{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/56-231.19.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/56-231.19.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/56-231.19.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/56-231.19.html"}],"law_id":56649,"edition_id":1,"section_id":56649,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.19","catch_line":"Filing articles of incorporation; effect thereof; other provisions of law applicable","history":"1999, c. 874.","full_text":"The natural persons executing the articles of incorporation shall be residents of the territory in which the principal operations of the cooperative are to be conducted who intend to use utility services to be furnished by the cooperative. The articles of incorporation shall be subscribed by at least five such persons and acknowledged by them before an officer authorized by the law of this Commonwealth to take and certify acknowledgments of deeds and conveyances. When so acknowledged the articles shall be filed in accordance with the provisions of Article 3 (\u00a7 13.1-618 et seq.) of Chapter 9 or Article 3 (\u00a7 13.1-818 et seq.) of Chapter 10 of Title 13.1. When so filed the articles of incorporation, or certified copies thereof, shall be received in all the courts of this Commonwealth and elsewhere as prima facie evidence of the facts contained therein, and of the due incorporation of such cooperative. All of the provisions of the Virginia Stock Corporation Act (\u00a7 13.1-601 et seq.), and the Virginia Nonstock Corporation Act (\u00a7 13.1-801 et seq.), insofar as not inconsistent with this article are hereby made applicable to such stock and nonstock cooperatives, respectively; provided, however, that subsections D through G of \u00a7 13.1-620 and subdivision 1 of \u00a7 13.1-825 shall not apply to any affiliate or subsidiary of a cooperative. When the charter is filed in the office of the State Corporation Commission, the proposed cooperative described therein, under its designated name, shall be and constitute a body corporate, and, with respect to its providing regulated utility services, with all of the applicable powers provided for in \u00a7 56-49. A cooperative formed prior to July 1, 1999, need not have a registered office or registered agent. A stock or nonstock cooperative formed thereafter shall comply with \u00a7 13.1-634 or \u00a7 13.1-833, respectively.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":207285,"text":"The natural persons executing the articles of incorporation shall be residents of the territory in which the principal operations of the cooperative are to be conducted who intend to use utility services to be furnished by the cooperative. The articles of incorporation shall be subscribed by at least five such persons and acknowledged by them before an officer authorized by the law of this Commonwealth to take and certify acknowledgments of deeds and conveyances. When so acknowledged the articles shall be filed in accordance with the provisions of Article 3 (\u00a7 13.1-618 et seq.) of Chapter 9 or Article 3 (\u00a7 13.1-818 et seq.) of Chapter 10 of Title 13.1. When so filed the articles of incorporation, or certified copies thereof, shall be received in all the courts of this Commonwealth and elsewhere as prima facie evidence of the facts contained therein, and of the due incorporation of such cooperative. All of the provisions of the Virginia Stock Corporation Act (\u00a7 13.1-601 et seq.), and the Virginia Nonstock Corporation Act (\u00a7 13.1-801 et seq.), insofar as not inconsistent with this article are hereby made applicable to such stock and nonstock cooperatives, respectively; provided, however, that subsections D through G of \u00a7 13.1-620 and subdivision 1 of \u00a7 13.1-825 shall not apply to any affiliate or subsidiary of a cooperative. When the charter is filed in the office of the State Corporation Commission, the proposed cooperative described therein, under its designated name, shall be and constitute a body corporate, and, with respect to its providing regulated utility services, with all of the applicable powers provided for in \u00a7 56-49. A cooperative formed prior to July 1, 1999, need not have a registered office or registered agent. A stock or nonstock cooperative formed thereafter shall comply with \u00a7 13.1-634 or \u00a7 13.1-833, respectively.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":13548,"edition_id":1,"name":"Utility Consumer Services Cooperatives Act","identifier":"1","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13182,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:45:11","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:45:11","permalink":{"id":251325,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13548,"identifier":"1","token":"56\/9.1\/1","url":"\/56\/9.1\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13182,"edition_id":1,"name":"Utility Consumer Services Cooperatives and Utility Aggregation Cooperatives","identifier":"9.1","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12881,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:24","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:24","permalink":{"id":251323,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13182,"identifier":"9.1","token":"56\/9.1","url":"\/56\/9.1\/","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":77567,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.15","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/56-231.15\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.15","metadata":false},{"id":69452,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.16","catch_line":"Organization; purpose","url":"\/56-231.16\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.16","metadata":false},{"id":84775,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.17","catch_line":"Articles of incorporation","url":"\/56-231.17\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.17","metadata":false},{"id":62056,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.18","catch_line":"Name of other corporations not to include term \"electric cooperative\" or \"utility consumer services cooperative.\"","url":"\/56-231.18\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.18","metadata":false},{"id":56649,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.19","catch_line":"Filing articles of incorporation; effect thereof; other provisions of law applicable","url":"\/56-231.19\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.19","metadata":false},{"id":56722,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.20","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/56-231.20\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.20","metadata":false},{"id":63207,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.21","catch_line":"Dissolution and termination of cooperatives","url":"\/56-231.21\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.21","metadata":false},{"id":83080,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.22","catch_line":"Charter amendments","url":"\/56-231.22\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.22","metadata":false},{"id":72128,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.23","catch_line":"General powers granted","url":"\/56-231.23\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.23","metadata":false},{"id":81307,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.24","catch_line":"Power to dispose of property","url":"\/56-231.24\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.24","metadata":false},{"id":73620,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.25","catch_line":"Power to issue obligations","url":"\/56-231.25\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.25","metadata":false},{"id":82512,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.26","catch_line":"Covenants in connection with obligations","url":"\/56-231.26\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.26","metadata":false},{"id":56541,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.27","catch_line":"Power to purchase its own obligations","url":"\/56-231.27\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.27","metadata":false},{"id":54513,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.28","catch_line":"Board of directors of cooperatives","url":"\/56-231.28\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.28","metadata":false},{"id":55041,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.29","catch_line":"Powers of board of directors","url":"\/56-231.29\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.29","metadata":false},{"id":62265,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.30","catch_line":"Rights and liabilities of members","url":"\/56-231.30\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.30","metadata":false},{"id":63250,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.31","catch_line":"Payment of certain patronage capital to spouse or next of kin of deceased person","url":"\/56-231.31\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.31","metadata":false},{"id":82313,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.31:1","catch_line":"Donation of certain patronage capital to the cooperative","url":"\/56-231.31_1\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.31_1","metadata":false},{"id":59045,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.32","catch_line":"Service to members","url":"\/56-231.32\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.32","metadata":false},{"id":75936,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.33","catch_line":"Adequate service; rates","url":"\/56-231.33\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.33","metadata":false},{"id":66118,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.34","catch_line":"Regulation by Commission","url":"\/56-231.34\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.34","metadata":false},{"id":71119,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.34:1","catch_line":"Separation of regulated and unregulated businesses","url":"\/56-231.34_1\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.34_1","metadata":false},{"id":82749,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.34:2","catch_line":"Right of action; violation of rules or regulations","url":"\/56-231.34_2\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.34_2","metadata":false},{"id":69534,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.35","catch_line":"Charter fees, etc","url":"\/56-231.35\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.35","metadata":false},{"id":58392,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.36","catch_line":"Construction of article; conflicting laws","url":"\/56-231.36\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.36","metadata":false},{"id":85836,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.37","catch_line":"How article cited","url":"\/56-231.37\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.37","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":62056,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.18","catch_line":"Name of other corporations not to include term \"electric cooperative\" or \"utility consumer services cooperative.\"","url":"\/56-231.18\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.18","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":56722,"structure_id":13548,"section_number":"56-231.20","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/56-231.20\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.20","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/56-231.19\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1999. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 874<\/a> 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.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":62759,"section_number":"13.1-601","catch_line":"Short title","order_by":null,"url":"\/13.1-601\/"},{"id":86934,"section_number":"13.1-618","catch_line":"Incorporators","order_by":null,"url":"\/13.1-618\/"},{"id":63023,"section_number":"13.1-620","catch_line":"Special kinds of business","order_by":null,"url":"\/13.1-620\/"},{"id":54543,"section_number":"13.1-634","catch_line":"Registered office and registered agent","order_by":null,"url":"\/13.1-634\/"},{"id":76305,"section_number":"13.1-801","catch_line":"Short title","order_by":null,"url":"\/13.1-801\/"},{"id":85649,"section_number":"13.1-818","catch_line":"Incorporators","order_by":null,"url":"\/13.1-818\/"},{"id":79128,"section_number":"13.1-825","catch_line":"Purposes","order_by":null,"url":"\/13.1-825\/"},{"id":65090,"section_number":"13.1-833","catch_line":"Registered office and registered agent","order_by":null,"url":"\/13.1-833\/"},{"id":54611,"section_number":"56-49","catch_line":"Powers","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-49\/"}],"permalink":{"id":251343,"object_type":"law","relational_id":56649,"identifier":"56-231.19","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.19","url":"\/56-231.19\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/56-231.19\/","token":"56\/9.1\/1\/56-231.19","dublin_core":{"Title":"Filing articles of incorporation; effect thereof; other provisions of law applicable","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 56-231.19","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

The natural persons<\/span> executing the articles of incorporation shall be residents of the territory in which the principal operations of the cooperative<\/span> are to be conducted who intend to use utility services to be furnished by the cooperative<\/span>. The articles of incorporation shall be subscribed by at least five such persons<\/span> and acknowledged by them before an officer authorized by the law<\/span> of this Commonwealth to take and certify acknowledgments of deeds and conveyances. When so acknowledged the articles shall be filed in accordance with the provisions of Article 3 (\u00a7 13.1-618<\/a> et seq.) of Chapter 9 or Article 3 (\u00a7 13.1-818<\/a> et seq.) of Chapter 10 of Title 13.1. When so filed the articles of incorporation, or certified copies thereof, shall be received in all the courts<\/span> of this Commonwealth and elsewhere as prima facie evidence<\/span> of the facts<\/span> contained therein, and of the due incorporation of such cooperative<\/span>. All of the provisions of the Virginia Stock Corporation<\/span> Act (\u00a7 13.1-601<\/a> et seq.), and the Virginia Nonstock Corporation<\/span> Act (\u00a7 13.1-801<\/a> et seq.), insofar as not inconsistent with this article are hereby made applicable to such stock and nonstock cooperatives<\/span>, respectively; provided, however, that subsections D through G of \u00a7 13.1-620<\/a> and subdivision 1 of \u00a7 13.1-825<\/a> shall not apply to any affiliate<\/span> or subsidiary of a cooperative<\/span>. When the charter is filed in the office of the State Corporation<\/span> Commission<\/span>, the proposed cooperative<\/span> described therein, under its designated name, shall be and constitute a body corporate, and, with respect to its providing regulated utility services<\/span>, with all of the applicable powers provided for in \u00a7 56-49<\/a>. A cooperative<\/span> formed prior to July 1, 1999, need not have a registered office or registered agent. A stock or nonstock cooperative<\/span> formed thereafter shall comply with \u00a7 13.1-634<\/a> or \u00a7 13.1-833<\/a>, respectively.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nFILING ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION; EFFECT THEREOF; OTHER PROVISIONS OF LAW\nAPPLICABLE (\u00a7 56-231.19)\n\nThe natural persons executing the articles of incorporation shall be residents\nof the territory in which the principal operations of the cooperative are to be\nconducted who intend to use utility services to be furnished by the cooperative.\nThe articles of incorporation shall be subscribed by at least five such persons\nand acknowledged by them before an officer authorized by the law of this\nCommonwealth to take and certify acknowledgments of deeds and conveyances. When\nso acknowledged the articles shall be filed in accordance with the provisions of\nArticle 3 (\u00a7 13.1-618 et seq.) of Chapter 9 or Article 3 (\u00a7 13.1-818 et seq.)\nof Chapter 10 of Title 13.1. When so filed the articles of incorporation, or\ncertified copies thereof, shall be received in all the courts of this\nCommonwealth and elsewhere as prima facie evidence of the facts contained\ntherein, and of the due incorporation of such cooperative. All of the provisions\nof the Virginia Stock Corporation Act (\u00a7 13.1-601 et seq.), and the Virginia\nNonstock Corporation Act (\u00a7 13.1-801 et seq.), insofar as not inconsistent with\nthis article are hereby made applicable to such stock and nonstock cooperatives,\nrespectively; provided, however, that subsections D through G of \u00a7 13.1-620 and\nsubdivision 1 of \u00a7 13.1-825 shall not apply to any affiliate or subsidiary of a\ncooperative. When the charter is filed in the office of the State Corporation\nCommission, the proposed cooperative described therein, under its designated\nname, shall be and constitute a body corporate, and, with respect to its\nproviding regulated utility services, with all of the applicable powers provided\nfor in \u00a7 56-49. A cooperative formed prior to July 1, 1999, need not have a\nregistered office or registered agent. A stock or nonstock cooperative formed\nthereafter shall comply with \u00a7 13.1-634 or \u00a7 13.1-833, respectively.\n\nHISTORY: 1999, c. 874.","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}}