Virginia Law

Article 8. Denial, Suspension, and Revocation of Dealer Licenses.

If a licensee or registrant is a partnership or corporation, it shall be sufficient cause for the denial, suspension, or revocation of a license or certificate of dealer registration that any officer, director, or trustee of the partnership or corporation, or any member in the case of a partnership or the dealer-operator, has committed any act or omitted any duty which would be cause for refusing, suspending, or revoking a license or certificate of dealer registration issued to him as an individual under this chapter. Each licensee or registrant shall be responsible for the acts of any of his salespersons while acting as his agent, if the licensee approved of those acts or had knowledge of those acts or other similar acts and after such knowledge retained the benefit, proceeds, profits, or advantages accruing from those acts or otherwise ratified those acts.

1988, c. 865, § 46.1-550.5:33; 1989, c. 727.

A license or certificate of dealer registration or qualification issued under this subtitle may be denied, suspended, or revoked on any one or more of the following grounds:

1. Material misstatement or omission in application for license, dealer's license plates, certificate of dealer registration, certificate of qualification, or certificate of title;

2. Failure to comply subsequent to receipt of a written warning from the Department or the Board or any willful failure to comply with any provision of this chapter or any regulation promulgated by the Commissioner or the Board under this chapter;

3. Failure to have an established place of business as defined in § 46.2-1510 or failure to have as the dealer-operator an individual who holds a valid certificate of qualification;

4. Defrauding any retail buyer, to the buyer's damage, or any other person in the conduct of the licensee's or registrant's business;

5. Employment of fraudulent devices, methods or practices in connection with compliance with the requirements under the statutes of the Commonwealth with respect to the retaking of vehicles under retail installment contracts and the redemption and resale of those vehicles;

6. Having used deceptive acts or practices;

7. Knowingly advertising by any means any assertion, representation, or statement of fact which is untrue, misleading, or deceptive in any particular relating to the conduct of the business licensed or registered or for which a license or registration is sought;

8. Having been convicted of any fraudulent act in connection with the business of selling vehicles or any consumer-related fraud;

9. Having been convicted of any criminal act involving the business of selling vehicles;

10. Willfully retaining in his possession title to a motor vehicle that has not been completely and legally assigned to him;

11. Failure to comply with any provision of Chapter 4.1 (§ 36-85.2 et seq.) of Title 36 or any regulation promulgated pursuant to that chapter;

12. Leasing, renting, lending, or otherwise allowing the use of a dealer's license plate by persons not specifically authorized under this title;

13. Having been convicted of a felony;

14. Failure to submit to the Department, within thirty days from the date of sale, any application, tax, or fee collected for the Department on behalf of a buyer;

15. Having been convicted of larceny of a vehicle or receipt or sale of a stolen vehicle;

16. Having been convicted of odometer tampering or any related violation;

17. If a salvage dealer, salvage pool, or rebuilder, failing to comply with any provision of Chapter 16 (§ 46.2-1600 et seq.) of this title or any regulation promulgated by the Commissioner under that chapter;

18. Failing to maintain automobile liability insurance, issued by a company licensed to do business in the Commonwealth, or a certificate of self-insurance as defined in § 46.2-368, with respect to each dealer's license plate issued to the dealer by the Department; or

19. Failing or refusing to pay civil penalties or examination costs imposed by the Board pursuant to § 46.2-1507 or 46.2-1528.

1988, c. 865, § 46.1-550.5:34; 1989, c. 727; 1990, cc. 197, 954; 1995, cc. 767, 816; 1999, c. 217; 2024, c. 86.

A. Except as provided in § 46.2-1527.7 and subsections B and C of this section, no license or certificate of dealer registration or qualification issued under this subtitle shall be suspended or revoked, or renewal thereof refused, until a written copy of the complaint made has been furnished to the licensee, registrant, or qualifier against whom the same is directed and a public hearing thereon has been had before a hearing officer designated by the Board. At least ten days' written notice of the time and place of the hearing shall be given to the licensee, registrant, or qualifier by registered mail addressed to his last known post office address or as shown on his license or certificate or other record of information in possession of the Board. At the hearing the licensee, registrant, or qualifier shall have the right to be heard personally or by counsel. The hearing officer shall provide recommendations to the Board within ninety days of the conclusion of the hearing. After receiving the recommendations from the hearing officer, the Board may suspend, revoke, or refuse to renew the license or certificate in question. A Board member shall disqualify himself and withdraw from any case in which he cannot accord fair and impartial consideration. Any party may request the disqualification of any Board member by stating with particularity the grounds upon which it is claimed that fair and impartial consideration cannot be accorded. The remaining members of the Board shall determine whether the individual should be disqualified. Immediate notice of any suspension, revocation, or refusal shall be given to the licensee, registrant, or qualifier in the manner provided in this section in the case of notices of hearing.

B. Should a dealer fail to maintain an established place of business, the Board may cancel the license of the dealer without a hearing after notification of the intent to cancel has been sent, by return receipt mail, to the dealer at the dealer's residence and business addresses, and the notices are returned undelivered or the dealer does not respond within twenty days from the date the notices were sent. Any subsequent application for a dealer's license shall be treated as an original application.

C. Should a dealer fail or refuse to pay civil penalties imposed by the Board pursuant to § 46.2-1507, the Board may deny, revoke, or suspend the dealer's license without a hearing after notice of imposition of civil penalties has been sent, by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the dealer at the dealer's business address and such civil penalty is not paid in full within thirty days after receipt of the notice.

1988, c. 865, § 46.1-550.5:35; 1989, c. 727; 1990, c. 197; 1995, cc. 767, 816; 1996, cc. 639, 658; 1999, c. 217.

Any person aggrieved by the action of the Board in refusing to grant or renew a license or certificate of dealer registration or qualification issued under this chapter, or by any other action of the Board which is alleged to be improper, unreasonable, or unlawful under the provisions of this chapter is entitled to judicial review in accordance with the provisions of the Administrative Process Act (§ 2.2-4000 et seq.).

1988, c. 865, § 46.1-550.5:36; 1989, c. 727; 1990, c. 197; 1995, cc. 767, 816.

Either party may appeal from the decision of the court under § 46.2-1577 to the Court of Appeals. These appeals shall be taken and prosecuted in the same manner and with like effect as is provided by law in other cases appealed as a matter of right to the Court of Appeals.

1988, c. 865, § 46.1-550.5:37; 1989, c. 727; 1990, c. 197; 1996, c. 573.

The remedy at law provided by §§ 46.2-1577 and 46.2-1578 shall not in any manner impair the right to applicable equitable relief. That right to equitable relief is hereby preserved, notwithstanding the provisions of §§ 46.2-1577 and 46.2-1578.

1988, c. 865, § 46.1-550.5:38; 1989, c. 727.