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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>69072</law_id><section_number>8.01-27.2</section_number><catch_line>Civil recovery for giving bad check</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>55.1-1245</reference><reference>6.2-2216</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="8.01">Civil Remedies and Procedure</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="3">Actions</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="2">Actions on Contracts Generally</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Except as otherwise provided in Chapter 12 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/55.1-1200/">55.1-1200</a> et seq.) or Chapter 14 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Applicability; right to terminate tenant" href="/55.1-1400/">55.1-1400</a> et seq.) of Title 55.1, in the event a check, draft or <span class="dictionary">order</span>, the payment of which has been refused by the drawee because of lack of funds in or credit with such drawee, is not paid in full within thirty days after receipt by the drawer of (i) written notice by registered, certified, or regular mail with the sender retaining an <span class="dictionary">affidavit</span> of service of mailing or other sufficient proof of mailing, which may be a U.S. Postal Certificate of Mailing or (ii) if for nonpayment of rent under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="(Effective the later of July 1, 2028, or 7 years after the COVID-19 pandemic state of emergency expires) Noncompliance with rental agreement; monetary penalty" href="/55.1-1245/">55.1-1245</a> or <a class="law" title="Failure to pay certain rents after five days' notice forfeits right of possession" href="/55.1-1415/">55.1-1415</a>, written notice in accordance therewith, from the payee that the check, draft or <span class="dictionary">order</span> has been returned unpaid, the payee may recover from the drawer in a <span class="dictionary">civil action</span> brought by the filing of a warrant in debt, the lesser of $250 or three times the amount of the check, draft or <span class="dictionary">order</span>. The amount recovered as authorized by this section shall be in addition to the amounts authorized for recovery under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Additional recovery in certain civil actions concerning checks or rejected electronic funds transfers" href="/8.01-27.1/">8.01-27.1</a>. No action may be initiated under this section if any action has been initiated under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Issuing bad checks, etc., larceny" href="/18.2-181/">18.2-181</a>. The drawer shall be obligated to pay the cost of service and the cost of mailing, as applicable. <a id="paragraph-250026" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-27.2/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> If an <span class="dictionary">electronic funds transfer</span> has been rejected because of insufficient funds or a stop-payment <span class="dictionary">order</span> has been placed in bad faith by the authorizing <span class="dictionary">party</span>, the authorizing <span class="dictionary">party</span> and the payee shall have the same rights and remedies as if the drawer had issued a bad check under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Additional recovery in certain civil actions concerning checks or rejected electronic funds transfers" href="/8.01-27.1/">8.01-27.1</a>. For purposes of this subsection, &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">electronic funds transfer</span>&#x201D; has the same meaning as provided in 15 U.S.C. &#xA7; 1693(a). <a id="paragraph-250027" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-27.2/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1985, c. 579; 1988, c. 433; 1992, c. 501; 2002, c. 763; 2008, c. 489; 2013, c. 63.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
