{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/15.2-4115.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/15.2-4115.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/15.2-4115.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/15.2-4115.html"}],"law_id":58758,"edition_id":1,"section_id":58758,"structure_id":14654,"section_number":"15.2-4115","catch_line":"Effect when city becomes town; officers","history":"1988, c. 881, \u00a7 15.1-965.24; 1997, c. 587.","full_text":"When a city becomes a town under the provisions of this chapter, its ordinances shall become the ordinances of the town, insofar as they are applicable, and consistent with law, until they are repealed, and the existence of such city as an independent city of the Commonwealth shall terminate, as shall the terms of office and the rights, powers, duties and compensation of its constitutional officers and their deputies and employees. All officers, agents and employees of the city, including the mayor and the members of city council, shall continue to serve as the officers, agents and employees of the town, until their positions or offices are terminated as provided by law, or in the case of the mayor and members of council, until their successors are elected or appointed. The circuit court shall order an election to be held pursuant to \u00a7 24.2-682 not less than thirty nor more than 180 days after the date of the special court order granting town status, but at least thirty days before the effective date of the transition from city to town status, at which election the town council and other elected officers of the town shall be selected. The terms of such officers shall commence on the day the transition from city to town status becomes effective and shall continue, unless otherwise removed, until their successors have been elected and assume office. The successors or all such officers whose first election is herein provided for shall thereafter be elected at the time, in the manner and for the terms provided by general law.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":215330,"text":"When a city becomes a town under the provisions of this chapter, its ordinances shall become the ordinances of the town, insofar as they are applicable, and consistent with law, until they are repealed, and the existence of such city as an independent city of the Commonwealth shall terminate, as shall the terms of office and the rights, powers, duties and compensation of its constitutional officers and their deputies and employees. All officers, agents and employees of the city, including the mayor and the members of city council, shall continue to serve as the officers, agents and employees of the town, until their positions or offices are terminated as provided by law, or in the case of the mayor and members of council, until their successors are elected or appointed. The circuit court shall order an election to be held pursuant to \u00a7 24.2-682 not less than thirty nor more than 180 days after the date of the special court order granting town status, but at least thirty days before the effective date of the transition from city to town status, at which election the town council and other elected officers of the town shall be selected. The terms of such officers shall commence on the day the transition from city to town status becomes effective and shall continue, unless otherwise removed, until their successors have been elected and assume office. The successors or all such officers whose first election is herein provided for shall thereafter be elected at the time, in the manner and for the terms provided by general law.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":14654,"edition_id":1,"name":"Transition of City to Town Status","identifier":"41","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13062,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:49:10","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:49:10","permalink":{"id":157807,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14654,"identifier":"41","token":"15.2\/III\/41","url":"\/15.2\/III\/41\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13062,"edition_id":1,"name":"Boundary Adjustments and Changes of Status of Counties, Cities and Towns","identifier":"III","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12720,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:12","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:12","permalink":{"id":156919,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13062,"identifier":"III","token":"15.2\/III","url":"\/15.2\/III\/","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":78761,"structure_id":14654,"section_number":"15.2-4100","catch_line":"City may change to town status","url":"\/15.2-4100\/","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4100","metadata":false},{"id":73202,"structure_id":14654,"section_number":"15.2-4101","catch_line":"Ordinance petitioning court for town status; notice of motion","url":"\/15.2-4101\/","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4101","metadata":false},{"id":83698,"structure_id":14654,"section_number":"15.2-4102","catch_line":"Citizen petition for town status","url":"\/15.2-4102\/","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4102","metadata":false},{"id":86293,"structure_id":14654,"section_number":"15.2-4103","catch_line":"Parties","url":"\/15.2-4103\/","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4103","metadata":false},{"id":78957,"structure_id":14654,"section_number":"15.2-4104","catch_line":"Time limit for intervenors; publication of order","url":"\/15.2-4104\/","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4104","metadata":false},{"id":59306,"structure_id":14654,"section_number":"15.2-4105","catch_line":"Pretrial conference; matters considered","url":"\/15.2-4105\/","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4105","metadata":false},{"id":63501,"structure_id":14654,"section_number":"15.2-4106","catch_line":"Hearing and decision by court","url":"\/15.2-4106\/","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4106","metadata":false},{"id":69319,"structure_id":14654,"section_number":"15.2-4107","catch_line":"Assistance of state agencies","url":"\/15.2-4107\/","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4107","metadata":false},{"id":57092,"structure_id":14654,"section_number":"15.2-4108","catch_line":"Appeals","url":"\/15.2-4108\/","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4108","metadata":false},{"id":65172,"structure_id":14654,"section_number":"15.2-4109","catch_line":"Declining a grant of town status","url":"\/15.2-4109\/","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4109","metadata":false},{"id":81033,"structure_id":14654,"section_number":"15.2-4110","catch_line":"Proceedings final for five years","url":"\/15.2-4110\/","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4110","metadata":false},{"id":79862,"structure_id":14654,"section_number":"15.2-4111","catch_line":"Effective date of transition","url":"\/15.2-4111\/","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4111","metadata":false},{"id":81773,"structure_id":14654,"section_number":"15.2-4112","catch_line":"Charter for resulting town","url":"\/15.2-4112\/","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4112","metadata":false},{"id":75673,"structure_id":14654,"section_number":"15.2-4113","catch_line":"Restriction on subsequent change in status","url":"\/15.2-4113\/","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4113","metadata":false},{"id":56234,"structure_id":14654,"section_number":"15.2-4114","catch_line":"Liabilities and assets of such city","url":"\/15.2-4114\/","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4114","metadata":false},{"id":58758,"structure_id":14654,"section_number":"15.2-4115","catch_line":"Effect when city becomes town; officers","url":"\/15.2-4115\/","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4115","metadata":false},{"id":62423,"structure_id":14654,"section_number":"15.2-4115.1","catch_line":"Disposition of police department or sheriff's department motorcycles","url":"\/15.2-4115.1\/","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4115.1","metadata":false},{"id":63233,"structure_id":14654,"section_number":"15.2-4116","catch_line":"Library aid continued","url":"\/15.2-4116\/","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4116","metadata":false},{"id":68768,"structure_id":14654,"section_number":"15.2-4117","catch_line":"Temporary restriction on annexation","url":"\/15.2-4117\/","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4117","metadata":false},{"id":58976,"structure_id":14654,"section_number":"15.2-4118","catch_line":"Effect on pending suits","url":"\/15.2-4118\/","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4118","metadata":false},{"id":72824,"structure_id":14654,"section_number":"15.2-4119","catch_line":"Effect on jurisdiction of courts","url":"\/15.2-4119\/","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4119","metadata":false},{"id":63691,"structure_id":14654,"section_number":"15.2-4120","catch_line":"Court granting transition to town status to exist for 10 years","url":"\/15.2-4120\/","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4120","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":56234,"structure_id":14654,"section_number":"15.2-4114","catch_line":"Liabilities and assets of such city","url":"\/15.2-4114\/","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4114","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":62423,"structure_id":14654,"section_number":"15.2-4115.1","catch_line":"Disposition of police department or sheriff's department motorcycles","url":"\/15.2-4115.1\/","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4115.1","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/15.2-4115\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1988. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 881 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. Unfortunately, the 1988 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 1 time. 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. That modification is as follows: in 1997, chapter 587<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":77612,"section_number":"24.2-682","catch_line":"Times for special elections","order_by":null,"url":"\/24.2-682\/"}],"permalink":{"id":157869,"object_type":"law","relational_id":58758,"identifier":"15.2-4115","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4115","url":"\/15.2-4115\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/15.2-4115\/","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4115","dublin_core":{"Title":"Effect when city becomes town; officers","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 15.2-4115","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

When a city<\/span> becomes a town<\/span> under the provisions of this chapter, its ordinances<\/span> shall become the ordinances<\/span> of the town<\/span>, insofar as they are applicable, and consistent with law<\/span>, until they are repealed, and the existence of such city<\/span> as an independent city<\/span> of the Commonwealth shall terminate, as shall the terms of office and the rights, powers, duties and compensation of its constitutional officers<\/span> and their deputies and employees. All officers, agents and employees of the city<\/span>, including the mayor and the members of city<\/span> council<\/span>, shall continue to serve as the officers, agents and employees of the town<\/span>, until their positions or offices are terminated as provided by law<\/span>, or in the case of the mayor and members of council<\/span>, until their successors are elected or appointed. The circuit<\/span> court shall order an election to be held pursuant to \u00a7 24.2-682<\/a> not less than thirty nor more than 180 days after the date of the special court order<\/span> granting town<\/span> status, but at least thirty days before the effective date of the transition from city<\/span> to town<\/span> status, at which election the town<\/span> council<\/span> and other elected officers of the town<\/span> shall be selected. The terms of such officers shall commence on the day the transition from city<\/span> to town<\/span> status becomes effective and shall continue, unless otherwise removed, until their successors have been elected and assume office. The successors or all such officers whose first election is herein provided for shall thereafter be elected at the time, in the manner and for the terms provided by general law<\/span>.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nEFFECT WHEN CITY BECOMES TOWN; OFFICERS (\u00a7 15.2-4115)\n\nWhen a city becomes a town under the provisions of this chapter, its ordinances\nshall become the ordinances of the town, insofar as they are applicable, and\nconsistent with law, until they are repealed, and the existence of such city as\nan independent city of the Commonwealth shall terminate, as shall the terms of\noffice and the rights, powers, duties and compensation of its constitutional\nofficers and their deputies and employees. All officers, agents and employees of\nthe city, including the mayor and the members of city council, shall continue to\nserve as the officers, agents and employees of the town, until their positions\nor offices are terminated as provided by law, or in the case of the mayor and\nmembers of council, until their successors are elected or appointed. The circuit\ncourt shall order an election to be held pursuant to \u00a7 24.2-682 not less than\nthirty nor more than 180 days after the date of the special court order granting\ntown status, but at least thirty days before the effective date of the\ntransition from city to town status, at which election the town council and\nother elected officers of the town shall be selected. The terms of such officers\nshall commence on the day the transition from city to town status becomes\neffective and shall continue, unless otherwise removed, until their successors\nhave been elected and assume office. The successors or all such officers whose\nfirst election is herein provided for shall thereafter be elected at the time,\nin the manner and for the terms provided by general law.\n\nHISTORY: 1988, c. 881, \u00a7 15.1-965.24; 1997, c. 587.","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}}