{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/13.1-563.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/13.1-563.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/13.1-563.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/13.1-563.html"}],"law_id":87113,"edition_id":1,"section_id":87113,"structure_id":15323,"section_number":"13.1-563","catch_line":"Unlawful offers","history":"1972, c. 561; 1978, c. 670; 1991, c. 475; 2009, c. 148.","full_text":"It shall be unlawful for any person, in connection with the sale or offer to sell a franchise in this Commonwealth, directly or indirectly:\n\n1\n\nTo employ any device, scheme, or artifice to defraud;2\n\nTo make any untrue statement of a material fact or to omit to state a material fact necessary in order to avoid misleading the offeree;3\n\nTo engage in any transaction, practice, or course of business that operates or would operate as a fraud or deceit upon the franchisee; or4\n\nTo fail to provide the franchisee a copy of (i) the franchise agreement and (ii) such disclosure document as may be required by rule or order of the Commission.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":311937,"text":"It shall be unlawful for any person, in connection with the sale or offer to sell a franchise in this Commonwealth, directly or indirectly:","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"next_prefix":"1"},"1":{"id":311938,"text":"To employ any device, scheme, or artifice to defraud;","type":"section","prefixes":["1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"1","prefix_anchor":"1","level":1,"prior_prefix":"","next_prefix":"2"},"2":{"id":311939,"text":"To make any untrue statement of a material fact or to omit to state a material fact necessary in order to avoid misleading the offeree;","type":"section","prefixes":["2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"2","prefix_anchor":"2","level":1,"prior_prefix":"1","next_prefix":"3"},"3":{"id":311940,"text":"To engage in any transaction, practice, or course of business that operates or would operate as a fraud or deceit upon the franchisee; or","type":"section","prefixes":["3"],"prefix":"3","entire_prefix":"3","prefix_anchor":"3","level":1,"prior_prefix":"2","next_prefix":"4"},"4":{"id":311941,"text":"To fail to provide the franchisee a copy of (i) the franchise agreement and (ii) such disclosure document as may be required by rule or order of the Commission.","type":"section","prefixes":["4"],"prefix":"4","entire_prefix":"4","prefix_anchor":"4","level":1,"prior_prefix":"3"}},"ancestry":[{"id":15323,"edition_id":1,"name":"Retail Franchising Act","identifier":"8","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12744,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:53:58","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:53:58","permalink":{"id":150081,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15323,"identifier":"8","token":"13.1\/8","url":"\/13.1\/8\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12744,"edition_id":1,"name":"Corporations","identifier":"13.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","permalink":{"id":147493,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12744,"identifier":"13.1","token":"13.1","url":"\/13.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":73586,"structure_id":15323,"section_number":"13.1-557","catch_line":"Short title","url":"\/13.1-557\/","token":"13.1\/8\/13.1-557","metadata":false},{"id":61843,"structure_id":15323,"section_number":"13.1-558","catch_line":"Policy of the Commonwealth","url":"\/13.1-558\/","token":"13.1\/8\/13.1-558","metadata":false},{"id":74631,"structure_id":15323,"section_number":"13.1-559","catch_line":"Definitions; applicability of chapter","url":"\/13.1-559\/","token":"13.1\/8\/13.1-559","metadata":false},{"id":82599,"structure_id":15323,"section_number":"13.1-560","catch_line":"Registration required","url":"\/13.1-560\/","token":"13.1\/8\/13.1-560","metadata":false},{"id":81742,"structure_id":15323,"section_number":"13.1-561","catch_line":"Procedure for registration; bond; renewal; fee","url":"\/13.1-561\/","token":"13.1\/8\/13.1-561","metadata":false},{"id":73116,"structure_id":15323,"section_number":"13.1-561.1","catch_line":"Fees to cover expense of regulation","url":"\/13.1-561.1\/","token":"13.1\/8\/13.1-561.1","metadata":false},{"id":73535,"structure_id":15323,"section_number":"13.1-562","catch_line":"Revocation of or refusal to renew registration","url":"\/13.1-562\/","token":"13.1\/8\/13.1-562","metadata":false},{"id":87113,"structure_id":15323,"section_number":"13.1-563","catch_line":"Unlawful offers","url":"\/13.1-563\/","token":"13.1\/8\/13.1-563","metadata":false},{"id":59406,"structure_id":15323,"section_number":"13.1-564","catch_line":"Unlawful cancellation of franchise; undue influence","url":"\/13.1-564\/","token":"13.1\/8\/13.1-564","metadata":false},{"id":73406,"structure_id":15323,"section_number":"13.1-565","catch_line":"Voidable franchises","url":"\/13.1-565\/","token":"13.1\/8\/13.1-565","metadata":false},{"id":86515,"structure_id":15323,"section_number":"13.1-566","catch_line":"Service of process on nonresident franchisor","url":"\/13.1-566\/","token":"13.1\/8\/13.1-566","metadata":false},{"id":83647,"structure_id":15323,"section_number":"13.1-567","catch_line":"Investigations; confidentiality of information and documents","url":"\/13.1-567\/","token":"13.1\/8\/13.1-567","metadata":false},{"id":58344,"structure_id":15323,"section_number":"13.1-568","catch_line":"Injunctions","url":"\/13.1-568\/","token":"13.1\/8\/13.1-568","metadata":false},{"id":79184,"structure_id":15323,"section_number":"13.1-569","catch_line":"Crimes","url":"\/13.1-569\/","token":"13.1\/8\/13.1-569","metadata":false},{"id":61728,"structure_id":15323,"section_number":"13.1-569.1","catch_line":"Commission may transmit record or complaint to locality where violation occurred","url":"\/13.1-569.1\/","token":"13.1\/8\/13.1-569.1","metadata":false},{"id":73285,"structure_id":15323,"section_number":"13.1-570","catch_line":"Violations punishable by Commission","url":"\/13.1-570\/","token":"13.1\/8\/13.1-570","metadata":false},{"id":76507,"structure_id":15323,"section_number":"13.1-571","catch_line":"Civil remedies","url":"\/13.1-571\/","token":"13.1\/8\/13.1-571","metadata":false},{"id":63100,"structure_id":15323,"section_number":"13.1-572","catch_line":"Rules and forms","url":"\/13.1-572\/","token":"13.1\/8\/13.1-572","metadata":false},{"id":72781,"structure_id":15323,"section_number":"13.1-573","catch_line":"Certain records of Commission available to public; admissibility of copies; destruction","url":"\/13.1-573\/","token":"13.1\/8\/13.1-573","metadata":false},{"id":70040,"structure_id":15323,"section_number":"13.1-574","catch_line":"Effective date","url":"\/13.1-574\/","token":"13.1\/8\/13.1-574","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":73535,"structure_id":15323,"section_number":"13.1-562","catch_line":"Revocation of or refusal to renew registration","url":"\/13.1-562\/","token":"13.1\/8\/13.1-562","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":59406,"structure_id":15323,"section_number":"13.1-564","catch_line":"Unlawful cancellation of franchise; undue influence","url":"\/13.1-564\/","token":"13.1\/8\/13.1-564","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/13.1-563\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1972. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 561 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1972 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 3 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1978, chapter 670; in 1991, chapter 475; in 2009, chapter 148<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":73406,"section_number":"13.1-565","catch_line":"Voidable franchises","order_by":null,"url":"\/13.1-565\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":150111,"object_type":"law","relational_id":87113,"identifier":"13.1-563","token":"13.1\/8\/13.1-563","url":"\/13.1-563\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/13.1-563\/","token":"13.1\/8\/13.1-563","dublin_core":{"Title":"Unlawful offers","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 13.1-563","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

It shall be unlawful for any person, in connection with the sale or offer to sell a franchise in this Commonwealth, directly or indirectly:<\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> To employ any device, scheme, or artifice to defraud; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> To make any untrue statement of a material<\/span> fact<\/span> or to omit to state a material<\/span> fact<\/span> necessary in order<\/span> to avoid misleading the offeree; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

3.<\/span> To engage in any transaction, practice, or course of business that operates or would operate as a fraud<\/span> or deceit upon the franchisee; or <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

4.<\/span> To fail to provide the franchisee a copy of (i) the franchise agreement and (ii) such disclosure document as may be required by rule or order<\/span> of the Commission. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nUNLAWFUL OFFERS (\u00a7 13.1-563)\n\nIt shall be unlawful for any person, in connection with the sale or offer to\nsell a franchise in this Commonwealth, directly or indirectly:\n\n1. To employ any device, scheme, or artifice to defraud;\n\n2. To make any untrue statement of a material fact or to omit to state a\nmaterial fact necessary in order to avoid misleading the offeree;\n\n3. To engage in any transaction, practice, or course of business that operates\nor would operate as a fraud or deceit upon the franchisee; or\n\n4. To fail to provide the franchisee a copy of (i) the franchise agreement and\n(ii) such disclosure document as may be required by rule or order of the\nCommission.\n\nHISTORY: 1972, c. 561; 1978, c. 670; 1991, c. 475; 2009, c. 148.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}