Transportation of prisoners
Va. Code Ann. § 53.1-31.1
in effectA. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Department shall provide all transportation to and from court for any prisoner in connection with a crime committed within a state correctional facility, including a facility operated pursuant to the Corrections Private Services Act (§ 53.1-261 et seq.), unless the affected sheriff and the Department agree on other transportation. Auxiliary police forces established under § 15.2-1731 who have met the training requirements of § 9.1-102 , with the concurrence of the sheriff or other chief law-enforcement officer as appropriate, are specifically authorized to provide such transportation.
B. Authorized corrections personnel from any other state, the United States, and any political subdivisions thereof who transport a prisoner through the Commonwealth, deliver a prisoner to the Commonwealth, or take custody of a prisoner in the Commonwealth for transport to another jurisdiction are deemed to have lawful custody of such prisoner while in the Commonwealth.
C. Authorized Virginia corrections personnel who have a need to travel with a prisoner through or to another state are authorized to travel through such state and retain authority over such prisoner as allowed by such state.
2002, c. 240 ; 2003, c. 154 ; 2012, c. 827 ; 2015, c. 99 ; 2025, c. 337 .
Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/53.1-31.1/Fetched: 10/16/2026