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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>77241</law_id><section_number>55.1-1820</section_number><catch_line>Display of the flag of the United States; necessary supporting structures; affirmative defense</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="55.1">Property and Conveyances</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="IV">Common Interest Communities</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="18">Property Owners' Association Act</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="3">Operation and Management of Association</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> In accordance with the federal Freedom to Display the American Flag Act of 2005 (P.L. 109-243), no <span class="dictionary">association</span> shall prohibit any <span class="dictionary">lot owner</span> from displaying upon property to which the <span class="dictionary">lot owner</span> has a separate ownership interest or a right to exclusive <span class="dictionary">possession</span> or use the flag of the United States whenever such display is in compliance with Chapter 1 of Title 4 of the United States Code (4 U.S.C. &#xA7; 1 et seq.), or any rule or custom pertaining to the proper display of the flag. The <span class="dictionary">association</span> may, however, establish reasonable restrictions as to the size, place, duration, and manner of placement or display of the flag on such property, provided that such restrictions are necessary to protect a substantial interest of the <span class="dictionary">association</span>. <a id="paragraph-277077" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-1820/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> The <span class="dictionary">association</span> may restrict the display of such flag in the <span class="dictionary">common areas</span>. <a id="paragraph-277078" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-1820/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> In any action brought by the <span class="dictionary">association</span> under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Adoption and enforcement of rules" href="/55.1-1819/">55.1-1819</a> for violation of a flag restriction, the <span class="dictionary">association</span> shall bear the <span class="dictionary">burden of proof</span> that the restrictions as to the size, place, duration, and manner of placement or display of such flag are necessary to protect a substantial interest of the <span class="dictionary">association</span>. <a id="paragraph-277079" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-1820/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> In any action brought by the <span class="dictionary">association</span> under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Adoption and enforcement of rules" href="/55.1-1819/">55.1-1819</a>, the <span class="dictionary">lot owner</span> shall be entitled to assert as an <span class="dictionary">affirmative defense</span> that the required disclosure of any limitations pertaining to the display of flags or any flagpole or similar structure necessary to display such flags was not contained in the <span class="dictionary">resale certificate</span> as required by &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Resale certificate; form and contents" href="/55.1-2310/">55.1-2310</a>. <a id="paragraph-277080" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-1820/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2000, c. 891, &#xA7; 55-513.1; 2007, cc. 854, 910; 2008, cc. 851, 871; 2010, cc. 166, 453; 2019, c. 712; 2023, cc. 387, 388.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
