{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/55.1-1415.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/55.1-1415.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/55.1-1415.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/55.1-1415.html"}],"law_id":67992,"edition_id":1,"section_id":67992,"structure_id":16021,"section_number":"55.1-1415","catch_line":"Failure to pay certain rents after five days’ notice forfeits right of possession","history":"Code 1919, \u00a7 5448; Code 1950, \u00a7 55-225; 2008, c. 489; 2018, c. 221; 2019, c. 712.","full_text":"If any tenant or lessee of nonresidential rental property who is in default in the payment of rent continues to be in default five days after receipt of written notice that requires possession of the premises or the payment of rent, such tenant or lessee forfeits his right to possession of the premises. In such case, the possession of the defendant may, at the option of the landlord or lessor, be deemed unlawful, and he may proceed to recover possession of the premises.\n\t\tThe right to evict a tenant whose right of possession has been terminated in any nonresidential tenancy under this chapter may be effectuated by self-help eviction without further legal process so long as such eviction does not incite a breach of the peace. However, nothing in this section shall be construed to preclude termination of any nonresidential tenancy by the filing of an unlawful detainer action as provided by Article 13 (\u00a7 8.01-124 et seq.) of Chapter 3 of Title 8.01, entry of an order of possession, and eviction pursuant to \u00a7 55.1-1416.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":246187,"text":"If any tenant or lessee of nonresidential rental property who is in default in the payment of rent continues to be in default five days after receipt of written notice that requires possession of the premises or the payment of rent, such tenant or lessee forfeits his right to possession of the premises. In such case, the possession of the defendant may, at the option of the landlord or lessor, be deemed unlawful, and he may proceed to recover possession of the premises.\n\t\tThe right to evict a tenant whose right of possession has been terminated in any nonresidential tenancy under this chapter may be effectuated by self-help eviction without further legal process so long as such eviction does not incite a breach of the peace. However, nothing in this section shall be construed to preclude termination of any nonresidential tenancy by the filing of an unlawful detainer action as provided by Article 13 (\u00a7 8.01-124 et seq.) of Chapter 3 of Title 8.01, entry of an order of possession, and eviction pursuant to \u00a7 55.1-1416.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":16021,"edition_id":1,"name":"Landlord Remedies","identifier":"4","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":14155,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 04:04:06","date_modified":"2026-06-26 04:04:06","permalink":{"id":246319,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":16021,"identifier":"4","token":"55.1\/III\/14\/4","url":"\/55.1\/III\/14\/4\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":14155,"edition_id":1,"name":"Nonresidential Tenancies","identifier":"14","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13073,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:47:04","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:47:04","permalink":{"id":246271,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14155,"identifier":"14","token":"55.1\/III\/14","url":"\/55.1\/III\/14\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13073,"edition_id":1,"name":"Rental Conveyances","identifier":"III","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12707,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:14","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:14","permalink":{"id":245883,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13073,"identifier":"III","token":"55.1\/III","url":"\/55.1\/III\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12707,"edition_id":1,"name":"Property and Conveyances","identifier":"55.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","permalink":{"id":244769,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12707,"identifier":"55.1","token":"55.1","url":"\/55.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":66846,"structure_id":16021,"section_number":"55.1-1413","catch_line":"Effect of failure of tenant in nonresidential rental property to vacate premises at expiration of term","url":"\/55.1-1413\/","token":"55.1\/III\/14\/4\/55.1-1413","metadata":false},{"id":62743,"structure_id":16021,"section_number":"55.1-1414","catch_line":"Abandonment of nonresidential rental property","url":"\/55.1-1414\/","token":"55.1\/III\/14\/4\/55.1-1414","metadata":false},{"id":67992,"structure_id":16021,"section_number":"55.1-1415","catch_line":"Failure to pay certain rents after five days' notice forfeits right of possession","url":"\/55.1-1415\/","token":"55.1\/III\/14\/4\/55.1-1415","metadata":false},{"id":87436,"structure_id":16021,"section_number":"55.1-1416","catch_line":"Authority of sheriffs to store and sell personal property removed from nonresidential premises; recovery of possession by owner; disposition or sale","url":"\/55.1-1416\/","token":"55.1\/III\/14\/4\/55.1-1416","metadata":false},{"id":69251,"structure_id":16021,"section_number":"55.1-1417","catch_line":"Who may recover rent or possession","url":"\/55.1-1417\/","token":"55.1\/III\/14\/4\/55.1-1417","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":62743,"structure_id":16021,"section_number":"55.1-1414","catch_line":"Abandonment of nonresidential rental property","url":"\/55.1-1414\/","token":"55.1\/III\/14\/4\/55.1-1414","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":87436,"structure_id":16021,"section_number":"55.1-1416","catch_line":"Authority of sheriffs to store and sell personal property removed from nonresidential premises; recovery of possession by owner; disposition or sale","url":"\/55.1-1416\/","token":"55.1\/III\/14\/4\/55.1-1416","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/55.1-1415\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\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 2008, chapter 489<\/a>; in 2018, chapter 221<\/a>; in 2019, chapter 712<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":84650,"section_number":"16.1-88","catch_line":"Procedure when plaintiff sues on sworn claim","order_by":null,"url":"\/16.1-88\/"},{"id":58862,"section_number":"55.1-1247","catch_line":"Sheriffs authorized to serve certain notices; fee for service","order_by":null,"url":"\/55.1-1247\/"},{"id":86328,"section_number":"55.1-1251","catch_line":"Remedy after termination","order_by":null,"url":"\/55.1-1251\/"},{"id":69072,"section_number":"8.01-27.2","catch_line":"Civil recovery for giving bad check","order_by":null,"url":"\/8.01-27.2\/"},{"id":76858,"section_number":"8.01-28","catch_line":"When judgment to be given in action upon contract or note unless defendant appears and denies claim under oath","order_by":null,"url":"\/8.01-28\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":87436,"section_number":"55.1-1416","catch_line":"Authority of sheriffs to store and sell personal property removed from nonresidential premises; recovery of possession by owner; disposition or sale","order_by":null,"url":"\/55.1-1416\/"},{"id":80335,"section_number":"8.01-124","catch_line":"Motion for judgment in circuit court for unlawful entry or detainer","order_by":null,"url":"\/8.01-124\/"}],"permalink":{"id":246329,"object_type":"law","relational_id":67992,"identifier":"55.1-1415","token":"55.1\/III\/14\/4\/55.1-1415","url":"\/55.1-1415\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/55.1-1415\/","token":"55.1\/III\/14\/4\/55.1-1415","dublin_core":{"Title":"Failure to pay certain rents after five days’ notice forfeits right of possession","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 55.1-1415","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

If any tenant or lessee of nonresidential rental property who is in default<\/span> in the payment of rent continues to be in default<\/span> five days after receipt of written notice that requires possession<\/span> of the premises or the payment of rent, such tenant or lessee forfeits his right to possession<\/span> of the premises. In such case, the possession<\/span> of the defendant<\/span> may, at the option of the landlord or lessor, be deemed unlawful, and he may proceed to recover possession<\/span> of the premises.\n\t\tThe right to evict a tenant whose right of possession<\/span> has been terminated in any nonresidential tenancy under this chapter may be effectuated by self-help eviction without further legal process so long as such eviction does not incite a breach of the peace. However, nothing in this section shall be construed to preclude termination of any nonresidential tenancy by the filing of an unlawful detainer action<\/span> as provided by Article 13 (\u00a7 8.01-124<\/a> et seq.) of Chapter 3 of Title 8.01, entry of an order<\/span> of possession<\/span>, and eviction pursuant to \u00a7 55.1-1416<\/a>.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nFAILURE TO PAY CERTAIN RENTS AFTER FIVE DAYS’ NOTICE FORFEITS RIGHT OF\nPOSSESSION (\u00a7 55.1-1415)\n\nIf any tenant or lessee of nonresidential rental property who is in default in\nthe payment of rent continues to be in default five days after receipt of\nwritten notice that requires possession of the premises or the payment of rent,\nsuch tenant or lessee forfeits his right to possession of the premises. In such\ncase, the possession of the defendant may, at the option of the landlord or\nlessor, be deemed unlawful, and he may proceed to recover possession of the\npremises.\n\t\tThe right to evict a tenant whose right of possession has been terminated in\nany nonresidential tenancy under this chapter may be effectuated by self-help\neviction without further legal process so long as such eviction does not incite\na breach of the peace. However, nothing in this section shall be construed to\npreclude termination of any nonresidential tenancy by the filing of an unlawful\ndetainer action as provided by Article 13 (\u00a7 8.01-124 et seq.) of Chapter 3 of\nTitle 8.01, entry of an order of possession, and eviction pursuant to \u00a7\n55.1-1416.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1919, \u00a7 5448; Code 1950, \u00a7 55-225; 2008, c. 489; 2018, c. 221;\n2019, c. 712.","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}}