Va. Code §55.1-1943
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Virginia Condominium Act — Control of Condominium by Declarant
Declarant-control period: the instruments may authorize the declarant to appoint and remove officers and board members for a limited period — at most five years for an expandable condominium, three years with convertible land, two years otherwise, measured from first settlement. (Formerly mislabeled in this corpus as reserve funds — reserves are §55.1-1965.)
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Statutory Text
Verified Aug 5, 2026 · OTHER
Virginia Law Code of Virginia Title 55.1. Property and Conveyances Chapter 19. Virginia Condominium Act 8/6/2026 § 55.1-1943 . Control of condominium by declarant. A. The condominium instruments may authorize the declarant, or a managing agent or some other person selected or to be selected by the declarant, to appoint and remove some or all of the officers of the unit owners' association or its executive board, or to exercise powers and responsibilities otherwise assigned by the condominium instruments and by this chapter to the unit owners' association, the officers, or the executive board. The declarant, managing agent, or other person selected by the declarant to so appoint and remove officers or the executive board or to exercise such powers and responsibilities otherwise assigned to the unit owners' association, the officers, or the executive board shall be subject to liability as fiduciaries of the unit owners for their action or omissions during the period of declarant control as specified in the condominium instruments or, if not so specified, within such period as defined in this section. But no amendment to the condominium instruments shall increase the scope of such authorization if there is any unit owner other than the declarant, and no such authorization shall be valid after the time limit set by the condominium instruments or after units to which three-fourths of the undivided interests in the common elements appertain have been conveyed, whichever occurs first. For the purposes of the preceding sentence only, the calculation of the fraction of undivided interest shall be based upon the total undivided interests assigned or to be assigned to all units registered with the Common Interest Community Board pursuant to subsection B of § 55.1-1978 and described pursuant to subdivision A 4, B 2, or C 8 of § 55.1-1916 . B. The time limit initially set by the condominium instruments shall not exceed five years in the case of an expandable condominium; three years in the case of a condominium other than an expandable condominium, containing any convertible land; or two years in the case of any other condominium. Such time period shall begin upon settlement of the first unit to be sold in any portion of the condominium. Notwithstanding the foregoing, at the request of the declarant, such time limits may be extended for a period not to exceed 15 years from the settlement of the first unit to be sold in any portion of the condominium or after units to which three-fourths of the undivided interests in the common elements appertain have been conveyed, whichever occurs first, provided that (i) a special meeting is held prior to the expiration of the initial period of declarant control; (ii) at such special meeting, the extension of such time limits is approved by a two-thirds affirmative vote of the unit owners other than the declarant; and (iii) at such special meeting, there is an election of a warranty review committee consisting of no fewer than three persons unaffiliated with the declarant. Prior …
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Governance
| Ref | Requirement |
|---|---|
| (B) | The developer's guaranteed control window is capped by statute and starts running at the first sale. |
Other sections in this chapter
- Va. Code §55.1-1800 — Property Owners' Association Act — Definitions
- Va. Code §55.1-1801 — Property Owners' Association Act — Applicability
- Va. Code §55.1-1805 — Property Owners' Association Act — Association Charges
- Va. Code §55.1-1815 — Property Owners' Association Act — Access to Records; Association Meetings; Notice
- Va. Code §55.1-1816 — Property Owners' Association Act — Meetings of the Board of Directors
- Va. Code §55.1-1819 — Property Owners' Association Act — Adoption and Enforcement of Rules
- Va. Code §55.1-1820 — Property Owners' Association Act — Display of the Flag of the United States
- Va. Code §55.1-1824 — Property Owners' Association Act — Assessments; Late Fees
- Va. Code §55.1-1826 — Property Owners' Association Act — Annual Budget; Reserve Study
- Va. Code §55.1-1830 — Property Owners' Association Act — Validity of Declaration; Corrective Amendments
- Va. Code §55.1-1833 — Property Owners' Association Act — Lien for Assessments; Foreclosure
- Va. Code §55.1-1835 — Property Owners' Association Act — Annual Report by Association
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Legal references last verified July 9, 2026.
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