{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/56-463.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/56-463.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/56-463.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/56-463.html"}],"law_id":65189,"edition_id":1,"section_id":65189,"structure_id":15083,"section_number":"56-463","catch_line":"Company may contract for right-of-way, etc","history":"Code 1919, \u00a7 4039; 2009, c. 331.","full_text":"Every telegraph or telephone company and every cable operator that has a franchise to use the public rights-of-way in a locality may contract with any person, the owner of lands, or of any interest, franchise, privilege, or easement therein or in respect thereto, over which such line is proposed to be constructed, for the right-of-way for erecting, repairing, and preserving its poles and other structures necessary for operating its line, and in the case of telegraph or telephone companies, for sufficient land for the erection and occupation of offices at suitable distances along its line for the public accommodation. No such company or operator may be required by the Commission or other governmental regulatory entity to accept any such interest, franchise, privilege, or easement that restricts the services that may legally be offered by the company or operator.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":237112,"text":"Every telegraph or telephone company and every cable operator that has a franchise to use the public rights-of-way in a locality may contract with any person, the owner of lands, or of any interest, franchise, privilege, or easement therein or in respect thereto, over which such line is proposed to be constructed, for the right-of-way for erecting, repairing, and preserving its poles and other structures necessary for operating its line, and in the case of telegraph or telephone companies, for sufficient land for the erection and occupation of offices at suitable distances along its line for the public accommodation. No such company or operator may be required by the Commission or other governmental regulatory entity to accept any such interest, franchise, privilege, or easement that restricts the services that may legally be offered by the company or operator.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":15083,"edition_id":1,"name":"Erection of Lines; Rights-Of-Way; Eminent Domain, Etc","identifier":"1","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13123,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:52:04","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:52:04","permalink":{"id":249829,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15083,"identifier":"1","token":"56\/15\/1","url":"\/56\/15\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13123,"edition_id":1,"name":"Telegraph and Telephone Companies","identifier":"15","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12881,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:19","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:19","permalink":{"id":249827,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13123,"identifier":"15","token":"56\/15","url":"\/56\/15\/","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":84023,"structure_id":15083,"section_number":"56-458","catch_line":"Right to erect lines parallel to railroads; occupation of roads, streets, etc.; location of same","url":"\/56-458\/","token":"56\/15\/1\/56-458","metadata":false},{"id":84616,"structure_id":15083,"section_number":"56-458.1","catch_line":"Relocation of lines or works of certain public utilities acquired by Commonwealth Transportation Board","url":"\/56-458.1\/","token":"56\/15\/1\/56-458.1","metadata":false},{"id":76256,"structure_id":15083,"section_number":"56-459","catch_line":"Removal of old line not required by this chapter","url":"\/56-459\/","token":"56\/15\/1\/56-459","metadata":false},{"id":57498,"structure_id":15083,"section_number":"56-460","catch_line":"How consent of appropriate authorities obtained; terms of use","url":"\/56-460\/","token":"56\/15\/1\/56-460","metadata":false},{"id":80107,"structure_id":15083,"section_number":"56-461","catch_line":"Cost to Commonwealth in connection with construction of line to be paid by company","url":"\/56-461\/","token":"56\/15\/1\/56-461","metadata":false},{"id":59741,"structure_id":15083,"section_number":"56-462","catch_line":"Franchise to occupy parks, streets, etc.; imposition of terms, conditions, etc., as to use of streets, etc., and construction thereon","url":"\/56-462\/","token":"56\/15\/1\/56-462","metadata":false},{"id":65189,"structure_id":15083,"section_number":"56-463","catch_line":"Company may contract for right-of-way, etc","url":"\/56-463\/","token":"56\/15\/1\/56-463","metadata":false},{"id":74298,"structure_id":15083,"section_number":"56-464","catch_line":"Right of eminent domain","url":"\/56-464\/","token":"56\/15\/1\/56-464","metadata":false},{"id":58616,"structure_id":15083,"section_number":"56-465","catch_line":"Preceding sections subject to repeal or change at pleasure","url":"\/56-465\/","token":"56\/15\/1\/56-465","metadata":false},{"id":87026,"structure_id":15083,"section_number":"56-466","catch_line":"Location of posts, poles, cables and conduits; height of wires, etc","url":"\/56-466\/","token":"56\/15\/1\/56-466","metadata":false},{"id":67753,"structure_id":15083,"section_number":"56-466.1","catch_line":"Pole attachments; cable television systems and telecommunications service providers","url":"\/56-466.1\/","token":"56\/15\/1\/56-466.1","metadata":false},{"id":84760,"structure_id":15083,"section_number":"56-466.2","catch_line":"Undergrounding existing overhead distribution lines; relocation of facilities of cable operator","url":"\/56-466.2\/","token":"56\/15\/1\/56-466.2","metadata":false},{"id":73627,"structure_id":15083,"section_number":"56-467","catch_line":"Restoring condition of ground","url":"\/56-467\/","token":"56\/15\/1\/56-467","metadata":false},{"id":81178,"structure_id":15083,"section_number":"56-468","catch_line":"Endangering life or limb by stringing wires across other works","url":"\/56-468\/","token":"56\/15\/1\/56-468","metadata":false},{"id":75664,"structure_id":15083,"section_number":"56-468.1","catch_line":"(Contingent expiration -- see Editor's note) Public Rights-of-Way Use Fee","url":"\/56-468.1\/","token":"56\/15\/1\/56-468.1","metadata":false},{"id":72971,"structure_id":15083,"section_number":"56-468.2","catch_line":"Reimbursement for relocation costs","url":"\/56-468.2\/","token":"56\/15\/1\/56-468.2","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":59741,"structure_id":15083,"section_number":"56-462","catch_line":"Franchise to occupy parks, streets, etc.; imposition of terms, conditions, etc., as to use of streets, etc., and construction thereon","url":"\/56-462\/","token":"56\/15\/1\/56-462","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":74298,"structure_id":15083,"section_number":"56-464","catch_line":"Right of eminent domain","url":"\/56-464\/","token":"56\/15\/1\/56-464","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/56-463\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 1 time. 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. That modification is as follows: in 2009, chapter 331<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":74298,"section_number":"56-464","catch_line":"Right of eminent domain","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-464\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":249855,"object_type":"law","relational_id":65189,"identifier":"56-463","token":"56\/15\/1\/56-463","url":"\/56-463\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/56-463\/","token":"56\/15\/1\/56-463","dublin_core":{"Title":"Company may contract for right-of-way, etc","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 56-463","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Every telegraph or telephone company<\/span> and every cable operator that has a franchise to use the public rights-of-way in a locality may contract<\/span> with any person<\/span>, the owner of lands, or of any interest, franchise, privilege<\/span>, or easement therein or in respect thereto, over which such line is proposed to be constructed, for the right-of-way for erecting, repairing, and preserving its poles and other structures necessary for operating its line, and in the case of telegraph or telephone companies, for sufficient land for the erection and occupation of offices at suitable distances along its line for the public accommodation. No such company<\/span> or operator may be required by the Commission<\/span> or other governmental regulatory entity to accept any such interest, franchise, privilege<\/span>, or easement that restricts the services that may legally be offered by the company<\/span> or operator.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nCOMPANY MAY CONTRACT FOR RIGHT-OF-WAY, ETC (\u00a7 56-463)\n\nEvery telegraph or telephone company and every cable operator that has a\nfranchise to use the public rights-of-way in a locality may contract with any\nperson, the owner of lands, or of any interest, franchise, privilege, or\neasement therein or in respect thereto, over which such line is proposed to be\nconstructed, for the right-of-way for erecting, repairing, and preserving its\npoles and other structures necessary for operating its line, and in the case of\ntelegraph or telephone companies, for sufficient land for the erection and\noccupation of offices at suitable distances along its line for the public\naccommodation. No such company or operator may be required by the Commission or\nother governmental regulatory entity to accept any such interest, franchise,\nprivilege, or easement that restricts the services that may legally be offered\nby the company or operator.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1919, \u00a7 4039; 2009, c. 331.","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}}