{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/59.1-492.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/59.1-492.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/59.1-492.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/59.1-492.html"}],"law_id":54123,"edition_id":1,"section_id":54123,"structure_id":13070,"section_number":"59.1-492","catch_line":"Automated transactions","history":"2000, c. 995.","full_text":"In an automated transaction, the following rules apply:\n\n1\n\nA contract may be formed by the interaction of electronic agents of the parties, even if no individual was aware of or reviewed the electronic agents’ actions or the resulting terms and agreements.2\n\nA contract may be formed by the interaction of an electronic agent and an individual, acting on the individual’s own behalf or for another person, including by an interaction in which the individual performs actions that the individual is free to refuse to perform and which the individual knows or has reason to know will cause the electronic agent to complete the transaction or performance.3\n\nThe terms of the contract are determined by the substantive law applicable to the contract.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":198636,"text":"In an automated transaction, the following rules apply:","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"next_prefix":"1"},"1":{"id":198637,"text":"A contract may be formed by the interaction of electronic agents of the parties, even if no individual was aware of or reviewed the electronic agents’ actions or the resulting terms and agreements.","type":"section","prefixes":["1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"1","prefix_anchor":"1","level":1,"prior_prefix":"","next_prefix":"2"},"2":{"id":198638,"text":"A contract may be formed by the interaction of an electronic agent and an individual, acting on the individual’s own behalf or for another person, including by an interaction in which the individual performs actions that the individual is free to refuse to perform and which the individual knows or has reason to know will cause the electronic agent to complete the transaction or performance.","type":"section","prefixes":["2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"2","prefix_anchor":"2","level":1,"prior_prefix":"1","next_prefix":"3"},"3":{"id":198639,"text":"The terms of the contract are determined by the substantive law applicable to the contract.","type":"section","prefixes":["3"],"prefix":"3","entire_prefix":"3","prefix_anchor":"3","level":1,"prior_prefix":"2"}},"ancestry":[{"id":13070,"edition_id":1,"name":"Uniform Electronic Transactions Act","identifier":"42.1","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12809,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:14","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:14","permalink":{"id":261803,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13070,"identifier":"42.1","token":"59.1\/42.1","url":"\/59.1\/42.1\/","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":60668,"structure_id":13070,"section_number":"59.1-479","catch_line":"Title","url":"\/59.1-479\/","token":"59.1\/42.1\/59.1-479","metadata":false},{"id":69066,"structure_id":13070,"section_number":"59.1-480","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/59.1-480\/","token":"59.1\/42.1\/59.1-480","metadata":false},{"id":55598,"structure_id":13070,"section_number":"59.1-481","catch_line":"Scope","url":"\/59.1-481\/","token":"59.1\/42.1\/59.1-481","metadata":false},{"id":78087,"structure_id":13070,"section_number":"59.1-482","catch_line":"Prospective application","url":"\/59.1-482\/","token":"59.1\/42.1\/59.1-482","metadata":false},{"id":66518,"structure_id":13070,"section_number":"59.1-483","catch_line":"Use of electronic records and electronic signatures; variation by agreement","url":"\/59.1-483\/","token":"59.1\/42.1\/59.1-483","metadata":false},{"id":71849,"structure_id":13070,"section_number":"59.1-484","catch_line":"Construction and application","url":"\/59.1-484\/","token":"59.1\/42.1\/59.1-484","metadata":false},{"id":66728,"structure_id":13070,"section_number":"59.1-485","catch_line":"Legal recognition of electronic records, electronic signatures, and electronic contracts","url":"\/59.1-485\/","token":"59.1\/42.1\/59.1-485","metadata":false},{"id":64043,"structure_id":13070,"section_number":"59.1-486","catch_line":"Provision of information in writing; presentation of records","url":"\/59.1-486\/","token":"59.1\/42.1\/59.1-486","metadata":false},{"id":61402,"structure_id":13070,"section_number":"59.1-487","catch_line":"Attribution and effect of electronic record and electronic signature","url":"\/59.1-487\/","token":"59.1\/42.1\/59.1-487","metadata":false},{"id":79682,"structure_id":13070,"section_number":"59.1-488","catch_line":"Effect of change or error","url":"\/59.1-488\/","token":"59.1\/42.1\/59.1-488","metadata":false},{"id":62569,"structure_id":13070,"section_number":"59.1-489","catch_line":"Notarization and acknowledgment","url":"\/59.1-489\/","token":"59.1\/42.1\/59.1-489","metadata":false},{"id":71153,"structure_id":13070,"section_number":"59.1-490","catch_line":"Retention of electronic record","url":"\/59.1-490\/","token":"59.1\/42.1\/59.1-490","metadata":false},{"id":64820,"structure_id":13070,"section_number":"59.1-491","catch_line":"Admissibility of evidence","url":"\/59.1-491\/","token":"59.1\/42.1\/59.1-491","metadata":false},{"id":54123,"structure_id":13070,"section_number":"59.1-492","catch_line":"Automated transactions","url":"\/59.1-492\/","token":"59.1\/42.1\/59.1-492","metadata":false},{"id":67829,"structure_id":13070,"section_number":"59.1-493","catch_line":"Time and place of sending and receipt","url":"\/59.1-493\/","token":"59.1\/42.1\/59.1-493","metadata":false},{"id":71683,"structure_id":13070,"section_number":"59.1-494","catch_line":"Transferable records","url":"\/59.1-494\/","token":"59.1\/42.1\/59.1-494","metadata":false},{"id":64263,"structure_id":13070,"section_number":"59.1-495","catch_line":"Creation and retention of electronic records and conversion of written records by public bodies of the Commonwealth","url":"\/59.1-495\/","token":"59.1\/42.1\/59.1-495","metadata":false},{"id":81914,"structure_id":13070,"section_number":"59.1-496","catch_line":"Acceptance and distribution of electronic records by public bodies; electronic filing of information permitted","url":"\/59.1-496\/","token":"59.1\/42.1\/59.1-496","metadata":false},{"id":85254,"structure_id":13070,"section_number":"59.1-497","catch_line":"Interoperability","url":"\/59.1-497\/","token":"59.1\/42.1\/59.1-497","metadata":false},{"id":79229,"structure_id":13070,"section_number":"59.1-498","catch_line":"Reserved","url":"\/59.1-498\/","token":"59.1\/42.1\/59.1-498","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":64820,"structure_id":13070,"section_number":"59.1-491","catch_line":"Admissibility of evidence","url":"\/59.1-491\/","token":"59.1\/42.1\/59.1-491","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":67829,"structure_id":13070,"section_number":"59.1-493","catch_line":"Time and place of sending and receipt","url":"\/59.1-493\/","token":"59.1\/42.1\/59.1-493","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/59.1-492\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2000. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 995<\/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.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":261857,"object_type":"law","relational_id":54123,"identifier":"59.1-492","token":"59.1\/42.1\/59.1-492","url":"\/59.1-492\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/59.1-492\/","token":"59.1\/42.1\/59.1-492","dublin_core":{"Title":"Automated transactions","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 59.1-492","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

In an automated transaction<\/span>, the following rules apply:<\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> A contract<\/span> may be formed by the interaction of electronic agents<\/span> of the parties, even if no individual was aware of or reviewed the electronic agents<\/span>’ actions or the resulting terms and agreements<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> A contract<\/span> may be formed by the interaction of an electronic agent<\/span> and an individual, acting on the individual’s own behalf or for another person<\/span>, including by an interaction in which the individual performs actions that the individual is free to refuse to perform and which the individual knows or has reason to know will cause the electronic agent<\/span> to complete the transaction or performance. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

3.<\/span> The terms of the contract<\/span> are determined by the substantive law<\/span> applicable to the contract<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nAUTOMATED TRANSACTIONS (\u00a7 59.1-492)\n\nIn an automated transaction, the following rules apply:\n\n1. A contract may be formed by the interaction of electronic agents of the\nparties, even if no individual was aware of or reviewed the electronic\nagents’ actions or the resulting terms and agreements.\n\n2. A contract may be formed by the interaction of an electronic agent and an\nindividual, acting on the individual’s own behalf or for another person,\nincluding by an interaction in which the individual performs actions that the\nindividual is free to refuse to perform and which the individual knows or has\nreason to know will cause the electronic agent to complete the transaction or\nperformance.\n\n3. The terms of the contract are determined by the substantive law applicable to\nthe contract.\n\nHISTORY: 2000, c. 995.","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}}