{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/15.2-1503.1.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/15.2-1503.1.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/15.2-1503.1.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/15.2-1503.1.html"}],"law_id":79703,"edition_id":1,"section_id":79703,"structure_id":13737,"section_number":"15.2-1503.1","catch_line":"Background checks required for certain employees and licensees","history":"2003, c. 742; 2004, c. 160; 2010, cc. 189, 563.","full_text":"Any locality having a local ordinance adopted in accordance with \u00a7 19.2-389 (i) shall require any applicant who is offered or accepts employment with the locality, (ii) shall require any prospective licensee for any categories of license designated by ordinance, or (iii) may require any individual who is offered or accepts employment with a contractor or public service corporation that provides public transit services to the locality to submit to fingerprinting and to provide personal descriptive information to be forwarded along with the applicant’s or licensee’s fingerprints through the Central Criminal Records Exchange to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the purpose of obtaining criminal history record information regarding such applicant or licensee. The locality may require such applicant or licensee to pay the cost of the fingerprinting or a criminal records check or both.\n\t\tThe Central Criminal Records Exchange, upon receipt of an applicant’s or licensee’s record or notification that no record exists, shall make a report to the county, city or town manager, or chief law-enforcement officer or his designee, who must belong to a governmental entity. If an applicant is denied employment or a licensee is denied a license because of the information appearing in his criminal history record, the locality shall notify the applicant or licensee that information obtained from the Central Criminal Records Exchange contributed to such denial. The information shall not be disseminated except as provided for in this section.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":285624,"text":"Any locality having a local ordinance adopted in accordance with \u00a7 19.2-389 (i) shall require any applicant who is offered or accepts employment with the locality, (ii) shall require any prospective licensee for any categories of license designated by ordinance, or (iii) may require any individual who is offered or accepts employment with a contractor or public service corporation that provides public transit services to the locality to submit to fingerprinting and to provide personal descriptive information to be forwarded along with the applicant’s or licensee’s fingerprints through the Central Criminal Records Exchange to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the purpose of obtaining criminal history record information regarding such applicant or licensee. The locality may require such applicant or licensee to pay the cost of the fingerprinting or a criminal records check or both.\n\t\tThe Central Criminal Records Exchange, upon receipt of an applicant’s or licensee’s record or notification that no record exists, shall make a report to the county, city or town manager, or chief law-enforcement officer or his designee, who must belong to a governmental entity. If an applicant is denied employment or a licensee is denied a license because of the information appearing in his criminal history record, the locality shall notify the applicant or licensee that information obtained from the Central Criminal Records Exchange contributed to such denial. The information shall not be disseminated except as provided for in this section.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":13737,"edition_id":1,"name":"General Provisions for Certain Officers and Employees","identifier":"1","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12734,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:45:44","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:45:44","permalink":{"id":153005,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13737,"identifier":"1","token":"15.2\/II\/15\/1","url":"\/15.2\/II\/15\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12734,"edition_id":1,"name":"Local Government Personnel, Qualification for Office, Bonds, Dual Office Holding and Certain Local Government Officers","identifier":"15","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12733,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:50","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:50","permalink":{"id":153003,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12734,"identifier":"15","token":"15.2\/II\/15","url":"\/15.2\/II\/15\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12733,"edition_id":1,"name":"Powers of Local Government","identifier":"II","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12720,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:50","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:50","permalink":{"id":152369,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12733,"identifier":"II","token":"15.2\/II","url":"\/15.2\/II\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12720,"edition_id":1,"name":"Counties, Cities and Towns","identifier":"15.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","permalink":{"id":151279,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12720,"identifier":"15.2","token":"15.2","url":"\/15.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":71801,"structure_id":13737,"section_number":"15.2-1500","catch_line":"Organization of local government","url":"\/15.2-1500\/","token":"15.2\/II\/15\/1\/15.2-1500","metadata":false},{"id":60492,"structure_id":13737,"section_number":"15.2-1500.1","catch_line":"Employment discrimination prohibited; 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exceptions","url":"\/15.2-1505.3\/","token":"15.2\/II\/15\/1\/15.2-1505.3","metadata":false},{"id":57426,"structure_id":13737,"section_number":"15.2-1506","catch_line":"Establishment of grievance procedure, personnel system and uniform pay plan for employees","url":"\/15.2-1506\/","token":"15.2\/II\/15\/1\/15.2-1506","metadata":false},{"id":77432,"structure_id":13737,"section_number":"15.2-1507","catch_line":"Provision of grievance procedure; training programs","url":"\/15.2-1507\/","token":"15.2\/II\/15\/1\/15.2-1507","metadata":false},{"id":55230,"structure_id":13737,"section_number":"15.2-1507.1","catch_line":"Appointment of standing panel in certain counties","url":"\/15.2-1507.1\/","token":"15.2\/II\/15\/1\/15.2-1507.1","metadata":false},{"id":64897,"structure_id":13737,"section_number":"15.2-1508","catch_line":"Bonuses for employees of local governments","url":"\/15.2-1508\/","token":"15.2\/II\/15\/1\/15.2-1508","metadata":false},{"id":60894,"structure_id":13737,"section_number":"15.2-1508.1","catch_line":"Traveling expenses on business of town, city or county","url":"\/15.2-1508.1\/","token":"15.2\/II\/15\/1\/15.2-1508.1","metadata":false},{"id":74011,"structure_id":13737,"section_number":"15.2-1508.2","catch_line":"Same; where Commonwealth bears portion of expenses","url":"\/15.2-1508.2\/","token":"15.2\/II\/15\/1\/15.2-1508.2","metadata":false},{"id":85992,"structure_id":13737,"section_number":"15.2-1508.3","catch_line":"Governing bodies of certain cities and counties may supplement salaries and reimburse traveling expenses of employees of state and local health departments","url":"\/15.2-1508.3\/","token":"15.2\/II\/15\/1\/15.2-1508.3","metadata":false},{"id":65944,"structure_id":13737,"section_number":"15.2-1508.4","catch_line":"Certain counties and cities may supplement salaries and reimburse traveling expenses of employees of state mental health clinics","url":"\/15.2-1508.4\/","token":"15.2\/II\/15\/1\/15.2-1508.4","metadata":false},{"id":83110,"structure_id":13737,"section_number":"15.2-1509","catch_line":"Preferences for veterans and people with disabilities in local government employment","url":"\/15.2-1509\/","token":"15.2\/II\/15\/1\/15.2-1509","metadata":false},{"id":57101,"structure_id":13737,"section_number":"15.2-1510","catch_line":"Retirement systems","url":"\/15.2-1510\/","token":"15.2\/II\/15\/1\/15.2-1510","metadata":false},{"id":68675,"structure_id":13737,"section_number":"15.2-1510.1","catch_line":"Public announcement of severance packages for certain officials","url":"\/15.2-1510.1\/","token":"15.2\/II\/15\/1\/15.2-1510.1","metadata":false},{"id":62802,"structure_id":13737,"section_number":"15.2-1511","catch_line":"Allowances to injured officials and employees and their dependents","url":"\/15.2-1511\/","token":"15.2\/II\/15\/1\/15.2-1511","metadata":false},{"id":62508,"structure_id":13737,"section_number":"15.2-1511.01","catch_line":"Allowances to injured deputy sheriffs","url":"\/15.2-1511.01\/","token":"15.2\/II\/15\/1\/15.2-1511.01","metadata":false},{"id":86864,"structure_id":13737,"section_number":"15.2-1511.1","catch_line":"Written benefit information to certain employees","url":"\/15.2-1511.1\/","token":"15.2\/II\/15\/1\/15.2-1511.1","metadata":false},{"id":66960,"structure_id":13737,"section_number":"15.2-1512","catch_line":"Oath and bond","url":"\/15.2-1512\/","token":"15.2\/II\/15\/1\/15.2-1512","metadata":false},{"id":54736,"structure_id":13737,"section_number":"15.2-1512.1","catch_line":"Disposition of property received by subdivisions as result of conversion of mutual insurance company to stock corporation","url":"\/15.2-1512.1\/","token":"15.2\/II\/15\/1\/15.2-1512.1","metadata":false},{"id":85589,"structure_id":13737,"section_number":"15.2-1512.2","catch_line":"Political activities of employees of localities, firefighters, emergency medical services personnel, and law-enforcement officers and certain other officers and employees","url":"\/15.2-1512.2\/","token":"15.2\/II\/15\/1\/15.2-1512.2","metadata":false},{"id":66378,"structure_id":13737,"section_number":"15.2-1512.3","catch_line":"Telecommuting by local government employees","url":"\/15.2-1512.3\/","token":"15.2\/II\/15\/1\/15.2-1512.3","metadata":false},{"id":55640,"structure_id":13737,"section_number":"15.2-1512.4","catch_line":"Rights of local employees to contact elected officials","url":"\/15.2-1512.4\/","token":"15.2\/II\/15\/1\/15.2-1512.4","metadata":false},{"id":58777,"structure_id":13737,"section_number":"15.2-1512.5","catch_line":"Authority of local government employees to issue summonses for misdemeanor violations of certain local ordinances","url":"\/15.2-1512.5\/","token":"15.2\/II\/15\/1\/15.2-1512.5","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":58363,"structure_id":13737,"section_number":"15.2-1503","catch_line":"Tenure of officers and employees; suspension or removal","url":"\/15.2-1503\/","token":"15.2\/II\/15\/1\/15.2-1503","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":58265,"structure_id":13737,"section_number":"15.2-1504","catch_line":"Use of tobacco products by government employees","url":"\/15.2-1504\/","token":"15.2\/II\/15\/1\/15.2-1504","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/15.2-1503.1\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2003. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 742<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. It has been modified 2 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 2004, chapter 160<\/a>; in 2010, chapters 189<\/a> and 563<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":63594,"section_number":"19.2-389.1","catch_line":"Dissemination of juvenile record information","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-389.1\/"},{"id":64557,"section_number":"19.2-389.3","catch_line":"(Repealed effective July 1, 2026) Marijuana possession; limits on dissemination of criminal history record information; prohibited practices by employers, educational institutions, and state and local governments; penalty","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-389.3\/"},{"id":84075,"section_number":"19.2-392.13","catch_line":"(Effective July 1, 2026) Disposition of records when an offense is sealed; permitted uses of sealed records","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-392.13\/"},{"id":74243,"section_number":"32.1-111.5","catch_line":"Certification and recertification of emergency medical services providers; appeals process","order_by":null,"url":"\/32.1-111.5\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":81089,"section_number":"19.2-389","catch_line":"(Effective July 1, 2026) Dissemination of criminal history record information","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-389\/"}],"permalink":{"id":153027,"object_type":"law","relational_id":79703,"identifier":"15.2-1503.1","token":"15.2\/II\/15\/1\/15.2-1503.1","url":"\/15.2-1503.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/15.2-1503.1\/","token":"15.2\/II\/15\/1\/15.2-1503.1","dublin_core":{"Title":"Background checks required for certain employees and licensees","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 15.2-1503.1","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Any locality<\/span> having a local ordinance<\/span> adopted in accordance with \u00a7 19.2-389<\/a> (i) shall require any applicant who is offered or accepts employment with the locality<\/span>, (ii) shall require any prospective licensee for any categories of license designated by ordinance<\/span>, or (iii) may require any individual who is offered or accepts employment with a contractor or public service corporation that provides public transit services to the locality<\/span> to submit to fingerprinting and to provide personal descriptive information to be forwarded along with the applicant’s or licensee’s fingerprints through the Central Criminal Records Exchange to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the purpose of obtaining criminal history record information regarding such applicant or licensee. The locality<\/span> may require such applicant or licensee to pay the cost of the fingerprinting or a criminal records check or both.\n\t\tThe Central Criminal Records Exchange, upon receipt of an applicant’s or licensee’s record or notification that no record exists, shall make a report to the county<\/span>, city<\/span> or town<\/span> manager, or chief law<\/span>-enforcement officer or his designee, who must belong to a governmental entity. If an applicant is denied employment or a licensee is denied a license because of the information appearing in his criminal history record, the locality<\/span> shall notify the applicant or licensee that information obtained from the Central Criminal Records Exchange contributed to such denial. The information shall not be disseminated except as provided for in this section.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nBACKGROUND CHECKS REQUIRED FOR CERTAIN EMPLOYEES AND LICENSEES (\u00a7 15.2-1503.1)\n\nAny locality having a local ordinance adopted in accordance with \u00a7 19.2-389 (i)\nshall require any applicant who is offered or accepts employment with the\nlocality, (ii) shall require any prospective licensee for any categories of\nlicense designated by ordinance, or (iii) may require any individual who is\noffered or accepts employment with a contractor or public service corporation\nthat provides public transit services to the locality to submit to\nfingerprinting and to provide personal descriptive information to be forwarded\nalong with the applicant’s or licensee’s fingerprints through the\nCentral Criminal Records Exchange to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the\npurpose of obtaining criminal history record information regarding such\napplicant or licensee. The locality may require such applicant or licensee to\npay the cost of the fingerprinting or a criminal records check or both.\n\t\tThe Central Criminal Records Exchange, upon receipt of an applicant’s or\nlicensee’s record or notification that no record exists, shall make a\nreport to the county, city or town manager, or chief law-enforcement officer or\nhis designee, who must belong to a governmental entity. If an applicant is\ndenied employment or a licensee is denied a license because of the information\nappearing in his criminal history record, the locality shall notify the\napplicant or licensee that information obtained from the Central Criminal\nRecords Exchange contributed to such denial. The information shall not be\ndisseminated except as provided for in this section.\n\nHISTORY: 2003, c. 742; 2004, c. 160; 2010, cc. 189, 563.","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}}