{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/64.2-308.3.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/64.2-308.3.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/64.2-308.3.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/64.2-308.3.html"}],"law_id":376183,"edition_id":2,"section_id":376183,"structure_id":53498,"section_number":"64.2-308.3","catch_line":"Elective share amount; effect of election on statutory benefits; non-domiciliary","history":"2016, cc. 187, 269.","full_text":"A\n\nThe surviving spouse of a decedent who dies domiciled in this state has a right of election, under the limitations and conditions stated in this article, to take an elective-share amount equal to 50 percent of the value of the marital-property portion of the augmented estate.\n\nB\n\nIf the right of election is exercised by or on behalf of the surviving spouse, the surviving spouse’s homestead allowance, exempt property, and family allowance, if any, are not charged against but are in addition to the elective-share amount.\n\nC\n\nThe right, if any, of the surviving spouse of a decedent who dies domiciled outside this state to take an elective share in property in this state is governed by the law of the decedent’s domicile at death.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1404584,"text":"The surviving spouse of a decedent who dies domiciled in this state has a right of election, under the limitations and conditions stated in this article, to take an elective-share amount equal to 50 percent of the value of the marital-property portion of the augmented estate.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":1404585,"text":"If the right of election is exercised by or on behalf of the surviving spouse, the surviving spouse’s homestead allowance, exempt property, and family allowance, if any, are not charged against but are in addition to the elective-share amount.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":1404586,"text":"The right, if any, of the surviving spouse of a decedent who dies domiciled outside this state to take an elective share in property in this state is governed by the law of the decedent’s domicile at death.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B"}},"ancestry":[{"id":53498,"edition_id":2,"name":"Elective Share of Surviving Spouse of Decedent Dying on or After January 1, 2017","identifier":"1.1","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":3,"parent_id":53496,"metadata":{"child_laws":17,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 03:17:16","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:37:06","permalink":{"id":1499985,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":53498,"identifier":"1.1","token":"64.2\/II\/3\/1.1","url":"\/64.2\/II\/3\/1.1\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":53496,"edition_id":2,"name":"Rights of Married Persons","identifier":"3","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":2,"parent_id":53471,"metadata":{"child_laws":42,"child_structures":4},"date_created":"2026-08-02 03:17:15","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:37:06","permalink":{"id":1499945,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":53496,"identifier":"3","token":"64.2\/II\/3","url":"\/64.2\/II\/3\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":53471,"edition_id":2,"name":"Wills and Decedents' Estates","identifier":"II","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":2,"parent_id":53424,"metadata":{"child_laws":210,"child_structures":29},"date_created":"2026-08-02 03:16:56","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:37:06","permalink":{"id":1499913,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":53471,"identifier":"II","token":"64.2\/II","url":"\/64.2\/II\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":53424,"edition_id":2,"name":"Wills, Trusts, and Fiduciaries","identifier":"64.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":136,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":776,"child_structures":114},"date_created":"2026-08-02 03:16:27","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:37:05","permalink":{"id":1499783,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":53424,"identifier":"64.2","token":"64.2","url":"\/64.2\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":376173,"structure_id":53498,"section_number":"64.2-308.1","catch_line":"Applicability; definitions","url":"\/64.2-308.1\/","token":"64.2\/II\/3\/1.1\/64.2-308.1","metadata":false},{"id":376174,"structure_id":53498,"section_number":"64.2-308.10","catch_line":"Sources from which elective share payable","url":"\/64.2-308.10\/","token":"64.2\/II\/3\/1.1\/64.2-308.10","metadata":false},{"id":376175,"structure_id":53498,"section_number":"64.2-308.11","catch_line":"Personal liability of recipients","url":"\/64.2-308.11\/","token":"64.2\/II\/3\/1.1\/64.2-308.11","metadata":false},{"id":376176,"structure_id":53498,"section_number":"64.2-308.12","catch_line":"Proceeding for elective share; time limit","url":"\/64.2-308.12\/","token":"64.2\/II\/3\/1.1\/64.2-308.12","metadata":false},{"id":376177,"structure_id":53498,"section_number":"64.2-308.13","catch_line":"Right of election personal to surviving spouse; incapacitated surviving spouse","url":"\/64.2-308.13\/","token":"64.2\/II\/3\/1.1\/64.2-308.13","metadata":false},{"id":376178,"structure_id":53498,"section_number":"64.2-308.14","catch_line":"Waiver of right to elect and of other rights; defenses","url":"\/64.2-308.14\/","token":"64.2\/II\/3\/1.1\/64.2-308.14","metadata":false},{"id":376179,"structure_id":53498,"section_number":"64.2-308.15","catch_line":"Protection of payors and other third parties","url":"\/64.2-308.15\/","token":"64.2\/II\/3\/1.1\/64.2-308.15","metadata":false},{"id":376180,"structure_id":53498,"section_number":"64.2-308.16","catch_line":"Rights in family residence","url":"\/64.2-308.16\/","token":"64.2\/II\/3\/1.1\/64.2-308.16","metadata":false},{"id":376181,"structure_id":53498,"section_number":"64.2-308.17","catch_line":"Statutory rights barred by desertion or abandonment","url":"\/64.2-308.17\/","token":"64.2\/II\/3\/1.1\/64.2-308.17","metadata":false},{"id":376182,"structure_id":53498,"section_number":"64.2-308.2","catch_line":"Dower or curtesy abolished","url":"\/64.2-308.2\/","token":"64.2\/II\/3\/1.1\/64.2-308.2","metadata":false},{"id":376183,"structure_id":53498,"section_number":"64.2-308.3","catch_line":"Elective share amount; effect of election on statutory benefits; non-domiciliary","url":"\/64.2-308.3\/","token":"64.2\/II\/3\/1.1\/64.2-308.3","metadata":false},{"id":376184,"structure_id":53498,"section_number":"64.2-308.4","catch_line":"Composition of the augmented estate; marital property portion","url":"\/64.2-308.4\/","token":"64.2\/II\/3\/1.1\/64.2-308.4","metadata":false},{"id":376185,"structure_id":53498,"section_number":"64.2-308.5","catch_line":"Decedent's net probate estate","url":"\/64.2-308.5\/","token":"64.2\/II\/3\/1.1\/64.2-308.5","metadata":false},{"id":376186,"structure_id":53498,"section_number":"64.2-308.6","catch_line":"Decedent's non-probate transfers to others","url":"\/64.2-308.6\/","token":"64.2\/II\/3\/1.1\/64.2-308.6","metadata":false},{"id":376187,"structure_id":53498,"section_number":"64.2-308.7","catch_line":"Decedent's non-probate transfers to the surviving spouse","url":"\/64.2-308.7\/","token":"64.2\/II\/3\/1.1\/64.2-308.7","metadata":false},{"id":376188,"structure_id":53498,"section_number":"64.2-308.8","catch_line":"Surviving spouse's property and non-probate transfers to others","url":"\/64.2-308.8\/","token":"64.2\/II\/3\/1.1\/64.2-308.8","metadata":false},{"id":376189,"structure_id":53498,"section_number":"64.2-308.9","catch_line":"Exclusions, valuation, and overlapping application","url":"\/64.2-308.9\/","token":"64.2\/II\/3\/1.1\/64.2-308.9","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":376182,"structure_id":53498,"section_number":"64.2-308.2","catch_line":"Dower or curtesy abolished","url":"\/64.2-308.2\/","token":"64.2\/II\/3\/1.1\/64.2-308.2","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":376184,"structure_id":53498,"section_number":"64.2-308.4","catch_line":"Composition of the augmented estate; marital property portion","url":"\/64.2-308.4\/","token":"64.2\/II\/3\/1.1\/64.2-308.4","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/64.2-308.3\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2016. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapters 187<\/a> and 269<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":1500027,"object_type":"law","relational_id":376183,"identifier":"64.2-308.3","token":"64.2\/II\/3\/1.1\/64.2-308.3","url":"\/64.2-308.3\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/64.2-308.3\/","token":"64.2\/II\/3\/1.1\/64.2-308.3","dublin_core":{"Title":"Elective share amount; effect of election on statutory benefits; non-domiciliary","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 64.2-308.3","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> The surviving spouse of a decedent who dies domiciled in this state has a right of election, under the limitations and conditions stated in this article, to take an elective-share amount equal to 50 percent of the value<\/span> of the marital-property portion of the augmented estate. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> If the right of election is exercised by or on behalf of the surviving spouse, the surviving spouse’s homestead allowance, exempt property, and family allowance, if any, are not charged against but are in addition to the elective-share amount. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> The right, if any, of the surviving spouse of a decedent who dies domiciled outside this state to take an elective share in property in this state is governed by the law<\/span> of the decedent’s domicile at death. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nELECTIVE SHARE AMOUNT; EFFECT OF ELECTION ON STATUTORY BENEFITS; NON-DOMICILIARY\n(\u00a7 64.2-308.3)\n\nA. The surviving spouse of a decedent who dies domiciled in this state has a\nright of election, under the limitations and conditions stated in this article,\nto take an elective-share amount equal to 50 percent of the value of the\nmarital-property portion of the augmented estate.\n\nB. If the right of election is exercised by or on behalf of the surviving\nspouse, the surviving spouse’s homestead allowance, exempt property, and\nfamily allowance, if any, are not charged against but are in addition to the\nelective-share amount.\n\nC. The right, if any, of the surviving spouse of a decedent who dies domiciled\noutside this state to take an elective share in property in this state is\ngoverned by the law of the decedent’s domicile at death.\n\nHISTORY: 2016, cc. 187, 269.","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"}}