                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

WHEN UNLAWFUL TO HAVE IN POSSESSION CERTIFICATE OF TITLE ISSUED TO ANOTHER;
REMEDY OF PURCHASER AGAINST PERSONS IN POSSESSION OF TITLE OF VEHICLE PURCHASED
FROM DEALER (§ 46.2-618)

A. It shall constitute a Class 1 misdemeanor for any person in the Commonwealth
to possess a certificate of title issued by the Commissioner to a person other
than the holder thereof, unless the certificate of title has been assigned to
the holder as provided in this title. This section, however, shall apply neither
to secured parties who legally hold certificates of title as provided in this
title nor to the spouse of the person to whom the certificate of title was
issued.

B. When a purchaser of a motor vehicle is unable to obtain the title for such
vehicle because the motor vehicle dealer who sold the vehicle to the purchaser
is no longer engaged in business in the Commonwealth as a dealer as defined in
&#xA7; 46.2-1500 and the purchaser must petition a court of competent
jurisdiction to direct that a person other than the dealer holding the title to
release the title to the purchaser, the Court may order the title be released to
the buyer if the court finds that the purchaser has a right to the title
superior to that of the person holding the title under the laws of the
Commonwealth. The court may also, upon finding that the person holding the title
must release it, award reasonable attorney fees, expenses, and costs incurred by
the purchaser in making the petition to the court.

HISTORY: Code 1950, § 46-81; 1958, c. 541, § 46.1-80; 1966, c. 558; 1972, c.
208; 1982, c. 205; 1989, c. 727; 2012, c. 119; 2015, c. 615.