{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/2.2-803.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/2.2-803.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/2.2-803.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/2.2-803.html"}],"law_id":78832,"edition_id":1,"section_id":78832,"structure_id":14438,"section_number":"2.2-803","catch_line":"Financial accounting and control","history":"1975, c. 323, \u00a7 2.1-196.1; 1976, c. 533; 1984, c. 612; 2001, c. 844; 2006, c. 340.","full_text":"A\n\nUnified financial accounting and control shall be established through the departments and agencies of the Commonwealth, in the manner prescribed in this chapter.\n\t\t\tThe Comptroller shall prescribe what accounts shall be kept by each state agency in addition to the system of general accounting maintained in the Comptroller’s office. In prescribing what accounts shall be kept by each state agency, the Comptroller shall take care that there shall be no unnecessary duplication.B\n\nThe Comptroller shall direct the development of a modern, effective and uniform system of bookkeeping and accounting, to include (i) an efficient system of checks and balances between the officers at the seat of the government entrusted with the collection and receipt, custody and disbursement of the revenues of the Commonwealth; and (ii) a system of accounting, applicable to all state officers, departments, boards, commissions, agencies, and penal, educational and eleemosynary institutions maintained in whole or in part by the Commonwealth, which shall be suitable to their respective needs, considering their relation to each other and their relation to subordinate officers and officials. All systems so developed shall require the approval and certification of the Auditor of Public Accounts that they are adequate for purposes of audit and financial control.\n\t\t\tAs to the collection of debts owed, the system of bookkeeping and accounting shall permit any state agency to refrain from collecting any amount owed to it if the administrative cost of collection likely would exceed the amount owed. The Comptroller shall develop other policies and procedures to reduce the costs of collecting debts owed to state agencies.\n\t\t\tAs to the operation of merchandising activities, or other centralized support services provided by one state agency to other state agencies for which charges are made, the system of accounting shall be designed to reflect all charges properly allocable so that the net profit or loss therefrom shall be reflected. In the furtherance of this objective the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission may direct the Comptroller to establish under such terms and conditions as they may determine internal service fund accounts on his books and record therein the receipts and expenditures of these several functions. The Comptroller shall provide the agencies responsible for the operations of these functions with working capital advances with which to finance the operations pursuant to appropriations made by law. The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission may direct the Comptroller to transfer excess fund balances to the general fund or to remove from his books internal service fund accounts that are no longer considered appropriate and record the necessary transfer of funds.\n\t\t\tUnit prices of services rendered by internal service funds shall be fixed so that all costs properly allocable to providing the service shall be fully recoverable.C\n\nThe Comptroller shall maintain a full explanation of all systems of accounting devised and adopted in furtherance of this section, but no copyright system shall be adopted that shall entail additional cost upon the Commonwealth by reason of such copyright. The systems of accounting shall be communicated by the Comptroller to the officials affected thereby, and he shall as soon as possible instruct the officials as to the systems of accounting.D\n\nShould any of the state offices, departments, boards, commissions, agencies, or institutions refuse or neglect to adopt the systems of accounting developed by the Comptroller, then upon suit of the Attorney General a writ of mandamus will lie to the Supreme Court to compel the adoption. It shall be the duty of the Attorney General to promptly institute such suit in any such case.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":282381,"text":"Unified financial accounting and control shall be established through the departments and agencies of the Commonwealth, in the manner prescribed in this chapter.\n\t\t\tThe Comptroller shall prescribe what accounts shall be kept by each state agency in addition to the system of general accounting maintained in the Comptroller’s office. In prescribing what accounts shall be kept by each state agency, the Comptroller shall take care that there shall be no unnecessary duplication.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":282382,"text":"The Comptroller shall direct the development of a modern, effective and uniform system of bookkeeping and accounting, to include (i) an efficient system of checks and balances between the officers at the seat of the government entrusted with the collection and receipt, custody and disbursement of the revenues of the Commonwealth; and (ii) a system of accounting, applicable to all state officers, departments, boards, commissions, agencies, and penal, educational and eleemosynary institutions maintained in whole or in part by the Commonwealth, which shall be suitable to their respective needs, considering their relation to each other and their relation to subordinate officers and officials. All systems so developed shall require the approval and certification of the Auditor of Public Accounts that they are adequate for purposes of audit and financial control.\n\t\t\tAs to the collection of debts owed, the system of bookkeeping and accounting shall permit any state agency to refrain from collecting any amount owed to it if the administrative cost of collection likely would exceed the amount owed. The Comptroller shall develop other policies and procedures to reduce the costs of collecting debts owed to state agencies.\n\t\t\tAs to the operation of merchandising activities, or other centralized support services provided by one state agency to other state agencies for which charges are made, the system of accounting shall be designed to reflect all charges properly allocable so that the net profit or loss therefrom shall be reflected. In the furtherance of this objective the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission may direct the Comptroller to establish under such terms and conditions as they may determine internal service fund accounts on his books and record therein the receipts and expenditures of these several functions. The Comptroller shall provide the agencies responsible for the operations of these functions with working capital advances with which to finance the operations pursuant to appropriations made by law. The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission may direct the Comptroller to transfer excess fund balances to the general fund or to remove from his books internal service fund accounts that are no longer considered appropriate and record the necessary transfer of funds.\n\t\t\tUnit prices of services rendered by internal service funds shall be fixed so that all costs properly allocable to providing the service shall be fully recoverable.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":282383,"text":"The Comptroller shall maintain a full explanation of all systems of accounting devised and adopted in furtherance of this section, but no copyright system shall be adopted that shall entail additional cost upon the Commonwealth by reason of such copyright. The systems of accounting shall be communicated by the Comptroller to the officials affected thereby, and he shall as soon as possible instruct the officials as to the systems of accounting.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"D"},"3":{"id":282384,"text":"Should any of the state offices, departments, boards, commissions, agencies, or institutions refuse or neglect to adopt the systems of accounting developed by the Comptroller, then upon suit of the Attorney General a writ of mandamus will lie to the Supreme Court to compel the adoption. It shall be the duty of the Attorney General to promptly institute such suit in any such case.","type":"section","prefixes":["D"],"prefix":"D","entire_prefix":"D","prefix_anchor":"D","level":1,"prior_prefix":"C"}},"ancestry":[{"id":14438,"edition_id":1,"name":"General Provisions","identifier":"1","label":"article","depth":5,"order_by":1,"parent_id":14437,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:48:08","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:48:08","permalink":{"id":173813,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14438,"identifier":"1","token":"2.2\/I\/C\/8\/1","url":"\/2.2\/I\/C\/8\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":14437,"edition_id":1,"name":"Department of Accounts","identifier":"8","label":"chapter","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13092,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:48:08","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:48:08","permalink":{"id":173811,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14437,"identifier":"8","token":"2.2\/I\/C\/8","url":"\/2.2\/I\/C\/8\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13092,"edition_id":1,"name":"State Agencies Related to the General Operation of Government","identifier":"C","label":"part","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12784,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:16","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:16","permalink":{"id":172453,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13092,"identifier":"C","token":"2.2\/I\/C","url":"\/2.2\/I\/C\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12784,"edition_id":1,"name":"Organization of State Government","identifier":"I","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12749,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:53","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:53","permalink":{"id":171455,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12784,"identifier":"I","token":"2.2\/I","url":"\/2.2\/I\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12749,"edition_id":1,"name":"Administration of Government","identifier":"2.2","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":171453,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12749,"identifier":"2.2","token":"2.2","url":"\/2.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":84371,"structure_id":14438,"section_number":"2.2-800","catch_line":"Department of Accounts created; appointment of Comptroller; oath","url":"\/2.2-800\/","token":"2.2\/I\/C\/8\/1\/2.2-800","metadata":false},{"id":60661,"structure_id":14438,"section_number":"2.2-801","catch_line":"Comptroller to appoint administrative assistants, etc","url":"\/2.2-801\/","token":"2.2\/I\/C\/8\/1\/2.2-801","metadata":false},{"id":67777,"structure_id":14438,"section_number":"2.2-802","catch_line":"General accounting and clearance through Comptroller","url":"\/2.2-802\/","token":"2.2\/I\/C\/8\/1\/2.2-802","metadata":false},{"id":78832,"structure_id":14438,"section_number":"2.2-803","catch_line":"Financial accounting and control","url":"\/2.2-803\/","token":"2.2\/I\/C\/8\/1\/2.2-803","metadata":false},{"id":76139,"structure_id":14438,"section_number":"2.2-803.1","catch_line":"Processing of payroll and other transactions by certain institutions of higher education","url":"\/2.2-803.1\/","token":"2.2\/I\/C\/8\/1\/2.2-803.1","metadata":false},{"id":60431,"structure_id":14438,"section_number":"2.2-804","catch_line":"Recovery of certain improper payments to state officers and employees","url":"\/2.2-804\/","token":"2.2\/I\/C\/8\/1\/2.2-804","metadata":false},{"id":85319,"structure_id":14438,"section_number":"2.2-805","catch_line":"Fiscal year","url":"\/2.2-805\/","token":"2.2\/I\/C\/8\/1\/2.2-805","metadata":false},{"id":63329,"structure_id":14438,"section_number":"2.2-806","catch_line":"Reports and payments by city and county treasurers, and clerks of court; deposits of state income tax payments","url":"\/2.2-806\/","token":"2.2\/I\/C\/8\/1\/2.2-806","metadata":false},{"id":81293,"structure_id":14438,"section_number":"2.2-807","catch_line":"Monthly reports of state departments, divisions, etc., receiving public funds","url":"\/2.2-807\/","token":"2.2\/I\/C\/8\/1\/2.2-807","metadata":false},{"id":75888,"structure_id":14438,"section_number":"2.2-808","catch_line":"Collection of delinquent taxes","url":"\/2.2-808\/","token":"2.2\/I\/C\/8\/1\/2.2-808","metadata":false},{"id":66694,"structure_id":14438,"section_number":"2.2-809","catch_line":"When accounts on Comptroller's books to be balanced; general ledger of accounts","url":"\/2.2-809\/","token":"2.2\/I\/C\/8\/1\/2.2-809","metadata":false},{"id":57184,"structure_id":14438,"section_number":"2.2-810","catch_line":"Judges and clerks to certify to Supreme Court lists of all allowances made by courts","url":"\/2.2-810\/","token":"2.2\/I\/C\/8\/1\/2.2-810","metadata":false},{"id":82901,"structure_id":14438,"section_number":"2.2-811","catch_line":"Cancellation of state bonds received in settlement of claims","url":"\/2.2-811\/","token":"2.2\/I\/C\/8\/1\/2.2-811","metadata":false},{"id":58247,"structure_id":14438,"section_number":"2.2-812","catch_line":"What Comptroller may do with old books and papers","url":"\/2.2-812\/","token":"2.2\/I\/C\/8\/1\/2.2-812","metadata":false},{"id":75994,"structure_id":14438,"section_number":"2.2-813","catch_line":"Annual report of Comptroller to Governor","url":"\/2.2-813\/","token":"2.2\/I\/C\/8\/1\/2.2-813","metadata":false},{"id":65521,"structure_id":14438,"section_number":"2.2-813.1","catch_line":"Biannual disclosure by Comptroller of revenue sources collected","url":"\/2.2-813.1\/","token":"2.2\/I\/C\/8\/1\/2.2-813.1","metadata":false},{"id":55803,"structure_id":14438,"section_number":"2.2-813.2","catch_line":"Biannual disclosure by Comptroller of other obligations of the Commonwealth","url":"\/2.2-813.2\/","token":"2.2\/I\/C\/8\/1\/2.2-813.2","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":67777,"structure_id":14438,"section_number":"2.2-802","catch_line":"General accounting and clearance through Comptroller","url":"\/2.2-802\/","token":"2.2\/I\/C\/8\/1\/2.2-802","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":76139,"structure_id":14438,"section_number":"2.2-803.1","catch_line":"Processing of payroll and other transactions by certain institutions of higher education","url":"\/2.2-803.1\/","token":"2.2\/I\/C\/8\/1\/2.2-803.1","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/2.2-803\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1975. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 323 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 1975 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 4 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 1976, chapter 533; in 1984, chapter 612; in 2001, chapter 844<\/a>; in 2006, chapter 340<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":173827,"object_type":"law","relational_id":78832,"identifier":"2.2-803","token":"2.2\/I\/C\/8\/1\/2.2-803","url":"\/2.2-803\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/2.2-803\/","token":"2.2\/I\/C\/8\/1\/2.2-803","dublin_core":{"Title":"Financial accounting and control","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 2.2-803","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> Unified financial accounting and control shall be established through the departments and agencies of the Commonwealth, in the manner prescribed in this chapter.\n\t\t\tThe Comptroller shall prescribe what accounts shall be kept by each state agency<\/span> in addition to the system of general accounting maintained in the Comptroller’s office. In prescribing what accounts shall be kept by each state agency<\/span>, the Comptroller shall take care that there shall be no unnecessary duplication. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> The Comptroller shall direct the development of a modern, effective and uniform system of bookkeeping and accounting, to include (i) an efficient system of checks and balances between the officers at the seat of the government entrusted with the collection and receipt, custody<\/span> and disbursement of the revenues of the Commonwealth; and (ii) a system of accounting, applicable to all state officers, departments, boards, commissions, agencies, and penal, educational and eleemosynary institutions maintained in whole or in part by the Commonwealth, which shall be suitable to their respective needs, considering their relation to each other and their relation to subordinate officers and officials. All systems so developed shall require the approval and certification of the Auditor of Public Accounts that they are adequate for purposes of audit and financial control.\n\t\t\tAs to the collection of debts owed, the system of bookkeeping and accounting shall permit any state agency<\/span> to refrain from collecting any amount owed to it if the administrative cost of collection likely would exceed the amount owed. The Comptroller shall develop other policies and procedures to reduce the costs of collecting debts owed to state agencies.\n\t\t\tAs to the operation of merchandising activities, or other centralized support services provided by one state agency<\/span> to other state agencies for which charges are made, the system of accounting shall be designed to reflect all charges properly allocable so that the net profit or loss therefrom shall be reflected. In the furtherance of this objective the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission may direct the Comptroller to establish under such terms and conditions as they may determine internal service fund accounts on his books and record therein the receipts and expenditures of these several functions. The Comptroller shall provide the agencies responsible for the operations of these functions with working capital advances with which to finance the operations pursuant to appropriations made by law<\/span>. The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission may direct the Comptroller to transfer excess fund balances to the general fund or to remove from his books internal service fund accounts that are no longer considered appropriate and record the necessary transfer of funds.\n\t\t\tUnit prices of services rendered by internal service funds shall be fixed so that all costs properly allocable to providing the service shall be fully recoverable. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> The Comptroller shall maintain a full explanation of all systems of accounting devised and adopted in furtherance of this section, but no copyright system shall be adopted that shall entail additional cost upon the Commonwealth by reason of such copyright. The systems of accounting shall be communicated by the Comptroller to the officials affected thereby, and he shall as soon as possible instruct the officials as to the systems of accounting. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

D.<\/span> Should any of the state offices, departments, boards, commissions, agencies, or institutions refuse or neglect to adopt the systems of accounting developed by the Comptroller, then upon suit of the Attorney General<\/span> a writ of mandamus<\/span> will lie to the Supreme Court<\/span> to compel the adoption. It shall be the duty of the Attorney General<\/span> to promptly institute such suit in any such case. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nFINANCIAL ACCOUNTING AND CONTROL (\u00a7 2.2-803)\n\nA. Unified financial accounting and control shall be established through the\ndepartments and agencies of the Commonwealth, in the manner prescribed in this\nchapter.\n\t\t\tThe Comptroller shall prescribe what accounts shall be kept by each state\nagency in addition to the system of general accounting maintained in the\nComptroller’s office. In prescribing what accounts shall be kept by each\nstate agency, the Comptroller shall take care that there shall be no unnecessary\nduplication.\n\nB. The Comptroller shall direct the development of a modern, effective and\nuniform system of bookkeeping and accounting, to include (i) an efficient system\nof checks and balances between the officers at the seat of the government\nentrusted with the collection and receipt, custody and disbursement of the\nrevenues of the Commonwealth; and (ii) a system of accounting, applicable to all\nstate officers, departments, boards, commissions, agencies, and penal,\neducational and eleemosynary institutions maintained in whole or in part by the\nCommonwealth, which shall be suitable to their respective needs, considering\ntheir relation to each other and their relation to subordinate officers and\nofficials. All systems so developed shall require the approval and certification\nof the Auditor of Public Accounts that they are adequate for purposes of audit\nand financial control.\n\t\t\tAs to the collection of debts owed, the system of bookkeeping and accounting\nshall permit any state agency to refrain from collecting any amount owed to it\nif the administrative cost of collection likely would exceed the amount owed.\nThe Comptroller shall develop other policies and procedures to reduce the costs\nof collecting debts owed to state agencies.\n\t\t\tAs to the operation of merchandising activities, or other centralized support\nservices provided by one state agency to other state agencies for which charges\nare made, the system of accounting shall be designed to reflect all charges\nproperly allocable so that the net profit or loss therefrom shall be reflected.\nIn the furtherance of this objective the Joint Legislative Audit and Review\nCommission may direct the Comptroller to establish under such terms and\nconditions as they may determine internal service fund accounts on his books and\nrecord therein the receipts and expenditures of these several functions. The\nComptroller shall provide the agencies responsible for the operations of these\nfunctions with working capital advances with which to finance the operations\npursuant to appropriations made by law. The Joint Legislative Audit and Review\nCommission may direct the Comptroller to transfer excess fund balances to the\ngeneral fund or to remove from his books internal service fund accounts that are\nno longer considered appropriate and record the necessary transfer of funds.\n\t\t\tUnit prices of services rendered by internal service funds shall be fixed so\nthat all costs properly allocable to providing the service shall be fully\nrecoverable.\n\nC. The Comptroller shall maintain a full explanation of all systems of\naccounting devised and adopted in furtherance of this section, but no copyright\nsystem shall be adopted that shall entail additional cost upon the Commonwealth\nby reason of such copyright. The systems of accounting shall be communicated by\nthe Comptroller to the officials affected thereby, and he shall as soon as\npossible instruct the officials as to the systems of accounting.\n\nD. Should any of the state offices, departments, boards, commissions, agencies,\nor institutions refuse or neglect to adopt the systems of accounting developed\nby the Comptroller, then upon suit of the Attorney General a writ of mandamus\nwill lie to the Supreme Court to compel the adoption. It shall be the duty of\nthe Attorney General to promptly institute such suit in any such case.\n\nHISTORY: 1975, c. 323, \u00a7 2.1-196.1; 1976, c. 533; 1984, c. 612; 2001, c. 844;\n2006, c. 340.","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}}