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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>67712</law_id><section_number>13.1-771</section_number><catch_line>Inspection of records by shareholders</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>13.1-661</reference><reference>13.1-772</reference><reference>13.1-773</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="18">Records and Reports</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Subject to subsection D of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Scope of inspection right" href="/13.1-772/">13.1-772</a>, a <span class="dictionary">shareholder</span> is entitled to inspect and copy, during regular business hours at the <span class="dictionary">corporation</span>&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">principal office</span>, any of the records of the <span class="dictionary">corporation</span> described in subsection E of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Corporate records" href="/13.1-770/">13.1-770</a> if the <span class="dictionary">shareholder</span> <span class="dictionary">delivers</span> a signed <span class="dictionary">written</span> notice to the <span class="dictionary">corporation</span>&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">secretary</span> of the <span class="dictionary">shareholder</span>&#x2019;s demand at least 10 business days before the date on which the <span class="dictionary">shareholder</span> wishes to inspect and copy. <a id="paragraph-245272" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-771/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> For any meeting of <span class="dictionary">shareholders</span> for which the <span class="dictionary">record date</span> for determining <span class="dictionary">shareholders</span> entitled to vote at the meeting is different than the <span class="dictionary">record date</span> for notice of the meeting, any <span class="dictionary">person</span> who becomes a <span class="dictionary">shareholder</span> subsequent to the <span class="dictionary">record date</span> for notice of the meeting and is entitled to vote at the meeting is entitled to obtain from the <span class="dictionary">corporation</span> upon request the notice and any other information provided by the <span class="dictionary">corporation</span> to <span class="dictionary">shareholders</span> in connection with the meeting, unless the <span class="dictionary">corporation</span> has made such information generally available to <span class="dictionary">shareholders</span> by posting it on its website or by other generally recognized means. Failure of a <span class="dictionary">corporation</span> to provide such information does not affect the validity of action taken at the meeting. <a id="paragraph-245273" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-771/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> A <span class="dictionary">shareholder</span> is entitled to inspect and copy, during regular business hours at a reasonable location specified by the <span class="dictionary">corporation</span>, any of the following records of the <span class="dictionary">corporation</span> if the <span class="dictionary">shareholder</span> meets the requirements of subsection D and <span class="dictionary">delivers</span> a signed <span class="dictionary">written</span> notice to the <span class="dictionary">corporation</span>&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">secretary</span> of the <span class="dictionary">shareholder</span>&#x2019;s demand at least 10 business days before the date on which the <span class="dictionary">shareholder</span> wishes to inspect and copy: <a id="paragraph-245274" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-771/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> Excerpts from minutes of any meeting of, or records of any actions taken without a meeting by, the board of directors or a committee of the board of directors while acting in place of the board of directors on behalf of the <span class="dictionary">corporation</span>; <a id="paragraph-245275" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-771/#C1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> Accounting ledgers and related work papers used in the preparation of the <span class="dictionary">corporation</span>&#x2019;s most recent annual financial statements; and <a id="paragraph-245276" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-771/#C2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> The record of <span class="dictionary">shareholders</span> of record maintained in accordance with subsection C of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Corporate records" href="/13.1-770/">13.1-770</a>. <a id="paragraph-245277" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-771/#C3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> A <span class="dictionary">shareholder</span> may inspect and copy the records described in subsection C only if: <a id="paragraph-245278" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-771/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> The <span class="dictionary">shareholder</span> (i) has been a <span class="dictionary">shareholder</span> for at least six months immediately preceding <span class="dictionary">delivery</span> of the <span class="dictionary">shareholder</span>&#x2019;s demand or (ii) is the holder of record or beneficial owner of at least five percent of the outstanding <span class="dictionary">shares</span> entitled to vote generally in the election of directors; <a id="paragraph-245279" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-771/#D1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> The <span class="dictionary">shareholder</span>&#x2019;s demand is made in good faith and for a proper purpose; <a id="paragraph-245280" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-771/#D2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> The <span class="dictionary">shareholder</span>&#x2019;s demand describes with reasonable particularity the <span class="dictionary">shareholder</span>&#x2019;s purpose and the records the <span class="dictionary">shareholder</span> desires to inspect and copy; and <a id="paragraph-245281" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-771/#D3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D4" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> The records are directly connected with the <span class="dictionary">shareholder</span>&#x2019;s purpose. <a id="paragraph-245282" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-771/#D4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E"><p><span class="prefix-number">E.</span> The <span class="dictionary">corporation</span> may enforce reasonable restrictions on the confidentiality, use, or <span class="dictionary">distribution</span> of records described in subsection C. <a id="paragraph-245283" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-771/#E"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="F"><p><span class="prefix-number">F.</span> The right of inspection granted by this section may not be abolished or limited by a <span class="dictionary">corporation</span>&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">articles of incorporation</span> or bylaws. <a id="paragraph-245284" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-771/#F"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="G"><p><span class="prefix-number">G.</span> This section does not affect: <a id="paragraph-245285" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-771/#G"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="G1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> The right of a <span class="dictionary">shareholder</span> to inspect records under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Shareholders' list for meeting" href="/13.1-661/">13.1-661</a> or, if the <span class="dictionary">shareholder</span> is in <span class="dictionary">litigation</span> with the <span class="dictionary">corporation</span>, to the same extent as any other <span class="dictionary">litigant</span>; or <a id="paragraph-245286" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-771/#G1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="G2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> For any corporation that is not a <span class="dictionary">public corporation</span>, the power of a <span class="dictionary">court</span>, independently of this chapter, to compel the production of such records as the <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall <span class="dictionary">order</span> after <span class="dictionary">finding</span> that the <span class="dictionary">shareholder</span> has established that the <span class="dictionary">shareholder</span> has satisfied the requirements of subsection D and that (i) the records that the <span class="dictionary">shareholder</span> seeks are <span class="dictionary">material</span> to the protection of the <span class="dictionary">shareholder</span>&#x2019;s rights as a <span class="dictionary">shareholder</span> and (ii) the disclosure of the records will not adversely affect the corporation&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">interest</span>. <a id="paragraph-245287" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-771/#G2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="H"><p><span class="prefix-number">H.</span> For purposes of this section, other than subdivision C 3, &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">shareholder</span>&#x201D; includes a beneficial owner whose <span class="dictionary">shares</span> are held in a voting trust or by a nominee on the <span class="dictionary">shareholder</span>&#x2019;s behalf. <a id="paragraph-245288" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-771/#H"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 13.1-47; 1956, c. 428; 1975, c. 500; 1985, c. 522; 2005, c. 765; 2008, c. 91; 2010, c. 782; 2019, c. 734.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
