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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>71252</law_id><section_number>8.9A-334</section_number><catch_line>Priority of security interests in fixtures and crops</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>8.9A-109</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> Security interest in fixtures under this title. A security interest under this title may be created in goods that are fixtures or may continue in goods that become fixtures. A security interest does not exist under this title in ordinary building <span class="dictionary">materials</span> incorporated into an improvement on land. <a id="paragraph-256799" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-334/#a"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="b"><p><span class="prefix-number">b.</span> Security interest in fixtures under real property <span class="dictionary">law</span>. This title does not prevent creation of an encumbrance upon fixtures under real property <span class="dictionary">law</span>. <a id="paragraph-256800" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-334/#b"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="c"><p><span class="prefix-number">c.</span> General rule; <span class="dictionary">subordination</span> of security interest in fixtures. In cases not governed by subsections (d) through (h), a security interest in fixtures is subordinate to a conflicting interest of an encumbrancer or owner of the related real property other than the debtor. <a id="paragraph-256801" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-334/#c"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="d"><p><span class="prefix-number">d.</span> Fixtures purchase-money priority. Except as otherwise provided in subsection (h), a perfected security interest in fixtures has priority over a conflicting interest of an encumbrancer or owner of the real property if the debtor has an interest of record in or is in <span class="dictionary">possession</span> of the real property and: <a id="paragraph-256802" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-334/#d"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="d1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> the security interest is a purchase-money security interest; <a id="paragraph-256803" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-334/#d1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="d2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> the interest of the encumbrancer or owner arises before the goods become fixtures; and <a id="paragraph-256804" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-334/#d2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="d3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> the security interest is perfected by a fixture filing before the goods become fixtures or within twenty days thereafter. <a id="paragraph-256805" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-334/#d3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="e"><p><span class="prefix-number">e.</span> Priority of security interest in fixtures over interests in real property. A perfected security interest in fixtures has priority over a conflicting interest of an encumbrancer or owner of the real property if: <a id="paragraph-256806" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-334/#e"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="e1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> the debtor has an interest of record in the real property or is in <span class="dictionary">possession</span> of the real property and the security interest: <a id="paragraph-256807" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-334/#e1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> is perfected by a fixture filing before the interest of the encumbrancer or owner is of record; and <a id="paragraph-256808" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-334/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> has priority over any conflicting interest of a predecessor in title of the encumbrancer or owner; <a id="paragraph-256809" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-334/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> before the goods become fixtures, the security interest is perfected by any method permitted by this title and the fixtures are readily removable: <a id="paragraph-256810" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-334/#B2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> factory or office machines; <a id="paragraph-256811" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-334/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> equipment that is not primarily used or leased for use in the operation of the real property; or <a id="paragraph-256812" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-334/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> replacements of domestic appliances that are consumer goods; <a id="paragraph-256813" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-334/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> the conflicting interest is a <span class="dictionary">lien</span> on the real property obtained by legal or <span class="dictionary">equitable</span> proceedings after the security interest was perfected by any method permitted by this title; or <a id="paragraph-256814" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-334/#C3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C4" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> the security interest is: <a id="paragraph-256815" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-334/#C4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> created in a manufactured home in a manufactured-home transaction; and <a id="paragraph-256816" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-334/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> perfected pursuant to a <span class="dictionary">statute</span> described in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Perfection of security interests in property subject to certain statutes, regulations, and treaties" href="/8.9A-311/">8.9A-311</a> (a) (2). <a id="paragraph-256817" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-334/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="f"><p><span class="prefix-number">f.</span> Priority based on consent, disclaimer, or right to remove. A security interest in fixtures, whether or not perfected, has priority over a conflicting interest of an encumbrancer or owner of the real property if: <a id="paragraph-256818" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-334/#f"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="f1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> the encumbrancer or owner has, in a signed record, consented to the security interest or disclaimed an interest in the goods as fixtures; or <a id="paragraph-256819" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-334/#f1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="f2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> the debtor has a right to remove the goods as against the encumbrancer or owner. <a id="paragraph-256820" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-334/#f2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="g"><p><span class="prefix-number">g.</span> Continuation of subdivision (f) (2) priority. The priority of the security interest under subdivision (f) (2) continues for a reasonable time if the debtor&#x2019;s right to remove the goods as against the encumbrancer or owner terminates. <a id="paragraph-256821" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-334/#g"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="h"><p><span class="prefix-number">h.</span> Priority of construction mortgage. A mortgage is a construction mortgage to the extent that it secures an obligation incurred for the construction of an improvement on land, including the acquisition cost of the land, if a recorded record of the mortgage so indicates. Except as otherwise provided in subsections (e) and (f), a security interest in fixtures is subordinate to a construction mortgage if a record of the mortgage is recorded before the goods become fixtures and the goods become fixtures before the completion of the construction. A mortgage has this priority to the same extent as a construction mortgage to the extent that it is given to refinance a construction mortgage. <a id="paragraph-256822" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-334/#h"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="i"><p><span class="prefix-number">i.</span> Priority of security interest in crops. A perfected security interest in crops growing on real property has priority over a conflicting interest of an encumbrancer or owner of the real property if the debtor has an interest of record in or is in <span class="dictionary">possession</span> of the real property. <a id="paragraph-256823" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-334/#i"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="j"><p><span class="prefix-number">j.</span> Subsection (i) prevails. Subsection (i) prevails over any inconsistent provisions of the following <span class="dictionary">statutes</span>. <a id="paragraph-256824" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-334/#j"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1964, c. 219, &#xA7; 8.9-313; 1973, c. 509; 1983, c. 204; 2000, c. 1007; 2024, c. 652.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
