Virginia Law

Article 2. Registration of Names or Insignia of Certain Organizations.

Any association, lodge, order, fraternal society, beneficial association, or fraternal and beneficial society or association, historical, military, or veterans' organization, labor union, foundation, federation, or any other society, organization or association, degree, branch, subordinate lodge, or auxiliary thereof, whether incorporated or unincorporated, the principles and activities of which are not repugnant to the Constitution and laws of the United States or the Commonwealth, may register, in the office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth, a facsimile, duplicate, or description of its name, badge, motto, button, declaration, charm, emblem, rosette or other insignia, and may, by reregistration, alter or cancel the name.

Code 1950, § 38-308; 1952, c. 225, § 2-64.1; 1966, c. 677, § 2.1-74; 2001, c. 844.

Application for registration, alteration, or cancellation under this article shall be made by the chief officer of the association, lodge, order, fraternal society, beneficial association, or fraternal and beneficial society or association, historical, military, or veterans' organization, labor union, foundation, federation, or other society, organization, or association, degree, branch, subordinate lodge, or auxiliary thereof, upon blanks to be provided by the Secretary of the Commonwealth.

Code 1950, § 38-309; 1952, c. 225, § 2-64.2; 1966, c. 677, § 2.1-75; 2001, c. 844.

Registration shall be for the use, benefit, and on behalf of all associations, degrees, branches, subordinate lodges, and auxiliaries of such associations, lodge, order, fraternal society, beneficial association, or fraternal and beneficial society or association, historical, military, or veterans' organization, labor union, foundation, federation, or other society, organization, or association, degree, branch, subordinate lodge, or auxiliary thereof, and the individual members of such organizations, throughout the Commonwealth.

Code 1950, § 38-310; 1952, c. 225, § 2-64.3; 1966, c. 677, § 2.1-76; 2001, c. 844.

A. The Secretary of the Commonwealth shall keep a properly indexed record of the registration provided for by § 2.2-411, which record shall also show any altered or canceled registration.

B. Upon granting registration provided in § 2.2-411, the Secretary of the Commonwealth shall issue his certificate to the petitioners, setting forth the fact of such registration.

C. The fees of the Secretary of the Commonwealth for registration, alteration, cancellation, searches, and certificates issued pursuant to this article shall be the same as provided by law for similar services.

Code 1950, § 38-311; 1952, c. 225, § 2-64.4; 1966, c. 677, §§ 2.1-77, 2.1-79, 2.1-81; 2001, c. 844.

No registration shall be granted or alteration permitted to any association, lodge, order, fraternal society, beneficial association, or fraternal and beneficial society or association, historical, military, or veterans' organization, labor union, foundation, federation, or other society, organization, or association, degree, branch, subordinate lodge, or auxiliary thereof, having a name, badge, motto, button, decoration, charm, emblem, rosette, or other insignia, similar to, imitating, or so nearly resembling as to be calculated to deceive, any other name, badge, button, decoration, charm, emblem, rosette, or other insignia whatsoever, already registered pursuant to the provisions of § 2.2-411.

Code 1950, § 38-312; 1952, c. 225, § 2-64.5; 1966, c. 677, § 2.1-78; 2001, c. 844.

Any state department, division, board, commission, agency or facility owned and operated by the Commonwealth, which develops or creates, or commissions the development or creation of a motto or slogan for its use pursuant to or in furtherance of the programs or business of the department, division, agency or facility, shall without delay register the motto or slogan with the Secretary of the Commonwealth, who shall maintain a record of such registration to be open to public inspection during normal office hours.

However, public institutions of higher education in the Commonwealth and units of the Virginia National Guard shall be exempt from the requirements of this section.

1972, c. 403, § 2.1-81.1; 2001, c. 844.

A. Upon registration of a motto or slogan as provided in § 2.2-416, no individual, partnership, association or corporation shall employ such motto or slogan or a recognizable variation thereof on any article offered for sale to the public at a price above the actual cost of production of the article without the express consent of the registrant, which, if it approved of such use, may require payment of a reasonable fee or royalty for the use of its motto or slogan and, in addition, may impose restrictions upon such use.

B. No individual, partnership, association or corporation shall otherwise publicly use a recognizable variation of a registered motto or slogan for any purpose without the express consent of the registrant. Such consent may in any event be revoked by the registrant upon thirty days' written notice to the licensee. All fees or royalties collected pursuant to this section shall be paid into the general fund of the state treasury.

Public use of a registered motto or slogan or a recognizable variation of a registered motto or slogan for any purpose without the express consent of the registrant or the continued use of a registered motto or slogan or recognizable variation thereof following withdrawal of consent to such use by the registrant shall be punishable by a fine of no more than $1,000. Each day of violation shall constitute a separate offense.

1972, c. 403, §§ 2.1-81.2, 2.1-81.3; 2001, c. 844.