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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>64540</law_id><section_number>43-13</section_number><catch_line>Funds paid to general contractor or subcontractor must be used to pay persons performing labor or furnishing material</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="43">Mechanics' and Certain Other Liens</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="1">Mechanics' and Materialmen's Liens</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>Any contractor or subcontractor or any officer, director or employee of such contractor or subcontractor who shall, with <span class="dictionary">intent</span> to defraud, retain or use the funds, or any part thereof, paid by the owner or his agent, the contractor, or the lender to such contractor or by the owner or his agent, the contractor, or the lender to a subcontractor under any <span class="dictionary">contract</span> for the construction, removal, repair, or improvement of any building or structure permanently annexed to the freehold for any other purpose than to pay persons performing labor upon or furnishing <span class="dictionary">material</span> for such construction, repair, removal, or improvement is guilty of <span class="dictionary">larceny</span> in appropriating such funds for any other use while any amount for which the contractor or subcontractor may be liable or become liable under his <span class="dictionary">contract</span> for such labor or <span class="dictionary">materials</span> remains unpaid and may be prosecuted upon complaint of any person or persons who have not been fully paid any amount due them.
		The use by any such contractor or subcontractor or any officer, director, or employee of such contractor or subcontractor of any moneys paid under the <span class="dictionary">contract</span> before paying all amounts due or to become due for labor performed or <span class="dictionary">material</span> furnished for such building or structure for any other purpose than paying such amounts due on the project shall be prima facie <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> of <span class="dictionary">intent</span> to defraud. Any breach or violation of this section may give rise to a civil <span class="dictionary">cause of action</span> for a <span class="dictionary">party</span> in <span class="dictionary">contract</span> with the general contractor or subcontractor, as appropriate; however, this right does not affect a contractor&#x2019;s or subcontractor&#x2019;s right to withhold payment for failure to properly perform labor or furnish <span class="dictionary">materials</span> on the project. Any <span class="dictionary">contract</span> or subcontract provision that allows a contracting <span class="dictionary">party</span> to withhold funds due under one <span class="dictionary">contract</span> or subcontract for alleged claims or <span class="dictionary">damages</span> due on another <span class="dictionary">contract</span> or subcontract is void as against public policy.</p></section></text><history>1932, p. 483; Michie Code 1942, &#xA7; 6429b; 1968, c. 568; 1980, c. 390; 1982, c. 391; 1992, c. 713; 1998, c. 754; 2020, c. 873.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
