","catch_line":"Articles of incorporation","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-231.17\/"},{"id":56649,"section_number":"56-231.19","catch_line":"Filing articles of incorporation; effect thereof; other provisions of law applicable","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-231.19\/"},{"id":72635,"section_number":"56-231.41","catch_line":"Articles of incorporation","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-231.41\/"},{"id":81005,"section_number":"56-231.48","catch_line":"Applicability of other laws","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-231.48\/"},{"id":75233,"section_number":"56-232","catch_line":"Public utility and schedules defined","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-232\/"},{"id":85772,"section_number":"56-265.1","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-265.1\/"},{"id":78790,"section_number":"56-585.1:9","catch_line":"Provision of broadband capacity to unserved areas of the Commonwealth","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-585.1_9\/"},{"id":63919,"section_number":"56-587","catch_line":"Licensure of retail electric energy suppliers and persons providing other competitive services","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-587\/"},{"id":64536,"section_number":"6.2-885","catch_line":"Investment in stock or securities of controlled subsidiary corporations","order_by":null,"url":"\/6.2-885\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":66838,"section_number":"56-1.2","catch_line":"Persons, localities, and school boards not designated as public utility, public service corporation, etc","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-1.2\/"},{"id":85772,"section_number":"56-265.1","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-265.1\/"}],"permalink":{"id":150897,"object_type":"law","relational_id":63023,"identifier":"13.1-620","token":"13.1\/9\/3\/13.1-620","url":"\/13.1-620\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/13.1-620\/","token":"13.1\/9\/3\/13.1-620","dublin_core":{"Title":"Special kinds of business","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 13.1-620","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> If any corporation<\/span> is to conduct the business of a bank or trust company, that shall be stated in the articles of incorporation<\/span> and the corporation<\/span> shall not have power to conduct other business except as may be related to or incidental to the banking or trust company business. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> If any corporation<\/span> is to conduct the business of an insurance company, that shall be stated in the articles of incorporation<\/span> and the articles shall further set forth the class or classes of insurance the corporation<\/span> proposes to undertake and the corporation<\/span> shall not have power to conduct other business except as may be related to or incidental to the insurance business. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> If any corporation<\/span> is to conduct the business of a savings and loan association or savings bank, that shall be stated in the articles of incorporation<\/span> and the corporation<\/span> shall not have power to conduct other business except as may be related to or incidental to the stated business. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

D.<\/span> If any corporation<\/span> is to conduct the business of a railroad or other public service company, that shall be stated in the articles of incorporation<\/span> and a brief<\/span> description of the business shall be included. Otherwise the corporation<\/span> shall not have the power to conduct a public service business or to exercise any of the privileges<\/span> of a public service company. No corporation<\/span> shall be organized under this chapter for the purpose of conducting in this Commonwealth more than one kind of public service business except that the telephone and telegraph businesses or the water and sewer businesses may be combined, but this provision shall not limit the powers of domestic corporations<\/span> existing on January 1, 1986. No corporation<\/span> organized under this chapter to conduct the business of a public service company shall have general business powers in this Commonwealth. Corporations organized under this chapter to conduct the business of a public service company may, however, conduct in this Commonwealth other public service business or nonpublic service business so far as may be related to or incidental to its stated business as a public service company and in any other state<\/span> such business as may be authorized or permitted by the laws<\/span> thereof. Nothing in this subsection shall limit the powers of such corporation<\/span> in respect of the securities of other corporations or of limited liability companies. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

E.<\/span> If one or more of the purposes set forth in the articles of incorporation<\/span> is to own, manage or control any plant or equipment or any part of a plant or equipment within the Commonwealth for the conveyance of telephone messages or for the production, transmission, delivery<\/span> or furnishing of heat, light, power or water, including heated or chilled water, or sewerage facilities, either directly or indirectly, to or for the public, the Commission<\/span> shall not issue<\/span> a certificate of incorporation unless the articles of incorporation<\/span> expressly state<\/span> that the corporation<\/span> is to conduct business as a public service company. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

F.<\/span> Whether or not classified elsewhere in the Code as public service companies the following are not required to incorporate as public service companies: a person<\/span> authorized by the Federal Communications Commission<\/span> to provide commercial mobile service, household goods carriers, petroleum tank truck carriers, bottled gas companies, taxicab companies, community television companies, charter party<\/span> carriers, restricted parcel carriers, sight-seeing carriers, companies excluded from the definition of “public utility” by § 56-265.1<\/a>(b)(4) or by § 56-1.2<\/a> and compressed natural gas filling stations. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

G.<\/span> A water or sewer company that proposes to serve more than fifty customers shall incorporate as a public service company. A water or sewer company shall not serve more than fifty customers unless its articles of incorporation<\/span> state<\/span> that the corporation<\/span> is to conduct business as a public service company. The two preceding sentences shall not apply to a water or sewer company incorporated before and operating a water or sewer system on January 1, 1970; however, as to any water or sewer system serving more than fifty customers, upon application to the Commission<\/span> by a majority of the customers or by the company, a hearing<\/span> may be held after thirty days’ notice to the company and the system’s customers or a majority thereof, and the Commission<\/span> may order<\/span> such, if any, improvements or rate changes or both as are just and reasonable. Upon ordering into effect any rate changes or improvements found to be just and reasonable, the water or sewer system shall remain subject to the Commission<\/span>’s regulatory authority in the same manner as a public utility for such reasonable period as the Commission<\/span> may direct. Nothing in this subsection shall apply to persons<\/span> described in § 56-1.2<\/a>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nSPECIAL KINDS OF BUSINESS (\u00a7 13.1-620)\n\nA. If any corporation is to conduct the business of a bank or trust company,\nthat shall be stated in the articles of incorporation and the corporation shall\nnot have power to conduct other business except as may be related to or\nincidental to the banking or trust company business.\n\nB. If any corporation is to conduct the business of an insurance company, that\nshall be stated in the articles of incorporation and the articles shall further\nset forth the class or classes of insurance the corporation proposes to\nundertake and the corporation shall not have power to conduct other business\nexcept as may be related to or incidental to the insurance business.\n\nC. If any corporation is to conduct the business of a savings and loan\nassociation or savings bank, that shall be stated in the articles of\nincorporation and the corporation shall not have power to conduct other business\nexcept as may be related to or incidental to the stated business.\n\nD. If any corporation is to conduct the business of a railroad or other public\nservice company, that shall be stated in the articles of incorporation and a\nbrief description of the business shall be included. Otherwise the corporation\nshall not have the power to conduct a public service business or to exercise any\nof the privileges of a public service company. No corporation shall be organized\nunder this chapter for the purpose of conducting in this Commonwealth more than\none kind of public service business except that the telephone and telegraph\nbusinesses or the water and sewer businesses may be combined, but this provision\nshall not limit the powers of domestic corporations existing on January 1, 1986.\nNo corporation organized under this chapter to conduct the business of a public\nservice company shall have general business powers in this Commonwealth.\nCorporations organized under this chapter to conduct the business of a public\nservice company may, however, conduct in this Commonwealth other public service\nbusiness or nonpublic service business so far as may be related to or incidental\nto its stated business as a public service company and in any other state such\nbusiness as may be authorized or permitted by the laws thereof. Nothing in this\nsubsection shall limit the powers of such corporation in respect of the\nsecurities of other corporations or of limited liability companies.\n\nE. If one or more of the purposes set forth in the articles of incorporation is\nto own, manage or control any plant or equipment or any part of a plant or\nequipment within the Commonwealth for the conveyance of telephone messages or\nfor the production, transmission, delivery or furnishing of heat, light, power\nor water, including heated or chilled water, or sewerage facilities, either\ndirectly or indirectly, to or for the public, the Commission shall not issue a\ncertificate of incorporation unless the articles of incorporation expressly\nstate that the corporation is to conduct business as a public service company.\n\nF. Whether or not classified elsewhere in the Code as public service companies\nthe following are not required to incorporate as public service companies: a\nperson authorized by the Federal Communications Commission to provide commercial\nmobile service, household goods carriers, petroleum tank truck carriers, bottled\ngas companies, taxicab companies, community television companies, charter party\ncarriers, restricted parcel carriers, sight-seeing carriers, companies excluded\nfrom the definition of “public utility” by § 56-265.1(b)(4) or\nby § 56-1.2 and compressed natural gas filling stations.\n\nG. A water or sewer company that proposes to serve more than fifty customers\nshall incorporate as a public service company. A water or sewer company shall\nnot serve more than fifty customers unless its articles of incorporation state\nthat the corporation is to conduct business as a public service company. The two\npreceding sentences shall not apply to a water or sewer company incorporated\nbefore and operating a water or sewer system on January 1, 1970; however, as to\nany water or sewer system serving more than fifty customers, upon application to\nthe Commission by a majority of the customers or by the company, a hearing may\nbe held after thirty days’ notice to the company and the system’s\ncustomers or a majority thereof, and the Commission may order such, if any,\nimprovements or rate changes or both as are just and reasonable. Upon ordering\ninto effect any rate changes or improvements found to be just and reasonable,\nthe water or sewer system shall remain subject to the Commission’s\nregulatory authority in the same manner as a public utility for such reasonable\nperiod as the Commission may direct. Nothing in this subsection shall apply to\npersons described in § 56-1.2.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 13.1-50; 1956, c. 428; 1968, c. 110; 1970, c. 127; 1972,\nc. 123; 1974, c. 285; 1976, c. 284; 1981, c. 285; 1985, c. 522; 1990, c. 488;\n1991, c. 263; 1993, cc. 61, 265, 419; 1995, c. 281; 1996, c. 16.","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}}