{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/56-1.2.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/56-1.2.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/56-1.2.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/56-1.2.html"}],"law_id":66838,"edition_id":1,"section_id":66838,"structure_id":15706,"section_number":"56-1.2","catch_line":"Persons, localities, and school boards not designated as public utility, public service corporation, etc","history":"1993, c. 265; 1999, c. 778; 2000, c. 994; 2003, c. 355; 2011, c. 408; 2017, c. 239; 2018, cc. 295, 446; 2019, c. 248; 2020, c. 490.","full_text":"The terms public utility, public service corporation, or public service company, as used in Chapters 1 (\u00a7 56-1 et seq.), 10 (\u00a7 56-232 et seq.), 10.1 (\u00a7 56-265.1 et seq.), and 10.2:1 (\u00a7 56-265.13:1 et seq.) of this title, shall not refer to:\n\n1\n\nAny person who owns or operates property and provides electricity, natural gas, water, or sewer service to residents or tenants on the property, provided that (i) the electricity, natural gas, water, or sewer service provided to the residents or tenants is purchased by the person from a public utility, public service corporation, public service company, or person licensed by the Commission as a competitive provider of energy services, or a county, city or town, or other publicly regulated political subdivision or public body, (ii) the person or his agent charges to the resident or tenant on the property only that portion of the person’s utility charges for the electricity, natural gas, water, or sewer service which is attributable to usage by the resident or tenant on the property, and additional service charges permitted by § 55.1-1212 or 55.1-1404, as applicable, and (iii) the person maintains three years’ billing records for such charges.2\n\nAny (i) person who is not a public service corporation and who provides electric vehicle charging service at retail, (ii) school board that operates retail fee-based electric vehicle charging stations on school property pursuant to § 22.1-131, or (iii) locality that operates a retail fee-based electric vehicle charging station on property owned or leased by the locality pursuant to § 15.2-967.2. The ownership or operation of a facility at which electric vehicle charging service is sold, and the selling of electric vehicle charging service from that facility, does not render such person, school board, locality, or board of visitors a public utility, public service corporation, or public service company as used in Chapters 1 (§ 56-1 et seq.), 10 (§ 56-232 et seq.), 10.1 (§ 56-265.1 et seq.), and 10.2:1 (§ 56-265.13:1 et seq.) solely because of that sale, ownership, or operation.3\n\nAny agency, as defined in § 2.2-128, when operating a retail fee-based electric vehicle charging station pursuant to § 2.2-614.5 on any property or facility the agency controls. The ownership or operation of a facility at which electric vehicle charging service is sold, or the selling of electric vehicle charging service from that facility, does not render the agency a public utility, public service corporation, or public service company as used in Chapters 1 (§ 56-1 et seq.), 10 (§ 56-232 et seq.), 10.1 (§ 56-265.1 et seq.), and 10.2:1 (§ 56-265.13:1 et seq.) solely because of that sale, ownership, or operation.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":242365,"text":"The terms public utility, public service corporation, or public service company, as used in Chapters 1 (\u00a7 56-1 et seq.), 10 (\u00a7 56-232 et seq.), 10.1 (\u00a7 56-265.1 et seq.), and 10.2:1 (\u00a7 56-265.13:1 et seq.) of this title, shall not refer to:","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"next_prefix":"1"},"1":{"id":242366,"text":"Any person who owns or operates property and provides electricity, natural gas, water, or sewer service to residents or tenants on the property, provided that (i) the electricity, natural gas, water, or sewer service provided to the residents or tenants is purchased by the person from a public utility, public service corporation, public service company, or person licensed by the Commission as a competitive provider of energy services, or a county, city or town, or other publicly regulated political subdivision or public body, (ii) the person or his agent charges to the resident or tenant on the property only that portion of the person’s utility charges for the electricity, natural gas, water, or sewer service which is attributable to usage by the resident or tenant on the property, and additional service charges permitted by § 55.1-1212 or 55.1-1404, as applicable, and (iii) the person maintains three years’ billing records for such charges.","type":"section","prefixes":["1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"1","prefix_anchor":"1","level":1,"prior_prefix":"","next_prefix":"2"},"2":{"id":242367,"text":"Any (i) person who is not a public service corporation and who provides electric vehicle charging service at retail, (ii) school board that operates retail fee-based electric vehicle charging stations on school property pursuant to § 22.1-131, or (iii) locality that operates a retail fee-based electric vehicle charging station on property owned or leased by the locality pursuant to § 15.2-967.2. The ownership or operation of a facility at which electric vehicle charging service is sold, and the selling of electric vehicle charging service from that facility, does not render such person, school board, locality, or board of visitors a public utility, public service corporation, or public service company as used in Chapters 1 (§ 56-1 et seq.), 10 (§ 56-232 et seq.), 10.1 (§ 56-265.1 et seq.), and 10.2:1 (§ 56-265.13:1 et seq.) solely because of that sale, ownership, or operation.","type":"section","prefixes":["2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"2","prefix_anchor":"2","level":1,"prior_prefix":"1","next_prefix":"3"},"3":{"id":242368,"text":"Any agency, as defined in § 2.2-128, when operating a retail fee-based electric vehicle charging station pursuant to § 2.2-614.5 on any property or facility the agency controls. The ownership or operation of a facility at which electric vehicle charging service is sold, or the selling of electric vehicle charging service from that facility, does not render the agency a public utility, public service corporation, or public service company as used in Chapters 1 (§ 56-1 et seq.), 10 (§ 56-232 et seq.), 10.1 (§ 56-265.1 et seq.), and 10.2:1 (§ 56-265.13:1 et seq.) solely because of that sale, ownership, or operation.","type":"section","prefixes":["3"],"prefix":"3","entire_prefix":"3","prefix_anchor":"3","level":1,"prior_prefix":"2"}},"ancestry":[{"id":15706,"edition_id":1,"name":"In General","identifier":"1","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13586,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:58:07","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:58:07","permalink":{"id":248477,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15706,"identifier":"1","token":"56\/1\/1","url":"\/56\/1\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13586,"edition_id":1,"name":"General Provisions","identifier":"1","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12881,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:45:19","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:45:19","permalink":{"id":248475,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13586,"identifier":"1","token":"56\/1","url":"\/56\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12881,"edition_id":1,"name":"Public Service Companies","identifier":"56","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:58","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:58","permalink":{"id":248473,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12881,"identifier":"56","token":"56","url":"\/56\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":64250,"structure_id":15706,"section_number":"56-1","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/56-1\/","token":"56\/1\/1\/56-1","metadata":false},{"id":65628,"structure_id":15706,"section_number":"56-1.1","catch_line":"Designation as public service corporation","url":"\/56-1.1\/","token":"56\/1\/1\/56-1.1","metadata":false},{"id":66838,"structure_id":15706,"section_number":"56-1.2","catch_line":"Persons, localities, and school boards not designated as public utility, public service corporation, etc","url":"\/56-1.2\/","token":"56\/1\/1\/56-1.2","metadata":false},{"id":64493,"structure_id":15706,"section_number":"56-1.2:1","catch_line":"Retail sale of electricity in connection with the provision of electric vehicle charging service","url":"\/56-1.2_1\/","token":"56\/1\/1\/56-1.2_1","metadata":false},{"id":85236,"structure_id":15706,"section_number":"56-1.3","catch_line":"Regulation of Voice-over-Internet protocol service","url":"\/56-1.3\/","token":"56\/1\/1\/56-1.3","metadata":false},{"id":82989,"structure_id":15706,"section_number":"56-2","catch_line":"Public service corporations, etc., governed by provisions of this title","url":"\/56-2\/","token":"56\/1\/1\/56-2","metadata":false},{"id":75268,"structure_id":15706,"section_number":"56-3","catch_line":"Expenses prior to organization","url":"\/56-3\/","token":"56\/1\/1\/56-3","metadata":false},{"id":85047,"structure_id":15706,"section_number":"56-4","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/56-4\/","token":"56\/1\/1\/56-4","metadata":false},{"id":86200,"structure_id":15706,"section_number":"56-5","catch_line":"Triple damages for injury to property of public service corporation","url":"\/56-5\/","token":"56\/1\/1\/56-5","metadata":false},{"id":69525,"structure_id":15706,"section_number":"56-5.1","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/56-5.1\/","token":"56\/1\/1\/56-5.1","metadata":false},{"id":70532,"structure_id":15706,"section_number":"56-6","catch_line":"Remedies of persons aggrieved by public service corporation's violation of law","url":"\/56-6\/","token":"56\/1\/1\/56-6","metadata":false},{"id":66678,"structure_id":15706,"section_number":"56-7","catch_line":"Common law, etc., remedies not altered or abridged","url":"\/56-7\/","token":"56\/1\/1\/56-7","metadata":false},{"id":72458,"structure_id":15706,"section_number":"56-8","catch_line":"Repeal of charter","url":"\/56-8\/","token":"56\/1\/1\/56-8","metadata":false},{"id":71896,"structure_id":15706,"section_number":"56-8.1","catch_line":"Free services to members of General Assembly and others prohibited","url":"\/56-8.1\/","token":"56\/1\/1\/56-8.1","metadata":false},{"id":60168,"structure_id":15706,"section_number":"56-8.2","catch_line":"Appeals in rate cases","url":"\/56-8.2\/","token":"56\/1\/1\/56-8.2","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":65628,"structure_id":15706,"section_number":"56-1.1","catch_line":"Designation as public service corporation","url":"\/56-1.1\/","token":"56\/1\/1\/56-1.1","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":64493,"structure_id":15706,"section_number":"56-1.2:1","catch_line":"Retail sale of electricity in connection with the provision of electric vehicle charging service","url":"\/56-1.2_1\/","token":"56\/1\/1\/56-1.2_1","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/56-1.2\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1993. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 265 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 1993 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 8 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 1999, chapter 778<\/a>; in 2000, chapter 994<\/a>; in 2003, chapter 355<\/a>; in 2011, chapter 408<\/a>; in 2017, chapter 239<\/a>; in 2018, chapters 295<\/a> and 446<\/a>; in 2019, chapter 248<\/a>; in 2020, chapter 490<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":63023,"section_number":"13.1-620","catch_line":"Special kinds of business","order_by":null,"url":"\/13.1-620\/"},{"id":61413,"section_number":"55.1-1200","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/55.1-1200\/"},{"id":57183,"section_number":"56-265.4:6","catch_line":"Furnishing non-utility gas service","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-265.4_6\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":61876,"section_number":"15.2-967.2","catch_line":"Electric vehicle charging stations","order_by":null,"url":"\/15.2-967.2\/"},{"id":73064,"section_number":"2.2-128","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/2.2-128\/"},{"id":72111,"section_number":"2.2-614.5","catch_line":"Electric vehicle charging stations","order_by":null,"url":"\/2.2-614.5\/"},{"id":86786,"section_number":"22.1-131","catch_line":"Boards may permit use of various school property; general conditions; electric vehicle charging stations","order_by":null,"url":"\/22.1-131\/"},{"id":67894,"section_number":"55.1-1212","catch_line":"Energy submetering, energy allocation equipment, sewer and water submetering equipment, and ratio utility billing systems; local government fees","order_by":null,"url":"\/55.1-1212\/"},{"id":74794,"section_number":"55.1-1404","catch_line":"Energy submetering, energy allocation equipment, sewer and water submetering equipment, ratio utility billings systems; local government fees","order_by":null,"url":"\/55.1-1404\/"},{"id":64250,"section_number":"56-1","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-1\/"},{"id":75233,"section_number":"56-232","catch_line":"Public utility and schedules defined","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-232\/"},{"id":85772,"section_number":"56-265.1","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-265.1\/"},{"id":62103,"section_number":"56-265.13:1","catch_line":"Short title","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-265.13_1\/"}],"permalink":{"id":248487,"object_type":"law","relational_id":66838,"identifier":"56-1.2","token":"56\/1\/1\/56-1.2","url":"\/56-1.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/56-1.2\/","token":"56\/1\/1\/56-1.2","dublin_core":{"Title":"Persons, localities, and school boards not designated as public utility, public service corporation, etc","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 56-1.2","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

The terms public utility, public service corporation<\/span>, or public service company<\/span>, as used in Chapters 1 (\u00a7 56-1<\/a> et seq.), 10 (\u00a7 56-232<\/a> et seq.), 10.1 (\u00a7 56-265.1<\/a> et seq.), and 10.2:1 (\u00a7 56-265.13:1<\/a> et seq.) of this title, shall not refer to:<\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> Any person<\/span> who owns or operates property and provides electricity, natural gas, water, or sewer service to residents or tenants on the property, provided that (i) the electricity, natural gas, water, or sewer service provided to the residents or tenants is purchased by the person<\/span> from a public utility, public service corporation<\/span>, public service company<\/span>, or person<\/span> licensed by the Commission<\/span> as a competitive provider of energy services, or a county, city or town, or other publicly regulated political subdivision or public body, (ii) the person<\/span> or his agent charges to the resident or tenant on the property only that portion of the person<\/span>’s utility charges for the electricity, natural gas, water, or sewer service which is attributable to usage by the resident or tenant on the property, and additional service charges permitted by § 55.1-1212<\/a> or 55.1-1404<\/a>, as applicable, and (iii) the person<\/span> maintains three years’ billing records for such charges. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> Any (i) person<\/span> who is not a public service corporation<\/span> and who provides electric vehicle charging service<\/span> at retail, (ii) school board that operates retail fee-based electric vehicle charging stations on school property pursuant to § 22.1-131<\/a>, or (iii) locality that operates a retail fee-based electric vehicle charging station on property owned or leased by the locality pursuant to § 15.2-967.2<\/a>. The ownership or operation of a facility at which electric vehicle charging service<\/span> is sold, and the selling of electric vehicle charging service<\/span> from that facility, does not render such person<\/span>, school board, locality, or board of visitors a public utility, public service corporation<\/span>, or public service company<\/span> as used in Chapters 1 (§ 56-1<\/a> et seq.), 10 (§ 56-232<\/a> et seq.), 10.1 (§ 56-265.1<\/a> et seq.), and 10.2:1 (§ 56-265.13:1<\/a> et seq.) solely because of that sale, ownership, or operation. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

3.<\/span> Any agency, as defined in § 2.2-128<\/a>, when operating a retail fee-based electric vehicle charging station pursuant to § 2.2-614.5<\/a> on any property or facility the agency controls. The ownership or operation of a facility at which electric vehicle charging service<\/span> is sold, or the selling of electric vehicle charging service<\/span> from that facility, does not render the agency a public utility, public service corporation<\/span>, or public service company<\/span> as used in Chapters 1 (§ 56-1<\/a> et seq.), 10 (§ 56-232<\/a> et seq.), 10.1 (§ 56-265.1<\/a> et seq.), and 10.2:1 (§ 56-265.13:1<\/a> et seq.) solely because of that sale, ownership, or operation. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nPERSONS, LOCALITIES, AND SCHOOL BOARDS NOT DESIGNATED AS PUBLIC UTILITY, PUBLIC\nSERVICE CORPORATION, ETC (\u00a7 56-1.2)\n\nThe terms public utility, public service corporation, or public service company,\nas used in Chapters 1 (\u00a7 56-1 et seq.), 10 (\u00a7 56-232 et seq.), 10.1 (\u00a7\n56-265.1 et seq.), and 10.2:1 (\u00a7 56-265.13:1 et seq.) of this title, shall not\nrefer to:\n\n1. Any person who owns or operates property and provides electricity, natural\ngas, water, or sewer service to residents or tenants on the property, provided\nthat (i) the electricity, natural gas, water, or sewer service provided to the\nresidents or tenants is purchased by the person from a public utility, public\nservice corporation, public service company, or person licensed by the\nCommission as a competitive provider of energy services, or a county, city or\ntown, or other publicly regulated political subdivision or public body, (ii) the\nperson or his agent charges to the resident or tenant on the property only that\nportion of the person’s utility charges for the electricity, natural gas,\nwater, or sewer service which is attributable to usage by the resident or tenant\non the property, and additional service charges permitted by § 55.1-1212 or\n55.1-1404, as applicable, and (iii) the person maintains three years’\nbilling records for such charges.\n\n2. Any (i) person who is not a public service corporation and who provides\nelectric vehicle charging service at retail, (ii) school board that operates\nretail fee-based electric vehicle charging stations on school property pursuant\nto § 22.1-131, or (iii) locality that operates a retail fee-based electric\nvehicle charging station on property owned or leased by the locality pursuant to\n§ 15.2-967.2. The ownership or operation of a facility at which electric\nvehicle charging service is sold, and the selling of electric vehicle charging\nservice from that facility, does not render such person, school board, locality,\nor board of visitors a public utility, public service corporation, or public\nservice company as used in Chapters 1 (§ 56-1 et seq.), 10 (§ 56-232\net seq.), 10.1 (§ 56-265.1 et seq.), and 10.2:1 (§ 56-265.13:1 et\nseq.) solely because of that sale, ownership, or operation.\n\n3. Any agency, as defined in § 2.2-128, when operating a retail fee-based\nelectric vehicle charging station pursuant to § 2.2-614.5 on any property\nor facility the agency controls. The ownership or operation of a facility at\nwhich electric vehicle charging service is sold, or the selling of electric\nvehicle charging service from that facility, does not render the agency a public\nutility, public service corporation, or public service company as used in\nChapters 1 (§ 56-1 et seq.), 10 (§ 56-232 et seq.), 10.1 (§\n56-265.1 et seq.), and 10.2:1 (§ 56-265.13:1 et seq.) solely because of\nthat sale, ownership, or operation.\n\nHISTORY: 1993, c. 265; 1999, c. 778; 2000, c. 994; 2003, c. 355; 2011, c. 408;\n2017, c. 239; 2018, cc. 295, 446; 2019, c. 248; 2020, c. 490.","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}}