Back to Virginia

HB1401 • 2026

Eminent domain; certificate of take, description of property.

An Act to amend and reenact §§ 25.1-307 and 33.2-1022 of the Code of Virginia, relating to eminent domain; certificate of take; description of property.

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Franklin, M.A.
Last action
2026-04-13
Official status
Acts of Assembly Chapter
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Eminent domain; certificate of take, description of property.

Eminent domain; certificate of take; description of property.

What This Bill Does

  • Eminent domain; certificate of take; description of property.
  • Clarifies that a certificate of take in any eminent domain matter may include a combination of one or more plats, drawings, or plans to provide the description of the property being taken as required by law.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-13 Governor

    Approved by Governor-Chapter 841 (effective 7/1/2026)

  2. 2026-04-13 Governor

    Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0841)

  3. 2026-04-13 Governor

    Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0841)

  4. 2026-04-01 House

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1401)

  5. 2026-03-31 House

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026

  6. 2026-03-31 Governor

    Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

  7. 2026-03-31 House

    Signed by Speaker

  8. 2026-03-31 House

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026

  9. 2026-03-31 Governor

    Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

  10. 2026-03-30 Senate

    Signed by President

  11. 2026-03-30 House

    Enrolled

  12. 2026-03-30 House

    Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1401ER)

  13. 2026-03-12 House

    Senate substitute agreed to by House (92-Y 2-N 0-A)

  14. 2026-03-11 Senate

    Read third time

  15. 2026-03-11 Senate

    Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute

  16. 2026-03-11 Senate

    Passed Senate with substitute

  17. 2026-03-11 Courts of Justice

    Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to

  18. 2026-03-11 Senate

    Passed Senate with substitute Block Vote (39-Y 0-N 0-A)

  19. 2026-03-11 Senate

    Reconsideration of Senate passage agreed to by Senate Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

  20. 2026-03-11 Senate

    Passed Senate with substitute Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

  21. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Rules suspended

  22. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  23. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

  24. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  25. 2026-03-09 Courts of Justice

    Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (15-Y 0-N)

  26. 2026-03-09 Senate

    Senate committee offered

  27. 2026-03-09 Courts of Justice

    Committee substitute printed 26108619D-S1

  28. 2026-02-18 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

  29. 2026-02-18 Courts of Justice

    Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

  30. 2026-02-17 House

    Read third time and passed House (93-Y 4-N 0-A)

  31. 2026-02-16 House

    Read second time and engrossed

  32. 2026-02-13 House

    Read first time

  33. 2026-02-11 Courts of Justice

    Reported from Courts of Justice (21-Y 1-N)

  34. 2026-02-04 Civil

    Subcommittee recommends reporting (9-Y 1-N)

  35. 2026-02-04 House

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1401)

  36. 2026-02-02 Civil

    Assigned HCJ sub: Civil

  37. 2026-01-22 House

    Presented and ordered printed 26103990D

  38. 2026-01-22 Courts of Justice

    Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

Official Summary Text

Eminent domain; certificate of take; description of property.
Clarifies that a certificate of take in any eminent domain matter may include a combination of one or more plats, drawings, or plans to provide the description of the property being taken as required by law.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
An Act to amend and reenact §§
25.1-307
and
33.2-1022
of the Code of Virginia, relating to eminent domain; certificate of take; description of property.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §§
25.1-307
and
33.2-1022
of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted as follows:
§
25.1-307
. Content of certificates; recordation of certificates.
A. A certificate shall set forth the description of the property and rights being taken or damaged, and the owner or owners, if known, of such property. A certificate through which easement rights are acquired shall describe the rights and purposes for which the easement is being acquired.
B. The certificate shall include a plat, drawing, or plan,
or combination of one or more plats, drawings, or plans,
in sufficient detail to disclose fairly the nature of such work or improvements, including specifications, elevations, and grade changes, if any, so as to enable the owner of such property to be reasonably informed of the nature, extent, and effect of such taking. The certificate shall specify the size of the fee or easement area being taken and, if multiple overlapping easements are taken, the sizes of the overlapping and non-overlapping areas. The certificate shall also state the public use project for which the property is being taken.
C. If a temporary construction easement is being acquired, the certificate shall set forth the calendar date on which it shall expire if that date is known to the condemnor. If the condemnor certifies that such date is not known, at such time the condemnor ascertains the date, the condemnor shall file certification of the information as provided by subsection D and shall simultaneously provide the landowner or the landowner's counsel, if any, a copy of such certification.
D. The authorized condemnor shall record a certificate of take or a certificate of deposit in the clerk's office of the court where deeds are recorded. The clerk shall record the certificate in the deed book and index it in the names of both (i) the person or persons who owned the land before the recordation of the certificate and (ii) the authorized condemnor.
§
33.2-1022
. Certificates to describe land and list owner.
A. The certificate shall set forth the description of the land or interest therein being taken or damaged and, if known, the owner of such property. A certificate through which easement rights are acquired shall describe the rights and purposes for which the easement is being acquired.
B. The certificate shall include a plat, drawing, or plan,
or combination of one or more plats, drawings, or plans,
in sufficient detail to disclose fairly the nature of such work or improvements, including specifications, elevations, and grade changes, if any, so as to enable the owner of such property to be reasonably informed of the nature, extent, and effect of such taking. The certificate shall specify the size of the fee or easement area being taken and, if multiple overlapping easements are taken, the sizes of the overlapping and non-overlapping areas. The certificate shall also state the public use project for which the property is being taken.
C. If a temporary construction easement is being acquired, the certificate shall set forth the calendar date on which it shall expire, if such date is known to the Commissioner of Highways. If the Commissioner of Highways certifies that such date is not known, at such time the date is ascertained, the Commissioner of Highways shall file certification of the information as provided by subsection D of §
25.1-307
and shall simultaneously provide the landowner or the landowner's counsel, if any, a copy of such certification.
D. The Commissioner of Highways shall record a certificate of take or a certificate of deposit in the clerk's office of the court where deeds are recorded. The clerk shall record such certificate in the deed book and index it in the names of both (i) the person who owned the land before the recordation of the certificate and (ii) the Commissioner of Highways.