{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/56-538.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/56-538.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/56-538.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/56-538.html"}],"law_id":370559,"edition_id":2,"section_id":370559,"structure_id":52778,"section_number":"56-538","catch_line":"Prerequisite for construction and operation","history":"1988, c. 649.","full_text":"No person may construct, operate or enlarge any roadway, as defined in \u00a7 56-536, within the Commonwealth without first having obtained a certificate of authority from the Commission authorizing such construction, operation or enlargement.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1382041,"text":"No person may construct, operate or enlarge any roadway, as defined in \u00a7 56-536, within the Commonwealth without first having obtained a certificate of authority from the Commission authorizing such construction, operation or enlargement.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":52778,"edition_id":2,"name":"Virginia Highway Corporation Act of 1988","identifier":"20","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":39,"parent_id":52702,"metadata":{"child_laws":18,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 03:04:30","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:35:45","permalink":{"id":1477409,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":52778,"identifier":"20","token":"56\/20","url":"\/56\/20\/","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":370556,"structure_id":52778,"section_number":"56-535","catch_line":"Title","url":"\/56-535\/","token":"56\/20\/56-535","metadata":false},{"id":370557,"structure_id":52778,"section_number":"56-536","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/56-536\/","token":"56\/20\/56-536","metadata":false},{"id":370558,"structure_id":52778,"section_number":"56-537","catch_line":"Construction of highways and use of public funds in the public interest","url":"\/56-537\/","token":"56\/20\/56-537","metadata":false},{"id":370559,"structure_id":52778,"section_number":"56-538","catch_line":"Prerequisite for construction and operation","url":"\/56-538\/","token":"56\/20\/56-538","metadata":false},{"id":370560,"structure_id":52778,"section_number":"56-539","catch_line":"Certificate of authority","url":"\/56-539\/","token":"56\/20\/56-539","metadata":false},{"id":370567,"structure_id":52778,"section_number":"56-540","catch_line":"Application","url":"\/56-540\/","token":"56\/20\/56-540","metadata":false},{"id":370568,"structure_id":52778,"section_number":"56-541","catch_line":"Eminent domain","url":"\/56-541\/","token":"56\/20\/56-541","metadata":false},{"id":370569,"structure_id":52778,"section_number":"56-542","catch_line":"Powers of the Commission","url":"\/56-542\/","token":"56\/20\/56-542","metadata":false},{"id":370570,"structure_id":52778,"section_number":"56-543","catch_line":"Powers and duties of roadway operator","url":"\/56-543\/","token":"56\/20\/56-543","metadata":false},{"id":370571,"structure_id":52778,"section_number":"56-544","catch_line":"Board approval; inspection agreement with Department","url":"\/56-544\/","token":"56\/20\/56-544","metadata":false},{"id":370572,"structure_id":52778,"section_number":"56-545","catch_line":"Insurance; sovereign immunity","url":"\/56-545\/","token":"56\/20\/56-545","metadata":false},{"id":370573,"structure_id":52778,"section_number":"56-546","catch_line":"Local approvals","url":"\/56-546\/","token":"56\/20\/56-546","metadata":false},{"id":370574,"structure_id":52778,"section_number":"56-547","catch_line":"Utility crossings","url":"\/56-547\/","token":"56\/20\/56-547","metadata":false},{"id":370575,"structure_id":52778,"section_number":"56-548","catch_line":"Highway and roadway crossings","url":"\/56-548\/","token":"56\/20\/56-548","metadata":false},{"id":370576,"structure_id":52778,"section_number":"56-549","catch_line":"Default","url":"\/56-549\/","token":"56\/20\/56-549","metadata":false},{"id":370578,"structure_id":52778,"section_number":"56-550","catch_line":"Police powers; violations of law","url":"\/56-550\/","token":"56\/20\/56-550","metadata":false},{"id":370579,"structure_id":52778,"section_number":"56-551","catch_line":"Termination of certificate; dedication of assets","url":"\/56-551\/","token":"56\/20\/56-551","metadata":false},{"id":370580,"structure_id":52778,"section_number":"56-552","catch_line":"Improvement Fund","url":"\/56-552\/","token":"56\/20\/56-552","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":370558,"structure_id":52778,"section_number":"56-537","catch_line":"Construction of highways and use of public funds in the public interest","url":"\/56-537\/","token":"56\/20\/56-537","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":370560,"structure_id":52778,"section_number":"56-539","catch_line":"Certificate of authority","url":"\/56-539\/","token":"56\/20\/56-539","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/56-538\/","history_text":"<p>This law was first created in 1988. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 649 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 1988 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":370557,"section_number":"56-536","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-536\/"}],"permalink":{"id":1477423,"object_type":"law","relational_id":370559,"identifier":"56-538","token":"56\/20\/56-538","url":"\/56-538\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/56-538\/","token":"56\/20\/56-538","dublin_core":{"Title":"Prerequisite for construction and operation","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 56-538","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section><p>No <span class=\"dictionary\">person<\/span> may construct, operate or enlarge any <span class=\"dictionary\">roadway<\/span>, as defined in \u00a7&nbsp;<a class=\"law\" title=\"Definitions\" href=\"\/56-536\/\">56-536<\/a>, within the Commonwealth without first having obtained a <span class=\"dictionary\">certificate<\/span> of authority from the <span class=\"dictionary\">Commission<\/span> authorizing such construction, <span class=\"dictionary\">operation<\/span> or enlargement.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":"                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nPREREQUISITE FOR CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION (\u00a7 56-538)\n\nNo person may construct, operate or enlarge any roadway, as defined in \u00a7\n56-536, within the Commonwealth without first having obtained a certificate of\nauthority from the Commission authorizing such construction, operation or\nenlargement.\n\nHISTORY: 1988, c. 649.","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"}}