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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>67884</law_id><section_number>64.2-116</section_number><catch_line>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="64.2">Wills, Trusts, and Fiduciaries</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="I">General Provisions</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="1">Definitions and General Provisions</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="3.1">Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>As used in this article, unless the context requires otherwise:
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Account</span>&#x201D; means an arrangement under a <span class="dictionary">terms-of-service agreement</span> in which a <span class="dictionary">custodian</span> <span class="dictionary">carries</span>, maintains, processes, receives, or stores a <span class="dictionary">digital asset</span> of the <span class="dictionary">user</span> or provides goods or services to the <span class="dictionary">user</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Agent</span>&#x201D; means a person granted authority to act for a <span class="dictionary">principal</span> under a <span class="dictionary">power of attorney</span>, whether denominated an <span class="dictionary">agent</span>, <span class="dictionary">attorney-in-<span class="dictionary">fact</span></span>, or otherwise. &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Agent</span>&#x201D; includes an original <span class="dictionary">agent</span>, a coagent, a successor <span class="dictionary">agent</span>, and a person to which an <span class="dictionary">agent</span>&#x2019;s authority is delegated.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Carries</span>&#x201D; means engages in the transmission of an electronic communication.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Catalog of electronic communications</span>&#x201D; means <span class="dictionary">information</span> that identifies each person with which a <span class="dictionary">user</span> has had an electronic communication, the time and date of the communication, and the electronic address of the person.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Conservator</span>&#x201D; means a person appointed by a <span class="dictionary">court</span> to manage the estate of a living individual. &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Conservator</span>&#x201D; includes a limited <span class="dictionary">conservator</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Content of an electronic communication</span>&#x201D; means <span class="dictionary">information</span> concerning the substance or meaning of the communication that (i) has been sent or received by a <span class="dictionary">user</span>; (ii) is in electronic storage by a <span class="dictionary">custodian</span> providing an <span class="dictionary">electronic communication service</span> to the public or is carried or maintained by a <span class="dictionary">custodian</span> providing a <span class="dictionary">remote computing service</span> to the public; and (iii) is not readily accessible to the public.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Court</span>&#x201D; means the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> for the county or city having <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> over the <span class="dictionary">fiduciary</span> in matters relating to the content of this article.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Custodian</span>&#x201D; means a person who <span class="dictionary">carries</span>, maintains, processes, receives, or stores a <span class="dictionary">digital asset</span> of a <span class="dictionary">user</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Designated recipient</span>&#x201D; means a person chosen by a <span class="dictionary">user</span> using an <span class="dictionary">online tool</span> to administer <span class="dictionary">digital assets</span> of the <span class="dictionary">user</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Digital asset</span>&#x201D; means an electronic <span class="dictionary">record</span> in which an individual has a right or interest. &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Digital asset</span>&#x201D; does not include an underlying asset or liability unless the asset or liability is itself an electronic <span class="dictionary">record</span>.
		&#x201C;Electronic&#x201D; means relating to technology having electrical, digital, magnetic, wireless, optical, electromagnetic, or similar capabilities.
		&#x201C;Electronic communication&#x201D; has the same meaning as the definition provided in 18 U.S.C. &#xA7;&#xA0;2510(12).
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Electronic communication service</span>&#x201D; means a <span class="dictionary">custodian</span> that provides to a <span class="dictionary">user</span> the ability to send or receive an electronic communication.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Fiduciary</span>&#x201D; means an original, additional, or successor <span class="dictionary">personal representative</span>, <span class="dictionary">conservator</span>, <span class="dictionary">guardian</span>, <span class="dictionary">agent</span>, or <span class="dictionary">trustee</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Guardian</span>&#x201D; means a person appointed by a <span class="dictionary">court</span> to manage the person of a living individual adult pursuant to Chapter 20 (&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/64.2-2000/">64.2-2000</a> et seq.) or a person appointed by a <span class="dictionary">court</span> to manage the estate of a <span class="dictionary">minor</span> pursuant to Chapter 17 (&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Natural guardians" href="/64.2-1700/">64.2-1700</a> et seq.). &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Guardian</span>&#x201D; includes a limited <span class="dictionary">guardian</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Information</span>&#x201D; means data, text, images, videos, sounds, codes, computer programs, software, databases, or something that is substantially similar.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Online tool</span>&#x201D; means an electronic service provided by a <span class="dictionary">custodian</span> that allows the <span class="dictionary">user</span>, in an agreement distinct from the <span class="dictionary">terms-of-service agreement</span> between the <span class="dictionary">custodian</span> and <span class="dictionary">user</span>, to provide directions for disclosure or nondisclosure of <span class="dictionary">digital assets</span> to a third person.
		&#x201C;Person&#x201D; means an individual; estate; business or nonprofit entity; public corporation; government or governmental subdivision, agency, or instrumentality; or other legal entity.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Personal representative</span>&#x201D; means an executor, administrator, curator, designated successor or successor under the Virginia Small Estate Act (&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/64.2-600/">64.2-600</a> et seq.), or person that performs substantially the same function under the <span class="dictionary">laws</span> of the Commonwealth other than this article.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Power of attorney</span>&#x201D; means a <span class="dictionary">record</span> that grants an <span class="dictionary">agent</span> authority to act in the place of a <span class="dictionary">principal</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Principal</span>&#x201D; means an individual who grants authority to an <span class="dictionary">agent</span> in a <span class="dictionary">power of attorney</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Protected person</span>&#x201D; means an individual for whom a <span class="dictionary">conservator</span> or <span class="dictionary">guardian</span> has been appointed. &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Protected person</span>&#x201D; includes an individual for whom an application for the appointment of a <span class="dictionary">conservator</span> or <span class="dictionary">guardian</span> is pending.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Record</span>&#x201D; means <span class="dictionary">information</span> that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is stored in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in perceivable form.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Remote computing service</span>&#x201D; means a <span class="dictionary">custodian</span> that provides to a <span class="dictionary">user</span> computer-processing services or the storage of <span class="dictionary">digital assets</span> by means of an electronic communications system, as defined in 18 U.S.C. &#xA7;&#xA0;2510(14).
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Terms-of-service agreement</span>&#x201D; means an agreement that controls the relationship between a <span class="dictionary">user</span> and a <span class="dictionary">custodian</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Trustee</span>&#x201D; means a <span class="dictionary">fiduciary</span> with legal title to property under an agreement or declaration that creates a beneficial interest in another. &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Trustee</span>&#x201D; includes a successor <span class="dictionary">trustee</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">User</span>&#x201D; means a person that has an <span class="dictionary">account</span> with a <span class="dictionary">custodian</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Will</span>&#x201D; includes a codicil, testamentary instrument that only appoints an executor, and instrument that revokes or revises a testamentary instrument.</p></section></text><history>2017, cc. 33, 80.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
