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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>57368</law_id><section_number>57-7.1</section_number><catch_line>What transfers for religious purposes valid</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>57-15</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="57">Religious and Charitable Matters; Cemeteries</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="2">Church Property; Benevolent Associations and Objects</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="2">Property Held for Religious Purposes</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>Every conveyance or transfer of real or personal property, whether inter vivos or by will, which is made to or for the benefit of any church, church diocese, religious congregation or religious society, whether by purchase or gift, shall be valid.
		Any such conveyance or transfer that fails to state a specific purpose shall be used for the religious and benevolent purposes of the church, church diocese, religious congregation or religious society as determined appropriate by the authorities which, under its rules or usages, have charge of the administration of the temporalities thereof.
		No such conveyance or transfer shall fail or be declared void for insufficient designation of the beneficiaries in any case where the church, church diocese, religious congregation or religious society has lawful trustees in existence, is capable of securing the appointment of lawful trustees upon application as prescribed in &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Appointment of trustees to effect the purposes of conveyances, etc.; validation of certain appointments" href="/57-8/">57-8</a>, is incorporated, has created a corporation pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Property of unincorporated church held by corporation" href="/57-16.1/">57-16.1</a>, or has ecclesiastical officers pursuant to the provisions of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Property held, etc., by ecclesiastical officers" href="/57-16/">57-16</a>.</p></section></text><history>1993, c. 370; 2005, c. 772.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
