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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>54209</law_id><section_number>25.1-230.1</section_number><catch_line>(See Editor&amp;#8217;s Note) Lost access and lost profits</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>25.1-100</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="25.1">Eminent Domain</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="2">Condemnation Procedures</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="6">Provisions Applicable to Determinations of Just Compensation</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> For purposes of this section:
			&#x201C;Business&#x201D; shall have the same meaning as set forth in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/25.1-400/">25.1-400</a>.
			&#x201C;Farm operation&#x201D; shall have the same meaning as set forth in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/25.1-400/">25.1-400</a>. <a id="paragraph-199066" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/25.1-230.1/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> The <span class="dictionary">body determining just compensation</span> shall include in its determination of damage to the residue any loss in market value of the remaining <span class="dictionary">property</span> from <span class="dictionary">lost access</span>. The <span class="dictionary">body determining just compensation</span> shall ascertain any reduction in value for <span class="dictionary">lost access</span>, if any, that may accrue to the residue as provided in subsection A of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Measure of just compensation; oaths of members of body determining just compensation" href="/25.1-230/">25.1-230</a>. The <span class="dictionary">body determining just compensation</span> shall ensure that any compensation awarded for <span class="dictionary">lost access</span> shall not be duplicated in the compensation otherwise awarded to the <span class="dictionary">owner</span> of the <span class="dictionary">property</span> taken or damaged. <a id="paragraph-199067" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/25.1-230.1/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> The <span class="dictionary">body determining just compensation</span> shall include in its determination of just compensation <span class="dictionary">lost profits</span> to the <span class="dictionary">owner</span> of a business or farm operation conducted on the <span class="dictionary">property</span> taken or damaged if the <span class="dictionary">owner</span> or the business or farm operation proves with reasonable certainty the amount of the loss and that the loss is directly and proximately caused by the taking or damaging of the <span class="dictionary">property</span> through the exercise of eminent domain and the following conditions are met: <a id="paragraph-199068" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/25.1-230.1/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> The loss cannot be reasonably prevented by a relocation of the business or farm operation, or by taking steps and adopting procedures that a reasonably prudent <span class="dictionary">person</span> would take and adopt; <a id="paragraph-199069" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/25.1-230.1/#C1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> The loss will not be included in relocation assistance provided pursuant to Chapter 4 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/25.1-400/">25.1-400</a> et seq.); <a id="paragraph-199070" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/25.1-230.1/#C2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> Compensation for the loss will not be duplicated in the compensation otherwise awarded to the <span class="dictionary">owner</span> of the <span class="dictionary">property</span> taken or damaged; and <a id="paragraph-199071" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/25.1-230.1/#C3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C4" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> The loss shall be determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis. <a id="paragraph-199072" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/25.1-230.1/#C4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> Any and all liability for <span class="dictionary">lost access</span> shall be established and made a part of the award of just compensation for damage to the residue of the <span class="dictionary">property</span> taken or damaged, and any and all liability for <span class="dictionary">lost profits</span> shall be set forth specifically in the award. In a partial acquisition, in the event that the <span class="dictionary">owner</span> of the <span class="dictionary">property</span> being condemned and the <span class="dictionary">owner</span> of the business or farm operation claiming <span class="dictionary">lost profits</span> are the same, then any enhancement or peculiar benefit shall be offset against both damage to the residue and <span class="dictionary">lost profits</span>. <a id="paragraph-199073" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/25.1-230.1/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E"><p><span class="prefix-number">E.</span> It shall not be a requirement of any bona fide effort to purchase the <span class="dictionary">property</span> pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Effort to purchase required; prerequisite to effort to purchase or filing certificate" href="/25.1-204/">25.1-204</a> or <a class="law" title="Power to acquire lands, etc.; conveyance to municipality after acquisition; property owners to be informed and briefed" href="/33.2-1001/">33.2-1001</a> that the <span class="dictionary">petitioner</span> include any liability for <span class="dictionary">lost profits</span> in a written offer to purchase the <span class="dictionary">property</span>. <a id="paragraph-199074" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/25.1-230.1/#E"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="F"><p><span class="prefix-number">F.</span> In any proceeding in which the <span class="dictionary">owner</span> of a business or farm operation seeks to recover <span class="dictionary">lost profits</span>, the <span class="dictionary">owner</span> shall provide the condemning authority with all federal income tax returns, if any, relating to the business or farm operation for which the <span class="dictionary">owner</span> seeks <span class="dictionary">lost profits</span> for a period of three years prior to the later of (i) the valuation date or (ii) the date the <span class="dictionary">state agency</span> or its contractor prevents the <span class="dictionary">owner</span> from using the <span class="dictionary">land</span> or any of the <span class="dictionary">owner</span>&#x2019;s other <span class="dictionary">property</span> rights are taken, and for each year thereafter during the pendency of the condemnation proceeding. The condemning authority shall not divulge the information provided pursuant to this subsection except in connection with the condemnation proceeding. Additionally, unless already named in the <span class="dictionary">petition</span> for condemnation, the <span class="dictionary">owner</span> of the business or farm operation may intervene in the proceeding by filing a <span class="dictionary">motion</span> to intervene accompanied by a <span class="dictionary">petition</span> for intervention setting forth the basis for the <span class="dictionary">lost profits</span> claim under this chapter. Proceedings to <span class="dictionary">adjudicate</span> <span class="dictionary">lost profits</span> may, upon <span class="dictionary">motion</span> of the <span class="dictionary">owner</span> of the business or farm operation, be bifurcated from the other proceedings to determine just compensation, but such bifurcation shall not prevent the entry of an <span class="dictionary">order</span> confirming indefeasible title to the <span class="dictionary">land</span> interests acquired by the condemning authority. <a id="paragraph-199075" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/25.1-230.1/#F"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="G"><p><span class="prefix-number">G.</span> Nothing in this section is intended to provide for compensation for inverse condemnation claims for <span class="dictionary">lost profits</span> or <span class="dictionary">lost access</span> for temporary interference with or interruption of a business or farm operation where the impact to the <span class="dictionary">property</span> is for a period of fewer than seven days. <a id="paragraph-199076" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/25.1-230.1/#G"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2012, cc. 699, 719; 2015, c. 642; 2018, c. 702; 2019, c. 788; 2022, cc. 734, 735.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
