{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/27-98.4.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/27-98.4.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/27-98.4.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/27-98.4.html"}],"law_id":58342,"edition_id":1,"section_id":58342,"structure_id":15291,"section_number":"27-98.4","catch_line":"Conduct of inspections, examinations, testing, or collection of samples","history":"1988, c. 549.","full_text":"No warrant shall be executed in the absence of the owner, operator or agent in charge of the particular building, structure, property or premises unless specifically authorized by the issuing judicial officer upon showing that such authority is reasonably necessary to effect the purposes of a statute or regulation being enforced. An entry pursuant to this warrant shall not be made forcibly, except that the issuing officer may expressly authorize a forcible entry (i) where facts are shown sufficient to create a reasonable suspicion of an immediate threat to an occupant of the particular building, structure, property, or premises, or, to the general safety and welfare of the public, or, to adjacent buildings, structures, properties or premises, or (ii) where facts are shown establishing that reasonable attempts to serve a previous warrant have been unsuccessful. If forcible entry is authorized, the warrant shall be issued jointly to the fire official and to a law-enforcement officer who shall accompany the fire official during the execution.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":213682,"text":"No warrant shall be executed in the absence of the owner, operator or agent in charge of the particular building, structure, property or premises unless specifically authorized by the issuing judicial officer upon showing that such authority is reasonably necessary to effect the purposes of a statute or regulation being enforced. An entry pursuant to this warrant shall not be made forcibly, except that the issuing officer may expressly authorize a forcible entry (i) where facts are shown sufficient to create a reasonable suspicion of an immediate threat to an occupant of the particular building, structure, property, or premises, or, to the general safety and welfare of the public, or, to adjacent buildings, structures, properties or premises, or (ii) where facts are shown establishing that reasonable attempts to serve a previous warrant have been unsuccessful. If forcible entry is authorized, the warrant shall be issued jointly to the fire official and to a law-enforcement officer who shall accompany the fire official during the execution.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":15291,"edition_id":1,"name":"Statewide Fire Prevention Code Act","identifier":"9","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13504,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:53:40","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:53:40","permalink":{"id":190515,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15291,"identifier":"9","token":"27\/9","url":"\/27\/9\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13504,"edition_id":1,"name":"Fire Protection","identifier":"27","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:45:05","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:45:05","permalink":{"id":189965,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13504,"identifier":"27","token":"27","url":"\/27\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":84974,"structure_id":15291,"section_number":"27-100","catch_line":"Violation a misdemeanor","url":"\/27-100\/","token":"27\/9\/27-100","metadata":false},{"id":66307,"structure_id":15291,"section_number":"27-100.1","catch_line":"Seizure and destruction of certain fireworks","url":"\/27-100.1\/","token":"27\/9\/27-100.1","metadata":false},{"id":83983,"structure_id":15291,"section_number":"27-101","catch_line":"Injunction upon application","url":"\/27-101\/","token":"27\/9\/27-101","metadata":false},{"id":65870,"structure_id":15291,"section_number":"27-94","catch_line":"Short title","url":"\/27-94\/","token":"27\/9\/27-94","metadata":false},{"id":85367,"structure_id":15291,"section_number":"27-95","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/27-95\/","token":"27\/9\/27-95","metadata":false},{"id":66454,"structure_id":15291,"section_number":"27-96","catch_line":"Statewide standards","url":"\/27-96\/","token":"27\/9\/27-96","metadata":false},{"id":68566,"structure_id":15291,"section_number":"27-96.1","catch_line":"Chapter inapplicable to certain uses of fireworks","url":"\/27-96.1\/","token":"27\/9\/27-96.1","metadata":false},{"id":81709,"structure_id":15291,"section_number":"27-96.2","catch_line":"Exemptions generally","url":"\/27-96.2\/","token":"27\/9\/27-96.2","metadata":false},{"id":68330,"structure_id":15291,"section_number":"27-97","catch_line":"Adoption of Fire Prevention Code","url":"\/27-97\/","token":"27\/9\/27-97","metadata":false},{"id":58211,"structure_id":15291,"section_number":"27-97.1","catch_line":"Reports of stolen explosives","url":"\/27-97.1\/","token":"27\/9\/27-97.1","metadata":false},{"id":61409,"structure_id":15291,"section_number":"27-97.2","catch_line":" Issuance of permit; background investigations","url":"\/27-97.2\/","token":"27\/9\/27-97.2","metadata":false},{"id":73713,"structure_id":15291,"section_number":"27-98","catch_line":"Enforcement of Fire Prevention Code; appeals from decisions of local enforcing agencies; inspection of buildings","url":"\/27-98\/","token":"27\/9\/27-98","metadata":false},{"id":86839,"structure_id":15291,"section_number":"27-98.1","catch_line":"Inspections of buildings, structures, properties and premises","url":"\/27-98.1\/","token":"27\/9\/27-98.1","metadata":false},{"id":84932,"structure_id":15291,"section_number":"27-98.2","catch_line":"Issuance of warrant","url":"\/27-98.2\/","token":"27\/9\/27-98.2","metadata":false},{"id":87483,"structure_id":15291,"section_number":"27-98.3","catch_line":"Duration of warrant","url":"\/27-98.3\/","token":"27\/9\/27-98.3","metadata":false},{"id":58342,"structure_id":15291,"section_number":"27-98.4","catch_line":"Conduct of inspections, examinations, testing, or collection of samples","url":"\/27-98.4\/","token":"27\/9\/27-98.4","metadata":false},{"id":71112,"structure_id":15291,"section_number":"27-98.5","catch_line":"Review by courts","url":"\/27-98.5\/","token":"27\/9\/27-98.5","metadata":false},{"id":82703,"structure_id":15291,"section_number":"27-99","catch_line":"State buildings","url":"\/27-99\/","token":"27\/9\/27-99","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":87483,"structure_id":15291,"section_number":"27-98.3","catch_line":"Duration of warrant","url":"\/27-98.3\/","token":"27\/9\/27-98.3","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":71112,"structure_id":15291,"section_number":"27-98.5","catch_line":"Review by courts","url":"\/27-98.5\/","token":"27\/9\/27-98.5","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/27-98.4\/","history_text":"<p>This law was first created in 1988. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 549 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.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":190577,"object_type":"law","relational_id":58342,"identifier":"27-98.4","token":"27\/9\/27-98.4","url":"\/27-98.4\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/27-98.4\/","token":"27\/9\/27-98.4","dublin_core":{"Title":"Conduct of inspections, examinations, testing, or collection of samples","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 27-98.4","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section><p>No warrant shall be executed in the absence of the owner, operator or agent in charge of the particular building, structure, property or premises unless specifically authorized by the issuing judicial officer upon showing that such authority is reasonably necessary to effect the purposes of a <span class=\"dictionary\">statute<\/span> or regulation being enforced. An entry pursuant to this warrant shall not be made forcibly, except that the issuing officer may expressly authorize a forcible entry (i) where <span class=\"dictionary\">facts<\/span> are shown sufficient to create a reasonable suspicion of an immediate threat to an occupant of the particular building, structure, property, or premises, or, to the general safety and welfare of the public, or, to adjacent buildings, structures, properties or premises, or (ii) where <span class=\"dictionary\">facts<\/span> are shown establishing that reasonable attempts to serve a previous warrant have been unsuccessful. If forcible entry is authorized, the warrant shall be issued jointly to the fire official and to a <span class=\"dictionary\">law<\/span>-enforcement officer who shall accompany the fire official during the execution.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":"                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nCONDUCT OF INSPECTIONS, EXAMINATIONS, TESTING, OR COLLECTION OF SAMPLES (\u00a7\n27-98.4)\n\nNo warrant shall be executed in the absence of the owner, operator or agent in\ncharge of the particular building, structure, property or premises unless\nspecifically authorized by the issuing judicial officer upon showing that such\nauthority is reasonably necessary to effect the purposes of a statute or\nregulation being enforced. An entry pursuant to this warrant shall not be made\nforcibly, except that the issuing officer may expressly authorize a forcible\nentry (i) where facts are shown sufficient to create a reasonable suspicion of\nan immediate threat to an occupant of the particular building, structure,\nproperty, or premises, or, to the general safety and welfare of the public, or,\nto adjacent buildings, structures, properties or premises, or (ii) where facts\nare shown establishing that reasonable attempts to serve a previous warrant have\nbeen unsuccessful. If forcible entry is authorized, the warrant shall be issued\njointly to the fire official and to a law-enforcement officer who shall\naccompany the fire official during the execution.\n\nHISTORY: 1988, c. 549.","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}}