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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>64225</law_id><section_number>4.1-505</section_number><catch_line>Cancellation</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>4.1-504</reference><reference>4.1-506</reference><reference>4.1-508</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="4.1">Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Control</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="I">Alcoholic Beverage Control Act</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="5">Beer Franchise Act</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>Notwithstanding the terms, provisions or conditions of any <span class="dictionary">agreement</span>, no <span class="dictionary">brewery</span> shall unilaterally <span class="dictionary">amend</span>, cancel, terminate or refuse to continue to renew any <span class="dictionary">agreement</span>, or unilaterally cause a wholesaler to resign from an <span class="dictionary">agreement</span>, unless the <span class="dictionary">brewery</span> has first complied with &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Notice of intent to terminate" href="/4.1-506/">4.1-506</a> and good cause exists for amendment, termination, cancellation, nonrenewal, noncontinuation or causing a resignation. Good cause shall not include the <span class="dictionary">sale</span> or purchase of a <span class="dictionary">brewery</span>. Good cause shall include, but is not limited to, the following:</p></section>
						<section id="1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> <span class="dictionary">Revocation</span> of the wholesaler&#x2019;s license to do business in the Commonwealth; <a id="paragraph-233821" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/4.1-505/#1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="2"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> <span class="dictionary">Bankruptcy</span> or receivership of the wholesaler; <a id="paragraph-233822" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/4.1-505/#2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="3"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> Assignment for the benefit of <span class="dictionary">creditors</span> or similar <span class="dictionary">disposition</span> of the <span class="dictionary">assets</span> of the wholesaler other than the creation of a security interest in the <span class="dictionary">assets</span> of a wholesaler for the purpose of securing financing in the ordinary course of business; or <a id="paragraph-233823" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/4.1-505/#3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="4"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> Failure by the wholesaler to substantially comply, without reasonable excuse or justification, with any reasonable and <span class="dictionary">material</span> requirement imposed upon him in writing by the <span class="dictionary">brewery</span>, including, but not limited to, a substantial failure by a <span class="dictionary">beer</span> wholesaler to (i) maintain a <span class="dictionary">sales</span> volume of his <span class="dictionary">brewery</span>&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">brand</span> or <span class="dictionary">brands</span>, (ii) render services comparable in quality, quantity or volume to the <span class="dictionary">sales</span> volumes maintained and services rendered by other wholesalers of the same <span class="dictionary">brand</span> or <span class="dictionary">brands</span> within the Commonwealth, or (iii) failure to obtain the consent of the <span class="dictionary">brewery</span> to a transfer of a wholesaler&#x2019;s business unless a determination has been made by the <span class="dictionary">Board</span> pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Transfer of business" href="/4.1-507/">4.1-507</a> that such consent was unreasonably withheld by the <span class="dictionary">brewery</span>. In any determination as to whether a wholesaler has failed to substantially comply, without reasonable excuse or justification, with any reasonable and <span class="dictionary">material</span> requirement imposed upon him by the <span class="dictionary">brewery</span>, consideration shall be given to the relative size, population, geographical location, number of retail outlets and demand for the products applicable to the <span class="dictionary">territory</span> of the wholesaler in question and to comparable territories.
			Good cause shall not be construed to exist without a <span class="dictionary">finding</span> of a <span class="dictionary">material</span> deficiency for which the wholesaler is responsible in any case in which good cause is alleged to exist based on circumstances not specifically set forth in subdivisions 1 through 4 of this section. <a id="paragraph-233824" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/4.1-505/#4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1978, c. 579, &#xA7; 4-118.7; 1985, c. 549; 1987, c. 247; 1989, c. 272; 1993, c. 866; 1996, c. 3.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
