Virginia Law

Article 5. Registration.

A. A developer may not offer or dispose of any interest in a time-share program unless the time-share program has been properly registered with the Board. A developer may accept a nonbinding reservation together with a deposit if the deposit is placed in an escrow account with an institution having trust powers within the Commonwealth and is refundable at any time at the purchaser's option. In all cases, the reservation shall require a subsequent affirmative act by the purchaser via a separate instrument to create a binding obligation. A developer may not dispose of or transfer a time-share while an order revoking or suspending the registration of the time-share program is in effect.

B. The developer shall maintain records of names and addresses of current independent contractors employed by it for time-share sales purposes.

1981, c. 462, § 55-390; 1983, c. 59; 1985, c. 517; 1994, c. 580; 2019, c. 712; 2020, c. 1011.

A. The application for registration shall be filed in a form prescribed by the Board's regulations and shall include the following:

1. An irrevocable appointment to the Board to receive service of process in any proceeding arising under this chapter against the developer or the developer's agent if nonresidents of the Commonwealth;

2. The states or jurisdictions in which an application for registration or similar document has been filed and any adverse order or judgment entered in connection with the time-share program by the regulatory authorities in each jurisdiction or by any court;

3. The applicant's name, address, and the organizational form, including the date and jurisdiction under which the applicant was organized, and the address of its principal office and each of its sales offices in the Commonwealth;

4. The name, address, and principal occupation for the past five years of every officer of the applicant or person occupying a similar status or performing similar functions and the extent and nature of his interest in the applicant or the time-share program as of a specified date within 30 days of the filing of the application;

5. A statement, in a form acceptable to the Board, of the condition of the title to each time-share project included in the time-share program, including encumbrances as of a specified date within 30 days of the date of application, by a title opinion of a licensed attorney not a salaried employee, officer, or director of the applicant or owner, or by other evidence of a title acceptable to the Board;

6. A copy of the instruments that will be delivered to a purchaser and copies of the contracts and other agreements that a purchaser will be required to agree or to sign;

7. A copy of any management agreements, employment contracts, or other contracts or agreements affecting the use, maintenance, or access of all or any part of the time-share program;

8. A statement of the zoning and other governmental regulations affecting the use of a time-share project in a time-share program, including the site plans and building permits and their status and any existing tax and existing or proposed special taxes or assessments that affect the time-share;

9. A narrative description of the promotional plan for the disposition of the time-shares;

10. The proposed public offering statement and its exhibits;

11. Any bonds required to be posted pursuant to the provisions of this chapter;

12. The time-share estate owners' association annual report or budget required by § 55.1-2213 to the extent available;

13. A description of the time-share program being submitted for registration; and

14. Any other information that the Board believes necessary to assure full and fair disclosure.

B. The developer shall immediately report to the Board any material changes in the information contained in an application for registration.

C. Nothing shall prevent a developer from including in the registration a time-share project where construction is yet to begin or, if construction has begun, where construction is not yet complete.

Code 1950, § 55-391; 1981, c. 462; 1985, c. 517, § 55-391.1; 1994, c. 580; 1998, c. 460; 2011, c. 605; 2019, c. 712; 2020, c. 1011.

The Board may by regulation establish reasonable fees for registration. All fees shall be remitted by the Board to the State Treasurer and shall be placed to the credit of the Common Interest Community Management Information Fund established pursuant to § 54.1-2354.2.

Code 1950, § 55-392; 1981, c. 462; 1985, c. 517, § 55-392.1; 2008, cc. 851, 871; 2019, c. 712.

A. Upon receipt of the application for registration in proper form, the Board, within five business days, shall issue a notice of filing to the applicant. Within 20 days after receipt of the application, the Board shall review the application to determine whether the application and supporting documents satisfy the requirements of this chapter and the Board's regulations. Within 60 days from the date of the notice of filing, the Board shall enter an order registering or rejecting the application. If no order of rejection is entered within 60 days from the date of the notice of filing, the time-share program shall be deemed registered unless the applicant has consented in writing to a delay.

B. If the Board determines after review of the application and documents provided by the applicant that the requirements of § 55.1-2239 have been met, it shall issue an order registering the time-share program and shall designate the form of the public offering statement.

C. If the Board determines that any of the requirements of § 55.1-2239 have not been met, the Board shall notify the applicant that the application for registration shall be corrected in the particulars specified within 20 days. If the requirements are not met within the time allowed, the Board shall enter an order rejecting the registration, which shall include the findings of fact upon which the order is based. The order rejecting the registration shall become effective 20 days after issuance. During this 20-day period, the applicant may petition for reconsideration and shall be entitled to a hearing or to correct the particulars specified in the Board's notice. Such order of rejection shall not take effect, in any event, until such time as the hearing, if requested, is given to the applicant.

Code 1950, § 55-393; 1981, c. 462; 1985, c. 517, § 55-393.1; 2019, c. 712; 2020, c. 1011.

A. The developer shall file a report in the form prescribed by the Board's regulations by June 30 of each year the registration is effective. The developer of any time-share program initially registered with the Board between January and June shall not be required to file an annual report for the year in which it was initially registered. The report shall reflect any material changes in information contained in the original application for registration or in the immediately preceding annual report, whichever is later, and shall be accompanied by the appropriate fee established by the Board's regulations or pursuant to § 55.1-2240.

B. During the developer control period in a time-share estate program, the developer shall file a copy of the unit owners' association annual report required by § 55.1-2213 along with the annual report required by this section.

C. The developer shall amend or supplement its registration with the Board to report any material change in the information required by §§ 55.1-2217 and 55.1-2239. Such amendments or supplemental information shall be filed with the Board within 20 business days after the occurrence of the material change.

Code 1950, § 55-394; 1981, c. 462; 1985, c. 517, § 55-394.1; 1998, c. 460; 2006, c. 653; 2012, cc. 481, 797; 2019, c. 712; 2020, c. 1011.

A. In a time-share estate program, if the annual report indicates that the developer has transferred title to the time-share owners' association and that no further development rights exist, the Board shall issue an order terminating the registration of the time-share program.

B. The Board shall issue an order terminating the registration of a time-share program upon application by the developer in which the developer states that no further development right is anticipated and that the developer has ceased sales of time-shares in the time-share program.

C. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter, the Board may administratively terminate the registration of a time-share program if:

1. The developer has not filed an annual report in accordance with § 55.1-2242 for three or more consecutive years; or

2. The developer's registration with the State Corporation Commission, if applicable, has not been active for five or more consecutive years.

2012, cc. 481, 797, § 55-394.2; 2019, c. 712; 2020, c. 1011.

A. A reseller shall not provide or offer to provide any resale service unless he is registered with the Board.

B. The application for registration shall be filed in a form prescribed by the Board's regulations and shall include such information as required by the Board. A reseller shall immediately report to the Board any material changes in the information contained in an application for registration. The Board may by regulation establish reasonable fees for registration under this section. All fees shall be remitted by the Board to the Treasurer of Virginia, and shall be placed to the credit of the Common Interest Community Management Information Fund established pursuant to § 54.1-2354.2.

C. The registration requirements shall not apply to:

1. A person who solely or with affiliates engages in a resale service with respect to an aggregate of no more than 12 resale time-shares per calendar year;

2. A person who owns or acquires more than 12 resale time-shares and who subsequently transfers all such resale time-shares to a single purchaser in a single transaction;

3. The owner, its agents, and employees of a regularly published newspaper, magazine, or other periodical publication of general circulation; broadcast station; website; or billboard, to the extent their activities are limited to solicitation and publication of advertisements and the transmission of responses to the persons who place the advertisements. Any person who would otherwise be exempt from this chapter pursuant to this section shall not be exempt if the person (i) solicits the placement of the advertisement by representing that the advertisement will generate cash, a certain price, or a similar type of representation for the time-share owner's resale time-share; (ii) makes a recommendation as to the sales price for which to advertise the resale time-share; (iii) makes any representations to the person placing the advertisement regarding the success rate for selling resale time-shares advertised with such person; or (iv) makes any misrepresentations as described in this chapter;

4. Sale by a developer or a party acting on its behalf of a resale time-share under a current registration of the time-share program in which the resale time-share is included;

5. Sale by an association, a managing entity, or a party acting on its behalf of a resale time-share owned by the association, provided that the sale is in compliance with subsection C of § 55.1-2228; or

6. Attorneys, title agents, title companies, or escrow companies providing closing services in connection with the transfer of a resale time-share.

D. No reseller shall:

1. Fail to disclose information in writing concerning the marketing, sale, or transfer of resale time-shares required by this chapter prior to accepting any consideration or with the expectation of receiving consideration from any time-share owner, seller, or buyer.

2. Make false or misleading statements concerning offers to buy or rent; the value, pricing, timing, or availability of resale time-shares; or numbers of sellers, renters, or buyers when engaged in time-share resale activities.

3. Misrepresent the likelihood of selling a resale time-share interest.

4. Misrepresent the method by or source from which the reseller or lead dealer obtained the contact information of any time-share owner.

5. Misrepresent price or value increases or decreases, assessments, special assessments, maintenance fees, or taxes.

6. Guarantee sales or rentals in order to obtain money or property.

7. Make false or misleading statements concerning the identity of the reseller or any of its affiliates or the time-share resale entity's or any of its affiliate's experience, performance, guarantees, services, fees, or commissions, availability of refunds, length of time in business, or endorsements by or affiliations with developers, management companies, or any other third parties.

8. Misrepresent whether or not the reseller or its affiliates, employees, or agents hold, in any state or jurisdiction, a current real estate sales or broker's license or other government-required license.

9. Misrepresent how funds will be utilized in any time-share resale activity conducted by the reseller.

10. Misrepresent that the reseller or its affiliates, employees, or agents have specialized education, professional affiliations, expertise, licenses, certifications, or other specialized knowledge or qualifications.

11. Make false or misleading statements concerning the conditions under which a time-share owner, seller, or buyer may exchange or occupy the resale time-share interest.

12. Represent that any gift, prize, membership, or other benefit or service will be provided to any time-share owner, seller, or buyer without providing such gift, prize, membership, or other benefit or service in the manner represented.

13. Misrepresent the nature of any resale time-share interest or the related time-share plan.

14. Misrepresent the amount of the proceeds, or fail to pay the proceeds, of any rental or sale of a resale time-share interest as offered by a potential renter or buyer to the time-share owner who made such resale time-share interest available for rental or sale through the reseller.

15. Fail to transfer any resale time-share interests as represented and required by this chapter or to provide written evidence to the time-share owner of the recording or transfer of such time-share owner's resale time-share interest as required by this chapter.

16. Fail to pay any annual assessments, special assessments, personal property or real estate taxes, or other fees relating to an owner's resale time-share interest as represented or required by this chapter.

17. Misrepresent or misuse the intended purpose of a power of attorney or similar document to the detriment of any grantor of such power of attorney.

2012, c. 751, § 55-394.3; 2019, c. 712.

A. If contact information has been obtained by a reseller from any source, including a lead dealer, the reseller and lead dealer shall maintain the following records for a period of five years from the last date of contact between the reseller and the owner:

1. The name; home address; work address, if different; telephone number; email address, if any; and a copy of a current government-issued photographic identification (e.g., driver's license, passport, or military identification card) of the lead dealer who provided the contact information;

2. The date, time, and place of the transaction at which the contact information was obtained, along with the amount of consideration paid and a signed receipt from the lead dealer or copy of a canceled check; and

3. A copy of the contact information obtained in the exact form and media in which received.

B. A reseller shall maintain records for at least five years after each transaction involving resale service including resale transfer agreements and resale purchase agreements.

C. In any civil or criminal action based on a violation of this section, there shall be a presumption that contact information was wrongfully obtained if a reseller or lead dealer fails to produce the records required by this section.

D. Any person who establishes that a reseller or lead dealer wrongfully obtained or wrongfully used contact information with respect to time-share owners or members of an exchange program shall, in addition to any other remedies that may be available in law or equity, be entitled to recover from such reseller or lead dealer an amount equal to $1,000 for each time-share owner or member about whom contact information was wrongfully obtained or used. The prevailing person in any such action shall also be entitled to recover reasonable attorney fees and costs.

2012, c. 751, § 55-394.4; 2019, c. 712.

A. The application for registration of an alternative purchase shall be filed in a form prescribed by the Board and shall include the following:

1. A general description of the types of alternative purchases offered;

2. A copy of the terms and conditions applicable to the alternative purchases; and

3. The name, address, and contact information of the developer offering the alternative purchases.

B. Any material change to the standard terms and conditions applicable to an alternative purchase shall be filed with the Board within 30 days of such change being effective. Changes to the length of stay, location, or price shall not require an amendment of the registration, provided that the terms and conditions applicable to such alternative purchases are on file with the Board.

C. The provisions of §§ 55.1-2217 and 55.1-2220 shall not apply to alternative purchases registered under this section.

2014, c. 623, § 55-394.5; 2019, c. 712.