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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>83742</law_id><section_number>15.2-2108.23</section_number><catch_line>Regulation of rights-of-way; fees</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>33.2-2608</reference><reference>33.2-3708</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="15.2">Counties, Cities and Towns</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="II">Powers of Local Government</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="21">Franchises; Sale and Lease of Certain Municipal Public Property; Public Utilities</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="1.2">Licensing and Regulation of Cable Television Systems</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> To the extent that a franchised <span class="dictionary">cable operator</span> has been authorized to use the public rights-of-way in a <span class="dictionary">locality</span> and is obligated to pay a <span class="dictionary">franchise</span> fee to such <span class="dictionary">locality</span>, such <span class="dictionary">cable operator</span> shall not be subject to any occupancy, use, or similar fee, with respect to its use of such rights-of-way, by the <span class="dictionary">locality</span> or the Commonwealth Transportation Board except to the extent that such <span class="dictionary">cable operator</span> is also a <span class="dictionary">certificated provider of telecommunications services</span> and subject to the public rights-of-way use fee under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="(Contingent expiration -- see Editor's note) Public Rights-of-Way Use Fee" href="/56-468.1/">56-468.1</a>. The Commonwealth Transportation Board may charge, on a nondiscriminatory basis, fees to recover the approximate actual cost incurred for the issuance of a permit to perform work within the rights-of-way and for inspections to ensure compliance with the conditions of the permit, as such fees shall be established by regulations adopted under the Administrative Process <span class="dictionary">Act</span> (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Short title; purpose" href="/2.2-4000/">2.2-4000</a> et seq.); however, such fees may not apply to certificated providers of telecommunications services except to the extent permitted under &#xA7;&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Right to erect lines parallel to railroads; occupation of roads, streets, etc.; location of same" href="/56-458/">56-458</a>, <a class="law" title="Franchise to occupy parks, streets, etc.; imposition of terms, conditions, etc., as to use of streets, etc., and construction thereon" href="/56-462/">56-462</a>, and <a class="law" title="(Contingent expiration -- see Editor's note) Public Rights-of-Way Use Fee" href="/56-468.1/">56-468.1</a>. <a id="paragraph-300171" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-2108.23/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> A <span class="dictionary">locality</span> may charge, on a nondiscriminatory basis, fees to recover the approximate actual cost incurred for the issuance of a permit to perform work within the rights-of-way and for inspections to ensure compliance with the conditions of the permit, as such fees existed on February 1, 1997, or as subsequently modified by <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span>; however, such fees may not apply to certificated providers of telecommunications services except to the extent permitted under &#xA7;&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Right to erect lines parallel to railroads; occupation of roads, streets, etc.; location of same" href="/56-458/">56-458</a>, <a class="law" title="Franchise to occupy parks, streets, etc.; imposition of terms, conditions, etc., as to use of streets, etc., and construction thereon" href="/56-462/">56-462</a>, and <a class="law" title="(Contingent expiration -- see Editor's note) Public Rights-of-Way Use Fee" href="/56-468.1/">56-468.1</a>. The limitation as to fees charged for the use of the public rights-of-way shall not be applicable to pole <span class="dictionary">attachments</span> and conduit occupancy agreements between a franchised <span class="dictionary">cable operator</span> and a <span class="dictionary">locality</span> or its authority or commission, which permits such operator to use the public poles or conduits. <a id="paragraph-300172" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-2108.23/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> Except as provided in &#xA7;&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Right to erect lines parallel to railroads; occupation of roads, streets, etc.; location of same" href="/56-458/">56-458</a>, <a class="law" title="Franchise to occupy parks, streets, etc.; imposition of terms, conditions, etc., as to use of streets, etc., and construction thereon" href="/56-462/">56-462</a>, and <a class="law" title="(Contingent expiration -- see Editor's note) Public Rights-of-Way Use Fee" href="/56-468.1/">56-468.1</a> and in any rules adopted by the Commonwealth Transportation Board under Article 2 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Location of routes" href="/33.2-208/">33.2-208</a> et seq.) of Chapter 2 of Title 33.2, the cable <span class="dictionary">franchise</span> granted hereunder supersedes and replaces any and all other requirements and fees in local <span class="dictionary">laws</span> and the <span class="dictionary">laws</span> of the Commonwealth relating to the use of the public rights-of-way by a <span class="dictionary">cable system</span> or other facilities for the provision of <span class="dictionary">cable service</span>, whether such other authorizations are designated as <span class="dictionary">franchises</span>, permits, consents, <span class="dictionary">ordinances</span>, or otherwise. No <span class="dictionary">cable operator</span> that is (i) a <span class="dictionary">certificated provider of telecommunications services</span> that has previous consent to use the public rights-of-way in a <span class="dictionary">locality</span> through a <span class="dictionary">franchise</span> or (ii) a <span class="dictionary">certificated provider of telecommunications services</span> that lacked prior consent to provide <span class="dictionary">cable service</span> in a <span class="dictionary">locality</span> but provided telecommunications service over facilities leased from an entity having previous consent to use the public rights-of-way in such <span class="dictionary">locality</span> through a <span class="dictionary">franchise</span> and granted a <span class="dictionary">franchise</span> and paying fees pursuant to this section shall be required, in <span class="dictionary">order</span> to develop or operate a <span class="dictionary">cable system</span> or other facilities to provide video services, to (a) obtain consent in accordance with &#xA7;&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Use of streets, etc., for transportation and utilities; removal and alteration of facilities and equipment; permits and charges" href="/15.2-2015/">15.2-2015</a> through <a class="law" title="Public utilities not to use streets without consent" href="/15.2-2017/">15.2-2017</a>, &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Right to erect lines parallel to railroads; occupation of roads, streets, etc.; location of same" href="/56-458/">56-458</a> or <a class="law" title="Franchise to occupy parks, streets, etc.; imposition of terms, conditions, etc., as to use of streets, etc., and construction thereon" href="/56-462/">56-462</a>, except for permits or other permission to open streets and roads, or (b) submit bids, <span class="dictionary">bonds</span> or applications in accordance with &#xA7;&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Restrictions on selling certain municipal public property and granting franchises" href="/15.2-2100/">15.2-2100</a> through <a class="law" title="How amendments made to franchise, etc.; notice required" href="/15.2-2105/">15.2-2105</a>, except for reasonable performance <span class="dictionary">bonds</span> or letters of credit not in excess of $50,000. The restrictions in &#xA7;&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Use of streets, etc., for transportation and utilities; removal and alteration of facilities and equipment; permits and charges" href="/15.2-2015/">15.2-2015</a> through <a class="law" title="Use of certain public property without consent or franchise" href="/15.2-2018/">15.2-2018</a>, <a class="law" title="Restrictions on selling certain municipal public property and granting franchises" href="/15.2-2100/">15.2-2100</a> through <a class="law" title="How amendments made to franchise, etc.; notice required" href="/15.2-2105/">15.2-2105</a>, <a class="law" title="Powers of court to enforce obedience by mandamus, etc" href="/15.2-2106/">15.2-2106</a> and <a class="law" title="Persons occupying or using streets, etc., contrary to law" href="/15.2-2107/">15.2-2107</a>, including but not limited to the advertisement and receipt of bids for <span class="dictionary">franchises</span>, shall not apply to a <span class="dictionary">cable system</span> or other facilities used to provide <span class="dictionary">cable services</span> by a <span class="dictionary">cable operator</span> that is a <span class="dictionary">certificated provider of telecommunications services</span> with previous consent to use the public rights-of-way in a <span class="dictionary">locality</span> through a <span class="dictionary">franchise</span>, including the provision of telecommunications services over facilities leased from an entity with previous consent to use the public rights-of-way in a <span class="dictionary">locality</span> through a <span class="dictionary">franchise</span>, but without previous consent to provide <span class="dictionary">cable service</span> in that <span class="dictionary">locality</span>. <a id="paragraph-300173" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-2108.23/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2006, cc. 73, 76.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
