{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/8.7-403.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/8.7-403.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/8.7-403.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/8.7-403.html"}],"law_id":74675,"edition_id":1,"section_id":74675,"structure_id":16210,"section_number":"8.7-403","catch_line":"Obligation of bailee to deliver; excuse","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7\u00a7 61-11 to 61-15, 61-19, 61-22; 1964, c. 219; 2004, c. 200.","full_text":"1\n\nThe bailee must deliver the goods to a person entitled under the document who complies with subsections (2) and (3), unless and to the extent that the bailee establishes any of the following:a\n\ndelivery of the goods to a person whose receipt was rightful as against the claimant;b\n\ndamage to or delay, loss or destruction of the goods for which the bailee is not liable;c\n\nprevious sale or other disposition of the goods in lawful enforcement of a lien or on warehouseman’s lawful termination of storage;d\n\nthe exercise by a seller of his right to stop delivery pursuant to § 8.2-705 or by a lessor of his right to stop delivery pursuant to § 8.2A-526;e\n\na diversion, reconsignment or other disposition pursuant to § 8.7-303;f\n\nrelease, satisfaction or any other fact affording a personal defense against the claimant; org\n\nany other lawful excuse.2\n\nA person claiming goods covered by a document must satisfy the bailee’s lien where the bailee so requests or where the bailee is prohibited by law from delivering the goods until the charges are paid.3\n\nUnless the person claiming the goods is one against whom the document confers no right under § 8.7-503 (1), he must surrender possession or control, for cancellation or notation of partial deliveries, any outstanding negotiable document covering the goods, and the bailee must cancel the document or conspicuously note the partial delivery thereon or be liable to any person to whom the document is duly negotiated.4\n\n“Person entitled under the document” means holder, in the case of a negotiable document, or the person to whom delivery of the goods is to be made by the terms of, or pursuant to instructions in a record under, a nonnegotiable document.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":268417,"text":"The bailee must deliver the goods to a person entitled under the document who complies with subsections (2) and (3), unless and to the extent that the bailee establishes any of the following:","type":"section","prefixes":["1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"1","prefix_anchor":"1","level":1,"next_prefix":"1a"},"1":{"id":268418,"text":"delivery of the goods to a person whose receipt was rightful as against the claimant;","type":"section","prefixes":["1","a"],"prefix":"a","entire_prefix":"1a","prefix_anchor":"1a","level":2,"prior_prefix":"1","next_prefix":"1b"},"2":{"id":268419,"text":"damage to or delay, loss or destruction of the goods for which the bailee is not liable;","type":"section","prefixes":["1","b"],"prefix":"b","entire_prefix":"1b","prefix_anchor":"1b","level":2,"prior_prefix":"1a","next_prefix":"1c"},"3":{"id":268420,"text":"previous sale or other disposition of the goods in lawful enforcement of a lien or on warehouseman’s lawful termination of storage;","type":"section","prefixes":["1","c"],"prefix":"c","entire_prefix":"1c","prefix_anchor":"1c","level":2,"prior_prefix":"1b","next_prefix":"1d"},"4":{"id":268421,"text":"the exercise by a seller of his right to stop delivery pursuant to § 8.2-705 or by a lessor of his right to stop delivery pursuant to § 8.2A-526;","type":"section","prefixes":["1","d"],"prefix":"d","entire_prefix":"1d","prefix_anchor":"1d","level":2,"prior_prefix":"1c","next_prefix":"1e"},"5":{"id":268422,"text":"a diversion, reconsignment or other disposition pursuant to § 8.7-303;","type":"section","prefixes":["1","e"],"prefix":"e","entire_prefix":"1e","prefix_anchor":"1e","level":2,"prior_prefix":"1d","next_prefix":"1f"},"6":{"id":268423,"text":"release, satisfaction or any other fact affording a personal defense against the claimant; or","type":"section","prefixes":["1","f"],"prefix":"f","entire_prefix":"1f","prefix_anchor":"1f","level":2,"prior_prefix":"1e","next_prefix":"1g"},"7":{"id":268424,"text":"any other lawful excuse.","type":"section","prefixes":["1","g"],"prefix":"g","entire_prefix":"1g","prefix_anchor":"1g","level":2,"prior_prefix":"1f","next_prefix":"2"},"8":{"id":268425,"text":"A person claiming goods covered by a document must satisfy the bailee’s lien where the bailee so requests or where the bailee is prohibited by law from delivering the goods until the charges are paid.","type":"section","prefixes":["2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"2","prefix_anchor":"2","level":1,"prior_prefix":"1g","next_prefix":"3"},"9":{"id":268426,"text":"Unless the person claiming the goods is one against whom the document confers no right under § 8.7-503 (1), he must surrender possession or control, for cancellation or notation of partial deliveries, any outstanding negotiable document covering the goods, and the bailee must cancel the document or conspicuously note the partial delivery thereon or be liable to any person to whom the document is duly negotiated.","type":"section","prefixes":["3"],"prefix":"3","entire_prefix":"3","prefix_anchor":"3","level":1,"prior_prefix":"2","next_prefix":"4"},"10":{"id":268427,"text":"“Person entitled under the document” means holder, in the case of a negotiable document, or the person to whom delivery of the goods is to be made by the terms of, or pursuant to instructions in a record under, a nonnegotiable document.","type":"section","prefixes":["4"],"prefix":"4","entire_prefix":"4","prefix_anchor":"4","level":1,"prior_prefix":"3"}},"ancestry":[{"id":16210,"edition_id":1,"name":"Warehouse Receipts and Bills of Lading: General Obligations","identifier":"4","label":"part","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13810,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 04:09:19","date_modified":"2026-06-26 04:09:19","permalink":{"id":283541,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":16210,"identifier":"4","token":"8.7\/4","url":"\/8.7\/4\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13810,"edition_id":1,"name":"Commercial Code \u2014 Warehouse Receipts, Bills of Lading and Other Documents of Title","identifier":"8.7","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:45:56","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:45:56","permalink":{"id":283429,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13810,"identifier":"8.7","token":"8.7","url":"\/8.7\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":83055,"structure_id":16210,"section_number":"8.7-401","catch_line":"Irregularities in issue of receipt or bill or conduct of issuer","url":"\/8.7-401\/","token":"8.7\/4\/8.7-401","metadata":false},{"id":64918,"structure_id":16210,"section_number":"8.7-402","catch_line":"Duplicate receipt or bill; overissue","url":"\/8.7-402\/","token":"8.7\/4\/8.7-402","metadata":false},{"id":74675,"structure_id":16210,"section_number":"8.7-403","catch_line":"Obligation of bailee to deliver; excuse","url":"\/8.7-403\/","token":"8.7\/4\/8.7-403","metadata":false},{"id":78873,"structure_id":16210,"section_number":"8.7-404","catch_line":"No liability for good faith delivery pursuant to receipt or bill","url":"\/8.7-404\/","token":"8.7\/4\/8.7-404","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":64918,"structure_id":16210,"section_number":"8.7-402","catch_line":"Duplicate receipt or bill; overissue","url":"\/8.7-402\/","token":"8.7\/4\/8.7-402","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":78873,"structure_id":16210,"section_number":"8.7-404","catch_line":"No liability for good faith delivery pursuant to receipt or bill","url":"\/8.7-404\/","token":"8.7\/4\/8.7-404","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/8.7-403\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\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 1964, chapter 219; in 2004, chapter 200<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":67942,"section_number":"8.7-102","catch_line":"Definitions and index of definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/8.7-102\/"},{"id":80787,"section_number":"8.7-202","catch_line":"Form of warehouse receipt; essential terms; optional terms","order_by":null,"url":"\/8.7-202\/"},{"id":54815,"section_number":"8.7-209","catch_line":"Lien of warehouseman","order_by":null,"url":"\/8.7-209\/"},{"id":61107,"section_number":"8.7-503","catch_line":"Document to goods defeated in certain cases","order_by":null,"url":"\/8.7-503\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":87075,"section_number":"8.2-705","catch_line":"Seller's stoppage of delivery in transit or otherwise","order_by":null,"url":"\/8.2-705\/"},{"id":83435,"section_number":"8.2A-526","catch_line":"Lessor's stoppage of delivery in transit or otherwise","order_by":null,"url":"\/8.2A-526\/"},{"id":73478,"section_number":"8.7-303","catch_line":"Diversion; reconsignment; change of instructions","order_by":null,"url":"\/8.7-303\/"},{"id":61107,"section_number":"8.7-503","catch_line":"Document to goods defeated in certain cases","order_by":null,"url":"\/8.7-503\/"}],"permalink":{"id":283551,"object_type":"law","relational_id":74675,"identifier":"8.7-403","token":"8.7\/4\/8.7-403","url":"\/8.7-403\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/8.7-403\/","token":"8.7\/4\/8.7-403","dublin_core":{"Title":"Obligation of bailee to deliver; excuse","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 8.7-403","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> The bailee must deliver the goods to a person entitled under the document<\/span> who complies with subsections (2) and (3), unless and to the extent that the bailee establishes any of the following: <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

a.<\/span> delivery of the goods to a person whose receipt was rightful as against the claimant; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

b.<\/span> damage to or delay, loss or destruction of the goods for which the bailee is not liable; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

c.<\/span> previous sale or other disposition<\/span> of the goods in lawful enforcement of a lien<\/span> or on warehouseman’s lawful termination of storage; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

d.<\/span> the exercise by a seller of his right to stop delivery pursuant to § 8.2-705<\/a> or by a lessor of his right to stop delivery pursuant to § 8.2A-526<\/a>; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

e.<\/span> a diversion<\/span>, reconsignment or other disposition<\/span> pursuant to § 8.7-303<\/a>; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

f.<\/span> release, satisfaction or any other fact<\/span> affording a personal defense against the claimant; or <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

g.<\/span> any other lawful excuse. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> A person claiming goods covered by a document must satisfy the bailee’s lien<\/span> where the bailee so requests or where the bailee is prohibited by law<\/span> from delivering the goods until the charges are paid. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

3.<\/span> Unless the person claiming the goods is one against whom the document confers no right under § 8.7-503<\/a> (1), he must surrender possession<\/span> or control, for cancellation or notation of partial deliveries, any outstanding negotiable document covering the goods, and the bailee must cancel the document or conspicuously note the partial delivery thereon or be liable to any person to whom the document is duly negotiated. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

4.<\/span> “Person entitled under the document<\/span>” means holder, in the case of a negotiable document, or the person to whom delivery of the goods is to be made by the terms of, or pursuant to instructions in a record under, a nonnegotiable document. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nOBLIGATION OF BAILEE TO DELIVER; EXCUSE (\u00a7 8.7-403)\n\n1. The bailee must deliver the goods to a person entitled under the document who\ncomplies with subsections (2) and (3), unless and to the extent that the bailee\nestablishes any of the following:\n\n a. delivery of the goods to a person whose receipt was rightful as against the\n claimant;\n\n b. damage to or delay, loss or destruction of the goods for which the bailee\n is not liable;\n\n c. previous sale or other disposition of the goods in lawful enforcement of a\n lien or on warehouseman’s lawful termination of storage;\n\n d. the exercise by a seller of his right to stop delivery pursuant to §\n 8.2-705 or by a lessor of his right to stop delivery pursuant to §\n 8.2A-526;\n\n e. a diversion, reconsignment or other disposition pursuant to § 8.7-303;\n\n f. release, satisfaction or any other fact affording a personal defense\n against the claimant; or\n\n g. any other lawful excuse.\n\n2. A person claiming goods covered by a document must satisfy the bailee’s\nlien where the bailee so requests or where the bailee is prohibited by law from\ndelivering the goods until the charges are paid.\n\n3. Unless the person claiming the goods is one against whom the document confers\nno right under § 8.7-503 (1), he must surrender possession or control, for\ncancellation or notation of partial deliveries, any outstanding negotiable\ndocument covering the goods, and the bailee must cancel the document or\nconspicuously note the partial delivery thereon or be liable to any person to\nwhom the document is duly negotiated.\n\n4. “Person entitled under the document” means holder, in the case of\na negotiable document, or the person to whom delivery of the goods is to be made\nby the terms of, or pursuant to instructions in a record under, a nonnegotiable\ndocument.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7\u00a7 61-11 to 61-15, 61-19, 61-22; 1964, c. 219; 2004, c.\n200.","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}}