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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>87365</law_id><section_number>59.1-510</section_number><catch_line>(Effective January 1, 2026) Definitions</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="59.1">Trade and Commerce</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="44">Virginia Telephone Privacy Protection Act</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning:
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Established business relationship</span>&#x201D; means a relationship between the contactedperson and the person on whose behalf the <span class="dictionary">telephone solicitation</span> is being made or initiated based on (i) the contactedperson&#x2019;s purchase from, or transaction with, the person on whose behalf the <span class="dictionary">telephone solicitation</span> is being made or initiated within the 18 months immediately preceding the date of the solicitationor (ii) the contactedperson&#x2019;s inquiry or application regarding any property, good, or service offered by the person on whose behalf the <span class="dictionary">telephone solicitation</span> is being made or initiated within the three months immediately preceding the date of the solicitation.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Personal relationship</span>&#x201D; means the relationship between a <span class="dictionary">telephone solicitor</span> making or initiating a <span class="dictionary">telephone solicitation</span> and any family member, friend, or acquaintance of that <span class="dictionary">telephone solicitor</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Responsible person</span>&#x201D; means either or both of (i) a <span class="dictionary">telephone solicitor</span> or (ii) a <span class="dictionary">seller</span> if the <span class="dictionary">telephone solicitation</span> offering or advertising the <span class="dictionary">seller</span>&#x2019;s property, goods, or services is presumed to have been made or initiated on behalf of or for the benefit of the <span class="dictionary">seller</span> and the <span class="dictionary">presumption</span> is not rebutted as provided in subsection B of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="(Effective January 1, 2026) Joint liability of seller and telephone solicitor for prohibited acts; rebuttable presumption" href="/59.1-514.1/">59.1-514.1</a>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Seller</span>&#x201D; means any person on whose behalf or for whose benefit a <span class="dictionary">telephone solicitation</span> offering or advertising the person&#x2019;s property, goods, or services is made or initiated.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Telephone solicitation</span>&#x201D; means (i) any telephone call made or initiated to any natural person&#x2019;s residence in the Commonwealth, to any landline or wireless telephone with a Virginia area code, or to a landline or wireless telephone registered to any natural person who is a resident of the Commonwealth or (ii) any text message sent to any wireless telephone with a Virginia area code or to a wireless telephone registered to any natural person who is a resident of the Commonwealth, for the purpose of offering or advertising any property, goods, or services for sale, lease, license, or investment, including offering or advertising an extension of credit or for the purpose of fraudulent activity, including engaging in any conduct that results in the display of false or misleading caller identification information on the contactedperson&#x2019;s telephone.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Telephone solicitor</span>&#x201D; means any person who makes or initiates, or causes another person to make or initiate, a <span class="dictionary">telephone solicitation</span> on its own behalf or for its own benefit or on behalf of or for the benefit of a <span class="dictionary">seller</span>.</p></section></text><history>2001, cc. 528, 553; 2004, cc. 202, 224; 2019, cc. 256, 264; 2020, cc. 263, 607; 2025, c. 626.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
