{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/56-484.16.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/56-484.16.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/56-484.16.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/56-484.16.html"}],"law_id":66844,"edition_id":1,"section_id":66844,"structure_id":13884,"section_number":"56-484.16","catch_line":"Local emergency telecommunications requirements; text messages; use of digits “9-1-1.”","history":"2000, c. 1064; 2001, c. 713; 2005, c. 942; 2018, cc. 532, 533, 673.","full_text":"A\n\nOn or before July 1, 2003, every county, city or town in the Commonwealth shall be served by an E-911 system, unless an extension of time has been granted by the Board.B\n\nOn or before July 1, 2020, each PSAP in the Commonwealth shall deploy equipment, products, and services necessary or appropriate to enable the PSAP to receive and process calls for emergency assistance sent via Short Message Service (SMS) text messages in a manner consistent with FCC Order 14-118 and any other FCC order that affects the deployment of SMS text-to-9-1-1. Upon such deployment, the PSAP shall notify the FCC’s PSAP Text-to-911 Readiness and Certification Registry.C\n\nThe digits “9-1-1″ shall be the designated emergency telephone number in Virginia. No public safety agency shall advertise or otherwise promote the use of any number for emergency response service other than “9-1-1.”D\n\nAll originating service providers required to provide access to 9-1-1 service shall route the 9-1-1 calls of their subscribers to ESInet points of interconnection designated by the Board. The Board shall establish points of interconnection at or within the local access and transport area and in proximity of each selective router central office providing E-911 service as of July 1, 2018. Additionally, the Board shall establish a minimum of one pair (two) and a maximum of three pair (six) geographically diverse from their designated pair point of session initiation protocol (SIP) interconnection within the Commonwealth. The Board shall establish ESInet points of interconnection in a manner that minimizes cost to the originating service providers to the extent practicable while still achieving necessary 9-1-1 service and ESInet objectives.E\n\nThe NG9-1-1 service provider shall receive the 9-1-1 calls delivered by the originating service provider at the designated ESInet points of interconnection and deliver the calls to the appropriate PSAP. The NG9-1-1 service provider shall not charge the originating service provider to connect to the ESInet point of interconnection nor for the delivery of the 9-1-1 calls to the PSAP. The originating service provider responsibility for 9-1-1 calls ends and the PSAP responsibility begins at their respective sides of the ESInet point of interconnection.F\n\nThe PSAP shall validate the location of the originating service provider subscribers as necessary to ensure the location exists and will route to the appropriate PSAP if 9-1-1 is dialed. The PSAP shall not charge the originating service provider for such validation.G\n\nNo later than July 1, 2023, the Board shall develop and fully implement NG9-1-1 transition plans to migrate PSAPs and originating service providers from E-911 to NG9-1-1. To the extent practicable, the migration of PSAPs will be implemented on a sequential region-by-region basis for those PSAPs served by each legacy E-911 selective router pair. With a minimum of six months’ written notice to the impacted stakeholders, this date may be extended by the Board for good cause. For purposes of this section, “good cause” means an event or events reasonably beyond the ability of the Board to anticipate or control.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":242389,"text":"On or before July 1, 2003, every county, city or town in the Commonwealth shall be served by an E-911 system, unless an extension of time has been granted by the Board.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":242390,"text":"On or before July 1, 2020, each PSAP in the Commonwealth shall deploy equipment, products, and services necessary or appropriate to enable the PSAP to receive and process calls for emergency assistance sent via Short Message Service (SMS) text messages in a manner consistent with FCC Order 14-118 and any other FCC order that affects the deployment of SMS text-to-9-1-1. Upon such deployment, the PSAP shall notify the FCC’s PSAP Text-to-911 Readiness and Certification Registry.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":242391,"text":"The digits “9-1-1″ shall be the designated emergency telephone number in Virginia. No public safety agency shall advertise or otherwise promote the use of any number for emergency response service other than “9-1-1.”","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"D"},"3":{"id":242392,"text":"All originating service providers required to provide access to 9-1-1 service shall route the 9-1-1 calls of their subscribers to ESInet points of interconnection designated by the Board. The Board shall establish points of interconnection at or within the local access and transport area and in proximity of each selective router central office providing E-911 service as of July 1, 2018. Additionally, the Board shall establish a minimum of one pair (two) and a maximum of three pair (six) geographically diverse from their designated pair point of session initiation protocol (SIP) interconnection within the Commonwealth. The Board shall establish ESInet points of interconnection in a manner that minimizes cost to the originating service providers to the extent practicable while still achieving necessary 9-1-1 service and ESInet objectives.","type":"section","prefixes":["D"],"prefix":"D","entire_prefix":"D","prefix_anchor":"D","level":1,"prior_prefix":"C","next_prefix":"E"},"4":{"id":242393,"text":"The NG9-1-1 service provider shall receive the 9-1-1 calls delivered by the originating service provider at the designated ESInet points of interconnection and deliver the calls to the appropriate PSAP. The NG9-1-1 service provider shall not charge the originating service provider to connect to the ESInet point of interconnection nor for the delivery of the 9-1-1 calls to the PSAP. The originating service provider responsibility for 9-1-1 calls ends and the PSAP responsibility begins at their respective sides of the ESInet point of interconnection.","type":"section","prefixes":["E"],"prefix":"E","entire_prefix":"E","prefix_anchor":"E","level":1,"prior_prefix":"D","next_prefix":"F"},"5":{"id":242394,"text":"The PSAP shall validate the location of the originating service provider subscribers as necessary to ensure the location exists and will route to the appropriate PSAP if 9-1-1 is dialed. The PSAP shall not charge the originating service provider for such validation.","type":"section","prefixes":["F"],"prefix":"F","entire_prefix":"F","prefix_anchor":"F","level":1,"prior_prefix":"E","next_prefix":"G"},"6":{"id":242395,"text":"No later than July 1, 2023, the Board shall develop and fully implement NG9-1-1 transition plans to migrate PSAPs and originating service providers from E-911 to NG9-1-1. To the extent practicable, the migration of PSAPs will be implemented on a sequential region-by-region basis for those PSAPs served by each legacy E-911 selective router pair. With a minimum of six months’ written notice to the impacted stakeholders, this date may be extended by the Board for good cause. For purposes of this section, “good cause” means an event or events reasonably beyond the ability of the Board to anticipate or control.","type":"section","prefixes":["G"],"prefix":"G","entire_prefix":"G","prefix_anchor":"G","level":1,"prior_prefix":"F"}},"ancestry":[{"id":13884,"edition_id":1,"name":"Enhanced Public Safety Telephone Services Act","identifier":"7","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13123,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:46:10","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:46:10","permalink":{"id":250023,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13884,"identifier":"7","token":"56\/15\/7","url":"\/56\/15\/7\/","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":54917,"structure_id":13884,"section_number":"56-484.12","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/56-484.12\/","token":"56\/15\/7\/56-484.12","metadata":false},{"id":57474,"structure_id":13884,"section_number":"56-484.12:1","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/56-484.12_1\/","token":"56\/15\/7\/56-484.12_1","metadata":false},{"id":85529,"structure_id":13884,"section_number":"56-484.13","catch_line":"9-1-1 Services Board; membership; terms; compensation","url":"\/56-484.13\/","token":"56\/15\/7\/56-484.13","metadata":false},{"id":69137,"structure_id":13884,"section_number":"56-484.14","catch_line":"Powers and duties of the 9-1-1 Services Board","url":"\/56-484.14\/","token":"56\/15\/7\/56-484.14","metadata":false},{"id":80056,"structure_id":13884,"section_number":"56-484.15","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/56-484.15\/","token":"56\/15\/7\/56-484.15","metadata":false},{"id":66844,"structure_id":13884,"section_number":"56-484.16","catch_line":"Local emergency telecommunications requirements; text messages; use of digits \"9-1-1.\"","url":"\/56-484.16\/","token":"56\/15\/7\/56-484.16","metadata":false},{"id":83944,"structure_id":13884,"section_number":"56-484.16:1","catch_line":"PSAP dispatchers; training requirements","url":"\/56-484.16_1\/","token":"56\/15\/7\/56-484.16_1","metadata":false},{"id":72191,"structure_id":13884,"section_number":"56-484.17","catch_line":"Wireless E-911 Fund; uses of Fund; enforcement; audit required","url":"\/56-484.17\/","token":"56\/15\/7\/56-484.17","metadata":false},{"id":67047,"structure_id":13884,"section_number":"56-484.17:1","catch_line":"Collection of prepaid wireless E-911 charge at point of sale; rate established","url":"\/56-484.17_1\/","token":"56\/15\/7\/56-484.17_1","metadata":false},{"id":61227,"structure_id":13884,"section_number":"56-484.18","catch_line":"Designation of official State Police access number; blocking caller identification prohibited","url":"\/56-484.18\/","token":"56\/15\/7\/56-484.18","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":80056,"structure_id":13884,"section_number":"56-484.15","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/56-484.15\/","token":"56\/15\/7\/56-484.15","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":83944,"structure_id":13884,"section_number":"56-484.16:1","catch_line":"PSAP dispatchers; training requirements","url":"\/56-484.16_1\/","token":"56\/15\/7\/56-484.16_1","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/56-484.16\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2000. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 1064<\/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. It has been modified 3 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 2001, chapter 713<\/a>; in 2005, chapter 942<\/a>; in 2018, chapters 532<\/a>, 533<\/a>, and 673<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":69137,"section_number":"56-484.14","catch_line":"Powers and duties of the 9-1-1 Services Board","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-484.14\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":250045,"object_type":"law","relational_id":66844,"identifier":"56-484.16","token":"56\/15\/7\/56-484.16","url":"\/56-484.16\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/56-484.16\/","token":"56\/15\/7\/56-484.16","dublin_core":{"Title":"Local emergency telecommunications requirements; text messages; use of digits “9-1-1.”","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 56-484.16","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> On or before July 1, 2003, every county, city or town in the Commonwealth shall be served by an E-911 system, unless an extension of time has been granted by the Board<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> On or before July 1, 2020, each PSAP<\/span> in the Commonwealth shall deploy equipment, products, and services necessary or appropriate to enable the PSAP<\/span> to receive and process calls for emergency assistance sent via Short Message Service (SMS) text messages in a manner consistent with FCC Order<\/span> 14-118 and any other FCC order<\/span> that affects the deployment of SMS text-to-9-1-1. Upon such deployment, the PSAP<\/span> shall notify the FCC’s PSAP<\/span> Text-to-911 Readiness and Certification Registry. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> The digits “9-1-1″ shall be the designated emergency telephone number in Virginia. No public safety agency shall advertise or otherwise promote the use of any number for emergency response service other than “9-1-1.” <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

D.<\/span> All originating service providers<\/span> required to provide access to 9-1-1 service shall route the 9-1-1 calls of their subscribers to ESInet<\/span> points of interconnection designated by the Board<\/span>. The Board<\/span> shall establish points of interconnection at or within the local access and transport area and in proximity of each selective router central office providing E-911 service as of July 1, 2018. Additionally, the Board<\/span> shall establish a minimum of one pair (two) and a maximum of three pair (six) geographically diverse from their designated pair point of session initiation protocol (SIP) interconnection within the Commonwealth. The Board<\/span> shall establish ESInet<\/span> points of interconnection in a manner that minimizes cost to the originating service providers<\/span> to the extent practicable while still achieving necessary 9-1-1 service and ESInet<\/span> objectives. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

E.<\/span> The NG9-1-1 service provider shall receive the 9-1-1 calls delivered by the originating service provider<\/span> at the designated ESInet points of interconnection and deliver the calls to the appropriate PSAP<\/span>. The NG9-1-1 service provider shall not charge the originating service provider<\/span> to connect to the ESInet point of interconnection<\/span> nor for the delivery of the 9-1-1 calls to the PSAP<\/span>. The originating service provider<\/span> responsibility for 9-1-1 calls ends and the PSAP<\/span> responsibility begins at their respective sides of the ESInet point of interconnection<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

F.<\/span> The PSAP<\/span> shall validate the location of the originating service provider<\/span> subscribers as necessary to ensure the location exists and will route to the appropriate PSAP<\/span> if 9-1-1 is dialed. The PSAP<\/span> shall not charge the originating service provider<\/span> for such validation. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

G.<\/span> No later than July 1, 2023, the Board<\/span> shall develop and fully implement NG9-1-1 transition plans to migrate PSAPs<\/span> and originating service providers<\/span> from E-911 to NG9-1-1. To the extent practicable, the migration of PSAPs<\/span> will be implemented on a sequential region-by-region basis for those PSAPs<\/span> served by each legacy E-911 selective router pair. With a minimum of six months’ written notice to the impacted stakeholders, this date may be extended by the Board<\/span> for good cause<\/span>. For purposes of this section, “good cause<\/span>” means an event or events reasonably beyond the ability of the Board<\/span> to anticipate or control. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nLOCAL EMERGENCY TELECOMMUNICATIONS REQUIREMENTS; TEXT MESSAGES; USE OF DIGITS\n“9-1-1.” (\u00a7 56-484.16)\n\nA. On or before July 1, 2003, every county, city or town in the Commonwealth\nshall be served by an E-911 system, unless an extension of time has been granted\nby the Board.\n\nB. On or before July 1, 2020, each PSAP in the Commonwealth shall deploy\nequipment, products, and services necessary or appropriate to enable the PSAP to\nreceive and process calls for emergency assistance sent via Short Message\nService (SMS) text messages in a manner consistent with FCC Order 14-118 and any\nother FCC order that affects the deployment of SMS text-to-9-1-1. Upon such\ndeployment, the PSAP shall notify the FCC’s PSAP Text-to-911 Readiness and\nCertification Registry.\n\nC. The digits “9-1-1″ shall be the designated emergency telephone\nnumber in Virginia. No public safety agency shall advertise or otherwise promote\nthe use of any number for emergency response service other than\n“9-1-1.”\n\nD. All originating service providers required to provide access to 9-1-1 service\nshall route the 9-1-1 calls of their subscribers to ESInet points of\ninterconnection designated by the Board. The Board shall establish points of\ninterconnection at or within the local access and transport area and in\nproximity of each selective router central office providing E-911 service as of\nJuly 1, 2018. Additionally, the Board shall establish a minimum of one pair\n(two) and a maximum of three pair (six) geographically diverse from their\ndesignated pair point of session initiation protocol (SIP) interconnection\nwithin the Commonwealth. The Board shall establish ESInet points of\ninterconnection in a manner that minimizes cost to the originating service\nproviders to the extent practicable while still achieving necessary 9-1-1\nservice and ESInet objectives.\n\nE. The NG9-1-1 service provider shall receive the 9-1-1 calls delivered by the\noriginating service provider at the designated ESInet points of interconnection\nand deliver the calls to the appropriate PSAP. The NG9-1-1 service provider\nshall not charge the originating service provider to connect to the ESInet point\nof interconnection nor for the delivery of the 9-1-1 calls to the PSAP. The\noriginating service provider responsibility for 9-1-1 calls ends and the PSAP\nresponsibility begins at their respective sides of the ESInet point of\ninterconnection.\n\nF. The PSAP shall validate the location of the originating service provider\nsubscribers as necessary to ensure the location exists and will route to the\nappropriate PSAP if 9-1-1 is dialed. The PSAP shall not charge the originating\nservice provider for such validation.\n\nG. No later than July 1, 2023, the Board shall develop and fully implement\nNG9-1-1 transition plans to migrate PSAPs and originating service providers from\nE-911 to NG9-1-1. To the extent practicable, the migration of PSAPs will be\nimplemented on a sequential region-by-region basis for those PSAPs served by\neach legacy E-911 selective router pair. With a minimum of six months’\nwritten notice to the impacted stakeholders, this date may be extended by the\nBoard for good cause. For purposes of this section, “good cause”\nmeans an event or events reasonably beyond the ability of the Board to\nanticipate or control.\n\nHISTORY: 2000, c. 1064; 2001, c. 713; 2005, c. 942; 2018, cc. 532, 533, 673.","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}}