                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

WHERE OFFICERS SHALL RESIDE (§ 15.2-1525)

A. Every county officer shall, at the time of his election or appointment, have
resided thirty days next preceding his election or appointment, either in the
county for which he is elected or appointed, or in the city wherein the
courthouse of the county is or in a city wholly within the boundaries of such
county. If no practicing lawyer who has resided in the county or in such city
for the period aforesaid offers for election or appointment or if there is not
more than one practicing lawyer residing in the jurisdiction who would be
qualified to offer for election, it shall be lawful to elect or appoint as
attorney for the Commonwealth for such county a nonresident, or one who has not
resided in the county, or in such city, for the period above mentioned. Every
city and town officer except the town attorney shall, at the time of his
election or appointment, have resided thirty days next preceding his election or
appointment in such city or town unless otherwise specifically provided by
charter. Every district officer shall, at the time of his election or
appointment, have resided in the district for which he is elected or appointed
thirty days next preceding his election or appointment, and residence in any
incorporated town within the district shall be regarded as residence in the
district.

B. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, and except as other provisions of
law may require otherwise, nonelected officers of any locality, and nonelected
deputies of constitutional officers, shall not be required to reside in the
jurisdiction in which they are appointed. However, the sheriff of any county or
city may for law-enforcement purposes require that deputy sheriffs live within a
reasonable distance of the administrative office of the sheriff&#8217;s
department.

HISTORY: Code 1950, § 15-487; 1952, c. 336; 1954, c. 323; 1962, c. 623, §
15.1-51; 1966, c. 97; 1968, c. 6; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 155; 1972, cc. 549, 620,
624; 1973, c. 124; 1974, cc. 135, 229, 646; 1975, c. 100; 1976, c. 402; 1977, c.
28; 1978, cc. 106, 113; 1979, c. 362; 1980, cc. 1, 8, 11; 1981, cc. 551, 552,
556, 560, 561; 1982, c. 48; 1983, cc. 51, 76; 1984, cc. 65, 106, 711; 1994, c.
516; 1997, c. 587.