                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

IDENTIFICATION OF CERTAIN PERSONALTY (§ 18.2-96.1)

A. The owner of personal property may permanently mark such property, including
any part thereof, for the purpose of identification with the social security
number of the owner, preceded by the letters &#8220;VA.&#8221;

B. [Repealed.]

C. It shall be unlawful for any person to remove, alter, deface, destroy,
conceal, or otherwise obscure the manufacturer&#8217;s serial number or marks,
including personalty marked with a social security number preceded by the
letters &#8220;VA,&#8221; from such personal property or any part thereof,
without the consent of the owner, with intent to render it or other property
unidentifiable.

D. It shall be unlawful for any person to possess such personal property or any
part thereof, without the consent of the owner, knowing that the
manufacturer&#8217;s serial number or any other distinguishing identification
number or mark, including personalty marked with a social security number
preceded by the letters &#8220;VA,&#8221; has been removed, altered, defaced,
destroyed, concealed, or otherwise obscured with the intent to violate the
provisions of this section.

E. A person in possession of such property which is otherwise in violation of
this section may apply in writing to the Bureau of Criminal Investigation,
Virginia State Police, for assignment of a number for the personal property
providing he can show that he is the lawful owner of the property. If a number
is issued in conformity with the provisions of this section, then the person to
whom it was issued and any person to whom the property is lawfully disposed of
shall not be in violation of this section. This subsection shall apply only when
the application has been filed by a person prior to arrest or authorization of a
warrant of arrest for that person by a court.

F. Any person convicted of an offense under this section, when the value of the
personalty is less than $1,000, shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor and,
when the value of the personalty is $1,000 or more, shall be guilty of a Class 5
felony.

HISTORY: 1981, c. 165; 1982, c. 382; 2018, cc. 764, 765; 2020, cc. 89, 401.