{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/15.2-2503.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/15.2-2503.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/15.2-2503.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/15.2-2503.html"}],"law_id":67354,"edition_id":1,"section_id":67354,"structure_id":14684,"section_number":"15.2-2503","catch_line":"Time for preparation and approval of budget; contents","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 15-575; 1959, Ex. Sess., c. 69; 1962, c. 623, \u00a7 15.1-160; 1976, c. 762; 1978, c. 551; 1997, c. 587; 2008, c. 353; 2013, c. 747.","full_text":"All officers and heads of departments, offices, divisions, boards, commissions, and agencies of every locality shall, on or before the first day of April of each year, prepare and submit to the governing body an estimate of the amount of money needed during the ensuing fiscal year for his department, office, division, board, commission or agency. If such person does not submit an estimate in accordance with this section, the clerk of the governing body or other designated person or persons shall prepare and submit an estimate for that department, office, division, board, commission or agency.\n\t\tThe governing body shall prepare and approve a budget for informative and fiscal planning purposes only, containing a complete itemized and classified plan of all contemplated expenditures and all estimated revenues and borrowings for the locality for the ensuing fiscal year. The itemized contemplated expenditures shall include any discretionary funds to be designated by individual members of the governing body and the specific uses and funding allocation planned for those funds by the individual member; however, notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, general or special, an amendment to a locality’s budget that changes the uses or allocation or both of such discretionary funds may be adopted by the governing body of the locality. The governing body shall approve the budget and fix a tax rate for the budget year no later than the date on which the fiscal year begins. The governing body shall annually publish the approved budget on the locality’s website, if any, or shall otherwise make the approved budget available in hard copy as needed to citizens for inspection.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":244070,"text":"All officers and heads of departments, offices, divisions, boards, commissions, and agencies of every locality shall, on or before the first day of April of each year, prepare and submit to the governing body an estimate of the amount of money needed during the ensuing fiscal year for his department, office, division, board, commission or agency. If such person does not submit an estimate in accordance with this section, the clerk of the governing body or other designated person or persons shall prepare and submit an estimate for that department, office, division, board, commission or agency.\n\t\tThe governing body shall prepare and approve a budget for informative and fiscal planning purposes only, containing a complete itemized and classified plan of all contemplated expenditures and all estimated revenues and borrowings for the locality for the ensuing fiscal year. The itemized contemplated expenditures shall include any discretionary funds to be designated by individual members of the governing body and the specific uses and funding allocation planned for those funds by the individual member; however, notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, general or special, an amendment to a locality’s budget that changes the uses or allocation or both of such discretionary funds may be adopted by the governing body of the locality. The governing body shall approve the budget and fix a tax rate for the budget year no later than the date on which the fiscal year begins. The governing body shall annually publish the approved budget on the locality’s website, if any, or shall otherwise make the approved budget available in hard copy as needed to citizens for inspection.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":14684,"edition_id":1,"name":"Budgets, Audits and Reports","identifier":"25","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12733,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:49:20","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:49:20","permalink":{"id":155873,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14684,"identifier":"25","token":"15.2\/II\/25","url":"\/15.2\/II\/25\/","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":69297,"structure_id":14684,"section_number":"15.2-2500","catch_line":"Uniform fiscal year for all localities and school divisions","url":"\/15.2-2500\/","token":"15.2\/II\/25\/15.2-2500","metadata":false},{"id":79627,"structure_id":14684,"section_number":"15.2-2501","catch_line":"Establishment of funds for accounting and budgeting; separate depository and investment accounts not required","url":"\/15.2-2501\/","token":"15.2\/II\/25\/15.2-2501","metadata":false},{"id":58288,"structure_id":14684,"section_number":"15.2-2502","catch_line":"Notification by state officials and agencies","url":"\/15.2-2502\/","token":"15.2\/II\/25\/15.2-2502","metadata":false},{"id":67354,"structure_id":14684,"section_number":"15.2-2503","catch_line":"Time for preparation and approval of budget; contents","url":"\/15.2-2503\/","token":"15.2\/II\/25\/15.2-2503","metadata":false},{"id":72936,"structure_id":14684,"section_number":"15.2-2504","catch_line":"What budget to show","url":"\/15.2-2504\/","token":"15.2\/II\/25\/15.2-2504","metadata":false},{"id":70002,"structure_id":14684,"section_number":"15.2-2505","catch_line":"Budget may include reserve for contingencies and capital improvements","url":"\/15.2-2505\/","token":"15.2\/II\/25\/15.2-2505","metadata":false},{"id":84463,"structure_id":14684,"section_number":"15.2-2506","catch_line":"Publication and notice; public hearing; adjournment; moneys not to be paid out until appropriated","url":"\/15.2-2506\/","token":"15.2\/II\/25\/15.2-2506","metadata":false},{"id":74131,"structure_id":14684,"section_number":"15.2-2507","catch_line":"Amendment of budget","url":"\/15.2-2507\/","token":"15.2\/II\/25\/15.2-2507","metadata":false},{"id":83290,"structure_id":14684,"section_number":"15.2-2508","catch_line":"Governing bodies may require information of departments, etc","url":"\/15.2-2508\/","token":"15.2\/II\/25\/15.2-2508","metadata":false},{"id":84240,"structure_id":14684,"section_number":"15.2-2509","catch_line":"Auditor to devise system of bookkeeping and accounting","url":"\/15.2-2509\/","token":"15.2\/II\/25\/15.2-2509","metadata":false},{"id":76788,"structure_id":14684,"section_number":"15.2-2510","catch_line":"Comparative report of local government revenues and expenditures","url":"\/15.2-2510\/","token":"15.2\/II\/25\/15.2-2510","metadata":false},{"id":61281,"structure_id":14684,"section_number":"15.2-2511","catch_line":"Audit of local government records, etc.; Auditor of Public Accounts; audit of shortages; civil penalty","url":"\/15.2-2511\/","token":"15.2\/II\/25\/15.2-2511","metadata":false},{"id":64798,"structure_id":14684,"section_number":"15.2-2511.1","catch_line":"Return of local surplus funds","url":"\/15.2-2511.1\/","token":"15.2\/II\/25\/15.2-2511.1","metadata":false},{"id":66560,"structure_id":14684,"section_number":"15.2-2511.2","catch_line":"Duties of local government auditors","url":"\/15.2-2511.2\/","token":"15.2\/II\/25\/15.2-2511.2","metadata":false},{"id":70223,"structure_id":14684,"section_number":"15.2-2512","catch_line":"Audit of accounts of certain county officers, boards and commissions","url":"\/15.2-2512\/","token":"15.2\/II\/25\/15.2-2512","metadata":false},{"id":72195,"structure_id":14684,"section_number":"15.2-2512.1","catch_line":"Local fiscal distress; determination by Auditor of Public Accounts; state intervention","url":"\/15.2-2512.1\/","token":"15.2\/II\/25\/15.2-2512.1","metadata":false},{"id":56316,"structure_id":14684,"section_number":"15.2-2513","catch_line":"Special budget provisions","url":"\/15.2-2513\/","token":"15.2\/II\/25\/15.2-2513","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":58288,"structure_id":14684,"section_number":"15.2-2502","catch_line":"Notification by state officials and agencies","url":"\/15.2-2502\/","token":"15.2\/II\/25\/15.2-2502","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":72936,"structure_id":14684,"section_number":"15.2-2504","catch_line":"What budget to show","url":"\/15.2-2504\/","token":"15.2\/II\/25\/15.2-2504","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/15.2-2503\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 6 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 1962, chapter 623; in 1976, chapter 762; in 1978, chapter 551; in 1997, chapter 587<\/a>; in 2008, chapter 353<\/a>; in 2013, chapter 747<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":84463,"section_number":"15.2-2506","catch_line":"Publication and notice; public hearing; adjournment; moneys not to be paid out until appropriated","order_by":null,"url":"\/15.2-2506\/"},{"id":59241,"section_number":"22.1-89.1","catch_line":"Management of cafeteria funds","order_by":null,"url":"\/22.1-89.1\/"},{"id":77426,"section_number":"22.1-92","catch_line":"Estimate of moneys needed for public schools; notice of costs to be distributed","order_by":null,"url":"\/22.1-92\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":155887,"object_type":"law","relational_id":67354,"identifier":"15.2-2503","token":"15.2\/II\/25\/15.2-2503","url":"\/15.2-2503\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/15.2-2503\/","token":"15.2\/II\/25\/15.2-2503","dublin_core":{"Title":"Time for preparation and approval of budget; contents","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 15.2-2503","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

All officers and heads of departments, offices, divisions, boards, commissions, and agencies of every locality<\/span> shall, on or before the first day of April of each year, prepare and submit to the governing body<\/span> an estimate of the amount of money needed during the ensuing fiscal year for his department, office, division, board, commission or agency. If such person does not submit an estimate in accordance with this section, the clerk of the governing body<\/span> or other designated person or persons shall prepare and submit an estimate for that department, office, division, board, commission or agency.\n\t\tThe governing body<\/span> shall prepare and approve a budget for informative and fiscal planning purposes only, containing a complete itemized and classified plan of all contemplated expenditures and all estimated revenues and borrowings for the locality<\/span> for the ensuing fiscal year. The itemized contemplated expenditures shall include any discretionary funds to be designated by individual members of the governing body<\/span> and the specific uses and funding allocation planned for those funds by the individual member; however, notwithstanding any provision of law<\/span> to the contrary, general or special, an amendment to a locality<\/span>’s budget that changes the uses or allocation or both of such discretionary funds may be adopted by the governing body<\/span> of the locality<\/span>. The governing body<\/span> shall approve the budget and fix a tax rate for the budget year no later than the date on which the fiscal year begins. The governing body<\/span> shall annually publish the approved budget on the locality<\/span>’s website, if any, or shall otherwise make the approved budget available in hard copy as needed to citizens for inspection.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nTIME FOR PREPARATION AND APPROVAL OF BUDGET; CONTENTS (\u00a7 15.2-2503)\n\nAll officers and heads of departments, offices, divisions, boards, commissions,\nand agencies of every locality shall, on or before the first day of April of\neach year, prepare and submit to the governing body an estimate of the amount of\nmoney needed during the ensuing fiscal year for his department, office,\ndivision, board, commission or agency. If such person does not submit an\nestimate in accordance with this section, the clerk of the governing body or\nother designated person or persons shall prepare and submit an estimate for that\ndepartment, office, division, board, commission or agency.\n\t\tThe governing body shall prepare and approve a budget for informative and\nfiscal planning purposes only, containing a complete itemized and classified\nplan of all contemplated expenditures and all estimated revenues and borrowings\nfor the locality for the ensuing fiscal year. The itemized contemplated\nexpenditures shall include any discretionary funds to be designated by\nindividual members of the governing body and the specific uses and funding\nallocation planned for those funds by the individual member; however,\nnotwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, general or special, an\namendment to a locality’s budget that changes the uses or allocation or\nboth of such discretionary funds may be adopted by the governing body of the\nlocality. The governing body shall approve the budget and fix a tax rate for the\nbudget year no later than the date on which the fiscal year begins. The\ngoverning body shall annually publish the approved budget on the\nlocality’s website, if any, or shall otherwise make the approved budget\navailable in hard copy as needed to citizens for inspection.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 15-575; 1959, Ex. Sess., c. 69; 1962, c. 623, \u00a7\n15.1-160; 1976, c. 762; 1978, c. 551; 1997, c. 587; 2008, c. 353; 2013, c. 747.","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}}