{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/20-30.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/20-30.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/20-30.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/20-30.html"}],"law_id":353642,"edition_id":2,"section_id":353642,"structure_id":50625,"section_number":"20-30","catch_line":"Licenses of persons on federal reservations","history":"1930, p. 701; Michie Code 1942, \u00a7 5077a.","full_text":"The clerks of the circuit courts of any counties or their deputies and the clerks of the circuit courts of any cities or their deputies are authorized to issue marriage licenses in conformity with the law now governing the same, to any persons desiring to be married on any of the government reservations of this Commonwealth, lying within their respective counties and which reservations were before the acquisition thereof part of the political territory of this Commonwealth, and any marriage ceremony performed on such reservations shall be as legal to all intents and purposes as if performed in any county or city of the Commonwealth, if the person performing the ceremony was qualified to so act.\n\nAll marriages heretofore solemnized within the limits of any such reservations are hereby ratified and legalized to all intents and purposes as if performed in any county or city of the Commonwealth.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1317530,"text":"The clerks of the circuit courts of any counties or their deputies and the clerks of the circuit courts of any cities or their deputies are authorized to issue marriage licenses in conformity with the law now governing the same, to any persons desiring to be married on any of the government reservations of this Commonwealth, lying within their respective counties and which reservations were before the acquisition thereof part of the political territory of this Commonwealth, and any marriage ceremony performed on such reservations shall be as legal to all intents and purposes as if performed in any county or city of the Commonwealth, if the person performing the ceremony was qualified to so act.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"next_prefix":""},"1":{"id":1317531,"text":"All marriages heretofore solemnized within the limits of any such reservations are hereby ratified and legalized to all intents and purposes as if performed in any county or city of the Commonwealth.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"prior_prefix":""}},"ancestry":[{"id":50625,"edition_id":2,"name":"Marriage Generally","identifier":"2","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":2,"parent_id":50619,"metadata":{"child_laws":29,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:30:16","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:49","permalink":{"id":1405177,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50625,"identifier":"2","token":"20\/2","url":"\/20\/2\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":50619,"edition_id":2,"name":"Domestic Relations","identifier":"20","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":56,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":329,"child_structures":36},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:30:08","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:49","permalink":{"id":1405077,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50619,"identifier":"20","token":"20","url":"\/20\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":353545,"structure_id":50625,"section_number":"20-13","catch_line":"License and solemnization required","url":"\/20-13\/","token":"20\/2\/20-13","metadata":false},{"id":353543,"structure_id":50625,"section_number":"20-13.1","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/20-13.1\/","token":"20\/2\/20-13.1","metadata":false},{"id":353544,"structure_id":50625,"section_number":"20-13.2","catch_line":"Marriage lawful regardless of sex, gender, or race of parties","url":"\/20-13.2\/","token":"20\/2\/20-13.2","metadata":false},{"id":353548,"structure_id":50625,"section_number":"20-14","catch_line":"By whom license to be issued","url":"\/20-14\/","token":"20\/2\/20-14","metadata":false},{"id":353546,"structure_id":50625,"section_number":"20-14.1","catch_line":"Duration of license; issuance of additional licenses","url":"\/20-14.1\/","token":"20\/2\/20-14.1","metadata":false},{"id":353547,"structure_id":50625,"section_number":"20-14.2","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/20-14.2\/","token":"20\/2\/20-14.2","metadata":false},{"id":353590,"structure_id":50625,"section_number":"20-15","catch_line":"Tax on license","url":"\/20-15\/","token":"20\/2\/20-15","metadata":false},{"id":353602,"structure_id":50625,"section_number":"20-16","catch_line":"Issuance of marriage licenses and marriage certificates","url":"\/20-16\/","token":"20\/2\/20-16","metadata":false},{"id":353601,"structure_id":50625,"section_number":"20-16.1","catch_line":"Clerk authorized to amend marriage records","url":"\/20-16.1\/","token":"20\/2\/20-16.1","metadata":false},{"id":353613,"structure_id":50625,"section_number":"20-17","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/20-17\/","token":"20\/2\/20-17","metadata":false},{"id":353632,"structure_id":50625,"section_number":"20-20","catch_line":"Clerk to file license and certificate; indexing names of parties; certified copies as evidence","url":"\/20-20\/","token":"20\/2\/20-20","metadata":false},{"id":353633,"structure_id":50625,"section_number":"20-21","catch_line":"Clerk to furnish attorney for the Commonwealth list of licenses not returned by minister","url":"\/20-21\/","token":"20\/2\/20-21","metadata":false},{"id":353634,"structure_id":50625,"section_number":"20-22","catch_line":"Attorney for the Commonwealth to ascertain before circuit court name of minister failing to return certificates","url":"\/20-22\/","token":"20\/2\/20-22","metadata":false},{"id":353635,"structure_id":50625,"section_number":"20-23","catch_line":"Order authorizing ministers to perform ceremony","url":"\/20-23\/","token":"20\/2\/20-23","metadata":false},{"id":353636,"structure_id":50625,"section_number":"20-24","catch_line":"Penalty for failure to certify record of marriage","url":"\/20-24\/","token":"20\/2\/20-24","metadata":{"court_decisions":{"0":{"name":"United States v. O'Shea","case_number":"No. 15-1245","citation":"610 F. App'x 285","date":"2015-07-27","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/8694603\/united-states-v-oshea\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. Affirmed by unpublished per curiam opinion. .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit"},"1":{"name":"Jacob Lynn Patterson v. Commonwealth of Virginia","case_number":"1909123","citation":"62 Va. App. 488","date":"2013-11-05","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/2641294\/jacob-lynn-patterson-v-commonwealth-of-virginia\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. BEALES, Judge. .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"<abbr title=\"Court of Appeals\">COA<\/abbr>"},"2":{"name":"Doe v. Fairfax Cnty. Sch. Bd.","case_number":"1:18-cv-846 (LMB\/TCB)","citation":"384 F. Supp. 3d 598","date":"2019-05-29","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/7336265\/doe-v-fairfax-cnty-sch-bd\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. Leonie M. Brinkema, United States District Judge .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"District Court, E.D. Virginia"},"3":{"name":"WTGD 105.1 FM v. SoundExchange, Inc.","case_number":"Civil Action No. 5:14cv00015","citation":"88 F. Supp. 3d 580","date":"2015-02-13","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/7312125\/wtgd-1051-fm-v-soundexchange-inc\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. MEMORANDUM OPINION .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"District Court, W.D. Virginia"},"4":{"name":"Joseph Alfonso Papol v. Commonwealth of Virginia","case_number":"1765121","citation":"63 Va. App. 150","date":"2014-03-18","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/2656977\/joseph-alfonso-papol-v-commonwealth-of-virginia\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. KELSEY, Judge. .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"<abbr title=\"Court of Appeals\">COA<\/abbr>"},"5":{"name":"Taylor v. Cardiology Clinic, Inc.","case_number":"Case No. 4:14-cv-00046","citation":"195 F. Supp. 3d 865","date":"2016-07-19","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/7321104\/taylor-v-cardiology-clinic-inc\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. MEMORANDUM OPINION .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"District Court, W.D. Virginia"},"6":{"name":"Tiziano M. Scarabelli, M.D. v. Kenneth Ellenbogen, M.D.","case_number":"0421222","citation":null,"date":"2023-05-02","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/9396014\/tiziano-m-scarabelli-md-v-kenneth-ellenbogen-md\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. COURT OF APPEALS OF VIRGINIA .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"<abbr title=\"Court of Appeals\">COA<\/abbr>"},"7":{"name":"Doud v. Com.","case_number":"100285","citation":"717 S.E.2d 124","date":"2011-09-16","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/1058000\/doud-v-com\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. 717 S.E.2d 124 (2011) .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"<abbr title=\"Supreme Court of Virginia\">SCV<\/abbr>"},"8":{"name":"John E. Nestler, M.D. v. Tiziano Scarabelli, M.D.","case_number":"0497222","citation":null,"date":"2023-05-02","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/9396017\/john-e-nestler-md-v-tiziano-scarabelli-md\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. COURT OF APPEALS OF VIRGINIA .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"<abbr title=\"Court of Appeals\">COA<\/abbr>"},"9":{"name":"Roop v. Whitt","case_number":"140836","citation":null,"date":"2015-02-26","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/2782324\/roop-v-whitt\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. PRESENT: Lemons, C.J., Goodwyn, Millette, Mims, and .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"<abbr title=\"Supreme Court of Virginia\">SCV<\/abbr>"}}}},{"id":353637,"structure_id":50625,"section_number":"20-25","catch_line":"Persons other than ministers who may perform rites","url":"\/20-25\/","token":"20\/2\/20-25","metadata":false},{"id":353638,"structure_id":50625,"section_number":"20-26","catch_line":"Marriage between members of religious society having no minister","url":"\/20-26\/","token":"20\/2\/20-26","metadata":false},{"id":353639,"structure_id":50625,"section_number":"20-27","catch_line":"Fee for celebrating marriage","url":"\/20-27\/","token":"20\/2\/20-27","metadata":false},{"id":353640,"structure_id":50625,"section_number":"20-28","catch_line":"Penalty for celebrating marriage without license","url":"\/20-28\/","token":"20\/2\/20-28","metadata":false},{"id":353641,"structure_id":50625,"section_number":"20-29","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/20-29\/","token":"20\/2\/20-29","metadata":false},{"id":353642,"structure_id":50625,"section_number":"20-30","catch_line":"Licenses of persons on federal reservations","url":"\/20-30\/","token":"20\/2\/20-30","metadata":false},{"id":353644,"structure_id":50625,"section_number":"20-31","catch_line":"Belief of parties in lawful marriage validates certain defects","url":"\/20-31\/","token":"20\/2\/20-31","metadata":false},{"id":353643,"structure_id":50625,"section_number":"20-31.1","catch_line":"When marriage legitimates children; issue of marriages prohibited by law, etc., legitimate","url":"\/20-31.1\/","token":"20\/2\/20-31.1","metadata":false},{"id":353645,"structure_id":50625,"section_number":"20-32","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/20-32\/","token":"20\/2\/20-32","metadata":false},{"id":353646,"structure_id":50625,"section_number":"20-33","catch_line":"Penalty for clerk issuing license contrary to law","url":"\/20-33\/","token":"20\/2\/20-33","metadata":false},{"id":353647,"structure_id":50625,"section_number":"20-34","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/20-34\/","token":"20\/2\/20-34","metadata":false},{"id":353650,"structure_id":50625,"section_number":"20-37","catch_line":"Validation of certain marriages when license issued by clerk of county court","url":"\/20-37\/","token":"20\/2\/20-37","metadata":false},{"id":353648,"structure_id":50625,"section_number":"20-37.1","catch_line":"Validation of certain marriages solemnized outside of Commonwealth","url":"\/20-37.1\/","token":"20\/2\/20-37.1","metadata":false},{"id":353649,"structure_id":50625,"section_number":"20-37.2","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/20-37.2\/","token":"20\/2\/20-37.2","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":353641,"structure_id":50625,"section_number":"20-29","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/20-29\/","token":"20\/2\/20-29","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":353644,"structure_id":50625,"section_number":"20-31","catch_line":"Belief of parties in lawful marriage validates certain defects","url":"\/20-31\/","token":"20\/2\/20-31","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/20-30\/","history_text":false,"references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":1405259,"object_type":"law","relational_id":353642,"identifier":"20-30","token":"20\/2\/20-30","url":"\/20-30\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/20-30\/","token":"20\/2\/20-30","dublin_core":{"Title":"Licenses of persons on federal reservations","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 20-30","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section><p>The clerks of the <span class=\"dictionary\">circuit<\/span> <span class=\"dictionary\">courts<\/span> of any counties or their deputies and the clerks of the <span class=\"dictionary\">circuit<\/span> <span class=\"dictionary\">courts<\/span> of any cities or their deputies are authorized to <span class=\"dictionary\">issue<\/span> marriage licenses in conformity with the <span class=\"dictionary\">law<\/span> now governing the same, to any persons desiring to be married on any of the government reservations of this Commonwealth, lying within their respective counties and which reservations were before the acquisition thereof part of the political territory of this Commonwealth, and any marriage ceremony performed on such reservations shall be as legal to all <span class=\"dictionary\">intents<\/span> and purposes as if performed in any county or city of the Commonwealth, if the person performing the ceremony was qualified to so act.<\/p><p>All marriages heretofore solemnized within the limits of any such reservations are hereby ratified and legalized to all <span class=\"dictionary\">intents<\/span> and purposes as if performed in any county or city of the Commonwealth.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":"                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nLICENSES OF PERSONS ON FEDERAL RESERVATIONS (\u00a7 20-30)\n\nThe clerks of the circuit courts of any counties or their deputies and the\nclerks of the circuit courts of any cities or their deputies are authorized to\nissue marriage licenses in conformity with the law now governing the same, to\nany persons desiring to be married on any of the government reservations of this\nCommonwealth, lying within their respective counties and which reservations were\nbefore the acquisition thereof part of the political territory of this\nCommonwealth, and any marriage ceremony performed on such reservations shall be\nas legal to all intents and purposes as if performed in any county or city of\nthe Commonwealth, if the person performing the ceremony was qualified to so act.\n\nAll marriages heretofore solemnized within the limits of any such reservations\nare hereby ratified and legalized to all intents and purposes as if performed in\nany county or city of the Commonwealth.\n\nHISTORY: 1930, p. 701; Michie Code 1942, \u00a7 5077a.","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"}}