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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>72786</law_id><section_number>6.2-816</section_number><catch_line>Banks to obtain certificate of authority</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>6.2-1142</reference><reference>6.2-1144</reference><reference>6.2-1146</reference><reference>6.2-822</reference><reference>6.2-823</reference><reference>6.2-908</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="6.2">Financial Institutions and Services</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="II">Depository Institutions and Trust Organizations</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="8">Banks</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="2">Incorporation and Powers</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Before any <span class="dictionary">bank</span> shall begin business it shall obtain from the <span class="dictionary">Commission</span> a certificate of authority authorizing it to do so. Prior to the issuance of such certificate, the <span class="dictionary">Commission</span> shall ascertain: <a id="paragraph-262141" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/6.2-816/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> That all of the provisions of <span class="dictionary">law</span> have been complied with; <a id="paragraph-262142" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/6.2-816/#A1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> That financially responsible individuals have subscribed for capital stock and surplus in an amount deemed by the <span class="dictionary">Commission</span> to be sufficient to warrant successful operation. The amount of capital stock shall not be less than $2 million, except that the capital stock shall not be less than $500,000 for any trust company incorporated for the sole purpose of exercising fiduciary powers authorized by the provisions of Article 3 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Authority to engage in trust business; permission of Commission required" href="/6.2-819/">6.2-819</a> et seq.) of this chapter. The minimum capital stock requirement under this subdivision shall apply when a <span class="dictionary">bank</span> is being organized to begin business; <a id="paragraph-262143" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/6.2-816/#A2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> That <span class="dictionary">oaths</span> of all the directors have been taken and filed in accordance with the provisions of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Oaths of directors" href="/6.2-863/">6.2-863</a>; <a id="paragraph-262144" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/6.2-816/#A3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A4" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> That, in its <span class="dictionary">opinion</span>, the public interest will be served by banking facilities or additional banking facilities, as the case may be, in the community where the <span class="dictionary">bank</span> is proposed. The addition of such facilities shall be deemed in the public interest if, based on all relevant <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> and information, advantages such as, but not limited to, increased competition, additional convenience, or gains in efficiency outweigh possible adverse effects such as, but not limited to, diminished or unfair competition, undue concentration of resources, conflicts of interests, or unsafe or unsound practices; <a id="paragraph-262145" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/6.2-816/#A4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A5" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">5.</span> That the corporation is formed for no other reason than a legitimate banking business; <a id="paragraph-262146" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/6.2-816/#A5"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A6" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">6.</span> That the moral fitness, financial responsibility, and business qualifications of individuals named as officers and directors of the proposed <span class="dictionary">bank</span> are sufficient to command the confidence of the community where the <span class="dictionary">bank</span> is proposed; <a id="paragraph-262147" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/6.2-816/#A6"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A7" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">7.</span> That the <span class="dictionary">bank</span>&#x2019;s deposits are to be insured by a federal agency up to the limits of the insurance provided thereby; and <a id="paragraph-262148" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/6.2-816/#A7"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A8" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">8.</span> Anything else deemed pertinent. <a id="paragraph-262149" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/6.2-816/#A8"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> The minimum capital stock requirement specified in subdivision A 2 shall not apply when this section is referred to or used in connection with: <a id="paragraph-262150" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/6.2-816/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> The conversion of an operating savings institution or national bank to a <span class="dictionary">state bank</span>; <a id="paragraph-262151" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/6.2-816/#B1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> The reorganization of an operating bank under a holding company; <a id="paragraph-262152" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/6.2-816/#B2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> The issuance of a certificate of authority to a holding company to facilitate its merger with and into its subsidiary bank; <a id="paragraph-262153" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/6.2-816/#B3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B4" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> The issuance of a certificate of authority to a holding company to facilitate the merger of its subsidiary bank with and into the holding company; <a id="paragraph-262154" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/6.2-816/#B4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B5" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">5.</span> The issuance of a certificate of authority to a holding company to facilitate the merger of both the holding company and its subsidiary bank with and into a newly formed <span class="dictionary">entity</span>; or <a id="paragraph-262155" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/6.2-816/#B5"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B6" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">6.</span> The issuance of a certificate of authority to a resulting bank following a merger described in subdivision B 3, B 4, or B 5, provided that such merger does not result in or involve a change of control as defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Presumptions regarding control of entities, ownership of shares, and activities of subsidiaries or other entities" href="/6.2-701/">6.2-701</a>. <a id="paragraph-262156" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/6.2-816/#B6"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 6-31; 1966, c. 584, &#xA7; 6.1-13; 1973, c. 454; 1976, c. 658; 1979, c. 57; 1983, c. 193; 1989, c. 751; 1989, Sp. Sess., cc. 4, 7; 1992, c. 460; 1996, c. 26; 1998, c. 18; 2010, c. 794; 2014, cc. 221, 372.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
