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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>74751</law_id><section_number>19.2-386.8</section_number><catch_line>Exemptions</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>19.2-386.10</reference><reference>19.2-386.26</reference><reference>19.2-386.3</reference><reference>19.2-386.5</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="19.2">Criminal Procedure</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="22.1">Enforcement of Forfeitures</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>The following exemptions shall apply to property otherwise subject to forfeiture:</p></section>
						<section id="1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> No conveyance used by any person as a lawfully certified common carrier in the transaction of business as a common carrier may be forfeited under the provisions of this section unless the owner of the conveyance was a consenting <span class="dictionary">party</span> or privy to the conduct giving rise to forfeiture or knew or had reason to know of it. <a id="paragraph-268644" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/19.2-386.8/#1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="2"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> No conveyance may be forfeited under the provisions of this section for any conduct committed by a person other than the owner while the conveyance was unlawfully in the <span class="dictionary">possession</span> of a person other than the owner in violation of the criminal <span class="dictionary">laws</span> of this Commonwealth, or any other state, the District of Columbia, the United States or any territory thereof. <a id="paragraph-268645" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/19.2-386.8/#2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="3"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> No owner&#x2019;s interest may be forfeited under this chapter if the <span class="dictionary">court</span> finds that:
			a. He did not know and had no reason to know of the conduct giving rise to forfeiture;
			b. He was a bona fide purchaser for value without notice;
			c. The conduct giving rise to forfeiture occurred without his connivance or consent, express or implied; or
			d. The conduct giving rise to forfeiture was committed by a tenant of a residential or commercial property owned by a landlord, and the landlord did not know or have reason to know of the tenant&#x2019;s conduct. <a id="paragraph-268646" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/19.2-386.8/#3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="4"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> No <span class="dictionary">lien</span> holder&#x2019;s interest may be forfeited under this chapter if the <span class="dictionary">court</span> finds that:
			a. The <span class="dictionary">lien</span> holder did not know of the conduct giving rise to forfeiture at the time the <span class="dictionary">lien</span> was granted;
			b. The <span class="dictionary">lien</span> holder held a bona fide <span class="dictionary">lien</span> on the property subject to forfeiture and had perfected the same in the manner prescribed by <span class="dictionary">law</span> prior to seizure of the property; and
			c. The conduct giving rise to forfeiture occurred without his connivance or consent, express or implied.
			In the event the interest has been sold to a bona fide purchaser for value in <span class="dictionary">order</span> to avoid the provisions of this chapter, the Commonwealth shall have a right of action against the seller of the property for the proceeds of the sale. <a id="paragraph-268647" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/19.2-386.8/#4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1989, c. 690; 2005, c. 883.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
