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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>70896</law_id><section_number>13.1-651</section_number><catch_line>Shareholders&amp;#8217; preemptive rights</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>13.1-646</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="13.1">Corporations</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="9">Virginia Stock Corporation Act</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="7">Shares and Distributions</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Unless limited or denied in the <span class="dictionary">articles of incorporation</span> and subject to the limitations in subsection C, the <span class="dictionary">shareholders</span> of a <span class="dictionary">corporation</span> incorporated on or before December 31, 2005, have a preemptive right, granted on uniform terms and conditions prescribed by the board of directors to provide a fair and reasonable opportunity to exercise the right, to acquire proportional amounts of the <span class="dictionary">corporation</span>&#x2019;s unissued <span class="dictionary">shares</span> upon the decision of the board of directors to <span class="dictionary">issue</span> them. <a id="paragraph-255642" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-651/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Unless otherwise provided for in the <span class="dictionary">articles of incorporation</span>, the <span class="dictionary">shareholders</span> of a <span class="dictionary">corporation</span> incorporated after December 31, 2005, do not have a preemptive right to acquire the <span class="dictionary">corporation</span>&#x2019;s unissued <span class="dictionary">shares</span>. <a id="paragraph-255643" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-651/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> Except to the extent that the <span class="dictionary">articles of incorporation</span> expressly provide otherwise, when there are preemptive rights, the following apply: <a id="paragraph-255644" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-651/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> The <span class="dictionary">shareholders</span> of the <span class="dictionary">corporation</span> have a preemptive right, granted on uniform terms and conditions prescribed by the board of directors to provide a fair and reasonable opportunity to exercise the right, to acquire proportional amounts of the <span class="dictionary">corporation</span>&#x2019;s unissued <span class="dictionary">shares</span> upon the decision of the board of directors to <span class="dictionary">issue</span> them. <a id="paragraph-255645" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-651/#C1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> A <span class="dictionary">shareholder</span> may <span class="dictionary">waive</span> the <span class="dictionary">shareholder</span>&#x2019;s preemptive right. A <span class="dictionary">waiver</span> evidenced by a <span class="dictionary">writing</span> is irrevocable even though it is not supported by consideration. <a id="paragraph-255646" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-651/#C2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> There is no preemptive right with respect to:
				a. <span class="dictionary">Shares</span> issued as compensation to officers, employees, or agents of the <span class="dictionary">corporation</span>, its subsidiaries, or affiliates;
				b. <span class="dictionary">Shares</span> issued to satisfy conversion or option rights created to provide compensation to directors, officers, employees, or agents of the <span class="dictionary">corporation</span>, its subsidiaries, or affiliates;
				c. <span class="dictionary">Shares</span> that are issued within six months from the effective date of the certificate of incorporation; or
				d. <span class="dictionary">Shares</span> issued for consideration other than for cash. <a id="paragraph-255647" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-651/#C3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C4" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> Holders of <span class="dictionary">shares</span> of any class with preferential rights to <span class="dictionary">distributions</span> have no preemptive rights with respect to <span class="dictionary">shares</span> of any other class. <a id="paragraph-255648" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-651/#C4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C5" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">5.</span> Holders of <span class="dictionary">shares</span> of any class without preferential rights to <span class="dictionary">distributions</span> have no preemptive rights with respect to <span class="dictionary">shares</span> of any class with preferential rights to <span class="dictionary">distributions</span> unless the <span class="dictionary">shares</span> with preferential rights are convertible into, or carry a right to subscribe for or acquire, <span class="dictionary">shares</span> without preferential rights. <a id="paragraph-255649" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-651/#C5"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C6" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">6.</span> Holders of <span class="dictionary">shares</span> of any class without general voting rights and without preferential rights to <span class="dictionary">distributions</span> have no preemptive rights with respect to <span class="dictionary">shares</span> of any class with general voting rights but without preferential rights to <span class="dictionary">distributions</span>. <a id="paragraph-255650" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-651/#C6"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C7" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">7.</span> <span class="dictionary">Shares</span> subject to preemptive rights that are not acquired by <span class="dictionary">shareholders</span> may be issued to any <span class="dictionary">person</span> for a period of one year after being offered to <span class="dictionary">shareholders</span> at a consideration set by the board of directors that is not lower than the consideration set for the exercise of preemptive rights. An offer at a lower consideration or after the expiration of one year is subject to the <span class="dictionary">shareholders</span>&#x2019; preemptive rights. <a id="paragraph-255651" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-651/#C7"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> For purposes of this section, &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">shares</span>&#x201D; includes any warrants, rights, or options to acquire any <span class="dictionary">shares</span> or any security or other obligation of the <span class="dictionary">corporation</span> convertible into or carrying a right to subscribe for or acquire any such <span class="dictionary">shares</span> or warrants, rights, or options to acquire any such <span class="dictionary">shares</span>. <a id="paragraph-255652" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-651/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 13.1-23; 1956, c. 428; 1975, c. 500; 1985, c. 522; 2005, c. 765; 2019, c. 734.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
