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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>87003</law_id><section_number>8.3A-115</section_number><catch_line>Incomplete instrument</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>8.3A-103</reference><reference>8.3A-412</reference><reference>8.3A-413</reference><reference>8.3A-414</reference><reference>8.3A-415</reference><reference>8.4-207.1</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="8.3A">Commercial Code &#x2014; Negotiable Instruments</unit><unit label="part" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="1">General Provisions and Definitions</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="a"><p><span class="prefix-number">a.</span> &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Incomplete instrument</span>&#x201D; means a signed writing, whether or not issued by the signer, the contents of which show at the time of signing that it is incomplete but that the signer intended it to be completed by the addition of words or numbers. <a id="paragraph-311502" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.3A-115/#a"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="b"><p><span class="prefix-number">b.</span> Subject to subsection (c), if an <span class="dictionary">incomplete instrument</span> is an instrument under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Negotiable instrument" href="/8.3A-104/">8.3A-104</a>, it may be enforced according to its terms if it is not completed, or according to its terms as augmented by completion. If an <span class="dictionary">incomplete instrument</span> is not an instrument under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Negotiable instrument" href="/8.3A-104/">8.3A-104</a>, but, after completion, the requirements of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Negotiable instrument" href="/8.3A-104/">8.3A-104</a> are met, the instrument may be enforced according to its terms as augmented by completion. <a id="paragraph-311503" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.3A-115/#b"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="c"><p><span class="prefix-number">c.</span> If words or numbers are added to an <span class="dictionary">incomplete instrument</span> without authority of the signer, there is an alteration of the <span class="dictionary">incomplete instrument</span> under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Alteration" href="/8.3A-407/">8.3A-407</a>. <a id="paragraph-311504" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.3A-115/#c"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="d"><p><span class="prefix-number">d.</span> The burden of establishing that words or numbers were added to an <span class="dictionary">incomplete instrument</span> without authority of the signer is on the person asserting the lack of authority. <a id="paragraph-311505" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.3A-115/#d"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7;&#xA7; 6-365 through 6-367; 1964, c. 219, &#xA7; 8.3-115; 1992, c. 693.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
