{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/19.2-353.3.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/19.2-353.3.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/19.2-353.3.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/19.2-353.3.html"}],"law_id":80714,"edition_id":1,"section_id":80714,"structure_id":15851,"section_number":"19.2-353.3","catch_line":"Acceptance of checks and credit or debit cards in lieu of money; additional fee","history":"1979, c. 525; 1988, cc. 770, 852; 1990, c. 899; 1994, cc. 432, 841, 945; 1997, c. 819; 1998, cc. 720, 731; 2001, cc. 481, 501; 2009, c. 594; 2012, cc. 420, 714.","full_text":"Notwithstanding the provisions of \u00a7 19.2-353, personal checks and credit or debit cards shall be accepted in lieu of money to collect and secure all fees, fines, restitution, forfeiture, penalties and costs collected for offenses tried in a district court, including motor vehicle violations, committed against the Commonwealth or against any county, city or town. Notwithstanding the provisions of \u00a7 19.2-353, personal checks shall be accepted in lieu of money to collect and secure all fees, fines, restitution, forfeiture, penalties and costs collected for offenses tried in a circuit court, including motor vehicle violations, committed against the Commonwealth or against any county, city or town. The clerk of any circuit court shall not be required to but may, in his discretion, accept credit or debit card payment in lieu of money to collect and secure all fees, including filing fees, fines, restitution, forfeitures, penalties, and costs collected. The Committee on District Courts shall devise a procedure for approving and accepting checks and credit or debit cards that shall be accepted by the district courts. Court personnel shall not be held to be guarantors of the payment made in such manner and shall not be personally liable for any sums uncollected. The clerk of the court, in addition to any fees, fines, restitution, forfeiture, penalties or costs, may add to such payment a sum not to exceed four percent of the amount paid for the transaction, or a flat fee not to exceed $2 per transaction, as a reasonable convenience fee for the acceptance of a credit or debit card.\n\t\tIf a check is returned unpaid by the financial institution on which it is drawn or notice is received from the credit or debit card issuer that payment will not be made, for any reason, the fees, fine, restitution, forfeiture, penalty or costs shall be treated as unpaid, and the court may pursue all available remedies to obtain payment. The clerk of the court to whom the dishonored check or credit or debit card was tendered may impose a fee of $50 or 10 percent of the value of the payment, whichever is greater, in addition to the fine and costs already imposed.\n\t\tThe clerk of court may refuse acceptance of checks or credit or debit cards of an individual if (i) he has been convicted of a violation of Chapter 6 (\u00a7 18.2-168 et seq.) of Title 18.2 in which a check, credit or debit card, or credit or debit card information was used to commit the offense, (ii) he has previously tendered to the court a check which was not ultimately honored or a credit or debit card or credit or debit card information which did not ultimately result in payment by the credit or debit card issuer, (iii) authorization of payment is not given by the bank or credit or debit card issuer, (iv) the validity of the check or credit or debit card cannot be verified, or (v) the payee of the check is other than the court.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":289340,"text":"Notwithstanding the provisions of \u00a7 19.2-353, personal checks and credit or debit cards shall be accepted in lieu of money to collect and secure all fees, fines, restitution, forfeiture, penalties and costs collected for offenses tried in a district court, including motor vehicle violations, committed against the Commonwealth or against any county, city or town. Notwithstanding the provisions of \u00a7 19.2-353, personal checks shall be accepted in lieu of money to collect and secure all fees, fines, restitution, forfeiture, penalties and costs collected for offenses tried in a circuit court, including motor vehicle violations, committed against the Commonwealth or against any county, city or town. The clerk of any circuit court shall not be required to but may, in his discretion, accept credit or debit card payment in lieu of money to collect and secure all fees, including filing fees, fines, restitution, forfeitures, penalties, and costs collected. The Committee on District Courts shall devise a procedure for approving and accepting checks and credit or debit cards that shall be accepted by the district courts. Court personnel shall not be held to be guarantors of the payment made in such manner and shall not be personally liable for any sums uncollected. The clerk of the court, in addition to any fees, fines, restitution, forfeiture, penalties or costs, may add to such payment a sum not to exceed four percent of the amount paid for the transaction, or a flat fee not to exceed $2 per transaction, as a reasonable convenience fee for the acceptance of a credit or debit card.\n\t\tIf a check is returned unpaid by the financial institution on which it is drawn or notice is received from the credit or debit card issuer that payment will not be made, for any reason, the fees, fine, restitution, forfeiture, penalty or costs shall be treated as unpaid, and the court may pursue all available remedies to obtain payment. The clerk of the court to whom the dishonored check or credit or debit card was tendered may impose a fee of $50 or 10 percent of the value of the payment, whichever is greater, in addition to the fine and costs already imposed.\n\t\tThe clerk of court may refuse acceptance of checks or credit or debit cards of an individual if (i) he has been convicted of a violation of Chapter 6 (\u00a7 18.2-168 et seq.) of Title 18.2 in which a check, credit or debit card, or credit or debit card information was used to commit the offense, (ii) he has previously tendered to the court a check which was not ultimately honored or a credit or debit card or credit or debit card information which did not ultimately result in payment by the credit or debit card issuer, (iii) authorization of payment is not given by the bank or credit or debit card issuer, (iv) the validity of the check or credit or debit card cannot be verified, or (v) the payee of the check is other than the court.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":15851,"edition_id":1,"name":"Collection and Disposition of Fines","identifier":"3","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":14348,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 04:00:31","date_modified":"2026-06-26 04:00:31","permalink":{"id":170015,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15851,"identifier":"3","token":"19.2\/21\/3","url":"\/19.2\/21\/3\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":14348,"edition_id":1,"name":"Recovery of Fines and Penalties","identifier":"21","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12801,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:47:50","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:47:50","permalink":{"id":169977,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14348,"identifier":"21","token":"19.2\/21","url":"\/19.2\/21\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12801,"edition_id":1,"name":"Criminal Procedure","identifier":"19.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:53","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:53","permalink":{"id":168169,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12801,"identifier":"19.2","token":"19.2","url":"\/19.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":85694,"structure_id":15851,"section_number":"19.2-348","catch_line":"Attorneys for Commonwealth or clerks to superintend issue of executions, etc","url":"\/19.2-348\/","token":"19.2\/21\/3\/19.2-348","metadata":false},{"id":80926,"structure_id":15851,"section_number":"19.2-349","catch_line":"Responsibility for collections; clerks to report unsatisfied fines, etc.; duty of attorneys for Commonwealth; duties of Department of Taxation","url":"\/19.2-349\/","token":"19.2\/21\/3\/19.2-349","metadata":false},{"id":75946,"structure_id":15851,"section_number":"19.2-349.1","catch_line":"Receipt of unpaid fines, costs, forfeitures, penalties, or restitution by Department of Motor Vehicles","url":"\/19.2-349.1\/","token":"19.2\/21\/3\/19.2-349.1","metadata":false},{"id":78545,"structure_id":15851,"section_number":"19.2-350","catch_line":"When sheriff not to receive fines","url":"\/19.2-350\/","token":"19.2\/21\/3\/19.2-350","metadata":false},{"id":84581,"structure_id":15851,"section_number":"19.2-351","catch_line":"How fines disposed of; informer","url":"\/19.2-351\/","token":"19.2\/21\/3\/19.2-351","metadata":false},{"id":70306,"structure_id":15851,"section_number":"19.2-352","catch_line":"Officers to pay fines to clerks; default; forfeiture, etc","url":"\/19.2-352\/","token":"19.2\/21\/3\/19.2-352","metadata":false},{"id":68447,"structure_id":15851,"section_number":"19.2-353","catch_line":"Certain fines paid into Literary Fund","url":"\/19.2-353\/","token":"19.2\/21\/3\/19.2-353","metadata":false},{"id":66634,"structure_id":15851,"section_number":"19.2-353.1","catch_line":"Fieri facias and proceedings thereon","url":"\/19.2-353.1\/","token":"19.2\/21\/3\/19.2-353.1","metadata":false},{"id":78736,"structure_id":15851,"section_number":"19.2-353.2","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/19.2-353.2\/","token":"19.2\/21\/3\/19.2-353.2","metadata":false},{"id":80714,"structure_id":15851,"section_number":"19.2-353.3","catch_line":"Acceptance of checks and credit or debit cards in lieu of money; additional fee","url":"\/19.2-353.3\/","token":"19.2\/21\/3\/19.2-353.3","metadata":false},{"id":61198,"structure_id":15851,"section_number":"19.2-353.4","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/19.2-353.4\/","token":"19.2\/21\/3\/19.2-353.4","metadata":false},{"id":62533,"structure_id":15851,"section_number":"19.2-353.5","catch_line":"Interest on fines and costs","url":"\/19.2-353.5\/","token":"19.2\/21\/3\/19.2-353.5","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":78736,"structure_id":15851,"section_number":"19.2-353.2","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/19.2-353.2\/","token":"19.2\/21\/3\/19.2-353.2","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":61198,"structure_id":15851,"section_number":"19.2-353.4","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/19.2-353.4\/","token":"19.2\/21\/3\/19.2-353.4","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/19.2-353.3\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1979. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 525 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 1979 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 8 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 1988, chapters 770 and 852; in 1990, chapter 899; in 1994, chapters 432<\/a>, 841<\/a>, and 945<\/a>; in 1997, chapter 819<\/a>; in 1998, chapters 720<\/a> and 731<\/a>; in 2001, chapters 481<\/a> and 501<\/a>; in 2009, chapter 594<\/a>; in 2012, chapters 420<\/a> and 714<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":82522,"section_number":"19.2-271","catch_line":"Certain judicial officers incompetent to testify under certain circumstances; exceptions (Supreme Court Rule 2:605 derived from this section)","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-271\/"},{"id":77548,"section_number":"2.2-614.1","catch_line":"Authority to accept revenue by commercially acceptable means; service charge; bad check charge","order_by":null,"url":"\/2.2-614.1\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":58969,"section_number":"18.2-168","catch_line":"Forging public records, etc","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-168\/"},{"id":68447,"section_number":"19.2-353","catch_line":"Certain fines paid into Literary Fund","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-353\/"}],"permalink":{"id":170053,"object_type":"law","relational_id":80714,"identifier":"19.2-353.3","token":"19.2\/21\/3\/19.2-353.3","url":"\/19.2-353.3\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/19.2-353.3\/","token":"19.2\/21\/3\/19.2-353.3","dublin_core":{"Title":"Acceptance of checks and credit or debit cards in lieu of money; additional fee","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 19.2-353.3","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Notwithstanding the provisions of \u00a7 19.2-353<\/a>, personal checks and credit or debit cards shall be accepted in lieu of money to collect and secure all fees, fines, restitution<\/span>, forfeiture, penalties and costs collected for offenses<\/span> tried in a district court, including motor vehicle violations, committed against the Commonwealth or against any county, city or town. Notwithstanding the provisions of \u00a7 19.2-353<\/a>, personal checks shall be accepted in lieu of money to collect and secure all fees, fines, restitution<\/span>, forfeiture, penalties and costs collected for offenses<\/span> tried in a circuit<\/span> court, including motor vehicle violations, committed against the Commonwealth or against any county, city or town. The clerk of any circuit<\/span> court shall not be required to but may, in his discretion, accept credit or debit card payment in lieu of money to collect and secure all fees, including filing fees, fines, restitution<\/span>, forfeitures, penalties, and costs collected. The Committee on District Courts<\/span> shall devise a procedure for approving and accepting checks and credit or debit cards that shall be accepted by the district courts<\/span>. Court personnel shall not be held to be guarantors of the payment made in such manner and shall not be personally liable for any sums uncollected. The clerk of the court, in addition to any fees, fines, restitution<\/span>, forfeiture, penalties or costs, may add to such payment a sum not to exceed four percent of the amount paid for the transaction, or a flat fee not to exceed $2 per transaction, as a reasonable convenience fee for the acceptance of a credit or debit card.\n\t\tIf a check is returned unpaid by the financial institution on which it is drawn or notice is received from the credit or debit card issuer that payment will not be made, for any reason, the fees, fine, restitution<\/span>, forfeiture, penalty<\/span> or costs shall be treated as unpaid, and the court may pursue all available remedies to obtain payment. The clerk of the court to whom the dishonored check or credit or debit card was tendered may impose a fee of $50 or 10 percent of the value of the payment, whichever is greater, in addition to the fine and costs already imposed.\n\t\tThe clerk of court<\/span> may refuse acceptance of checks or credit or debit cards of an individual if (i) he has been convicted of a violation of Chapter 6 (\u00a7 18.2-168<\/a> et seq.) of Title 18.2 in which a check, credit or debit card, or credit or debit card information was used to commit the offense<\/span>, (ii) he has previously tendered to the court a check which was not ultimately honored or a credit or debit card or credit or debit card information which did not ultimately result in payment by the credit or debit card issuer, (iii) authorization of payment is not given by the bank or credit or debit card issuer, (iv) the validity of the check or credit or debit card cannot be verified, or (v) the payee of the check is other than the court.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nACCEPTANCE OF CHECKS AND CREDIT OR DEBIT CARDS IN LIEU OF MONEY; ADDITIONAL FEE\n(\u00a7 19.2-353.3)\n\nNotwithstanding the provisions of \u00a7 19.2-353, personal checks and credit or\ndebit cards shall be accepted in lieu of money to collect and secure all fees,\nfines, restitution, forfeiture, penalties and costs collected for offenses tried\nin a district court, including motor vehicle violations, committed against the\nCommonwealth or against any county, city or town. Notwithstanding the provisions\nof \u00a7 19.2-353, personal checks shall be accepted in lieu of money to collect\nand secure all fees, fines, restitution, forfeiture, penalties and costs\ncollected for offenses tried in a circuit court, including motor vehicle\nviolations, committed against the Commonwealth or against any county, city or\ntown. The clerk of any circuit court shall not be required to but may, in his\ndiscretion, accept credit or debit card payment in lieu of money to collect and\nsecure all fees, including filing fees, fines, restitution, forfeitures,\npenalties, and costs collected. The Committee on District Courts shall devise a\nprocedure for approving and accepting checks and credit or debit cards that\nshall be accepted by the district courts. Court personnel shall not be held to\nbe guarantors of the payment made in such manner and shall not be personally\nliable for any sums uncollected. The clerk of the court, in addition to any\nfees, fines, restitution, forfeiture, penalties or costs, may add to such\npayment a sum not to exceed four percent of the amount paid for the transaction,\nor a flat fee not to exceed $2 per transaction, as a reasonable convenience fee\nfor the acceptance of a credit or debit card.\n\t\tIf a check is returned unpaid by the financial institution on which it is\ndrawn or notice is received from the credit or debit card issuer that payment\nwill not be made, for any reason, the fees, fine, restitution, forfeiture,\npenalty or costs shall be treated as unpaid, and the court may pursue all\navailable remedies to obtain payment. The clerk of the court to whom the\ndishonored check or credit or debit card was tendered may impose a fee of $50 or\n10 percent of the value of the payment, whichever is greater, in addition to the\nfine and costs already imposed.\n\t\tThe clerk of court may refuse acceptance of checks or credit or debit cards of\nan individual if (i) he has been convicted of a violation of Chapter 6 (\u00a7\n18.2-168 et seq.) of Title 18.2 in which a check, credit or debit card, or\ncredit or debit card information was used to commit the offense, (ii) he has\npreviously tendered to the court a check which was not ultimately honored or a\ncredit or debit card or credit or debit card information which did not\nultimately result in payment by the credit or debit card issuer, (iii)\nauthorization of payment is not given by the bank or credit or debit card\nissuer, (iv) the validity of the check or credit or debit card cannot be\nverified, or (v) the payee of the check is other than the court.\n\nHISTORY: 1979, c. 525; 1988, cc. 770, 852; 1990, c. 899; 1994, cc. 432, 841,\n945; 1997, c. 819; 1998, cc. 720, 731; 2001, cc. 481, 501; 2009, c. 594; 2012,\ncc. 420, 714.","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}}