{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/56-49.01.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/56-49.01.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/56-49.01.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/56-49.01.html"}],"law_id":370500,"edition_id":2,"section_id":370500,"structure_id":52762,"section_number":"56-49.01","catch_line":"Natural gas companies; right of entry upon property","history":"2004, c. 829.","full_text":"A\n\nAny firm, corporation, company, or partnership, organized for the bona fide purpose of operating as a natural gas company as defined in 15 U.S.C. § 717a, as amended, may make such examinations, tests, hand auger borings, appraisals, and surveys for its proposed line or location of its works as are necessary (i) to satisfy any regulatory requirements and (ii) for the selection of the most advantageous location or route, the improvement or straightening of its line or works, changes of location or construction, or providing additional facilities, and for such purposes, by its duly authorized officers, agents, or employees, may enter upon any property without the written permission of its owner if (a) the natural gas company has requested the owner’s permission to inspect the property as provided in subsection B, (b) the owner’s written permission is not received prior to the date entry is proposed, and (c) the natural gas company has given the owner notice of intent to enter as provided in subsection C. A natural gas company may use motor vehicles, self-propelled machinery, and power equipment on property only after receiving the permission of the landowner or his agent.\n\nB\n\nA request for permission to inspect shall (i) be sent to the owner by certified mail, (ii) set forth the date such inspection is proposed to be made, and (iii) be made not less than 15 days prior to the date of the proposed inspection.\n\nC\n\nNotice of intent to enter shall (i) be sent to the owner by certified mail, (ii) set forth the date of the intended entry, and (iii) be made not less than 15 days prior to the date of mailing of the notice of intent to enter.\n\nD\n\nAny entry authorized by this section shall not be deemed a trespass. The natural gas company shall make reimbursement for any actual damages resulting from such entry. Nothing in this section shall impair or limit any right of a natural gas company obtained by (i) the power of eminent domain, (ii) any easement granted by the landowner or his predecessor in title, or (iii) any right-of-way agreement, lease or other agreement by and between a natural gas company and a landowner or their predecessors in title or interest.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1381927,"text":"Any firm, corporation, company, or partnership, organized for the bona fide purpose of operating as a natural gas company as defined in 15 U.S.C. § 717a, as amended, may make such examinations, tests, hand auger borings, appraisals, and surveys for its proposed line or location of its works as are necessary (i) to satisfy any regulatory requirements and (ii) for the selection of the most advantageous location or route, the improvement or straightening of its line or works, changes of location or construction, or providing additional facilities, and for such purposes, by its duly authorized officers, agents, or employees, may enter upon any property without the written permission of its owner if (a) the natural gas company has requested the owner’s permission to inspect the property as provided in subsection B, (b) the owner’s written permission is not received prior to the date entry is proposed, and (c) the natural gas company has given the owner notice of intent to enter as provided in subsection C. A natural gas company may use motor vehicles, self-propelled machinery, and power equipment on property only after receiving the permission of the landowner or his agent.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":1381928,"text":"A request for permission to inspect shall (i) be sent to the owner by certified mail, (ii) set forth the date such inspection is proposed to be made, and (iii) be made not less than 15 days prior to the date of the proposed inspection.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":1381929,"text":"Notice of intent to enter shall (i) be sent to the owner by certified mail, (ii) set forth the date of the intended entry, and (iii) be made not less than 15 days prior to the date of mailing of the notice of intent to enter.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"D"},"3":{"id":1381930,"text":"Any entry authorized by this section shall not be deemed a trespass. The natural gas company shall make reimbursement for any actual damages resulting from such entry. Nothing in this section shall impair or limit any right of a natural gas company obtained by (i) the power of eminent domain, (ii) any easement granted by the landowner or his predecessor in title, or (iii) any right-of-way agreement, lease or other agreement by and between a natural gas company and a landowner or their predecessors in title or interest.","type":"section","prefixes":["D"],"prefix":"D","entire_prefix":"D","prefix_anchor":"D","level":1,"prior_prefix":"C"}},"ancestry":[{"id":52762,"edition_id":2,"name":"Creation and Powers of Public Service Corporations","identifier":"2","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":2,"parent_id":52702,"metadata":{"child_laws":6,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 03:04:14","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:35:35","permalink":{"id":1477357,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":52762,"identifier":"2","token":"56\/2","url":"\/56\/2\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":52702,"edition_id":2,"name":"Public Service Companies","identifier":"56","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":121,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":710,"child_structures":93},"date_created":"2026-08-02 03:03:25","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:35:34","permalink":{"id":1475475,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":52702,"identifier":"56","token":"56","url":"\/56\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":370442,"structure_id":52762,"section_number":"56-47","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/56-47\/","token":"56\/2\/56-47","metadata":false},{"id":370502,"structure_id":52762,"section_number":"56-49","catch_line":"Powers","url":"\/56-49\/","token":"56\/2\/56-49","metadata":false},{"id":370500,"structure_id":52762,"section_number":"56-49.01","catch_line":"Natural gas companies; right of entry upon property","url":"\/56-49.01\/","token":"56\/2\/56-49.01","metadata":false},{"id":370501,"structure_id":52762,"section_number":"56-49.1","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/56-49.1\/","token":"56\/2\/56-49.1","metadata":false},{"id":370530,"structure_id":52762,"section_number":"56-51.1","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/56-51.1\/","token":"56\/2\/56-51.1","metadata":{"court_decisions":""}},{"id":370541,"structure_id":52762,"section_number":"56-52","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/56-52\/","token":"56\/2\/56-52","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":370502,"structure_id":52762,"section_number":"56-49","catch_line":"Powers","url":"\/56-49\/","token":"56\/2\/56-49","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":370501,"structure_id":52762,"section_number":"56-49.1","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/56-49.1\/","token":"56\/2\/56-49.1","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/56-49.01\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2004. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 829<\/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":1477367,"object_type":"law","relational_id":370500,"identifier":"56-49.01","token":"56\/2\/56-49.01","url":"\/56-49.01\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/56-49.01\/","token":"56\/2\/56-49.01","dublin_core":{"Title":"Natural gas companies; right of entry upon property","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 56-49.01","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> Any firm, corporation<\/span>, company<\/span>, or partnership, organized for the bona fide purpose of operating as a natural gas company<\/span> as defined in 15 U.S.C. § 717a, as amended, may make such examinations, tests, hand auger borings, appraisals, and surveys for its proposed line or location of its works as are necessary (i) to satisfy any regulatory requirements and (ii) for the selection of the most advantageous location or route, the improvement or straightening of its line or works, changes of location or construction, or providing additional facilities, and for such purposes, by its duly authorized officers, agents, or employees, may enter upon any property without the written permission of its owner if (a) the natural gas company<\/span> has requested the owner’s permission to inspect the property as provided in subsection B, (b) the owner’s written permission is not received prior to the date entry is proposed, and (c) the natural gas company<\/span> has given the owner notice of intent<\/span> to enter as provided in subsection C. A natural gas company<\/span> may use motor vehicles, self-propelled machinery, and power equipment on property only after receiving the permission of the landowner or his agent. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> A request for permission to inspect shall (i) be sent to the owner by certified mail<\/span>, (ii) set forth the date such inspection is proposed to be made, and (iii) be made not less than 15 days prior to the date of the proposed inspection. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> Notice of intent<\/span> to enter shall (i) be sent to the owner by certified mail<\/span>, (ii) set forth the date of the intended entry, and (iii) be made not less than 15 days prior to the date of mailing of the notice of intent<\/span> to enter. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

D.<\/span> Any entry authorized by this section shall not be deemed a trespass. The natural gas company<\/span> shall make reimbursement for any actual damages<\/span> resulting from such entry. Nothing in this section shall impair or limit any right of a natural gas company<\/span> obtained by (i) the power of eminent domain, (ii) any easement granted by the landowner or his predecessor in title, or (iii) any right-of-way agreement, lease or other agreement by and between a natural gas company<\/span> and a landowner or their predecessors in title or interest. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nNATURAL GAS COMPANIES; RIGHT OF ENTRY UPON PROPERTY (\u00a7 56-49.01)\n\nA. Any firm, corporation, company, or partnership, organized for the bona fide\npurpose of operating as a natural gas company as defined in 15 U.S.C. §\n717a, as amended, may make such examinations, tests, hand auger borings,\nappraisals, and surveys for its proposed line or location of its works as are\nnecessary (i) to satisfy any regulatory requirements and (ii) for the selection\nof the most advantageous location or route, the improvement or straightening of\nits line or works, changes of location or construction, or providing additional\nfacilities, and for such purposes, by its duly authorized officers, agents, or\nemployees, may enter upon any property without the written permission of its\nowner if (a) the natural gas company has requested the owner’s permission\nto inspect the property as provided in subsection B, (b) the owner’s\nwritten permission is not received prior to the date entry is proposed, and (c)\nthe natural gas company has given the owner notice of intent to enter as\nprovided in subsection C. A natural gas company may use motor vehicles,\nself-propelled machinery, and power equipment on property only after receiving\nthe permission of the landowner or his agent.\n\nB. A request for permission to inspect shall (i) be sent to the owner by\ncertified mail, (ii) set forth the date such inspection is proposed to be made,\nand (iii) be made not less than 15 days prior to the date of the proposed\ninspection.\n\nC. Notice of intent to enter shall (i) be sent to the owner by certified mail,\n(ii) set forth the date of the intended entry, and (iii) be made not less than\n15 days prior to the date of mailing of the notice of intent to enter.\n\nD. Any entry authorized by this section shall not be deemed a trespass. The\nnatural gas company shall make reimbursement for any actual damages resulting\nfrom such entry. Nothing in this section shall impair or limit any right of a\nnatural gas company obtained by (i) the power of eminent domain, (ii) any\neasement granted by the landowner or his predecessor in title, or (iii) any\nright-of-way agreement, lease or other agreement by and between a natural gas\ncompany and a landowner or their predecessors in title or interest.\n\nHISTORY: 2004, c. 829.","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"}}