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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>62358</law_id><section_number>8.9A-317</section_number><catch_line>Interests that take priority over or take free of security interest or agricultural lien</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>55.1-318</reference><reference>55.1-407</reference><reference>8.2A-307</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="3">Priority</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="a"><p><span class="prefix-number">a.</span> Conflicting security interests and rights of <span class="dictionary">lien</span> <span class="dictionary">creditors</span>. A security interest or agricultural <span class="dictionary">lien</span> is subordinate to the rights of: <a id="paragraph-227445" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-317/#a"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="a1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> a person entitled to priority under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Priorities among conflicting security interests in and agricultural liens on same collateral" href="/8.9A-322/">8.9A-322</a>; and <a id="paragraph-227446" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-317/#a1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="a2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> except as otherwise provided in subsection (e), a person that becomes a <span class="dictionary">lien</span> <span class="dictionary">creditor</span> before the earlier of the time: <a id="paragraph-227447" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-317/#a2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> the security interest or agricultural <span class="dictionary">lien</span> is perfected; or <a id="paragraph-227448" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-317/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> one of the conditions specified in subdivision (b)(3) of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Attachment and enforceability of security interest; proceeds, supporting obligations; formal requisites" href="/8.9A-203/">8.9A-203</a> is met and a financing statement covering the <span class="dictionary">collateral</span> is filed. <a id="paragraph-227449" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-317/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="b"><p><span class="prefix-number">b.</span> Buyers that receive delivery. Except as otherwise provided in subsection (e), a buyer, other than a secured <span class="dictionary">party</span>, of goods, instruments, tangible documents, or a certificated security takes free of a security interest or agricultural <span class="dictionary">lien</span> if the buyer gives value and receives delivery of the <span class="dictionary">collateral</span> without knowledge of the security interest or agricultural <span class="dictionary">lien</span> and before it is perfected. <a id="paragraph-227450" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-317/#b"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="c"><p><span class="prefix-number">c.</span> Lessees that receive delivery. Except as otherwise provided in subsection (e), a lessee of goods takes free of a security interest or agricultural <span class="dictionary">lien</span> if the lessee gives value and receives delivery of the <span class="dictionary">collateral</span> without knowledge of the security interest or agricultural <span class="dictionary">lien</span> and before it is perfected. <a id="paragraph-227451" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-317/#c"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="d"><p><span class="prefix-number">d.</span> Licensees and buyers of certain <span class="dictionary">collateral</span>. Subject to subsections (f) through (i), a licensee of a general intangible or a buyer, other than a secured <span class="dictionary">party</span>, of <span class="dictionary">collateral</span> other than electronic money, goods, instruments, tangible documents, or a certificated security takes free of a security interest if the licensee or buyer gives value without knowledge of the security interest and before it is perfected. <a id="paragraph-227452" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-317/#d"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="e"><p><span class="prefix-number">e.</span> Purchase-money security interest. Except as otherwise provided in &#xA7;&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Buyer of goods" href="/8.9A-320/">8.9A-320</a> and <a class="law" title="Licensee of general intangible and lessee of goods in ordinary course of business" href="/8.9A-321/">8.9A-321</a>, if a person files a financing statement with respect to a purchase-money security interest before or within twenty days after the debtor receives delivery of the <span class="dictionary">collateral</span>, the security interest takes priority over the rights of a buyer, lessee, or <span class="dictionary">lien</span> <span class="dictionary">creditor</span> which arise between the time the security interest attaches and the time of filing. <a id="paragraph-227453" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-317/#e"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="f"><p><span class="prefix-number">f.</span> Buyers of chattel paper. A buyer, other than a secured <span class="dictionary">party</span>, of chattel paper takes free of a security interest if, without knowledge of the security interest and before it is perfected, the buyer gives value and: <a id="paragraph-227454" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-317/#f"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="f1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> receives delivery of each authoritative tangible copy of the record evidencing the chattel paper; and <a id="paragraph-227455" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-317/#f1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="f2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> if each authoritative electronic copy of the record evidencing the chattel paper can be subjected to control under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Control of electronic copy of record evidencing chattel paper" href="/8.9A-105/">8.9A-105</a>, obtains control of each authoritative electronic copy. <a id="paragraph-227456" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-317/#f2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="g"><p><span class="prefix-number">g.</span> Buyers of electronic documents. A buyer of an electronic document takes free of a security interest if, without knowledge of the security interest and before it is perfected, the buyer gives value and, if each authoritative electronic copy of the document can be subjected to control under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Control of electronic document" href="/8.7-106/">8.7-106</a>, obtains control of each authoritative electronic copy. <a id="paragraph-227457" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-317/#g"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="h"><p><span class="prefix-number">h.</span> Buyers of controllable electronic records. A buyer of a controllable electronic record takes free of a security interest if, without knowledge of the security interest and before it is perfected, the buyer gives value and obtains control of the controllable electronic record. <a id="paragraph-227458" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-317/#h"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="i"><p><span class="prefix-number">i.</span> Buyers of controllable accounts and controllable payment intangibles. A buyer, other than a secured <span class="dictionary">party</span>, of a controllable account or a controllable payment intangible takes free of a security interest if, without knowledge of the security interest and before it is perfected, the buyer gives value and obtains control of the controllable account or controllable payment intangible. <a id="paragraph-227459" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-317/#i"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1964, c. 219, &#xA7; 8.9-301; 1973, c. 509; 1983, c. 204; 1991, c. 536, &#xA7; 8.2A-307; 1996, c. 216; 2000, c. 1007; 2004, c. 200; 2012, c. 155; 2024, c. 652.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
