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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>79061</law_id><section_number>8.9A-305</section_number><catch_line>Law governing perfection and priority of security interests in investment property</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>8.9A-316</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 id="a"><p><span class="prefix-number">a.</span> Governing <span class="dictionary">law</span>; general rules. Except as otherwise provided in subsection (c), the following rules apply: <a id="paragraph-283184" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-305/#a"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="a1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> While a security certificate 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 the certificated security represented thereby. <a id="paragraph-283185" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-305/#a1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="a2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> The local <span class="dictionary">law</span> of the issuer&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> as specified in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Applicability; choice of law" href="/8.8A-110/">8.8A-110</a> (d) governs perfection, the effect of perfection or nonperfection, and the priority of a security interest in an uncertificated security. <a id="paragraph-283186" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-305/#a2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="a3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> The local <span class="dictionary">law</span> of the securities intermediary&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> as specified in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Applicability; choice of law" href="/8.8A-110/">8.8A-110</a> (e) governs perfection, the effect of perfection or nonperfection, and the priority of a security interest in a security entitlement or securities account. <a id="paragraph-283187" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-305/#a3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="a4" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> The local <span class="dictionary">law</span> of the commodity intermediary&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> governs perfection, the effect of perfection or nonperfection, and the priority of a security interest in a commodity <span class="dictionary">contract</span> or commodity account. <a id="paragraph-283188" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-305/#a4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="a5" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">5.</span> Paragraphs (2), (3), and (4) apply even if the transaction does not bear any relation to the <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span>. <a id="paragraph-283189" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-305/#a5"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="b"><p><span class="prefix-number">b.</span> Commodity intermediary&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span>. The following rules determine a commodity intermediary&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> for purposes of this part: <a id="paragraph-283190" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-305/#b"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="b1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> If an agreement between the commodity intermediary and commodity customer governing the commodity account expressly provides that a particular <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> is the commodity intermediary&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> for purposes of this part, this title, or the Uniform Commercial Code, that <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> is the commodity intermediary&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span>. <a id="paragraph-283191" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-305/#b1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="b2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> If paragraph (1) does not apply and an agreement between the commodity intermediary and commodity customer governing the commodity account expressly provides that the agreement is governed by the <span class="dictionary">law</span> of a particular <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span>, that <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> is the commodity intermediary&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span>. <a id="paragraph-283192" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-305/#b2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="b3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> If neither paragraph (1) nor paragraph (2) applies and an agreement between the commodity intermediary and commodity customer governing the commodity account expressly provides that the commodity account is maintained at an office in a particular <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span>, that <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> is the commodity intermediary&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span>. <a id="paragraph-283193" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-305/#b3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="b4" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> If none of the preceding paragraphs applies, the commodity intermediary&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> is the <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> in which the office identified in an account statement as the office serving the commodity customer&#x2019;s account is located. <a id="paragraph-283194" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-305/#b4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="b5" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">5.</span> If none of the preceding paragraphs applies, the commodity intermediary&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> is the <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> in which the chief executive office of the commodity intermediary is located. <a id="paragraph-283195" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-305/#b5"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="c"><p><span class="prefix-number">c.</span> When perfection governed by <span class="dictionary">law</span> of <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> where debtor located. The local <span class="dictionary">law</span> of the <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> in which the debtor is located governs: <a id="paragraph-283196" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-305/#c"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="c1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> perfection of a security interest in investment property by filing; <a id="paragraph-283197" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-305/#c1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="c2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> automatic perfection of a security interest in investment property created by a broker or securities intermediary; and <a id="paragraph-283198" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-305/#c2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="c3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> automatic perfection of a security interest in a commodity <span class="dictionary">contract</span> or commodity account created by a commodity intermediary. <a id="paragraph-283199" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-305/#c3"><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; 2024, c. 652.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
