The Commonwealth of Jeffersonia is a sovereign subject of international law, with its own rules called Laws. The Commonwealth has its own Government, an independent magistracy, seeks bilateral diplomatic relationships with all countries and seeks representations to all major Countries and international organizations. The Commonwealth issues its passports and stamps, mints its coins and creates Commonwealth public bodies of independent legal status.

The sovereignty of the Commonwealth is exercised by the Prince or Princess, its Supreme Head, and the Council supporting him or her.  The Citizens of the Commonwealth are called Lords, who themselves are sovereign individuals and who exercise independent sovereignty in their own right. Thus the Commonwealth is both an independent sovereignty and an association of individual sovereigns. No sovereign is superior to any other, though roles within the Commonwealth may vary.

The life of the Commonwealth is governed by the Constitutional Charter and the Code, reformed in 1999.

The juridical organization of the Commonwealth is expressed in the usual partition in three powers:

- legislative power rests with the Chapter General, representing the Supreme Assembly of Lords, as far as constitutional rules are concerned, and to the Prince and Sovereign Council for non-constitutional matters;

- executive power rests with the Sovereign Council, chaired by the Prince and composed of 10 Lords elected by the Chapter General;

- judicial power is exercised by the Magistral Courts of First Instance and of Appeal, composed of judges appointed by the Prince and the Sovereign Council from Commonwealth members of legal expertise.

The Commonwealth is based in cyberspace, with no physical situs. Its operational activities are for the most part managed by the six Grand Priories, three Sub Priories and 45 National Associations of Lords on five continents.