{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/56-1.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/56-1.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/56-1.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/56-1.html"}],"law_id":64250,"edition_id":1,"section_id":64250,"structure_id":15706,"section_number":"56-1","catch_line":"Definitions","history":"Code 1919, \u00a7\u00a7 3693, 3881; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 23; 1984, c. 382; 2002, cc. 479, 489; 2004, c. 1028; 2006, cc. 691, 912, 929, 941; 2007, c. 619; 2009, c. 746; 2011, cc. 408, 738, 740; 2016, c. 288.","full_text":"Whenever used in this title, unless the context requires a different meaning:\n\t\t“Broadband connection,” for purposes of this section, means a connection where transmission speeds exceed 200 kilobits per second in at least one direction.\n\t\t“Commission” means the State Corporation Commission.\n\t\t“Corporation” or “company” includes all corporations created by acts of the General Assembly of Virginia, or under the general incorporation laws of this Commonwealth, or doing business therein, and shall exclude all municipal corporations, other political subdivisions, and public institutions owned or controlled by the Commonwealth.\n\t\t“Electric vehicle charging service” means the replenishment of the battery of a plug-in electric motor vehicle, which replenishment occurs by plugging the motor vehicle into an electric power source in order to charge or recharge its battery.\n\t\t“Interexchange telephone service” means telephone service between points in two or more exchanges that is not classified as local exchange telephone service. “Interexchange telephone service” shall not include Voice-over-Internet protocol service for purposes of regulation by the Commission, including the imposition of certification processing fees and other administrative requirements, and the filing or approval of tariffs. Nothing herein shall be construed to either mandate or prohibit the payment of switched network access rates or other intercarrier compensation, if any, related to Voice-over-Internet protocol service.\n\t\t“Local exchange telephone service” means telephone service provided in a geographical area established for the administration of communication services and consists of one or more central offices together with associated facilities which are used in providing local exchange service. Local exchange service, as opposed to interexchange service, consists of telecommunications between points within an exchange or between exchanges which are within an area where customers may call at specified rates and charges. “Local exchange telephone service” shall not include Voice-over-Internet protocol service for purposes of regulation by the Commission, including the imposition of certification processing fees and other administrative requirements, and the filing or approval of tariffs. Nothing herein shall be construed to either mandate or prohibit the payment of switched network access rates or other intercarrier compensation, if any, related to Voice-over-Internet protocol service.\n\t\t“Mail” includes electronic mail and other forms of electronic communication when the customer has requested or authorized electronic bill delivery or other electronic communications.\n\t\t“Municipality” or “municipal corporation” shall include an authority created by a governmental unit exempt from the referendum requirement of \u00a7 15.2-5403.\n\t\t“Person” includes individuals, partnerships, limited liability companies, and corporations.\n\t\t“Plug-in electric motor vehicle” means an on-road motor vehicle that draws propulsion using a traction battery that has at least four kilowatt hours of capacity, uses an external source of electric energy to charge or recharge the battery, has a gross vehicle weight of not more than 14,000 pounds, and meets any applicable emissions standards.\n\t\t“Public service corporation” or “public service company” includes gas, pipeline, electric light, heat, power and water supply companies, sewer companies, telephone companies, and all persons authorized to transport passengers or property as a common carrier. “Public service corporation” or “public service company” shall not include (i) a municipal corporation, other political subdivision or public institution owned or controlled by the Commonwealth; however, if such an entity has obtained a certificate to provide services pursuant to \u00a7 56-265.4:4, then such entity shall be deemed to be a public service corporation or public service company and subject to the authority of the Commission with respect only to its provision of the services it is authorized to provide pursuant to such certificate; or (ii) any company described in subdivision (b)(10) of \u00a7 56-265.1.\n\t\t“Railroad” includes all railroad or railway lines, whether operated by steam, electricity, or other motive power, except when otherwise specifically designated.\n\t\t“Railroad company” includes any company, trustee or other person owning, leasing or operating a railroad.\n\t\t“Rate” means rate charged for any service rendered or to be rendered.\n\t\t“Rate,” “charge” and “regulation” include joint rates, joint charges and joint regulations, respectively.\n\t\t“Regulated operating revenue” includes only revenue from services not found to be competitive.\n\t\t“Transportation company” includes any railroad company, any company transporting express by railroad, and any ship or boat company.\n\t\t“Virginia limited liability company” has the same meaning ascribed to “limited liability company” in \u00a7 13.1-1002. A foreign limited liability company, as that term is defined in \u00a7 13.1-1002, may become a Virginia limited liability company, even though also being a limited liability company organized under laws other than the laws of the Commonwealth, by filing articles of organization that meet the requirements of \u00a7\u00a7 13.1-1003 and 13.1-1011 and include (i) the name of the foreign limited liability company immediately prior to the filing of the articles of organization; (ii) the date on which and the jurisdiction in which the foreign limited liability company was first formed, organized, created or otherwise came into being; and (iii) the jurisdiction that constituted the seat, siege social, or principal place of business or central administration of the foreign limited liability company, or any equivalent thereto under applicable law, immediately prior to the filing of the articles of organization. With respect to a foreign limited liability company that is also organized as a Virginia limited liability company, the terms and conditions of its organization as a Virginia limited liability company shall be approved in the manner provided for by the document, instrument, agreement or other writing, as the case may be, governing the internal affairs of the foreign limited liability company in the conduct of its business or by applicable law other than the law of the Commonwealth, as appropriate.\n\t\t“Voice-over-Internet protocol service” or “VoIP service” means any service that: (i) enables real-time, two-way voice communications that originate or terminate from the user’s location using Internet protocol or any successor protocol and (ii) uses a broadband connection from the user’s location. This definition includes any such service that permits users generally to receive calls that originate on the public switched telephone network and to terminate calls to the public switched telephone network.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":233891,"text":"Whenever used in this title, unless the context requires a different meaning:\n\t\t“Broadband connection,” for purposes of this section, means a connection where transmission speeds exceed 200 kilobits per second in at least one direction.\n\t\t“Commission” means the State Corporation Commission.\n\t\t“Corporation” or “company” includes all corporations created by acts of the General Assembly of Virginia, or under the general incorporation laws of this Commonwealth, or doing business therein, and shall exclude all municipal corporations, other political subdivisions, and public institutions owned or controlled by the Commonwealth.\n\t\t“Electric vehicle charging service” means the replenishment of the battery of a plug-in electric motor vehicle, which replenishment occurs by plugging the motor vehicle into an electric power source in order to charge or recharge its battery.\n\t\t“Interexchange telephone service” means telephone service between points in two or more exchanges that is not classified as local exchange telephone service. “Interexchange telephone service” shall not include Voice-over-Internet protocol service for purposes of regulation by the Commission, including the imposition of certification processing fees and other administrative requirements, and the filing or approval of tariffs. Nothing herein shall be construed to either mandate or prohibit the payment of switched network access rates or other intercarrier compensation, if any, related to Voice-over-Internet protocol service.\n\t\t“Local exchange telephone service” means telephone service provided in a geographical area established for the administration of communication services and consists of one or more central offices together with associated facilities which are used in providing local exchange service. Local exchange service, as opposed to interexchange service, consists of telecommunications between points within an exchange or between exchanges which are within an area where customers may call at specified rates and charges. “Local exchange telephone service” shall not include Voice-over-Internet protocol service for purposes of regulation by the Commission, including the imposition of certification processing fees and other administrative requirements, and the filing or approval of tariffs. Nothing herein shall be construed to either mandate or prohibit the payment of switched network access rates or other intercarrier compensation, if any, related to Voice-over-Internet protocol service.\n\t\t“Mail” includes electronic mail and other forms of electronic communication when the customer has requested or authorized electronic bill delivery or other electronic communications.\n\t\t“Municipality” or “municipal corporation” shall include an authority created by a governmental unit exempt from the referendum requirement of \u00a7 15.2-5403.\n\t\t“Person” includes individuals, partnerships, limited liability companies, and corporations.\n\t\t“Plug-in electric motor vehicle” means an on-road motor vehicle that draws propulsion using a traction battery that has at least four kilowatt hours of capacity, uses an external source of electric energy to charge or recharge the battery, has a gross vehicle weight of not more than 14,000 pounds, and meets any applicable emissions standards.\n\t\t“Public service corporation” or “public service company” includes gas, pipeline, electric light, heat, power and water supply companies, sewer companies, telephone companies, and all persons authorized to transport passengers or property as a common carrier. “Public service corporation” or “public service company” shall not include (i) a municipal corporation, other political subdivision or public institution owned or controlled by the Commonwealth; however, if such an entity has obtained a certificate to provide services pursuant to \u00a7 56-265.4:4, then such entity shall be deemed to be a public service corporation or public service company and subject to the authority of the Commission with respect only to its provision of the services it is authorized to provide pursuant to such certificate; or (ii) any company described in subdivision (b)(10) of \u00a7 56-265.1.\n\t\t“Railroad” includes all railroad or railway lines, whether operated by steam, electricity, or other motive power, except when otherwise specifically designated.\n\t\t“Railroad company” includes any company, trustee or other person owning, leasing or operating a railroad.\n\t\t“Rate” means rate charged for any service rendered or to be rendered.\n\t\t“Rate,” “charge” and “regulation” include joint rates, joint charges and joint regulations, respectively.\n\t\t“Regulated operating revenue” includes only revenue from services not found to be competitive.\n\t\t“Transportation company” includes any railroad company, any company transporting express by railroad, and any ship or boat company.\n\t\t“Virginia limited liability company” has the same meaning ascribed to “limited liability company” in \u00a7 13.1-1002. A foreign limited liability company, as that term is defined in \u00a7 13.1-1002, may become a Virginia limited liability company, even though also being a limited liability company organized under laws other than the laws of the Commonwealth, by filing articles of organization that meet the requirements of \u00a7\u00a7 13.1-1003 and 13.1-1011 and include (i) the name of the foreign limited liability company immediately prior to the filing of the articles of organization; (ii) the date on which and the jurisdiction in which the foreign limited liability company was first formed, organized, created or otherwise came into being; and (iii) the jurisdiction that constituted the seat, siege social, or principal place of business or central administration of the foreign limited liability company, or any equivalent thereto under applicable law, immediately prior to the filing of the articles of organization. With respect to a foreign limited liability company that is also organized as a Virginia limited liability company, the terms and conditions of its organization as a Virginia limited liability company shall be approved in the manner provided for by the document, instrument, agreement or other writing, as the case may be, governing the internal affairs of the foreign limited liability company in the conduct of its business or by applicable law other than the law of the Commonwealth, as appropriate.\n\t\t“Voice-over-Internet protocol service” or “VoIP service” means any service that: (i) enables real-time, two-way voice communications that originate or terminate from the user’s location using Internet protocol or any successor protocol and (ii) uses a broadband connection from the user’s location. This definition includes any such service that permits users generally to receive calls that originate on the public switched telephone network and to terminate calls to the public switched telephone network.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"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}],"next_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},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/56-1\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\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 1984, chapter 382; in 2002, chapters 479<\/a> and 489<\/a>; in 2004, chapter 1028<\/a>; in 2006, chapters 691<\/a>, 912<\/a>, 929<\/a>, and 941<\/a>; in 2007, chapter 619<\/a>; in 2009, chapter 746<\/a>; in 2011, chapters 408<\/a>, 738<\/a>, and 740<\/a>; in 2016, chapter 288<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":77048,"section_number":"12.1-12","catch_line":"Powers and duties generally","order_by":null,"url":"\/12.1-12\/"},{"id":65011,"section_number":"13.1-1002","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/13.1-1002\/"},{"id":56562,"section_number":"15.2-2160","catch_line":"Provision of telecommunications services","order_by":null,"url":"\/15.2-2160\/"},{"id":81089,"section_number":"19.2-389","catch_line":"(Effective July 1, 2026) Dissemination of criminal history record information","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-389\/"},{"id":64954,"section_number":"2.2-1204","catch_line":"Health insurance program for employees of local governments, local officers, teachers, etc.; definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/2.2-1204\/"},{"id":54248,"section_number":"46.2-1219.3","catch_line":"Parking of vehicles in parking spaces reserved for charging electric vehicles; civil penalties","order_by":null,"url":"\/46.2-1219.3\/"},{"id":61279,"section_number":"46.2-1224","catch_line":"County ordinances prohibiting certain parking in streets and highways","order_by":null,"url":"\/46.2-1224\/"},{"id":65628,"section_number":"56-1.1","catch_line":"Designation as public service corporation","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-1.1\/"},{"id":66838,"section_number":"56-1.2","catch_line":"Persons, localities, and school boards not designated as public utility, public service corporation, etc","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-1.2\/"},{"id":59777,"section_number":"56-265.13:7","catch_line":"Regulation by State Corporation Commission","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-265.13_7\/"},{"id":54611,"section_number":"56-49","catch_line":"Powers","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-49\/"},{"id":76084,"section_number":"56-533","catch_line":"Regulation by State Corporation Commission","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-533\/"},{"id":61209,"section_number":"58.1-2680","catch_line":"Reports to include location by districts, etc","order_by":null,"url":"\/58.1-2680\/"},{"id":60563,"section_number":"63.2-1902","catch_line":"Central unit for information and administration; request and receipt of information from other entities and agencies; disclosure of such information","order_by":null,"url":"\/63.2-1902\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":65011,"section_number":"13.1-1002","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/13.1-1002\/"},{"id":64425,"section_number":"13.1-1003","catch_line":"Filing requirements","order_by":null,"url":"\/13.1-1003\/"},{"id":75573,"section_number":"13.1-1011","catch_line":"Articles of organization","order_by":null,"url":"\/13.1-1011\/"},{"id":79988,"section_number":"15.2-5403","catch_line":"Creation of electric authority; referendum","order_by":null,"url":"\/15.2-5403\/"},{"id":85772,"section_number":"56-265.1","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-265.1\/"},{"id":55350,"section_number":"56-265.4:4","catch_line":"Certificate to operate as a telephone utility","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-265.4_4\/"}],"permalink":{"id":248479,"object_type":"law","relational_id":64250,"identifier":"56-1","token":"56\/1\/1\/56-1","url":"\/56-1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/56-1\/","token":"56\/1\/1\/56-1","dublin_core":{"Title":"Definitions","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 56-1","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Whenever used in this title, unless the context requires a different meaning:\n\t\t“Broadband connection,” for purposes of this section, means a connection where transmission speeds exceed 200 kilobits per second in at least one direction.\n\t\t“Commission<\/span>” means the State Corporation Commission<\/span>.\n\t\t“Corporation” or “company” includes all corporations created by acts of the General Assembly of Virginia, or under the general incorporation laws<\/span> of this Commonwealth, or doing business therein, and shall exclude all municipal corporations<\/span>, other political subdivisions, and public institutions owned or controlled by the Commonwealth.\n\t\t“Electric vehicle charging service<\/span>” means the replenishment of the battery<\/span> of a plug-in electric motor vehicle<\/span>, which replenishment occurs by plugging the motor vehicle into an electric power source in order<\/span> to charge or recharge its battery<\/span>.\n\t\t“Interexchange telephone service<\/span>” means telephone service between points in two or more exchanges that is not classified as local exchange telephone service<\/span>. “Interexchange telephone service<\/span>” shall not include Voice-over-Internet protocol service<\/span> for purposes of regulation by the Commission<\/span>, including the imposition of certification processing fees and other administrative requirements, and the filing or approval of tariffs. Nothing herein shall be construed to either mandate<\/span> or prohibit the payment of switched network access rates<\/span> or other intercarrier compensation, if any, related to Voice-over-Internet protocol service<\/span>.\n\t\t“Local exchange telephone service<\/span>” means telephone service provided in a geographical area established for the administration of communication services and consists of one or more central offices together with associated facilities which are used in providing local exchange service. Local exchange service, as opposed to interexchange service, consists of telecommunications between points within an exchange or between exchanges which are within an area where customers may call at specified rates<\/span> and charges. “Local exchange telephone service<\/span>” shall not include Voice-over-Internet protocol service<\/span> for purposes of regulation by the Commission<\/span>, including the imposition of certification processing fees and other administrative requirements, and the filing or approval of tariffs. Nothing herein shall be construed to either mandate<\/span> or prohibit the payment of switched network access rates<\/span> or other intercarrier compensation, if any, related to Voice-over-Internet protocol service<\/span>.\n\t\t“Mail<\/span>” includes electronic mail<\/span> and other forms of electronic communication when the customer has requested or authorized electronic bill delivery or other electronic communications.\n\t\t“Municipality<\/span>” or “municipal corporation<\/span>” shall include an authority created by a governmental unit exempt from the referendum<\/span> requirement of \u00a7 15.2-5403<\/a>.\n\t\t“Person<\/span>” includes individuals, partnerships, limited liability companies, and corporations.\n\t\t“Plug-in electric motor vehicle<\/span>” means an on-road motor vehicle that draws propulsion using a traction battery<\/span> that has at least four kilowatt hours of capacity, uses an external source of electric energy to charge or recharge the battery<\/span>, has a gross vehicle weight of not more than 14,000 pounds, and meets any applicable emissions standards.\n\t\t“Public service corporation<\/span>” or “public service company<\/span>” includes gas, pipeline, electric light, heat, power and water supply companies, sewer companies, telephone companies, and all persons<\/span> authorized to transport passengers or property as a common carrier. “Public service corporation<\/span>” or “public service company<\/span>” shall not include (i) a municipal corporation<\/span>, other political subdivision or public institution owned or controlled by the Commonwealth; however, if such an entity has obtained a certificate to provide services pursuant to \u00a7 56-265.4:4<\/a>, then such entity shall be deemed to be a public service corporation<\/span> or public service company<\/span> and subject to the authority of the Commission<\/span> with respect only to its provision of the services it is authorized to provide pursuant to such certificate; or (ii) any company described in subdivision (b)(10) of \u00a7 56-265.1<\/a>.\n\t\t“Railroad” includes all railroad or railway lines, whether operated by steam, electricity, or other motive power, except when otherwise specifically designated.\n\t\t“Railroad company<\/span>” includes any company, trustee or other person<\/span> owning, leasing or operating a railroad.\n\t\t“Rate<\/span>” means rate<\/span> charged for any service rendered or to be rendered.\n\t\t“Rate<\/span>,” “charge” and “regulation” include joint rates<\/span>, joint charges and joint regulations, respectively.\n\t\t“Regulated operating revenue<\/span>” includes only revenue from services not found to be competitive.\n\t\t“Transportation company<\/span>” includes any railroad company<\/span>, any company transporting express by railroad, and any ship or boat company.\n\t\t“Virginia limited liability company” has the same meaning ascribed to “limited liability company” in \u00a7 13.1-1002<\/a>. A foreign limited liability company, as that term is defined in \u00a7 13.1-1002<\/a>, may become a Virginia limited liability company, even though also being a limited liability company organized under laws<\/span> other than the laws<\/span> of the Commonwealth, by filing articles of organization that meet the requirements of \u00a7\u00a7 13.1-1003<\/a> and 13.1-1011<\/a> and include (i) the name of the foreign limited liability company immediately prior to the filing of the articles of organization; (ii) the date on which and the jurisdiction<\/span> in which the foreign limited liability company was first formed, organized, created or otherwise came into being; and (iii) the jurisdiction<\/span> that constituted the seat, siege social, or principal place of business or central administration of the foreign limited liability company, or any equivalent thereto under applicable law<\/span>, immediately prior to the filing of the articles of organization. With respect to a foreign limited liability company that is also organized as a Virginia limited liability company, the terms and conditions of its organization as a Virginia limited liability company shall be approved in the manner provided for by the document, instrument, agreement or other writing, as the case may be, governing the internal affairs of the foreign limited liability company in the conduct of its business or by applicable law<\/span> other than the law<\/span> of the Commonwealth, as appropriate.\n\t\t“Voice-over-Internet protocol service<\/span>” or “VoIP service<\/span>” means any service that: (i) enables real-time, two-way voice communications that originate or terminate from the user’s location using Internet protocol or any successor protocol and (ii) uses a broadband connection from the user’s location. This definition includes any such service that permits users generally to receive calls that originate on the public switched telephone network and to terminate calls to the public switched telephone network.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nDEFINITIONS (\u00a7 56-1)\n\nWhenever used in this title, unless the context requires a different meaning:\n\t\t“Broadband connection,” for purposes of this section, means a\nconnection where transmission speeds exceed 200 kilobits per second in at least\none direction.\n\t\t“Commission” means the State Corporation Commission.\n\t\t“Corporation” or “company” includes all corporations\ncreated by acts of the General Assembly of Virginia, or under the general\nincorporation laws of this Commonwealth, or doing business therein, and shall\nexclude all municipal corporations, other political subdivisions, and public\ninstitutions owned or controlled by the Commonwealth.\n\t\t“Electric vehicle charging service” means the replenishment of the\nbattery of a plug-in electric motor vehicle, which replenishment occurs by\nplugging the motor vehicle into an electric power source in order to charge or\nrecharge its battery.\n\t\t“Interexchange telephone service” means telephone service between\npoints in two or more exchanges that is not classified as local exchange\ntelephone service. “Interexchange telephone service” shall not\ninclude Voice-over-Internet protocol service for purposes of regulation by the\nCommission, including the imposition of certification processing fees and other\nadministrative requirements, and the filing or approval of tariffs. Nothing\nherein shall be construed to either mandate or prohibit the payment of switched\nnetwork access rates or other intercarrier compensation, if any, related to\nVoice-over-Internet protocol service.\n\t\t“Local exchange telephone service” means telephone service\nprovided in a geographical area established for the administration of\ncommunication services and consists of one or more central offices together with\nassociated facilities which are used in providing local exchange service. Local\nexchange service, as opposed to interexchange service, consists of\ntelecommunications between points within an exchange or between exchanges which\nare within an area where customers may call at specified rates and charges.\n“Local exchange telephone service” shall not include\nVoice-over-Internet protocol service for purposes of regulation by the\nCommission, including the imposition of certification processing fees and other\nadministrative requirements, and the filing or approval of tariffs. Nothing\nherein shall be construed to either mandate or prohibit the payment of switched\nnetwork access rates or other intercarrier compensation, if any, related to\nVoice-over-Internet protocol service.\n\t\t“Mail” includes electronic mail and other forms of electronic\ncommunication when the customer has requested or authorized electronic bill\ndelivery or other electronic communications.\n\t\t“Municipality” or “municipal corporation” shall\ninclude an authority created by a governmental unit exempt from the referendum\nrequirement of \u00a7 15.2-5403.\n\t\t“Person” includes individuals, partnerships, limited liability\ncompanies, and corporations.\n\t\t“Plug-in electric motor vehicle” means an on-road motor vehicle\nthat draws propulsion using a traction battery that has at least four kilowatt\nhours of capacity, uses an external source of electric energy to charge or\nrecharge the battery, has a gross vehicle weight of not more than 14,000 pounds,\nand meets any applicable emissions standards.\n\t\t“Public service corporation” or “public service\ncompany” includes gas, pipeline, electric light, heat, power and water\nsupply companies, sewer companies, telephone companies, and all persons\nauthorized to transport passengers or property as a common carrier.\n“Public service corporation” or “public service company”\nshall not include (i) a municipal corporation, other political subdivision or\npublic institution owned or controlled by the Commonwealth; however, if such an\nentity has obtained a certificate to provide services pursuant to \u00a7 56-265.4:4,\nthen such entity shall be deemed to be a public service corporation or public\nservice company and subject to the authority of the Commission with respect only\nto its provision of the services it is authorized to provide pursuant to such\ncertificate; or (ii) any company described in subdivision (b)(10) of \u00a7\n56-265.1.\n\t\t“Railroad” includes all railroad or railway lines, whether\noperated by steam, electricity, or other motive power, except when otherwise\nspecifically designated.\n\t\t“Railroad company” includes any company, trustee or other person\nowning, leasing or operating a railroad.\n\t\t“Rate” means rate charged for any service rendered or to be\nrendered.\n\t\t“Rate,” “charge” and “regulation” include\njoint rates, joint charges and joint regulations, respectively.\n\t\t“Regulated operating revenue” includes only revenue from services\nnot found to be competitive.\n\t\t“Transportation company” includes any railroad company, any\ncompany transporting express by railroad, and any ship or boat company.\n\t\t“Virginia limited liability company” has the same meaning ascribed\nto “limited liability company” in \u00a7 13.1-1002. A foreign limited\nliability company, as that term is defined in \u00a7 13.1-1002, may become a\nVirginia limited liability company, even though also being a limited liability\ncompany organized under laws other than the laws of the Commonwealth, by filing\narticles of organization that meet the requirements of \u00a7\u00a7 13.1-1003 and\n13.1-1011 and include (i) the name of the foreign limited liability company\nimmediately prior to the filing of the articles of organization; (ii) the date\non which and the jurisdiction in which the foreign limited liability company was\nfirst formed, organized, created or otherwise came into being; and (iii) the\njurisdiction that constituted the seat, siege social, or principal place of\nbusiness or central administration of the foreign limited liability company, or\nany equivalent thereto under applicable law, immediately prior to the filing of\nthe articles of organization. With respect to a foreign limited liability\ncompany that is also organized as a Virginia limited liability company, the\nterms and conditions of its organization as a Virginia limited liability company\nshall be approved in the manner provided for by the document, instrument,\nagreement or other writing, as the case may be, governing the internal affairs\nof the foreign limited liability company in the conduct of its business or by\napplicable law other than the law of the Commonwealth, as appropriate.\n\t\t“Voice-over-Internet protocol service” or “VoIP\nservice” means any service that: (i) enables real-time, two-way voice\ncommunications that originate or terminate from the user’s location using\nInternet protocol or any successor protocol and (ii) uses a broadband connection\nfrom the user’s location. This definition includes any such service that\npermits users generally to receive calls that originate on the public switched\ntelephone network and to terminate calls to the public switched telephone\nnetwork.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1919, \u00a7\u00a7 3693, 3881; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 23; 1984, c. 382; 2002,\ncc. 479, 489; 2004, c. 1028; 2006, cc. 691, 912, 929, 941; 2007, c. 619; 2009,\nc. 746; 2011, cc. 408, 738, 740; 2016, c. 288.","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}}