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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>83510</law_id><section_number>46.2-1573.16</section_number><catch_line>Coercion of retail dealer by manufacturer or distributor with respect to retail installment sales contracts prohibited; penalty</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>46.2-1573.23</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="46.2">Motor Vehicles</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="IV">Dealers and Driver Training Schools</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="15">Motor Vehicle Dealers</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="7.3">Trailer Franchises</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> It shall be unlawful for any <span class="dictionary">manufacturer</span> or <span class="dictionary">distributor</span>, or any officer, <span class="dictionary">agent</span>, or representative of either, to coerce or attempt to coerce any retail <span class="dictionary">trailer</span> <span class="dictionary">dealer</span> or prospective retail <span class="dictionary">trailer</span> <span class="dictionary">dealer</span> in the Commonwealth to sell, assign, or transfer any <span class="dictionary">retail installment sales</span> <span class="dictionary">contract</span> obtained by the <span class="dictionary">dealer</span> in connection with the sale by him in the Commonwealth of <span class="dictionary">trailers</span> manufactured or sold by the <span class="dictionary">manufacturer</span> or <span class="dictionary">distributor</span>, to a specified finance company or class of finance companies or to any other specified persons by any of the following: <a id="paragraph-299247" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/46.2-1573.16/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> Any statement, suggestion, promise, or threat that the <span class="dictionary">manufacturer</span> or <span class="dictionary">distributor</span> will in any manner benefit or injure the <span class="dictionary">dealer</span>, whether the statement, suggestion, threat, or promise is expressed or implied or made directly or indirectly. <a id="paragraph-299248" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/46.2-1573.16/#A1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> Any act that will benefit or injure the <span class="dictionary">dealer</span>. <a id="paragraph-299249" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/46.2-1573.16/#A2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> Any <span class="dictionary">contract</span>, or any expressed or implied offer of <span class="dictionary">contract</span>, made directly or indirectly to the <span class="dictionary">dealer</span>, for handling the <span class="dictionary">trailer</span> on the condition that the <span class="dictionary">dealer</span> sell, assign, or transfer his <span class="dictionary">retail installment sales</span> <span class="dictionary">contract</span> on the <span class="dictionary">trailer</span>, in the Commonwealth, to a specified finance company or class of finance companies or to any other specified person. <a id="paragraph-299250" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/46.2-1573.16/#A3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A4" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> Any expressed or implied statement or representation made directly or indirectly that the <span class="dictionary">dealer</span> is under any obligation whatsoever to sell, assign, or transfer any of his <span class="dictionary">retail sales</span> <span class="dictionary">contracts</span> in the Commonwealth on <span class="dictionary">trailers</span> manufactured or sold by the <span class="dictionary">manufacturer</span> or <span class="dictionary">distributor</span> to a finance company, or class of finance companies, or other specified person, because of any relationship or affiliation between the <span class="dictionary">manufacturer</span> or <span class="dictionary">distributor</span> and the finance company or companies or the specified person. <a id="paragraph-299251" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/46.2-1573.16/#A4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Any such statements, threats, promises, acts, <span class="dictionary">contracts</span>, or offers of <span class="dictionary">contracts</span>, when their effect may be to lessen or eliminate competition or tend to create a monopoly, are declared unfair trade practices and unfair methods of competition and are prohibited. <a id="paragraph-299252" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/46.2-1573.16/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> Any person violating any of the provisions of this section is guilty of a Class 1 <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span>. <a id="paragraph-299253" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/46.2-1573.16/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1996, cc. 1043, 1052, &#xA7; 46.2-1992.68; 2015, c. 615.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
