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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>86388</law_id><section_number>1-401</section_number><catch_line>Ceding additional jurisdiction to United States</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>1-400</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="1">General Provisions</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="4">Jurisdiction Over Lands Acquired by the United States</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Whenever the head or other authorized officer of any department or independent establishment or agency of the United States shall deem it desirable that additional <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> or powers be ceded over any lands in the Commonwealth acquired or proposed to be acquired by the United States under his immediate <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span>, <span class="dictionary">custody</span> or control, and whenever the Governor and <span class="dictionary">Attorney General</span> of the Commonwealth shall agree to the same, the Governor and <span class="dictionary">Attorney General</span> shall execute and acknowledge a deed in the name of and under the lesser seal of the Commonwealth ceding such additional <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span>. The deed shall accurately and specifically describe the area and location of the land over which the additional <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> and powers are ceded and shall set out specifically what additional <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> and powers are ceded, and may set out any reservations in the Commonwealth of <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> which may be deemed proper in addition to those referred to in subsection D. <a id="paragraph-309377" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/1-401/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> No such deed shall become effective or operative until the <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> therein provided for is accepted on behalf of the United States as required by 40 U.S.C. &#xA7; 255. The head or other authorized officer of a department or independent establishment or agency of the United States shall indicate such acceptance by executing and acknowledging such deed and admitting it to record in the office of the clerk of the <span class="dictionary">court</span> in which deeds conveying the lands affected would properly be recorded. <a id="paragraph-309378" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/1-401/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> When such deed has been executed and acknowledged on behalf of the Commonwealth and the United States, and admitted to record as provided in subsection B, it shall have the effect of ceding to and vesting in the United States the <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> and powers therein provided for and none other. <a id="paragraph-309379" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/1-401/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> Every such deed as is provided for in this section shall reserve in the Commonwealth over all lands therein referred to the <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> and power to serve civil and criminal process on such lands and in the event that the lands or any part thereof shall be sold or leased to any person, under the terms of which sale or lease the vendee or lessee shall have the right to conduct thereon any private industry or business, then the <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> ceded to the United States over any such lands so sold or leased shall cease and determine, and thereafter the Commonwealth shall have all <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> and power she would have had if no <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> or power had been ceded to the United States. This provision, however, shall not apply to post exchanges, officers&#x2019; clubs and similar activities on lands acquired by the United States for purposes of national defense. It is further provided that the reservations provided for in this subsection shall remain effective even though they should be omitted from any deed executed pursuant to this section. <a id="paragraph-309380" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/1-401/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E"><p><span class="prefix-number">E.</span> Nothing contained in this section shall be construed as repealing any special acts ceding <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> to the United States to acquire any specific tract of land. <a id="paragraph-309381" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/1-401/#E"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 7-24; 1966, c. 102, &#xA7; 7.1-21; 1972, c. 597; 1976, c. 211; 2005, c. 839.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
