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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>58049</law_id><section_number>55.1-2606</section_number><catch_line>Acquiring title to undocumented property</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="26">Property Loaned to Museums</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> A <span class="dictionary">museum</span> shall have the authority to acquire legal title to undocumented property if the <span class="dictionary">museum</span> can verify through written records that it has held such property for five years or longer, during which period no valid claim to the property has been asserted and no person has contacted the <span class="dictionary">museum</span> regarding the property, by complying with the following procedure: <a id="paragraph-212610" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-2606/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> The <span class="dictionary">museum</span> shall cause to be published a notice once a week for two consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the county or city in which the <span class="dictionary">museum</span> is located and in a newspaper of general circulation in the county or city of the lender&#x2019;s last known address if different from the county or city in which the <span class="dictionary">museum</span> is located. The notice shall include:
				a. A <span class="dictionary">brief</span> and general description of the undocumented property;
				b. The date or approximate date of the loan or acquisition of the property by the <span class="dictionary">museum</span>, if known;
				c. Notice of the <span class="dictionary">museum</span>&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">intent</span> to claim title to the property if no valid claims are made within 65 days following the date of the first publication of the notice under this subdivision 1;
				d. The name, address, and telephone number of the representative of the <span class="dictionary">museum</span> to contact for more information or to make a claim; and
				e. If known, the name and last known address of the lender. <a id="paragraph-212611" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-2606/#A1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> If no valid claims have been made by the end of the 65-day period following the date of the first publication of the notice under subdivision 1 c, the <span class="dictionary">museum</span> shall cause to be published a second notice once a week for two consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the county or city in which the <span class="dictionary">museum</span> is located and in a newspaper of general circulation in the county or city of the lender&#x2019;s last known address if different from the county or city in which the <span class="dictionary">museum</span> is located. The second notice shall include:
				a. A <span class="dictionary">brief</span> and general description of the undocumented property;
				b. The date or approximate date of the loan or acquisition of the property by the <span class="dictionary">museum</span>, if known;
				c. Notice that the <span class="dictionary">museum</span> claims title to the property as of the date of the end of the 65-day period following the date of the first publication of the notice under subdivision 1; and
				d. If known, the name and last known address of the lender. <a id="paragraph-212612" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-2606/#A2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Upon compliance with the requirements set forth in subsection A, clear and unrestricted title is transferred, as of the date specified in subdivision A 1 c, to the <span class="dictionary">museum</span> and not to the Commonwealth. <a id="paragraph-212613" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-2606/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2002, c. 883, &#xA7; 55-210.37; 2019, c. 712.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
