{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/15.2-2121.3.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/15.2-2121.3.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/15.2-2121.3.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/15.2-2121.3.html"}],"law_id":76170,"edition_id":1,"section_id":76170,"structure_id":16625,"section_number":"15.2-2121.3","catch_line":"Notice procedures for nonpayment; disconnecting utility service","history":"2024, cc. 790, 824.","full_text":"A\n\nEach utility subject to the provisions of this article shall provide to each of its residential customers a copy of its disconnection for nonpayment policy (i) at any time a new residential account is established, (ii) when any disconnection for nonpayment of bills or fees is scheduled by including a copy of the policy with such notice, or (iii) by publishing the disconnection policy on the utility’s website. Each such utility shall provide all required notices in English and Spanish. Such required notices shall include information regarding payment plans and state, federal, or utility energy assistance programs.B\n\nEach utility subject to the provisions of this article shall deliver notice of nonpayment of bills or fees to its residential customers prior to disconnection by using at least one of the following methods: (i) mail, (ii) email, (iii) text message, (iv) phone call, or (v) door hanger.C\n\nUtility disconnections due to the nonpayment of bills or fees are prohibited for residential customers until the customer’s account is 45 days in arrears. After each missed payment, the utility shall provide notice pursuant to subsection B and make contact with the customer and offer bill payment assistance, arrange a payment plan, or provide information to the customer for other bill payment assistance or energy savings programs.D\n\nNo electric or gas utility shall require a deposit of more than 25 percent of the arrearage amount for service, exclusive of nonpayment fees, penalties, or interest, in order to restore service to any residential customer where such utility received funding from the Department of Social Services for such customer through the Home Energy Assistance Program pursuant to § 63.2-805 within the last 12 months. A customer is eligible for this provision once every three years.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":273506,"text":"Each utility subject to the provisions of this article shall provide to each of its residential customers a copy of its disconnection for nonpayment policy (i) at any time a new residential account is established, (ii) when any disconnection for nonpayment of bills or fees is scheduled by including a copy of the policy with such notice, or (iii) by publishing the disconnection policy on the utility’s website. Each such utility shall provide all required notices in English and Spanish. Such required notices shall include information regarding payment plans and state, federal, or utility energy assistance programs.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":273507,"text":"Each utility subject to the provisions of this article shall deliver notice of nonpayment of bills or fees to its residential customers prior to disconnection by using at least one of the following methods: (i) mail, (ii) email, (iii) text message, (iv) phone call, or (v) door hanger.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":273508,"text":"Utility disconnections due to the nonpayment of bills or fees are prohibited for residential customers until the customer’s account is 45 days in arrears. After each missed payment, the utility shall provide notice pursuant to subsection B and make contact with the customer and offer bill payment assistance, arrange a payment plan, or provide information to the customer for other bill payment assistance or energy savings programs.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"D"},"3":{"id":273509,"text":"No electric or gas utility shall require a deposit of more than 25 percent of the arrearage amount for service, exclusive of nonpayment fees, penalties, or interest, in order to restore service to any residential customer where such utility received funding from the Department of Social Services for such customer through the Home Energy Assistance Program pursuant to § 63.2-805 within the last 12 months. A customer is eligible for this provision once every three years.","type":"section","prefixes":["D"],"prefix":"D","entire_prefix":"D","prefix_anchor":"D","level":1,"prior_prefix":"C"}},"ancestry":[{"id":16625,"edition_id":1,"name":"Disconnection Provisions for Public Utilities","identifier":"2.1","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13192,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 04:28:14","date_modified":"2026-06-26 04:28:14","permalink":{"id":154611,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":16625,"identifier":"2.1","token":"15.2\/II\/21\/2.1","url":"\/15.2\/II\/21\/2.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13192,"edition_id":1,"name":"Franchises; Sale and Lease of Certain Municipal Public Property; Public Utilities","identifier":"21","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12733,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:25","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:25","permalink":{"id":154333,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13192,"identifier":"21","token":"15.2\/II\/21","url":"\/15.2\/II\/21\/","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":72984,"structure_id":16625,"section_number":"15.2-2121.1","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/15.2-2121.1\/","token":"15.2\/II\/21\/2.1\/15.2-2121.1","metadata":false},{"id":82397,"structure_id":16625,"section_number":"15.2-2121.2","catch_line":"Disconnection suspension for utilities","url":"\/15.2-2121.2\/","token":"15.2\/II\/21\/2.1\/15.2-2121.2","metadata":false},{"id":76170,"structure_id":16625,"section_number":"15.2-2121.3","catch_line":"Notice procedures for nonpayment; disconnecting utility service","url":"\/15.2-2121.3\/","token":"15.2\/II\/21\/2.1\/15.2-2121.3","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":82397,"structure_id":16625,"section_number":"15.2-2121.2","catch_line":"Disconnection suspension for utilities","url":"\/15.2-2121.2\/","token":"15.2\/II\/21\/2.1\/15.2-2121.2","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/15.2-2121.3\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2024. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapters 790<\/a> and 824<\/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.<\/p>","references":[{"id":55314,"section_number":"15.2-2242","catch_line":"Optional provisions of a subdivision ordinance","order_by":null,"url":"\/15.2-2242\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":55631,"section_number":"63.2-805","catch_line":" Home Energy Assistance Program; report; survey","order_by":null,"url":"\/63.2-805\/"}],"permalink":{"id":154621,"object_type":"law","relational_id":76170,"identifier":"15.2-2121.3","token":"15.2\/II\/21\/2.1\/15.2-2121.3","url":"\/15.2-2121.3\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/15.2-2121.3\/","token":"15.2\/II\/21\/2.1\/15.2-2121.3","dublin_core":{"Title":"Notice procedures for nonpayment; disconnecting utility service","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 15.2-2121.3","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> Each utility subject to the provisions of this article shall provide to each of its residential customers a copy of its disconnection for nonpayment policy (i) at any time a new residential account is established, (ii) when any disconnection for nonpayment of bills or fees is scheduled by including a copy of the policy with such notice, or (iii) by publishing the disconnection policy on the utility’s website. Each such utility shall provide all required notices in English and Spanish. Such required notices shall include information regarding payment plans and state, federal, or utility energy assistance programs. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> Each utility subject to the provisions of this article shall deliver notice of nonpayment of bills or fees to its residential customers prior to disconnection by using at least one of the following methods: (i) mail, (ii) email, (iii) text message, (iv) phone call, or (v) door hanger. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> Utility disconnections due to the nonpayment of bills or fees are prohibited for residential customers until the customer’s account is 45 days in arrears<\/span>. After each missed payment, the utility shall provide notice pursuant to subsection B and make contact with the customer and offer bill payment assistance, arrange a payment plan, or provide information to the customer for other bill payment assistance or energy savings programs. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

D.<\/span> No electric or gas utility shall require a deposit of more than 25 percent of the arrearage amount for service, exclusive of nonpayment fees, penalties, or interest, in order<\/span> to restore service to any residential customer where such utility received funding from the Department of Social Services for such customer through the Home Energy Assistance Program pursuant to § 63.2-805<\/a> within the last 12 months. A customer is eligible for this provision once every three years. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nNOTICE PROCEDURES FOR NONPAYMENT; DISCONNECTING UTILITY SERVICE (\u00a7 15.2-2121.3)\n\nA. Each utility subject to the provisions of this article shall provide to each\nof its residential customers a copy of its disconnection for nonpayment policy\n(i) at any time a new residential account is established, (ii) when any\ndisconnection for nonpayment of bills or fees is scheduled by including a copy\nof the policy with such notice, or (iii) by publishing the disconnection policy\non the utility’s website. Each such utility shall provide all required\nnotices in English and Spanish. Such required notices shall include information\nregarding payment plans and state, federal, or utility energy assistance\nprograms.\n\nB. Each utility subject to the provisions of this article shall deliver notice\nof nonpayment of bills or fees to its residential customers prior to\ndisconnection by using at least one of the following methods: (i) mail, (ii)\nemail, (iii) text message, (iv) phone call, or (v) door hanger.\n\nC. Utility disconnections due to the nonpayment of bills or fees are prohibited\nfor residential customers until the customer’s account is 45 days in\narrears. After each missed payment, the utility shall provide notice pursuant to\nsubsection B and make contact with the customer and offer bill payment\nassistance, arrange a payment plan, or provide information to the customer for\nother bill payment assistance or energy savings programs.\n\nD. No electric or gas utility shall require a deposit of more than 25 percent of\nthe arrearage amount for service, exclusive of nonpayment fees, penalties, or\ninterest, in order to restore service to any residential customer where such\nutility received funding from the Department of Social Services for such\ncustomer through the Home Energy Assistance Program pursuant to § 63.2-805\nwithin the last 12 months. A customer is eligible for this provision once every\nthree years.\n\nHISTORY: 2024, cc. 790, 824.","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}}