{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/17.1-293.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/17.1-293.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/17.1-293.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/17.1-293.html"}],"law_id":71693,"edition_id":1,"section_id":71693,"structure_id":14991,"section_number":"17.1-293","catch_line":"Posting and availability of certain information on the Internet; prohibitions","history":"2007, cc. 548, 626; 2010, c. 430; 2011, cc. 557, 625, 689, 715; 2012, c. 234; 2013, c. 77; 2014, c. 460; 2017, cc. 78, 92; 2020, cc. 1227, 1246.","full_text":"A\n\nNotwithstanding Chapter 37 (§ 2.2-3700 et seq.) of Title 2.2 or subsection B, it is unlawful for any court clerk to disclose the social security number or other identification numbers appearing on driver’s licenses or other documents issued under Chapter 3 (§ 46.2-300 et seq.) of Title 46.2 or the comparable law of another jurisdiction or information on credit cards, debit cards, bank accounts, or other electronic billing and payment systems that was supplied to a court clerk for the purpose of paying fees, fines, taxes, or other charges collected by such court clerk. The prohibition shall not apply where disclosure of such information is required (i) to conduct or complete the transaction for which such information was submitted or (ii) by other law or court order.B\n\nBeginning January 1, 2004, no court clerk shall post on the Internet any document that contains the following information: (i) an actual signature, (ii) a social security number, (iii) a date of birth identified with a particular person, (iv) the maiden name of a person’s parent so as to be identified with a particular person, (v) any financial account number or numbers, or (vi) the name and age of any minor child.C\n\nEach such clerk shall post notice that includes a list of the documents routinely posted on its website. However, the clerk shall not post information on his website that includes private activity for private financial gain.D\n\nNothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit access to any original document as provided by law.E\n\nThis section shall not apply to the following:1\n\nProviding access to any document among the land records via secure remote access pursuant to § 17.1-294;2\n\nPostings related to legitimate law-enforcement purposes;3\n\nPostings of historical, genealogical, interpretive, or educational documents and information about historic persons and events;4\n\nPostings of instruments and records filed or recorded that are more than 100 years old;5\n\nProviding secure remote access to any person, his counsel, or staff which counsel directly supervises to documents filed in matters to which such person is a party;6\n\nProviding official certificates and certified records in digital form of any document maintained by the clerk pursuant to § 17.1-258.3:2; and7\n\nProviding secure remote access to nonconfidential court records, subject to any fees charged by the clerk, to members in good standing with the Virginia State Bar and their authorized agents, pro hac vice attorneys authorized by the court for purposes of the practice of law, and such governmental agencies as authorized by the clerk.F\n\nNothing in this section shall prohibit the Supreme Court or any other court clerk from providing online access to a case management system that may include abstracts of case filings and proceedings in the courts of the Commonwealth, including online access to subscribers of nonconfidential criminal case information to confirm the complete date of birth of a defendant.G\n\nThe court clerk shall be immune from suit arising from any acts or omissions relating to providing remote access on the Internet pursuant to this section unless the clerk was grossly negligent or engaged in willful misconduct.\n\t\t\tThis subsection shall not be construed to limit, withdraw, or overturn any defense or immunity already existing in statutory or common law, or to affect any cause of action accruing prior to July 1, 2005.H\n\nNothing in this section shall be construed to permit any data accessed by secure remote access to be sold or posted on any other website or in any way redistributed to any third party, and the clerk, in his discretion, may deny secure remote access to ensure compliance with these provisions. However, the data accessed by secure remote access may be included in products or services provided to a third party of the subscriber provided that (i) such data is not made available to the general public and (ii) the subscriber maintains administrative, technical, and security safeguards to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and limited availability of the data.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":258317,"text":"Notwithstanding Chapter 37 (§ 2.2-3700 et seq.) of Title 2.2 or subsection B, it is unlawful for any court clerk to disclose the social security number or other identification numbers appearing on driver’s licenses or other documents issued under Chapter 3 (§ 46.2-300 et seq.) of Title 46.2 or the comparable law of another jurisdiction or information on credit cards, debit cards, bank accounts, or other electronic billing and payment systems that was supplied to a court clerk for the purpose of paying fees, fines, taxes, or other charges collected by such court clerk. The prohibition shall not apply where disclosure of such information is required (i) to conduct or complete the transaction for which such information was submitted or (ii) by other law or court order.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":258318,"text":"Beginning January 1, 2004, no court clerk shall post on the Internet any document that contains the following information: (i) an actual signature, (ii) a social security number, (iii) a date of birth identified with a particular person, (iv) the maiden name of a person’s parent so as to be identified with a particular person, (v) any financial account number or numbers, or (vi) the name and age of any minor child.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":258319,"text":"Each such clerk shall post notice that includes a list of the documents routinely posted on its website. However, the clerk shall not post information on his website that includes private activity for private financial gain.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"D"},"3":{"id":258320,"text":"Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit access to any original document as provided by law.","type":"section","prefixes":["D"],"prefix":"D","entire_prefix":"D","prefix_anchor":"D","level":1,"prior_prefix":"C","next_prefix":"E"},"4":{"id":258321,"text":"This section shall not apply to the following:","type":"section","prefixes":["E"],"prefix":"E","entire_prefix":"E","prefix_anchor":"E","level":1,"prior_prefix":"D","next_prefix":"E1"},"5":{"id":258322,"text":"Providing access to any document among the land records via secure remote access pursuant to § 17.1-294;","type":"section","prefixes":["E","1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"E1","prefix_anchor":"E1","level":2,"prior_prefix":"E","next_prefix":"E2"},"6":{"id":258323,"text":"Postings related to legitimate law-enforcement purposes;","type":"section","prefixes":["E","2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"E2","prefix_anchor":"E2","level":2,"prior_prefix":"E1","next_prefix":"E3"},"7":{"id":258324,"text":"Postings of historical, genealogical, interpretive, or educational documents and information about historic persons and events;","type":"section","prefixes":["E","3"],"prefix":"3","entire_prefix":"E3","prefix_anchor":"E3","level":2,"prior_prefix":"E2","next_prefix":"E4"},"8":{"id":258325,"text":"Postings of instruments and records filed or recorded that are more than 100 years old;","type":"section","prefixes":["E","4"],"prefix":"4","entire_prefix":"E4","prefix_anchor":"E4","level":2,"prior_prefix":"E3","next_prefix":"E5"},"9":{"id":258326,"text":"Providing secure remote access to any person, his counsel, or staff which counsel directly supervises to documents filed in matters to which such person is a party;","type":"section","prefixes":["E","5"],"prefix":"5","entire_prefix":"E5","prefix_anchor":"E5","level":2,"prior_prefix":"E4","next_prefix":"E6"},"10":{"id":258327,"text":"Providing official certificates and certified records in digital form of any document maintained by the clerk pursuant to § 17.1-258.3:2; and","type":"section","prefixes":["E","6"],"prefix":"6","entire_prefix":"E6","prefix_anchor":"E6","level":2,"prior_prefix":"E5","next_prefix":"E7"},"11":{"id":258328,"text":"Providing secure remote access to nonconfidential court records, subject to any fees charged by the clerk, to members in good standing with the Virginia State Bar and their authorized agents, pro hac vice attorneys authorized by the court for purposes of the practice of law, and such governmental agencies as authorized by the clerk.","type":"section","prefixes":["E","7"],"prefix":"7","entire_prefix":"E7","prefix_anchor":"E7","level":2,"prior_prefix":"E6","next_prefix":"F"},"12":{"id":258329,"text":"Nothing in this section shall prohibit the Supreme Court or any other court clerk from providing online access to a case management system that may include abstracts of case filings and proceedings in the courts of the Commonwealth, including online access to subscribers of nonconfidential criminal case information to confirm the complete date of birth of a defendant.","type":"section","prefixes":["F"],"prefix":"F","entire_prefix":"F","prefix_anchor":"F","level":1,"prior_prefix":"E7","next_prefix":"G"},"13":{"id":258330,"text":"The court clerk shall be immune from suit arising from any acts or omissions relating to providing remote access on the Internet pursuant to this section unless the clerk was grossly negligent or engaged in willful misconduct.\n\t\t\tThis subsection shall not be construed to limit, withdraw, or overturn any defense or immunity already existing in statutory or common law, or to affect any cause of action accruing prior to July 1, 2005.","type":"section","prefixes":["G"],"prefix":"G","entire_prefix":"G","prefix_anchor":"G","level":1,"prior_prefix":"F","next_prefix":"H"},"14":{"id":258331,"text":"Nothing in this section shall be construed to permit any data accessed by secure remote access to be sold or posted on any other website or in any way redistributed to any third party, and the clerk, in his discretion, may deny secure remote access to ensure compliance with these provisions. However, the data accessed by secure remote access may be included in products or services provided to a third party of the subscriber provided that (i) such data is not made available to the general public and (ii) the subscriber maintains administrative, technical, and security safeguards to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and limited availability of the data.","type":"section","prefixes":["H"],"prefix":"H","entire_prefix":"H","prefix_anchor":"H","level":1,"prior_prefix":"G"}},"ancestry":[{"id":14991,"edition_id":1,"name":"Secure Remote Access","identifier":"8","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13472,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:51:20","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:51:20","permalink":{"id":163459,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14991,"identifier":"8","token":"17.1\/2\/8","url":"\/17.1\/2\/8\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13472,"edition_id":1,"name":"Clerks, Clerks' Offices and Records","identifier":"2","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12766,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:58","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:58","permalink":{"id":162961,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13472,"identifier":"2","token":"17.1\/2","url":"\/17.1\/2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12766,"edition_id":1,"name":"Courts of Record","identifier":"17.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:52","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:52","permalink":{"id":162799,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12766,"identifier":"17.1","token":"17.1","url":"\/17.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":64813,"structure_id":14991,"section_number":"17.1-292","catch_line":"Applicability; definitions","url":"\/17.1-292\/","token":"17.1\/2\/8\/17.1-292","metadata":false},{"id":71693,"structure_id":14991,"section_number":"17.1-293","catch_line":"Posting and availability of certain information on the Internet; prohibitions","url":"\/17.1-293\/","token":"17.1\/2\/8\/17.1-293","metadata":false},{"id":62281,"structure_id":14991,"section_number":"17.1-293.1","catch_line":"(Effective July 1, 2026) Online case information system; exceptions","url":"\/17.1-293.1\/","token":"17.1\/2\/8\/17.1-293.1","metadata":false},{"id":57189,"structure_id":14991,"section_number":"17.1-294","catch_line":"Secure remote access to land records","url":"\/17.1-294\/","token":"17.1\/2\/8\/17.1-294","metadata":false},{"id":63862,"structure_id":14991,"section_number":"17.1-295","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/17.1-295\/","token":"17.1\/2\/8\/17.1-295","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":64813,"structure_id":14991,"section_number":"17.1-292","catch_line":"Applicability; definitions","url":"\/17.1-292\/","token":"17.1\/2\/8\/17.1-292","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":62281,"structure_id":14991,"section_number":"17.1-293.1","catch_line":"(Effective July 1, 2026) Online case information system; exceptions","url":"\/17.1-293.1\/","token":"17.1\/2\/8\/17.1-293.1","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/17.1-293\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2007. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapters 548<\/a> and 626<\/a> 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. It has been modified 7 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 2010, chapter 430<\/a>; in 2011, chapters 557<\/a>, 625<\/a>, 689<\/a>, and 715<\/a>; in 2012, chapter 234<\/a>; in 2013, chapter 77<\/a>; in 2014, chapter 460<\/a>; in 2017, chapters 78<\/a> and 92<\/a>; in 2020, chapters 1227<\/a> and 1246<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":64813,"section_number":"17.1-292","catch_line":"Applicability; definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/17.1-292\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":65365,"section_number":"17.1-258.3:2","catch_line":"Official certificates and certified records in digital form","order_by":null,"url":"\/17.1-258.3_2\/"},{"id":57189,"section_number":"17.1-294","catch_line":"Secure remote access to land records","order_by":null,"url":"\/17.1-294\/"},{"id":55569,"section_number":"2.2-3700","catch_line":"Short title; policy","order_by":null,"url":"\/2.2-3700\/"},{"id":61610,"section_number":"46.2-300","catch_line":"Driving without license prohibited; penalties","order_by":null,"url":"\/46.2-300\/"}],"permalink":{"id":163465,"object_type":"law","relational_id":71693,"identifier":"17.1-293","token":"17.1\/2\/8\/17.1-293","url":"\/17.1-293\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/17.1-293\/","token":"17.1\/2\/8\/17.1-293","dublin_core":{"Title":"Posting and availability of certain information on the Internet; prohibitions","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 17.1-293","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> Notwithstanding Chapter 37 (§ 2.2-3700<\/a> et seq.) of Title 2.2 or subsection B, it is unlawful for any court clerk to disclose the social security number or other identification numbers appearing on driver’s licenses or other documents issued under Chapter 3 (§ 46.2-300<\/a> et seq.) of Title 46.2 or the comparable law<\/span> of another jurisdiction<\/span> or information on credit cards, debit cards, bank accounts, or other electronic billing and payment systems that was supplied to a court clerk for the purpose of paying fees, fines, taxes, or other charges collected by such court clerk. The prohibition shall not apply where disclosure of such information is required (i) to conduct or complete the transaction for which such information was submitted or (ii) by other law<\/span> or court order<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> Beginning January 1, 2004, no court clerk shall post on the Internet any document that contains the following information: (i) an actual signature, (ii) a social security number, (iii) a date of birth identified with a particular person, (iv) the maiden name of a person’s parent so as to be identified with a particular person, (v) any financial account number or numbers, or (vi) the name and age of any minor<\/span> child. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> Each such clerk shall post notice that includes a list of the documents routinely posted on its website. However, the clerk shall not post information on his website that includes private activity for private financial gain. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

D.<\/span> Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit access to any original document as provided by law<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

E.<\/span> This section shall not apply to the following: <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> Providing access to any document among the land records via secure remote access pursuant to § 17.1-294<\/a>; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> Postings related to legitimate law<\/span>-enforcement purposes; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

3.<\/span> Postings of historical, genealogical, interpretive, or educational documents and information about historic persons and events; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

4.<\/span> Postings of instruments and records filed or recorded that are more than 100 years old; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

5.<\/span> Providing secure remote access to any person, his counsel<\/span>, or staff which counsel<\/span> directly supervises to documents filed in matters to which such person is a party<\/span>; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

6.<\/span> Providing official certificates and certified records in digital form of any document maintained by the clerk pursuant to § 17.1-258.3:2<\/a>; and <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

7.<\/span> Providing secure remote access to nonconfidential court records, subject to any fees charged by the clerk, to members in good standing with the Virginia State Bar and their authorized agents, pro hac vice attorneys authorized by the court for purposes of the practice of law<\/span>, and such governmental agencies as authorized by the clerk. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

F.<\/span> Nothing in this section shall prohibit the Supreme Court or any other court clerk from providing online access to a case management system that may include abstracts of case filings and proceedings in the courts<\/span> of the Commonwealth, including online access to subscribers<\/span> of nonconfidential criminal case information to confirm the complete date of birth of a defendant<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

G.<\/span> The court clerk shall be immune from suit arising from any acts or omissions relating to providing remote access on the Internet pursuant to this section unless the clerk was grossly negligent or engaged in willful misconduct.\n\t\t\tThis subsection shall not be construed to limit, withdraw, or overturn any defense or immunity already existing in statutory or common law<\/span>, or to affect any cause of action<\/span> accruing prior to July 1, 2005. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

H.<\/span> Nothing in this section shall be construed to permit any data accessed by secure remote access to be sold or posted on any other website or in any way redistributed to any third party<\/span>, and the clerk, in his discretion, may deny secure remote access to ensure compliance with these provisions. However, the data accessed by secure remote access may be included in products or services provided to a third party<\/span> of the subscriber<\/span> provided that (i) such data is not made available to the general public and (ii) the subscriber<\/span> maintains administrative, technical, and security safeguards to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and limited availability of the data. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nPOSTING AND AVAILABILITY OF CERTAIN INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET; PROHIBITIONS\n(\u00a7 17.1-293)\n\nA. Notwithstanding Chapter 37 (§ 2.2-3700 et seq.) of Title 2.2 or\nsubsection B, it is unlawful for any court clerk to disclose the social security\nnumber or other identification numbers appearing on driver’s licenses or\nother documents issued under Chapter 3 (§ 46.2-300 et seq.) of Title 46.2\nor the comparable law of another jurisdiction or information on credit cards,\ndebit cards, bank accounts, or other electronic billing and payment systems that\nwas supplied to a court clerk for the purpose of paying fees, fines, taxes, or\nother charges collected by such court clerk. The prohibition shall not apply\nwhere disclosure of such information is required (i) to conduct or complete the\ntransaction for which such information was submitted or (ii) by other law or\ncourt order.\n\nB. Beginning January 1, 2004, no court clerk shall post on the Internet any\ndocument that contains the following information: (i) an actual signature, (ii)\na social security number, (iii) a date of birth identified with a particular\nperson, (iv) the maiden name of a person’s parent so as to be identified\nwith a particular person, (v) any financial account number or numbers, or (vi)\nthe name and age of any minor child.\n\nC. Each such clerk shall post notice that includes a list of the documents\nroutinely posted on its website. However, the clerk shall not post information\non his website that includes private activity for private financial gain.\n\nD. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit access to any original\ndocument as provided by law.\n\nE. This section shall not apply to the following:\n\n 1. Providing access to any document among the land records via secure remote\n access pursuant to § 17.1-294;\n\n 2. Postings related to legitimate law-enforcement purposes;\n\n 3. Postings of historical, genealogical, interpretive, or educational\n documents and information about historic persons and events;\n\n 4. Postings of instruments and records filed or recorded that are more than\n 100 years old;\n\n 5. Providing secure remote access to any person, his counsel, or staff which\n counsel directly supervises to documents filed in matters to which such person\n is a party;\n\n 6. Providing official certificates and certified records in digital form of\n any document maintained by the clerk pursuant to § 17.1-258.3:2; and\n\n 7. Providing secure remote access to nonconfidential court records, subject to\n any fees charged by the clerk, to members in good standing with the Virginia\n State Bar and their authorized agents, pro hac vice attorneys authorized by\n the court for purposes of the practice of law, and such governmental agencies\n as authorized by the clerk.\n\nF. Nothing in this section shall prohibit the Supreme Court or any other court\nclerk from providing online access to a case management system that may include\nabstracts of case filings and proceedings in the courts of the Commonwealth,\nincluding online access to subscribers of nonconfidential criminal case\ninformation to confirm the complete date of birth of a defendant.\n\nG. The court clerk shall be immune from suit arising from any acts or omissions\nrelating to providing remote access on the Internet pursuant to this section\nunless the clerk was grossly negligent or engaged in willful misconduct.\n\t\t\tThis subsection shall not be construed to limit, withdraw, or overturn any\ndefense or immunity already existing in statutory or common law, or to affect\nany cause of action accruing prior to July 1, 2005.\n\nH. Nothing in this section shall be construed to permit any data accessed by\nsecure remote access to be sold or posted on any other website or in any way\nredistributed to any third party, and the clerk, in his discretion, may deny\nsecure remote access to ensure compliance with these provisions. However, the\ndata accessed by secure remote access may be included in products or services\nprovided to a third party of the subscriber provided that (i) such data is not\nmade available to the general public and (ii) the subscriber maintains\nadministrative, technical, and security safeguards to protect the\nconfidentiality, integrity, and limited availability of the data.\n\nHISTORY: 2007, cc. 548, 626; 2010, c. 430; 2011, cc. 557, 625, 689, 715; 2012,\nc. 234; 2013, c. 77; 2014, c. 460; 2017, cc. 78, 92; 2020, cc. 1227, 1246.","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}}