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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>71965</law_id><section_number>8.3A-605</section_number><catch_line>Discharge of endorsers and accommodation parties</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>8.3A-419</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="6">Discharge and Payment</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="a"><p><span class="prefix-number">a.</span> In this section, the term &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">endorser</span>&#x201D; includes a drawer having the obligation described in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Obligation of drawer" href="/8.3A-414/">8.3A-414</a> (d). <a id="paragraph-259315" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.3A-605/#a"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="b"><p><span class="prefix-number">b.</span> Discharge, under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Discharge by cancellation or renunciation" href="/8.3A-604/">8.3A-604</a>, of the obligation of a <span class="dictionary">party</span> to pay an instrument does not discharge the obligation of an <span class="dictionary">endorser</span> or accommodation <span class="dictionary">party</span> having a right of recourse against the discharged <span class="dictionary">party</span>. <a id="paragraph-259316" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.3A-605/#b"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="c"><p><span class="prefix-number">c.</span> If a person entitled to enforce an instrument agrees, with or without consideration, to an extension of the due date of the obligation of a <span class="dictionary">party</span> to pay the instrument, the extension discharges an <span class="dictionary">endorser</span> or accommodation <span class="dictionary">party</span> having a right of recourse against the <span class="dictionary">party</span> whose obligation is extended to the extent the <span class="dictionary">endorser</span> or accommodation <span class="dictionary">party</span> proves that the extension caused loss to the <span class="dictionary">endorser</span> or accommodation <span class="dictionary">party</span> with respect to the right of recourse. <a id="paragraph-259317" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.3A-605/#c"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="d"><p><span class="prefix-number">d.</span> If a person entitled to enforce an instrument agrees, with or without consideration, to a <span class="dictionary">material</span> modification of the obligation of a <span class="dictionary">party</span> other than an extension of the due date, the modification discharges the obligation of an <span class="dictionary">endorser</span> or accommodation <span class="dictionary">party</span> having a right of recourse against the person whose obligation is modified to the extent the modification causes loss to the <span class="dictionary">endorser</span> or accommodation <span class="dictionary">party</span> with respect to the right of recourse. The loss suffered by the <span class="dictionary">endorser</span> or accommodation <span class="dictionary">party</span> as a result of the modification is equal to the amount of the right of recourse unless the person enforcing the instrument proves that no loss was caused by the modification or that the loss caused by the modification was an amount less than the amount of the right of recourse. <a id="paragraph-259318" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.3A-605/#d"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="e"><p><span class="prefix-number">e.</span> If the obligation of a <span class="dictionary">party</span> to pay an instrument is secured by an interest in <span class="dictionary">collateral</span> and a person entitled to enforce the instrument impairs the value of the interest in <span class="dictionary">collateral</span>, the obligation of an <span class="dictionary">endorser</span> or accommodation <span class="dictionary">party</span> having a right of recourse against the obligor is discharged to the extent of the impairment. The value of an interest in <span class="dictionary">collateral</span> is impaired to the extent (i) the value of the interest is reduced to an amount less than the amount of the right of recourse of the <span class="dictionary">party</span> asserting discharge, or (ii) the reduction in value of the interest causes an increase in the amount by which the amount of the right of recourse exceeds the value of the interest. The burden of proving impairment is on the <span class="dictionary">party</span> asserting discharge. <a id="paragraph-259319" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.3A-605/#e"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="f"><p><span class="prefix-number">f.</span> If the obligation of a <span class="dictionary">party</span> is secured by an interest in <span class="dictionary">collateral</span> not provided by an accommodation <span class="dictionary">party</span> and a person entitled to enforce the instrument impairs the value of the interest in <span class="dictionary">collateral</span>, the obligation of any <span class="dictionary">party</span> who is jointly and severally liable with respect to the secured obligation is discharged to the extent the impairment causes the <span class="dictionary">party</span> asserting discharge to pay more than that <span class="dictionary">party</span> would have been obliged to pay, taking into account rights of contribution, if impairment had not occurred. If the <span class="dictionary">party</span> asserting discharge is an accommodation <span class="dictionary">party</span> not entitled to discharge under subsection (e), the <span class="dictionary">party</span> is deemed to have a right to contribution based on joint and several liability rather than a right to reimbursement. The burden of proving impairment is on the <span class="dictionary">party</span> asserting discharge. <a id="paragraph-259320" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.3A-605/#f"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="g"><p><span class="prefix-number">g.</span> Under subsection (e) or (f), impairing value of an interest in <span class="dictionary">collateral</span> includes (i) failure to obtain or maintain perfection or recordation of the interest in <span class="dictionary">collateral</span>, (ii) release of <span class="dictionary">collateral</span> without substitution of <span class="dictionary">collateral</span> of equal value, (iii) failure to perform a duty to preserve the value of <span class="dictionary">collateral</span> owed, under Title 8.9A or other <span class="dictionary">law</span>, to a debtor or <span class="dictionary">surety</span> or other person secondarily liable, or (iv) failure to comply with applicable <span class="dictionary">law</span> in disposing of <span class="dictionary">collateral</span>. <a id="paragraph-259321" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.3A-605/#g"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="h"><p><span class="prefix-number">h.</span> An accommodation <span class="dictionary">party</span> is not discharged under subsection (c), (d), or (e) unless the person entitled to enforce the instrument knows of the accommodation or has notice under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Instruments signed for accommodation" href="/8.3A-419/">8.3A-419</a> (c) that the instrument was signed for accommodation. <a id="paragraph-259322" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.3A-605/#h"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="i"><p><span class="prefix-number">i.</span> A <span class="dictionary">party</span> is not discharged under this section if (i) the <span class="dictionary">party</span> asserting discharge consents to the event or conduct that is the basis of the discharge, or (ii) the instrument or a separate agreement of the <span class="dictionary">party</span> provides for <span class="dictionary">waiver</span> of discharge under this section either specifically or by general language indicating that parties <span class="dictionary">waive</span> defenses based on suretyship or impairment of <span class="dictionary">collateral</span>. <a id="paragraph-259323" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.3A-605/#i"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 6-473; 1964, c. 219, &#xA7; 8.3-606; 1992, c. 693.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
