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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>85389</law_id><section_number>8.9A-516</section_number><catch_line>What constitutes filing; effectiveness of filing</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>8.9A-109</reference><reference>8.9A-338</reference><reference>8.9A-520</reference><reference>8.9A-521.1</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="5">Filing</unit><unit label="subpart" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="1">Filing Office, Contents and Effectiveness of Financing Statement</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="a"><p><span class="prefix-number">a.</span> What constitutes filing. Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b), communication of a record to a filing office and tender of the filing fee or acceptance of the record by the filing office constitutes filing. <a id="paragraph-305891" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-516/#a"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="b"><p><span class="prefix-number">b.</span> Refusal to accept record; filing does not occur. Filing does not occur with respect to a record that a filing office refuses to accept because: <a id="paragraph-305892" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-516/#b"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="b1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> the record is not communicated by a method or medium of communication authorized by the filing office; <a id="paragraph-305893" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-516/#b1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="b2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> an amount equal to or greater than the applicable filing fee is not tendered; <a id="paragraph-305894" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-516/#b2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="b3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> the filing office is unable to index the record because: <a id="paragraph-305895" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-516/#b3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> in the case of an initial financing statement, the record does not provide a name for the debtor; <a id="paragraph-305896" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-516/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> in the case of an amendment or information statement, the record: <a id="paragraph-305897" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-516/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="i"><p><span class="prefix-number">i.</span> does not identify the initial financing statement as required by &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Amendment of financing statement" href="/8.9A-512/">8.9A-512</a> or <a class="law" title="Claim concerning inaccurate or wrongfully filed record" href="/8.9A-518/">8.9A-518</a>, as applicable; <a id="paragraph-305898" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-516/#i"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="iii" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">ii.</span> identifies an initial financing statement whose effectiveness has lapsed under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Duration and effectiveness of financing statement; effect of lapsed financing statement" href="/8.9A-515/">8.9A-515</a>; or <a id="paragraph-305899" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-516/#iii"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="iiii" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">iii.</span> in the case of a record filed or recorded in the filing office described in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Filing office" href="/8.9A-501/">8.9A-501</a>(a)(1), does not provide the name and mailing address of the debtor; <a id="paragraph-305900" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-516/#iiii"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> in the case of an initial financing statement that provides the name of a debtor identified as an individual or an amendment that provides a name of a debtor identified as an individual which was not previously provided in the financing statement to which the record relates, the record does not identify the debtor&#x2019;s surname; or <a id="paragraph-305901" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-516/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> in the case of a record filed or recorded in the filing office described in &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Filing office" href="/8.9A-501/">8.9A-501</a>(a)(1), the record does not provide a sufficient description of the real property to which it relates; <a id="paragraph-305902" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-516/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D4" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> in the case of an initial financing statement or an amendment that adds a secured <span class="dictionary">party</span> of record, the record does not provide a name and mailing address for the secured <span class="dictionary">party</span> of record; <a id="paragraph-305903" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-516/#D4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D5" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">5.</span> in the case of an initial financing statement or an amendment that provides a name of a debtor which was not previously provided in the financing statement to which the amendment relates, the record does not: <a id="paragraph-305904" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-516/#D5"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> provide a mailing address for the debtor; or <a id="paragraph-305905" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-516/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> indicate whether the name provided as the name of the debtor is the name of an individual or an organization; <a id="paragraph-305906" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-516/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B6" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">6.</span> in the case of an assignment reflected in an initial financing statement under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Assignment of powers of secured party of record" href="/8.9A-514/">8.9A-514</a>(a) or an amendment filed under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Assignment of powers of secured party of record" href="/8.9A-514/">8.9A-514</a>(b), the record does not provide a name and mailing address for the assignee; <a id="paragraph-305907" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-516/#B6"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B7" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">7.</span> in the case of a continuation statement, the record is not filed within the six-month period prescribed by &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Duration and effectiveness of financing statement; effect of lapsed financing statement" href="/8.9A-515/">8.9A-515</a>(d); or <a id="paragraph-305908" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-516/#B7"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B8" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">8.</span> in the case of an initial financing statement or amendment communicated to the office of the State Corporation Commission, it appears to such office that the record: <a id="paragraph-305909" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-516/#B8"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> is not created pursuant to this title; <a id="paragraph-305910" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-516/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> is presented for filing for an improper purpose, such as to hinder, harass, or otherwise wrongfully interfere with a person or promote or conduct an illegitimate <span class="dictionary">object</span> or purpose; <a id="paragraph-305911" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-516/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> is materially false or fraudulent; or <a id="paragraph-305912" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-516/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> indicates that the debtor and the secured <span class="dictionary">party</span> are substantially the same person or that an individual debtor is a transmitting utility. <a id="paragraph-305913" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-516/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="c"><p><span class="prefix-number">c.</span> Rules applicable to subsection (b). For purposes of subsection (b): <a id="paragraph-305914" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-516/#c"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="c1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> a record does not provide information if the filing office is unable to read or decipher the information; <a id="paragraph-305915" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-516/#c1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="c2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> a record that does not indicate that it is an amendment or identify an initial financing statement to which it relates, as required by &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Amendment of financing statement" href="/8.9A-512/">8.9A-512</a>, <a class="law" title="Assignment of powers of secured party of record" href="/8.9A-514/">8.9A-514</a>, or <a class="law" title="Claim concerning inaccurate or wrongfully filed record" href="/8.9A-518/">8.9A-518</a>, is an initial financing statement; and <a id="paragraph-305916" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-516/#c2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="c3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> if the filing office becomes aware that a record may have been wrongfully filed because it should have been rejected under subdivision (b)(8), the filing office may review the record and relevant circumstances and, if it determines that the record was wrongfully filed and should have been rejected under subdivision (b)(8): <a id="paragraph-305917" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-516/#c3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> the record shall be deemed void and ineffective; and <a id="paragraph-305918" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-516/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> the filing office shall remove the record from the index and communicate the foregoing to the person that presented the wrongfully filed record and to other persons, as appropriate. <a id="paragraph-305919" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-516/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="d"><p><span class="prefix-number">d.</span> Refusal to accept record; record effective as filed record. A record that is communicated to the filing office with tender of the filing fee, but which the filing office refuses to accept for a reason other than one set forth in subsection (b), is effective as a filed record except as against a purchaser of the <span class="dictionary">collateral</span> which gives value in reasonable reliance upon the absence of the record from the files. <a id="paragraph-305920" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.9A-516/#d"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2000, c. 1007; 2002, cc. 566, 644; 2012, c. 155; 2013, c. 757</history><metadata></metadata></law>
