{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/59.1-21.9.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/59.1-21.9.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/59.1-21.9.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/59.1-21.9.html"}],"law_id":77398,"edition_id":1,"section_id":77398,"structure_id":14858,"section_number":"59.1-21.9","catch_line":"Findings of General Assembly","history":"1973, c. 423; 1990, c. 907; 2014, c. 222.","full_text":"The General Assembly finds and declares that since the distribution and sales through franchise arrangements of petroleum products in the Commonwealth of Virginia vitally affect the economy of the Commonwealth, the public interest, welfare, and transportation, and since the preservation of the rights, responsibilities, and independence of the small businesses in the Commonwealth is essential to economic vitality, it is necessary to define the relationships and responsibilities of the parties to certain agreements pertaining thereto. Consistent with these findings and declarations, the provisions of \u00a7 59.1-21.15:2, which do not relate to the termination or nonrenewal of petroleum franchises governed by federal law, advance the interests of the Commonwealth, and its citizens, by facilitating the purchase of retail service stations by their occupying lessee-franchisees, thereby insuring the motoring public greater access to service stations and petroleum products and furthering a more dynamic and full-service-oriented retail marketplace, while also considering the interests of the franchisor and, if applicable, the property owner, with regard to such service station premises.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":277663,"text":"The General Assembly finds and declares that since the distribution and sales through franchise arrangements of petroleum products in the Commonwealth of Virginia vitally affect the economy of the Commonwealth, the public interest, welfare, and transportation, and since the preservation of the rights, responsibilities, and independence of the small businesses in the Commonwealth is essential to economic vitality, it is necessary to define the relationships and responsibilities of the parties to certain agreements pertaining thereto. Consistent with these findings and declarations, the provisions of \u00a7 59.1-21.15:2, which do not relate to the termination or nonrenewal of petroleum franchises governed by federal law, advance the interests of the Commonwealth, and its citizens, by facilitating the purchase of retail service stations by their occupying lessee-franchisees, thereby insuring the motoring public greater access to service stations and petroleum products and furthering a more dynamic and full-service-oriented retail marketplace, while also considering the interests of the franchisor and, if applicable, the property owner, with regard to such service station premises.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":14858,"edition_id":1,"name":"Virginia Petroleum Products Franchise Act","identifier":"2.2","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12809,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:50:26","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:50:26","permalink":{"id":260155,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14858,"identifier":"2.2","token":"59.1\/2.2","url":"\/59.1\/2.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12809,"edition_id":1,"name":"Trade and Commerce","identifier":"59.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:54","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:54","permalink":{"id":259521,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12809,"identifier":"59.1","token":"59.1","url":"\/59.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":67296,"structure_id":14858,"section_number":"59.1-21.10","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/59.1-21.10\/","token":"59.1\/2.2\/59.1-21.10","metadata":false},{"id":68043,"structure_id":14858,"section_number":"59.1-21.11","catch_line":"Required provisions pertaining to agreements between refiners and dealers","url":"\/59.1-21.11\/","token":"59.1\/2.2\/59.1-21.11","metadata":false},{"id":61957,"structure_id":14858,"section_number":"59.1-21.11:1","catch_line":"Waiver of constitutional rights prohibited","url":"\/59.1-21.11_1\/","token":"59.1\/2.2\/59.1-21.11_1","metadata":false},{"id":63504,"structure_id":14858,"section_number":"59.1-21.11:2","catch_line":"Required provisions pertaining to agreements between jobber\/distributors and dealers","url":"\/59.1-21.11_2\/","token":"59.1\/2.2\/59.1-21.11_2","metadata":false},{"id":81543,"structure_id":14858,"section_number":"59.1-21.12","catch_line":"Civil action for violation of chapter","url":"\/59.1-21.12\/","token":"59.1\/2.2\/59.1-21.12","metadata":false},{"id":82373,"structure_id":14858,"section_number":"59.1-21.13","catch_line":"Obligation of refiner to repurchase upon termination, etc., of agreement","url":"\/59.1-21.13\/","token":"59.1\/2.2\/59.1-21.13","metadata":false},{"id":58062,"structure_id":14858,"section_number":"59.1-21.14","catch_line":"Producer or refiner not to terminate, etc., agreement without notice and reasonable cause; nonrenewal by franchisor","url":"\/59.1-21.14\/","token":"59.1\/2.2\/59.1-21.14","metadata":false},{"id":57069,"structure_id":14858,"section_number":"59.1-21.15","catch_line":"Disclosures to be made by refiner before conclusion of agreement","url":"\/59.1-21.15\/","token":"59.1\/2.2\/59.1-21.15","metadata":false},{"id":56778,"structure_id":14858,"section_number":"59.1-21.15:1","catch_line":"Continued rights of dealers upon sale or assignment of franchise agreement","url":"\/59.1-21.15_1\/","token":"59.1\/2.2\/59.1-21.15_1","metadata":false},{"id":75790,"structure_id":14858,"section_number":"59.1-21.15:2","catch_line":"Franchisor's obligation to offer leased marketing premises to occupying dealer","url":"\/59.1-21.15_2\/","token":"59.1\/2.2\/59.1-21.15_2","metadata":false},{"id":85434,"structure_id":14858,"section_number":"59.1-21.16","catch_line":"Authority of Attorney General under \u00a7 59.1-68.2 not limited","url":"\/59.1-21.16\/","token":"59.1\/2.2\/59.1-21.16","metadata":false},{"id":80011,"structure_id":14858,"section_number":"59.1-21.16:1","catch_line":"Expired","url":"\/59.1-21.16_1\/","token":"59.1\/2.2\/59.1-21.16_1","metadata":false},{"id":70716,"structure_id":14858,"section_number":"59.1-21.16:2","catch_line":"Operation of retail outlet by refiner; apportionment of fuels during periods of shortage; rules and regulations","url":"\/59.1-21.16_2\/","token":"59.1\/2.2\/59.1-21.16_2","metadata":false},{"id":80526,"structure_id":14858,"section_number":"59.1-21.17","catch_line":"Effective date of chapter","url":"\/59.1-21.17\/","token":"59.1\/2.2\/59.1-21.17","metadata":false},{"id":78630,"structure_id":14858,"section_number":"59.1-21.18","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/59.1-21.18\/","token":"59.1\/2.2\/59.1-21.18","metadata":false},{"id":79930,"structure_id":14858,"section_number":"59.1-21.18:1","catch_line":"Exclusions","url":"\/59.1-21.18_1\/","token":"59.1\/2.2\/59.1-21.18_1","metadata":false},{"id":83674,"structure_id":14858,"section_number":"59.1-21.8","catch_line":"Short title","url":"\/59.1-21.8\/","token":"59.1\/2.2\/59.1-21.8","metadata":false},{"id":77398,"structure_id":14858,"section_number":"59.1-21.9","catch_line":"Findings of General Assembly","url":"\/59.1-21.9\/","token":"59.1\/2.2\/59.1-21.9","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":83674,"structure_id":14858,"section_number":"59.1-21.8","catch_line":"Short title","url":"\/59.1-21.8\/","token":"59.1\/2.2\/59.1-21.8","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/59.1-21.9\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1973. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 423 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 1973 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 2 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 1990, chapter 907; in 2014, chapter 222<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":75790,"section_number":"59.1-21.15:2","catch_line":"Franchisor's obligation to offer leased marketing premises to occupying dealer","order_by":null,"url":"\/59.1-21.15_2\/"}],"permalink":{"id":260225,"object_type":"law","relational_id":77398,"identifier":"59.1-21.9","token":"59.1\/2.2\/59.1-21.9","url":"\/59.1-21.9\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/59.1-21.9\/","token":"59.1\/2.2\/59.1-21.9","dublin_core":{"Title":"Findings of General Assembly","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 59.1-21.9","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

The General Assembly finds and declares that since the distribution and sales through franchise<\/span> arrangements of petroleum products<\/span> in the Commonwealth of Virginia vitally affect the economy of the Commonwealth, the public interest, welfare, and transportation, and since the preservation of the rights, responsibilities, and independence of the small businesses in the Commonwealth is essential to economic vitality, it is necessary to define the relationships and responsibilities of the parties to certain agreements pertaining thereto. Consistent with these findings<\/span> and declarations, the provisions of \u00a7 59.1-21.15:2<\/a>, which do not relate to the termination or nonrenewal of petroleum franchises<\/span> governed by federal law<\/span>, advance the interests of the Commonwealth, and its citizens, by facilitating the purchase of retail<\/span> service stations by their occupying lessee-franchisees, thereby insuring the motoring public greater access to service stations and petroleum products<\/span> and furthering a more dynamic and full-service-oriented retail<\/span> marketplace, while also considering the interests of the franchisor<\/span> and, if applicable, the property owner, with regard to such service station premises.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nFINDINGS OF GENERAL ASSEMBLY (\u00a7 59.1-21.9)\n\nThe General Assembly finds and declares that since the distribution and sales\nthrough franchise arrangements of petroleum products in the Commonwealth of\nVirginia vitally affect the economy of the Commonwealth, the public interest,\nwelfare, and transportation, and since the preservation of the rights,\nresponsibilities, and independence of the small businesses in the Commonwealth\nis essential to economic vitality, it is necessary to define the relationships\nand responsibilities of the parties to certain agreements pertaining thereto.\nConsistent with these findings and declarations, the provisions of \u00a7\n59.1-21.15:2, which do not relate to the termination or nonrenewal of petroleum\nfranchises governed by federal law, advance the interests of the Commonwealth,\nand its citizens, by facilitating the purchase of retail service stations by\ntheir occupying lessee-franchisees, thereby insuring the motoring public greater\naccess to service stations and petroleum products and furthering a more dynamic\nand full-service-oriented retail marketplace, while also considering the\ninterests of the franchisor and, if applicable, the property owner, with regard\nto such service station premises.\n\nHISTORY: 1973, c. 423; 1990, c. 907; 2014, c. 222.","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}}