Virginia Law

Article 6. Interstate Branching.

As used in this article, unless a different meaning is required:

"Acquisition of a branch" means the acquisition of a branch located in a host state, without acquiring the bank of such branch.

"Affiliate" has the meaning assigned to it in 12 U.S.C. § 1841 (k) of the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 (12 U.S.C. § 1841 et seq.), as amended.

"Bank" has the meaning assigned to it in 12 U.S.C. § 1813 (a) (1) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Company Act of 1956 (12 U.S.C. § 1811 et seq.), as amended.

"Bank holding company" has the meaning assigned to it in 12 U.S.C. § 1841 (a) of the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 (12 U.S.C. § 1841 et seq.), as amended.

"Commercial activities" means activities in which a bank holding company, a financial holding company, a national bank, or a national bank financial subsidiary may not engage under federal law.

"De novo branch" means a branch of a bank located in a host state which (i) is originally established by the bank as a branch and (ii) does not become a branch of the bank as a result of the acquisition of another bank or a branch of another bank, or the merger, consolidation, or conversion of any such bank or branch.

"Financial holding company" has the meaning assigned to it in 12 U.S.C. § 1841 (p) of the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 (12 U.S.C. § 1841 et seq.), as amended.

"Home state" means:

1. With respect to a national bank, the state in which the main office of the bank is located;

2. With respect to a state bank, the state by which the bank is chartered;

3. With respect to a foreign bank, the state determined to be the home state of such foreign bank under 12 U.S.C. § 3103 (c).

"Host state" means a state, other than the home state of a bank, in which the bank maintains, or seeks to establish and maintain, a branch.

"Out-of-state bank" means a bank whose home state is a state other than the Commonwealth.

"Out-of-state state bank" means a bank chartered under the laws of any state other than the Commonwealth.

"Virginia state bank" means a bank chartered under the laws of Virginia.

1995, c. 301, § 6.1-44.2; 2007, c. 1; 2010, c. 794.

A. With the prior approval of the Commission, any Virginia state bank may establish and maintain a de novo branch or acquire a branch in a state other than the Commonwealth.

B. A Virginia state bank desiring to establish and maintain a branch in another state under this section shall file an application on a form prescribed by the Commission and pay the branch application fee set forth in § 6.2-908. If the Commission finds that the applicant has the financial resources sufficient to undertake the proposed expansion without adversely affecting its soundness and that the laws of the host state permit the establishment of the branch, it may approve the application. The bank may establish the branch when it has received the written approval of the Commission.

1995, c. 301, § 6.1-44.3; 2010, c. 794; 2014, c. 200.

An out-of-state bank that does not already maintain a branch in the Commonwealth and that meets the requirements of this article may establish and maintain a de novo branch in the Commonwealth.

1995, c. 301, § 6.1-44.4; 2010, c. 794.

An out-of-state bank that does not already maintain a branch in the Commonwealth and that meets the requirements of this article may establish and maintain a branch in the Commonwealth through the acquisition of a branch.

1995, c. 301, § 6.1-44.45; 2010, c. 794.

An out-of-state bank desiring to establish and maintain a de novo branch or to acquire a branch in the Commonwealth shall submit to the Commission a copy of the application it files with its home state supervisor or the responsible federal banking agency to establish or acquire such branch. Such submission shall be made at the same time the application is filed by the out-of-state bank with such home state supervisor or responsible federal banking agency. The out-of-state bank shall also comply with the requirements of Article 17 (§ 13.1-757 et seq.) of the Virginia Stock Corporation Act and pay any filing fee required by the Commission.

1995, c. 301, § 6.1-44.6; 2010, c. 794.

Repealed by Acts 2014, c. 200, cl. 2.

A. An out-of-state state bank that establishes and maintains one or more branches in the Commonwealth under this article may conduct the same activities at such branch or branches that are authorized under Virginia law for Virginia state banks, except to the extent such activities may be prohibited by other laws, regulations, or orders applicable to the out-of-state state bank.

B. A Virginia state bank may conduct the same activities at a branch outside the Commonwealth that are permissible for a bank chartered by the host state where the branch is located, except to the extent such activities are expressly prohibited by other laws, regulations, or orders applicable to the Virginia state bank.

C. A bank shall not establish or maintain a branch in the Commonwealth on the premises or property of an affiliate if the affiliate engages in commercial activities.

1995, c. 301, § 6.1-44.8; 2007, c. 1; 2010, c. 794.

A. The Commission may make such examinations of any branch established under this article by an out-of-state state bank as the Commission may deem necessary to determine whether the branch is operating in compliance with the laws of the Commonwealth and to ensure that the branch is being operated in a safe and sound manner. The provisions of § 6.2-901 shall apply to such examinations.

B. The Commission may require periodic reports from any out-of-state bank that maintains a branch in the Commonwealth to the extent such reporting requirements (i) apply equally to similarly situated banks having the Commonwealth as their home state and (ii) are not preempted by federal law. Such reports shall be filed under oath with such frequency and in such scope and detail as may be appropriate for the purpose of assuring continuing compliance with the provisions of this article.

C. The Commission may enter into cooperative agreements with the appropriate state bank supervisors and federal banking agencies for the periodic examination of any branch in the Commonwealth of an out-of-state state bank, or any branch of a Virginia state bank in any host state, and may accept such agencies' reports of examination and reports of investigation in lieu of conducting its own examinations or investigations. The Commission may enter into joint enforcement actions with other state bank supervisors and federal banking agencies having concurrent jurisdiction over any branch of an out-of-state state bank or any branch of a Virginia state bank, or may take such actions independently to carry out its responsibilities under this article and to assure compliance with the laws of the Commonwealth.

D. Out-of-state state banks may be assessed and, if assessed, shall pay supervisory and examination fees in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth and regulations of the Commission. Such fees may be shared with other state and federal regulators in accordance with agreements between them and the Commission.

1995, c. 301, § 6.1-44.9; 2010, c. 794.

If the Commission determines that there is any violation of any law of the Commonwealth in the operation of a branch of an out-of-state state bank, or that such branch is being operated in an unsafe and unsound manner, the Commission shall have the authority to undertake such enforcement actions as it would be permitted to take if the branch were a Virginia state bank.

1995, c. 301, § 6.1-44.10; 2010, c. 794.

An out-of-state bank that has established or acquired a branch in the Commonwealth under this article may establish or acquire additional branches in the Commonwealth to the same extent that any bank, whose home state is the Commonwealth, may establish or acquire a branch in the Commonwealth under applicable federal and state law.

1995, c. 301, § 6.1-44.11; 2010, c. 794.

The Commission may adopt such regulations and may provide for the payment of such reasonable application and administration fees as it finds necessary and appropriate in order to implement the provisions of this article.

1995, c. 301, § 6.1-44.12; 2010, c. 794.

An out-of-state state bank that maintains a branch in the Commonwealth under this article shall give 30 days' prior written notice of any merger, consolidation, or other transaction involving the bank which would cause the Virginia branch to be maintained by another bank.

1995, c. 301, § 6.1-44.13; 2010, c. 794.

Repealed by Acts 2014, c. 200, cl. 2.