{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/8.9A-108.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/8.9A-108.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/8.9A-108.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/8.9A-108.html"}],"law_id":82128,"edition_id":1,"section_id":82128,"structure_id":15319,"section_number":"8.9A-108","catch_line":"Sufficiency of description","history":"1964, c. 219, \u00a7 8.9-110; 1996, c. 216, \u00a7 8.9-115; 2000, c. 1007.","full_text":"a\n\nSufficiency of description. Except as otherwise provided in subsections (c), (d), and (e), a description of personal or real property is sufficient, whether or not it is specific, if it reasonably identifies what is described.b\n\nExamples of reasonable identification. Except as otherwise provided in subsection (d), a description of collateral reasonably identifies the collateral if it identifies the collateral by:1\n\nspecific listing;2\n\ncategory;3\n\nexcept as otherwise provided in subsection (e), a type of collateral defined in the Uniform Commercial Code;4\n\nquantity;5\n\ncomputational or allocational formula or procedure; or6\n\nexcept as otherwise provided in subsection (c), any other method, if the identity of the collateral is objectively determinable.c\n\nSupergeneric description not sufficient. A description of collateral as “all the debtor’s assets” or “all the debtor’s personal property” or using words of similar import does not reasonably identify the collateral.d\n\nInvestment property. Except as otherwise provided in subsection (e), a description of a security entitlement, securities account, or commodity account is sufficient if it describes:1\n\nthe collateral by those terms or as investment property; or2\n\nthe underlying financial asset or commodity contract.e\n\nWhen description by type insufficient. A description only by type of collateral defined in the Uniform Commercial Code is an insufficient description of:1\n\na commercial tort claim; or2\n\nin a consumer transaction, consumer goods, a security entitlement, a securities account, or a commodity account.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":294328,"text":"Sufficiency of description. Except as otherwise provided in subsections (c), (d), and (e), a description of personal or real property is sufficient, whether or not it is specific, if it reasonably identifies what is described.","type":"section","prefixes":["a"],"prefix":"a","entire_prefix":"a","prefix_anchor":"a","level":1,"next_prefix":"b"},"1":{"id":294329,"text":"Examples of reasonable identification. Except as otherwise provided in subsection (d), a description of collateral reasonably identifies the collateral if it identifies the collateral by:","type":"section","prefixes":["b"],"prefix":"b","entire_prefix":"b","prefix_anchor":"b","level":1,"prior_prefix":"a","next_prefix":"b1"},"2":{"id":294330,"text":"specific listing;","type":"section","prefixes":["b","1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"b1","prefix_anchor":"b1","level":2,"prior_prefix":"b","next_prefix":"b2"},"3":{"id":294331,"text":"category;","type":"section","prefixes":["b","2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"b2","prefix_anchor":"b2","level":2,"prior_prefix":"b1","next_prefix":"b3"},"4":{"id":294332,"text":"except as otherwise provided in subsection (e), a type of collateral defined in the Uniform Commercial Code;","type":"section","prefixes":["b","3"],"prefix":"3","entire_prefix":"b3","prefix_anchor":"b3","level":2,"prior_prefix":"b2","next_prefix":"b4"},"5":{"id":294333,"text":"quantity;","type":"section","prefixes":["b","4"],"prefix":"4","entire_prefix":"b4","prefix_anchor":"b4","level":2,"prior_prefix":"b3","next_prefix":"b5"},"6":{"id":294334,"text":"computational or allocational formula or procedure; or","type":"section","prefixes":["b","5"],"prefix":"5","entire_prefix":"b5","prefix_anchor":"b5","level":2,"prior_prefix":"b4","next_prefix":"b6"},"7":{"id":294335,"text":"except as otherwise provided in subsection (c), any other method, if the identity of the collateral is objectively determinable.","type":"section","prefixes":["b","6"],"prefix":"6","entire_prefix":"b6","prefix_anchor":"b6","level":2,"prior_prefix":"b5","next_prefix":"c"},"8":{"id":294336,"text":"Supergeneric description not sufficient. A description of collateral as “all the debtor’s assets” or “all the debtor’s personal property” or using words of similar import does not reasonably identify the collateral.","type":"section","prefixes":["c"],"prefix":"c","entire_prefix":"c","prefix_anchor":"c","level":1,"prior_prefix":"b6","next_prefix":"d"},"9":{"id":294337,"text":"Investment property. Except as otherwise provided in subsection (e), a description of a security entitlement, securities account, or commodity account is sufficient if it describes:","type":"section","prefixes":["d"],"prefix":"d","entire_prefix":"d","prefix_anchor":"d","level":1,"prior_prefix":"c","next_prefix":"d1"},"10":{"id":294338,"text":"the collateral by those terms or as investment property; or","type":"section","prefixes":["d","1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"d1","prefix_anchor":"d1","level":2,"prior_prefix":"d","next_prefix":"d2"},"11":{"id":294339,"text":"the underlying financial asset or commodity contract.","type":"section","prefixes":["d","2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"d2","prefix_anchor":"d2","level":2,"prior_prefix":"d1","next_prefix":"e"},"12":{"id":294340,"text":"When description by type insufficient. A description only by type of collateral defined in the Uniform Commercial Code is an insufficient description of:","type":"section","prefixes":["e"],"prefix":"e","entire_prefix":"e","prefix_anchor":"e","level":1,"prior_prefix":"d2","next_prefix":"e1"},"13":{"id":294341,"text":"a commercial tort claim; or","type":"section","prefixes":["e","1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"e1","prefix_anchor":"e1","level":2,"prior_prefix":"e","next_prefix":"e2"},"14":{"id":294342,"text":"in a consumer transaction, consumer goods, a security entitlement, a securities account, or a commodity account.","type":"section","prefixes":["e","2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"e2","prefix_anchor":"e2","level":2,"prior_prefix":"e1"}},"ancestry":[{"id":15319,"edition_id":1,"name":"Short Title, Definitions and General Concepts","identifier":"1","label":"subpart","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":15318,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:53:55","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:53:55","permalink":{"id":283837,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15319,"identifier":"1","token":"8.9A\/1\/1","url":"\/8.9A\/1\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":15318,"edition_id":1,"name":"General Provisions","identifier":"1","label":"part","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13277,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:53:55","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:53:55","permalink":{"id":283835,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15318,"identifier":"1","token":"8.9A\/1","url":"\/8.9A\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13277,"edition_id":1,"name":"Commercial Code \u2014 Secured Transactions","identifier":"8.9A","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:33","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:33","permalink":{"id":283833,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13277,"identifier":"8.9A","token":"8.9A","url":"\/8.9A\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":58325,"structure_id":15319,"section_number":"8.9A-101","catch_line":"Short title","url":"\/8.9A-101\/","token":"8.9A\/1\/1\/8.9A-101","metadata":false},{"id":58431,"structure_id":15319,"section_number":"8.9A-102","catch_line":"Definitions and index of definitions","url":"\/8.9A-102\/","token":"8.9A\/1\/1\/8.9A-102","metadata":false},{"id":74460,"structure_id":15319,"section_number":"8.9A-103","catch_line":"Purchase-money security interest; application of payments; burden of establishing","url":"\/8.9A-103\/","token":"8.9A\/1\/1\/8.9A-103","metadata":false},{"id":62491,"structure_id":15319,"section_number":"8.9A-104","catch_line":"Control of deposit account","url":"\/8.9A-104\/","token":"8.9A\/1\/1\/8.9A-104","metadata":false},{"id":84613,"structure_id":15319,"section_number":"8.9A-105","catch_line":"Control of electronic copy of record evidencing chattel paper","url":"\/8.9A-105\/","token":"8.9A\/1\/1\/8.9A-105","metadata":false},{"id":59549,"structure_id":15319,"section_number":"8.9A-105.1","catch_line":"Control of electronic money","url":"\/8.9A-105.1\/","token":"8.9A\/1\/1\/8.9A-105.1","metadata":false},{"id":81668,"structure_id":15319,"section_number":"8.9A-106","catch_line":"Control of investment property","url":"\/8.9A-106\/","token":"8.9A\/1\/1\/8.9A-106","metadata":false},{"id":58690,"structure_id":15319,"section_number":"8.9A-107","catch_line":"Control of letter-of-credit right","url":"\/8.9A-107\/","token":"8.9A\/1\/1\/8.9A-107","metadata":false},{"id":76599,"structure_id":15319,"section_number":"8.9A-107.1","catch_line":"Control of controllable electronic record, controllable account, or controllable payment intangible","url":"\/8.9A-107.1\/","token":"8.9A\/1\/1\/8.9A-107.1","metadata":false},{"id":77801,"structure_id":15319,"section_number":"8.9A-107.2","catch_line":"No requirement to acknowledge or confirm; no duties","url":"\/8.9A-107.2\/","token":"8.9A\/1\/1\/8.9A-107.2","metadata":false},{"id":82128,"structure_id":15319,"section_number":"8.9A-108","catch_line":"Sufficiency of description","url":"\/8.9A-108\/","token":"8.9A\/1\/1\/8.9A-108","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":77801,"structure_id":15319,"section_number":"8.9A-107.2","catch_line":"No requirement to acknowledge or confirm; no duties","url":"\/8.9A-107.2\/","token":"8.9A\/1\/1\/8.9A-107.2","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/8.9A-108\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1964. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 219 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 1964 \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 1996, chapter 216<\/a>; in 2000, chapter 1007<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":54883,"section_number":"8.9A-504","catch_line":"Indication of collateral","order_by":null,"url":"\/8.9A-504\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":283879,"object_type":"law","relational_id":82128,"identifier":"8.9A-108","token":"8.9A\/1\/1\/8.9A-108","url":"\/8.9A-108\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/8.9A-108\/","token":"8.9A\/1\/1\/8.9A-108","dublin_core":{"Title":"Sufficiency of description","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 8.9A-108","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

a.<\/span> Sufficiency of description. Except as otherwise provided in subsections (c), (d), and (e), a description of personal or real property is sufficient, whether or not it is specific, if it reasonably identifies what is described. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

b.<\/span> Examples of reasonable identification. Except as otherwise provided in subsection (d), a description of collateral<\/span> reasonably identifies the collateral<\/span> if it identifies the collateral<\/span> by: <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> specific listing; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> category; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

3.<\/span> except as otherwise provided in subsection (e), a type of collateral<\/span> defined in the Uniform Commercial Code; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

4.<\/span> quantity; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

5.<\/span> computational or allocational formula or procedure; or <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

6.<\/span> except as otherwise provided in subsection (c), any other method, if the identity of the collateral<\/span> is objectively determinable. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

c.<\/span> Supergeneric description not sufficient. A description of collateral<\/span> as “all the debtor’s assets<\/span>” or “all the debtor’s personal property” or using words of similar import does not reasonably identify the collateral<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

d.<\/span> Investment property. Except as otherwise provided in subsection (e), a description of a security entitlement, securities account, or commodity account is sufficient if it describes: <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> the collateral<\/span> by those terms or as investment property; or <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> the underlying financial asset or commodity contract<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

e.<\/span> When description by type insufficient. A description only by type of collateral<\/span> defined in the Uniform Commercial Code is an insufficient description of: <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> a commercial tort<\/span> claim; or <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> in a consumer transaction, consumer goods, a security entitlement, a securities account, or a commodity account. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nSUFFICIENCY OF DESCRIPTION (\u00a7 8.9A-108)\n\na. Sufficiency of description. Except as otherwise provided in subsections (c),\n(d), and (e), a description of personal or real property is sufficient, whether\nor not it is specific, if it reasonably identifies what is described.\n\nb. Examples of reasonable identification. Except as otherwise provided in\nsubsection (d), a description of collateral reasonably identifies the collateral\nif it identifies the collateral by:\n\n 1. specific listing;\n\n 2. category;\n\n 3. except as otherwise provided in subsection (e), a type of collateral\n defined in the Uniform Commercial Code;\n\n 4. quantity;\n\n 5. computational or allocational formula or procedure; or\n\n 6. except as otherwise provided in subsection (c), any other method, if the\n identity of the collateral is objectively determinable.\n\nc. Supergeneric description not sufficient. A description of collateral as\n“all the debtor’s assets” or “all the debtor’s\npersonal property” or using words of similar import does not reasonably\nidentify the collateral.\n\nd. Investment property. Except as otherwise provided in subsection (e), a\ndescription of a security entitlement, securities account, or commodity account\nis sufficient if it describes:\n\n 1. the collateral by those terms or as investment property; or\n\n 2. the underlying financial asset or commodity contract.\n\ne. When description by type insufficient. A description only by type of\ncollateral defined in the Uniform Commercial Code is an insufficient description\nof:\n\n 1. a commercial tort claim; or\n\n 2. in a consumer transaction, consumer goods, a security entitlement, a\n securities account, or a commodity account.\n\nHISTORY: 1964, c. 219, \u00a7 8.9-110; 1996, c. 216, \u00a7 8.9-115; 2000, c. 1007.","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}}