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HB723 • 2026

Subdivision of property; sale and transfer.

<p class=ldtitle>A BILL to amend and reenact § 15.2-2254 of the Code of Virginia, relating to subdivision of property; sale and transfer.</p>

Enacted

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

Sponsor
Leftwich
Last action
2026-02-06
Official status
Continued
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide specific details about penalties or enforcement mechanisms, which are mentioned in the official text but not directly relevant to the main purpose described in the candidate explanation.

Subdivision Property Sales and Transfers

This bill changes Virginia law to allow older subdivisions to be sold or transferred without needing a new plat if they are at least 40 years old for residential property and 60 years old for commercial and nonresidential property.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the rule that requires all land in a subdivision to have an approved and recorded map before it can be sold or transferred.
  • Allows older subdivisions, those created at least 40 years ago for residential properties and 60 years ago for commercial and nonresidential properties, to be sold without needing new maps if they were lawful when first made.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who want to sell or transfer land in older subdivisions.
  • Localities that have subdivision ordinances.

Terms To Know

subdivision
A piece of land divided into smaller lots for sale or development.
plat
A map showing the boundaries and divisions of a piece of land.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if a subdivision is less than 40 years old for residential property or 60 years old for commercial and nonresidential property.
  • It's unclear how this change will affect local regulations on subdivisions.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-06 Counties, Cities and Towns

    Continued to 2027 in Counties, Cities and Towns (Voice Vote)

  2. 2026-01-23 Subcommittee #3

    Subcommittee recommends reporting (5-Y 1-N)

  3. 2026-01-20 Subcommittee #3

    Assigned HCCT sub: Subcommittee #3

  4. 2026-01-13 House

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102270D

  5. 2026-01-13 Counties, Cities and Towns

    Referred to Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns

Official Summary Text

Subdivision of property; sale and transfer.
Provides that any subdivision created (i) 40 or more years prior to the sale or transfer of the subdivided residential property or (ii) 60 or more years prior to the sale or transfer of the subdivided commercial property and other nonresidential property shall be deemed to be lawful. Under current law, no person shall sell or transfer any land of a subdivision, before a plat has been duly approved and recorded, unless the subdivision was lawfully created prior to the adoption of an applicable subdivision ordinance.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
A BILL to amend and reenact §
15.2-2254
of the Code of Virginia, relating to subdivision of property; sale and transfer.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That §
15.2-2254
of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§
15.2-2254
. Statutory provisions effective after ordinance adopted.

After the adoption of a subdivision ordinance in accordance with this chapter, the following provisions shall be effective in the territory to which the ordinance applies:

1. No person shall subdivide land without making and recording a plat of the subdivision and without fully complying with the provisions of this article and of the subdivision ordinance.

2. No plat of any subdivision shall be recorded unless and until it has been submitted to and approved by the designated agent, of the locality wherein the land to be subdivided is located; or by the designated agents, as the case may be, of each locality having a subdivision ordinance, in which any part of the land lies.

3. No person shall sell or transfer any land of a subdivision, before a plat has been duly approved and recorded as provided herein, unless the subdivision was lawfully created prior to the adoption of a subdivision ordinance applicable thereto.

Any subdivision created
(i)

4
0 or more years prior to such sale or transfer
of residential
property
or (ii)
60 or more years prior to such sale or transfer of commercial
property
and other nonresidential property

shall be deemed to be lawful.
However, nothing herein contained shall be construed as preventing the recordation of the instrument by which such land is transferred or the passage of title as between the parties to the instrument.

4. Any person violating the foregoing provisions of this section shall be subject to a fine of not more than $500 for each lot or parcel of land so subdivided, transferred or sold and shall be required to comply with all provisions of this article and the subdivision ordinance. The description of the lot or parcel by metes and bounds in the instrument of transfer or other document used in the process of selling or transferring shall not exempt the transaction from the penalties or remedies herein provided.

5. No clerk of any court shall file or record a plat of a subdivision required by this article to be recorded until the plat has been approved as required herein. The penalties provided by §
17.1-223
shall apply to any failure to comply with the provisions of this subsection.