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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>62395</law_id><section_number>55.1-2542</section_number><catch_line>Agreements to locate reported property; penalty</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="55.1">Property and Conveyances</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="V">Miscellaneous</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="25">Virginia Disposition Of Unclaimed Property Act</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="3">Procedural and Administrative Matters</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> It is unlawful for any <span class="dictionary">person</span> to seek or receive from another <span class="dictionary">person</span> or <span class="dictionary">contract</span> with another <span class="dictionary">person</span> for a fee or compensation for locating property that he knows has been reported or paid or delivered to the <span class="dictionary">administrator</span> pursuant to this chapter prior to 36 months after the date of delivery of the property by the <span class="dictionary">holder</span> to the <span class="dictionary">administrator</span> as required by this chapter. <a id="paragraph-227548" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-2542/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> No agreement entered into after 36 months from the required date of delivery of the property by the <span class="dictionary">holder</span> to the <span class="dictionary">administrator</span> is valid if a <span class="dictionary">person</span> thereby undertakes to locate property included in a report for a fee or other compensation exceeding 10 percent of the value of the recoverable property. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent an <span class="dictionary">owner</span> from asserting at any time that an agreement to locate property is based upon an excessive or unjust consideration. <a id="paragraph-227549" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-2542/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> State warrants that may be issued in payment and <span class="dictionary">redemption</span> of previously abandoned property or the <span class="dictionary">liquidation</span> proceeds of previously abandoned property may be issued in the discretion of the <span class="dictionary">administrator</span> directly to the <span class="dictionary">person</span> entitled to the money as the <span class="dictionary">owner</span>, heir, or legatee, or as fiduciary of the estate of the deceased <span class="dictionary">owner</span>, heir, or legatee, and not to a named <span class="dictionary">attorney-in-<span class="dictionary">fact</span></span>, agent, or assignee or any other <span class="dictionary">person</span> regardless of a written instruction to the contrary. The <span class="dictionary">administrator</span> need not recognize nor is the <span class="dictionary">administrator</span> bound by any terms of a purported <span class="dictionary">power of attorney</span> or assignment that may be presented as having been executed by a <span class="dictionary">person</span> as the purported <span class="dictionary">owner</span>, heir, legatee, or fiduciary of the estate of a deceased <span class="dictionary">owner</span> of such abandoned property. <a id="paragraph-227550" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-2542/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> A <span class="dictionary">person</span> who violates subsection A or B is guilty of a <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span>, punishable by a fine not to exceed $1,000. <a id="paragraph-227551" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-2542/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1981, c. 47, &#xA7; 55-210.27:1; 1988, c. 378; 2019, c. 712.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
