{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/15.2-3833.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/15.2-3833.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/15.2-3833.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/15.2-3833.html"}],"law_id":348343,"edition_id":2,"section_id":348343,"structure_id":49959,"section_number":"15.2-3833","catch_line":"Chapter not applicable to cities already existing","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 15-108; 1962, c. 623, \u00a7 15.1-1009; 1979, c. 85; 1997, c. 587.","full_text":"This chapter shall not affect the organization, government, officers, charter or laws governing any city declared to be such prior to January 1, 1976, under former acts of the General Assembly. Statutes under which cities declared to be such prior to January 1, 1976, were organized as cities shall continue in force.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1298905,"text":"This chapter shall not affect the organization, government, officers, charter or laws governing any city declared to be such prior to January 1, 1976, under former acts of the General Assembly. Statutes under which cities declared to be such prior to January 1, 1976, were organized as cities shall continue in force.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":49959,"edition_id":2,"name":"Transition of Towns to Cities","identifier":"38","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":9,"parent_id":49941,"metadata":{"child_laws":35,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:18:55","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:29:47","permalink":{"id":1384559,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":49959,"identifier":"38","token":"15.2\/III\/38","url":"\/15.2\/III\/38\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":49941,"edition_id":2,"name":"Boundary Adjustments and Changes of Status of Counties, Cities and Towns","identifier":"III","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":3,"parent_id":49831,"metadata":{"child_laws":234,"child_structures":20},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:18:37","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:29:43","permalink":{"id":1383921,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":49941,"identifier":"III","token":"15.2\/III","url":"\/15.2\/III\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":49831,"edition_id":2,"name":"Counties, Cities and Towns","identifier":"15.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":46,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":2297,"child_structures":225},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:16:22","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:29:22","permalink":{"id":1378281,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":49831,"identifier":"15.2","token":"15.2","url":"\/15.2\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":348310,"structure_id":49959,"section_number":"15.2-3800","catch_line":"Ordinance petitioning court for city status; appointment of special court","url":"\/15.2-3800\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3800","metadata":false},{"id":348311,"structure_id":49959,"section_number":"15.2-3801","catch_line":"Referendum","url":"\/15.2-3801\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3801","metadata":{"court_decisions":""}},{"id":348312,"structure_id":49959,"section_number":"15.2-3802","catch_line":"Town and county agreement concerning proposed city","url":"\/15.2-3802\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3802","metadata":{"court_decisions":""}},{"id":348313,"structure_id":49959,"section_number":"15.2-3803","catch_line":"Notice of motion; service and publication; answer or other pleading","url":"\/15.2-3803\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3803","metadata":{"court_decisions":""}},{"id":348314,"structure_id":49959,"section_number":"15.2-3804","catch_line":"Parties","url":"\/15.2-3804\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3804","metadata":{"court_decisions":""}},{"id":348315,"structure_id":49959,"section_number":"15.2-3805","catch_line":"Time limit for intervenors; publication of order","url":"\/15.2-3805\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3805","metadata":{"court_decisions":""}},{"id":348316,"structure_id":49959,"section_number":"15.2-3806","catch_line":"Pretrial conference; matters considered","url":"\/15.2-3806\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3806","metadata":false},{"id":348317,"structure_id":49959,"section_number":"15.2-3807","catch_line":"Hearing and decision by court","url":"\/15.2-3807\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3807","metadata":false},{"id":348318,"structure_id":49959,"section_number":"15.2-3808","catch_line":"Assistance of state agencies","url":"\/15.2-3808\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3808","metadata":false},{"id":348319,"structure_id":49959,"section_number":"15.2-3809","catch_line":"Appeals","url":"\/15.2-3809\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3809","metadata":{"court_decisions":""}},{"id":348320,"structure_id":49959,"section_number":"15.2-3810","catch_line":"Declining of grant of city status","url":"\/15.2-3810\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3810","metadata":false},{"id":348321,"structure_id":49959,"section_number":"15.2-3811","catch_line":"Proceeding final for three years","url":"\/15.2-3811\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3811","metadata":false},{"id":348322,"structure_id":49959,"section_number":"15.2-3812","catch_line":"Effect when town becomes city","url":"\/15.2-3812\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3812","metadata":{"court_decisions":""}},{"id":348323,"structure_id":49959,"section_number":"15.2-3813","catch_line":"Town liabilities and assets","url":"\/15.2-3813\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3813","metadata":false},{"id":348324,"structure_id":49959,"section_number":"15.2-3814","catch_line":"Mayor of town to continue in office","url":"\/15.2-3814\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3814","metadata":{"court_decisions":""}},{"id":348325,"structure_id":49959,"section_number":"15.2-3815","catch_line":"Council of town to continue in office; additional members","url":"\/15.2-3815\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3815","metadata":{"court_decisions":""}},{"id":348326,"structure_id":49959,"section_number":"15.2-3816","catch_line":"Town treasurer to continue in office; appointment where town had no treasurer","url":"\/15.2-3816\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3816","metadata":false},{"id":348327,"structure_id":49959,"section_number":"15.2-3817","catch_line":"Commissioner of revenue or assessor to continue in office; appointment where town had no commissioner or assessor","url":"\/15.2-3817\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3817","metadata":false},{"id":348328,"structure_id":49959,"section_number":"15.2-3818","catch_line":"Town sergeant to continue in office","url":"\/15.2-3818\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3818","metadata":{"court_decisions":""}},{"id":348329,"structure_id":49959,"section_number":"15.2-3819","catch_line":"Election and terms of office of mayor and councilmen after town becomes city","url":"\/15.2-3819\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3819","metadata":{"court_decisions":""}},{"id":348330,"structure_id":49959,"section_number":"15.2-3820","catch_line":"Election and terms of other city officers","url":"\/15.2-3820\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3820","metadata":{"court_decisions":""}},{"id":348331,"structure_id":49959,"section_number":"15.2-3821","catch_line":"Qualification of officers; vacancies","url":"\/15.2-3821\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3821","metadata":false},{"id":348332,"structure_id":49959,"section_number":"15.2-3822","catch_line":"Sharing of offices; transfer of jurisdiction","url":"\/15.2-3822\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3822","metadata":{"court_decisions":{"0":{"name":"City of Emporia v. County of Greensville","case_number":"0792232","citation":null,"date":"2024-06-11","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/9528558\/city-of-emporia-v-county-of-greensville\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. COURT OF APPEALS OF VIRGINIA .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"<abbr title=\"Court of Appeals\">COA<\/abbr>"}}}},{"id":348333,"structure_id":49959,"section_number":"15.2-3823","catch_line":"Tenure and reelection of county officer whose homesite becomes part of city","url":"\/15.2-3823\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3823","metadata":{"court_decisions":""}},{"id":348334,"structure_id":49959,"section_number":"15.2-3824","catch_line":"Town officers","url":"\/15.2-3824\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3824","metadata":{"court_decisions":""}},{"id":348335,"structure_id":49959,"section_number":"15.2-3825","catch_line":"Courts","url":"\/15.2-3825\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3825","metadata":false},{"id":348336,"structure_id":49959,"section_number":"15.2-3826","catch_line":"Appointment of electoral board, sheriff, attorney for the Commonwealth and circuit court clerk","url":"\/15.2-3826\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3826","metadata":{"court_decisions":""}},{"id":348337,"structure_id":49959,"section_number":"15.2-3827","catch_line":"Transfer of assessments to city books","url":"\/15.2-3827\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3827","metadata":false},{"id":348338,"structure_id":49959,"section_number":"15.2-3828","catch_line":"State, county and district taxes accruing before transition; county sales and use tax becomes city sales and use tax","url":"\/15.2-3828\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3828","metadata":false},{"id":348339,"structure_id":49959,"section_number":"15.2-3829","catch_line":"Assumption of debt; adjustment","url":"\/15.2-3829\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3829","metadata":{"court_decisions":""}},{"id":348340,"structure_id":49959,"section_number":"15.2-3830","catch_line":"Certain costs and expenses to be apportioned between city and county","url":"\/15.2-3830\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3830","metadata":false},{"id":348341,"structure_id":49959,"section_number":"15.2-3831","catch_line":"Registrars and their duties","url":"\/15.2-3831\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3831","metadata":false},{"id":348342,"structure_id":49959,"section_number":"15.2-3832","catch_line":"Authority to city to provide by condemnation, etc., water, light, power and fuel","url":"\/15.2-3832\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3832","metadata":false},{"id":348343,"structure_id":49959,"section_number":"15.2-3833","catch_line":"Chapter not applicable to cities already existing","url":"\/15.2-3833\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3833","metadata":false},{"id":348344,"structure_id":49959,"section_number":"15.2-3834","catch_line":"Congressional, etc., districts and judicial circuit not changed","url":"\/15.2-3834\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3834","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":348342,"structure_id":49959,"section_number":"15.2-3832","catch_line":"Authority to city to provide by condemnation, etc., water, light, power and fuel","url":"\/15.2-3832\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3832","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":348344,"structure_id":49959,"section_number":"15.2-3834","catch_line":"Congressional, etc., districts and judicial circuit not changed","url":"\/15.2-3834\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3834","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/15.2-3833\/","history_text":"<p>The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 3 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1962, chapter 623; in 1979, chapter 85; in 1997, chapter <a href=\"https:\/\/legacylis.virginia.gov\/cgi-bin\/legp604.exe?971+ful+CHAP0587\">587<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":1384693,"object_type":"law","relational_id":348343,"identifier":"15.2-3833","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3833","url":"\/15.2-3833\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/15.2-3833\/","token":"15.2\/III\/38\/15.2-3833","dublin_core":{"Title":"Chapter not applicable to cities already existing","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 15.2-3833","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section><p>This chapter shall not affect the organization, government, officers, charter or <span class=\"dictionary\">laws<\/span> governing any <span class=\"dictionary\">city<\/span> declared to be such prior to January 1, 1976, under former acts of the General Assembly. <span class=\"dictionary\">Statutes<\/span> under which cities declared to be such prior to January 1, 1976, were organized as cities shall continue in force.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":"                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nCHAPTER NOT APPLICABLE TO CITIES ALREADY EXISTING (\u00a7 15.2-3833)\n\nThis chapter shall not affect the organization, government, officers, charter or\nlaws governing any city declared to be such prior to January 1, 1976, under\nformer acts of the General Assembly. Statutes under which cities declared to be\nsuch prior to January 1, 1976, were organized as cities shall continue in force.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 15-108; 1962, c. 623, \u00a7 15.1-1009; 1979, c. 85; 1997, c.\n587.","edition":{"id":2,"name":"2026","slug":"2026","date_created":"2026-07-16 18:40:23","date_modified":"2026-08-02 15:14:36","current":1,"order_by":2,"last_import":"2026-08-02 12:37:30"}}