{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/1-505.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/1-505.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/1-505.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/1-505.html"}],"law_id":345291,"edition_id":2,"section_id":345291,"structure_id":49581,"section_number":"1-505","catch_line":"Seals deemed property of Commonwealth; unauthorized use; penalty","history":"1966, c. 102, \u00a7 7.1-31.1; 1995, c. 295; 2005, c. 839.","full_text":"The seals of the Commonwealth shall be deemed the property of the Commonwealth; and no persons shall exhibit, display, or in any manner utilize the seals or any facsimile or representation of the seals of the Commonwealth for nongovernmental purposes unless such use is specifically authorized by law.\n\nExcept for the authorized commercial use of the seal as provided in \u00a7 2.2-122, any person violating the provisions of this section shall be punished by a fine of not more than $100, or by imprisonment for not more than 30 days or both.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1287306,"text":"The seals of the Commonwealth shall be deemed the property of the Commonwealth; and no persons shall exhibit, display, or in any manner utilize the seals or any facsimile or representation of the seals of the Commonwealth for nongovernmental purposes unless such use is specifically authorized by law.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"next_prefix":""},"1":{"id":1287307,"text":"Except for the authorized commercial use of the seal as provided in \u00a7 2.2-122, any person violating the provisions of this section shall be punished by a fine of not more than $100, or by imprisonment for not more than 30 days or both.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"prior_prefix":""}},"ancestry":[{"id":49581,"edition_id":2,"name":"Symbols of Sovereignty","identifier":"1","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":49580,"metadata":{"child_laws":10,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:11:48","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:26:44","permalink":{"id":1370213,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":49581,"identifier":"1","token":"1\/5\/1","url":"\/1\/5\/1\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":49580,"edition_id":2,"name":"Emblems","identifier":"5","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":6,"parent_id":49571,"metadata":{"child_laws":13,"child_structures":2},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:11:48","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:26:44","permalink":{"id":1370211,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":49580,"identifier":"5","token":"1\/5","url":"\/1\/5\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":49571,"edition_id":2,"name":"General Provisions","identifier":"1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":122,"child_structures":12},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:11:27","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:26:43","permalink":{"id":1369801,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":49571,"identifier":"1","token":"1","url":"\/1\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":345286,"structure_id":49581,"section_number":"1-500","catch_line":"The great seal","url":"\/1-500\/","token":"1\/5\/1\/1-500","metadata":false},{"id":345287,"structure_id":49581,"section_number":"1-501","catch_line":"The lesser seal","url":"\/1-501\/","token":"1\/5\/1\/1-501","metadata":false},{"id":345288,"structure_id":49581,"section_number":"1-502","catch_line":"Custody; impressions displayed in The Library of Virginia","url":"\/1-502\/","token":"1\/5\/1\/1-502","metadata":false},{"id":345289,"structure_id":49581,"section_number":"1-503","catch_line":"Uses and tax on great seal","url":"\/1-503\/","token":"1\/5\/1\/1-503","metadata":false},{"id":345290,"structure_id":49581,"section_number":"1-504","catch_line":"Uses and tax on lesser seal","url":"\/1-504\/","token":"1\/5\/1\/1-504","metadata":false},{"id":345291,"structure_id":49581,"section_number":"1-505","catch_line":"Seals deemed property of Commonwealth; unauthorized use; penalty","url":"\/1-505\/","token":"1\/5\/1\/1-505","metadata":false},{"id":345292,"structure_id":49581,"section_number":"1-506","catch_line":"Flag of the Commonwealth","url":"\/1-506\/","token":"1\/5\/1\/1-506","metadata":false},{"id":345293,"structure_id":49581,"section_number":"1-507","catch_line":"Governor to prescribe size of flag","url":"\/1-507\/","token":"1\/5\/1\/1-507","metadata":false},{"id":345294,"structure_id":49581,"section_number":"1-508","catch_line":"Director of General Services to have available flags of the Commonwealth for sale","url":"\/1-508\/","token":"1\/5\/1\/1-508","metadata":false},{"id":345295,"structure_id":49581,"section_number":"1-509","catch_line":"When flag to be suspended over Capitol","url":"\/1-509\/","token":"1\/5\/1\/1-509","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":345290,"structure_id":49581,"section_number":"1-504","catch_line":"Uses and tax on lesser seal","url":"\/1-504\/","token":"1\/5\/1\/1-504","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":345292,"structure_id":49581,"section_number":"1-506","catch_line":"Flag of the Commonwealth","url":"\/1-506\/","token":"1\/5\/1\/1-506","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/1-505\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1966. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 102 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. Unfortunately, the 1966 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 2 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 1995, chapter 295<\/a>; in 2005, chapter 839<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":352115,"section_number":"2.2-122","catch_line":"Commercial use of seals of the Commonwealth","order_by":null,"url":"\/2.2-122\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":352115,"section_number":"2.2-122","catch_line":"Commercial use of seals of the Commonwealth","order_by":null,"url":"\/2.2-122\/"}],"permalink":{"id":1370235,"object_type":"law","relational_id":345291,"identifier":"1-505","token":"1\/5\/1\/1-505","url":"\/1-505\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/1-505\/","token":"1\/5\/1\/1-505","dublin_core":{"Title":"Seals deemed property of Commonwealth; unauthorized use; penalty","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 1-505","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

The seals of the Commonwealth shall be deemed the property of the Commonwealth; and no persons shall exhibit, display, or in any manner utilize the seals or any facsimile or representation of the seals of the Commonwealth for nongovernmental purposes unless such use is specifically authorized by law<\/span>.<\/p>

Except for the authorized commercial use of the seal as provided in \u00a7 2.2-122<\/a>, any person violating the provisions of this section shall be punished by a fine of not more than $100, or by imprisonment for not more than 30 days or both.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nSEALS DEEMED PROPERTY OF COMMONWEALTH; UNAUTHORIZED USE; PENALTY (\u00a7 1-505)\n\nThe seals of the Commonwealth shall be deemed the property of the Commonwealth;\nand no persons shall exhibit, display, or in any manner utilize the seals or any\nfacsimile or representation of the seals of the Commonwealth for nongovernmental\npurposes unless such use is specifically authorized by law.\n\nExcept for the authorized commercial use of the seal as provided in \u00a7 2.2-122,\nany person violating the provisions of this section shall be punished by a fine\nof not more than $100, or by imprisonment for not more than 30 days or both.\n\nHISTORY: 1966, c. 102, \u00a7 7.1-31.1; 1995, c. 295; 2005, c. 839.","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"}}