{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/59.1-527.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/59.1-527.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/59.1-527.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/59.1-527.html"}],"law_id":68344,"edition_id":1,"section_id":68344,"structure_id":15610,"section_number":"59.1-527","catch_line":"Prohibitions","history":"2004, cc. 798, 817; 2020, Sp. Sess. I, c. 16.","full_text":"During any time of disaster, it shall be unlawful for any supplier to sell, lease, or license, or to offer to sell, lease, or license, any necessary goods and services at an unconscionable price within the area for which the state of emergency is declared. Actual sales at the increased price shall not be required for the increase to be considered unconscionable. In determining whether a price increase is unconscionable, the following shall be considered:\n\n1\n\nWhether the price charged by the supplier grossly exceeded the price charged by the supplier for the same or similar goods or services during the 10 days immediately prior to the time of disaster, provided that, with respect to any supplier who was offering a good or service at a reduced price immediately prior to the time of disaster, the price at which the supplier usually offers the good or service shall be used as the benchmark for these purposes;2\n\nWhether the price charged by the supplier grossly exceeded the price at which the same or similar goods or services were readily obtainable by purchasers in the trade area during the 10 days immediately prior to the time of disaster;3\n\nWhether the increase in the amount charged by the supplier was attributable solely to additional costs incurred by the supplier in connection with the sale of the goods or services, including additional costs imposed by the supplier’s source. Proof that the supplier incurred such additional costs during the time of disaster shall be prima facie evidence that the price increase by that supplier was not unconscionable; and4\n\nWhether the increase in the amount charged by the supplier was attributable solely to a regular seasonal or holiday adjustment in the price charged for the good or service. Proof that the supplier regularly increased the price for a particular good or service during portions of the period covered by the time of disaster would be prima facie evidence that the price increase was not unconscionable during those periods.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":247291,"text":"During any time of disaster, it shall be unlawful for any supplier to sell, lease, or license, or to offer to sell, lease, or license, any necessary goods and services at an unconscionable price within the area for which the state of emergency is declared. Actual sales at the increased price shall not be required for the increase to be considered unconscionable. In determining whether a price increase is unconscionable, the following shall be considered:","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"next_prefix":"1"},"1":{"id":247292,"text":"Whether the price charged by the supplier grossly exceeded the price charged by the supplier for the same or similar goods or services during the 10 days immediately prior to the time of disaster, provided that, with respect to any supplier who was offering a good or service at a reduced price immediately prior to the time of disaster, the price at which the supplier usually offers the good or service shall be used as the benchmark for these purposes;","type":"section","prefixes":["1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"1","prefix_anchor":"1","level":1,"prior_prefix":"","next_prefix":"2"},"2":{"id":247293,"text":"Whether the price charged by the supplier grossly exceeded the price at which the same or similar goods or services were readily obtainable by purchasers in the trade area during the 10 days immediately prior to the time of disaster;","type":"section","prefixes":["2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"2","prefix_anchor":"2","level":1,"prior_prefix":"1","next_prefix":"3"},"3":{"id":247294,"text":"Whether the increase in the amount charged by the supplier was attributable solely to additional costs incurred by the supplier in connection with the sale of the goods or services, including additional costs imposed by the supplier’s source. Proof that the supplier incurred such additional costs during the time of disaster shall be prima facie evidence that the price increase by that supplier was not unconscionable; and","type":"section","prefixes":["3"],"prefix":"3","entire_prefix":"3","prefix_anchor":"3","level":1,"prior_prefix":"2","next_prefix":"4"},"4":{"id":247295,"text":"Whether the increase in the amount charged by the supplier was attributable solely to a regular seasonal or holiday adjustment in the price charged for the good or service. Proof that the supplier regularly increased the price for a particular good or service during portions of the period covered by the time of disaster would be prima facie evidence that the price increase was not unconscionable during those periods.","type":"section","prefixes":["4"],"prefix":"4","entire_prefix":"4","prefix_anchor":"4","level":1,"prior_prefix":"3"}},"ancestry":[{"id":15610,"edition_id":1,"name":"Virginia Post-Disaster Anti-Price Gouging Act","identifier":"46","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12809,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:56:52","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:56:52","permalink":{"id":262483,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15610,"identifier":"46","token":"59.1\/46","url":"\/59.1\/46\/","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":59594,"structure_id":15610,"section_number":"59.1-525","catch_line":"Title","url":"\/59.1-525\/","token":"59.1\/46\/59.1-525","metadata":false},{"id":81557,"structure_id":15610,"section_number":"59.1-526","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/59.1-526\/","token":"59.1\/46\/59.1-526","metadata":false},{"id":68344,"structure_id":15610,"section_number":"59.1-527","catch_line":"Prohibitions","url":"\/59.1-527\/","token":"59.1\/46\/59.1-527","metadata":false},{"id":63512,"structure_id":15610,"section_number":"59.1-528","catch_line":"Complaint investigations","url":"\/59.1-528\/","token":"59.1\/46\/59.1-528","metadata":false},{"id":78447,"structure_id":15610,"section_number":"59.1-529","catch_line":"Enforcement; penalties","url":"\/59.1-529\/","token":"59.1\/46\/59.1-529","metadata":false},{"id":76020,"structure_id":15610,"section_number":"59.1-529.1","catch_line":"Emergency orders; penalties","url":"\/59.1-529.1\/","token":"59.1\/46\/59.1-529.1","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":81557,"structure_id":15610,"section_number":"59.1-526","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/59.1-526\/","token":"59.1\/46\/59.1-526","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":63512,"structure_id":15610,"section_number":"59.1-528","catch_line":"Complaint investigations","url":"\/59.1-528\/","token":"59.1\/46\/59.1-528","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/59.1-527\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2004. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapters 798<\/a> and 817<\/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":[{"id":63512,"section_number":"59.1-528","catch_line":"Complaint investigations","order_by":null,"url":"\/59.1-528\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":262493,"object_type":"law","relational_id":68344,"identifier":"59.1-527","token":"59.1\/46\/59.1-527","url":"\/59.1-527\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/59.1-527\/","token":"59.1\/46\/59.1-527","dublin_core":{"Title":"Prohibitions","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 59.1-527","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

During any time of disaster<\/span>, it shall be unlawful for any supplier<\/span> to sell, lease, or license, or to offer to sell, lease, or license, any necessary goods and services<\/span> at an unconscionable price within the area for which the state of emergency is declared. Actual sales at the increased price shall not be required for the increase to be considered unconscionable. In determining whether a price increase is unconscionable, the following shall be considered:<\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> Whether the price charged by the supplier<\/span> grossly exceeded the price charged by the supplier<\/span> for the same or similar goods or services during the 10 days immediately prior to the time of disaster<\/span>, provided that, with respect to any supplier<\/span> who was offering a good or service at a reduced price immediately prior to the time of disaster<\/span>, the price at which the supplier<\/span> usually offers the good or service shall be used as the benchmark for these purposes; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> Whether the price charged by the supplier<\/span> grossly exceeded the price at which the same or similar goods or services were readily obtainable by purchasers in the trade area during the 10 days immediately prior to the time of disaster<\/span>; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

3.<\/span> Whether the increase in the amount charged by the supplier<\/span> was attributable solely to additional costs incurred by the supplier<\/span> in connection with the sale of the goods or services, including additional costs imposed by the supplier<\/span>’s source. Proof that the supplier<\/span> incurred such additional costs during the time of disaster<\/span> shall be prima facie evidence<\/span> that the price increase by that supplier<\/span> was not unconscionable; and <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

4.<\/span> Whether the increase in the amount charged by the supplier<\/span> was attributable solely to a regular seasonal or holiday adjustment in the price charged for the good or service. Proof that the supplier<\/span> regularly increased the price for a particular good or service during portions of the period covered by the time of disaster<\/span> would be prima facie evidence<\/span> that the price increase was not unconscionable during those periods. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nPROHIBITIONS (\u00a7 59.1-527)\n\nDuring any time of disaster, it shall be unlawful for any supplier to sell,\nlease, or license, or to offer to sell, lease, or license, any necessary goods\nand services at an unconscionable price within the area for which the state of\nemergency is declared. Actual sales at the increased price shall not be required\nfor the increase to be considered unconscionable. In determining whether a price\nincrease is unconscionable, the following shall be considered:\n\n1. Whether the price charged by the supplier grossly exceeded the price charged\nby the supplier for the same or similar goods or services during the 10 days\nimmediately prior to the time of disaster, provided that, with respect to any\nsupplier who was offering a good or service at a reduced price immediately prior\nto the time of disaster, the price at which the supplier usually offers the good\nor service shall be used as the benchmark for these purposes;\n\n2. Whether the price charged by the supplier grossly exceeded the price at which\nthe same or similar goods or services were readily obtainable by purchasers in\nthe trade area during the 10 days immediately prior to the time of disaster;\n\n3. Whether the increase in the amount charged by the supplier was attributable\nsolely to additional costs incurred by the supplier in connection with the sale\nof the goods or services, including additional costs imposed by the\nsupplier’s source. Proof that the supplier incurred such additional costs\nduring the time of disaster shall be prima facie evidence that the price\nincrease by that supplier was not unconscionable; and\n\n4. Whether the increase in the amount charged by the supplier was attributable\nsolely to a regular seasonal or holiday adjustment in the price charged for the\ngood or service. Proof that the supplier regularly increased the price for a\nparticular good or service during portions of the period covered by the time of\ndisaster would be prima facie evidence that the price increase was not\nunconscionable during those periods.\n\nHISTORY: 2004, cc. 798, 817; 2020, Sp. Sess. I, c. 16.","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}}