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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>70455</law_id><section_number>8.9A-301</section_number><catch_line>Law governing perfection and priority of security interests</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>46.2-637</reference><reference>46.2-638</reference><reference>8.1A-301</reference><reference>8.9A-316</reference><reference>8.9A-705</reference><reference>8.9A-707</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="8.9A">Commercial Code &#x2014; Secured Transactions</unit><unit label="part" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="3">Perfection and Priority</unit><unit label="subpart" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="1">Law Governing Perfection and Priority</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>Except as otherwise provided in &#xA7;&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Law governing perfection and priority of security interests in goods covered by a certificate of title" href="/8.9A-303/">8.9A-303</a> through <a class="law" title="Law governing perfection and priority of security interests in controllable accounts, controllable electronic records, and controllable payment intangibles" href="/8.9A-306.2/">8.9A-306.2</a>, the following rules determine the <span class="dictionary">law</span> governing perfection, the effect of perfection or nonperfection, and the priority of a security interest in <span class="dictionary">collateral</span>:</p></section>
						<section id="1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> Except as otherwise provided in this section, while a debtor is located in a <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span>, the local <span class="dictionary">law</span> of that <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> governs perfection, the effect of perfection or nonperfection, and the priority of a security interest in <span class="dictionary">collateral</span>. <a id="paragraph-254250" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-301/#1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="2"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> While <span class="dictionary">collateral</span> is located in a <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span>, the local <span class="dictionary">law</span> of that <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> governs perfection, the effect of perfection or nonperfection, and the priority of a possessory security interest in that <span class="dictionary">collateral</span>. <a id="paragraph-254251" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-301/#2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="3"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (4), while tangible negotiable documents, goods, instruments, or tangible money are located in a <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span>, the local <span class="dictionary">law</span> of that <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> governs: <a id="paragraph-254252" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-301/#3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="3A" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> perfection of a security interest in the goods by filing a fixture filing; <a id="paragraph-254253" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-301/#3A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="3B" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> perfection of a security interest in timber to be cut; and <a id="paragraph-254254" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-301/#3B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="3C" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> the effect of perfection or nonperfection and the priority of a nonpossessory security interest in the <span class="dictionary">collateral</span>. <a id="paragraph-254255" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-301/#3C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="4"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> The local <span class="dictionary">law</span> of the <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> in which the wellhead or minehead is located governs perfection, the effect of perfection or nonperfection, and the priority of a security interest in as-extracted <span class="dictionary">collateral</span>. <a id="paragraph-254256" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-301/#4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 55-9; 1964, c. 219, &#xA7; 8.9-103; 1973, c. 509; 1984, c. 613; 1996, c. 216; 1997, c. 343; 2000, c. 1007; 2004, c. 200; 2024, c. 652.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
