Virginia Law

A. As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning:

"Commission" means the State Corporation Commission.

"Person" has the meaning prescribed in § 1-230.

B. No person shall conduct or transact business in the Commonwealth under any assumed or fictitious name unless such person files in the office of the clerk of the Commission a certificate of assumed or fictitious name.

C. No person shall use an assumed or fictitious name in the conduct of the person's business to intentionally misrepresent the geographic origin or location of the person.

Code 1950, § 59-169; 1968, c. 439; 1987, c. 702; 1995, c. 168; 1996, c. 904; 2017, c. 594.

A. The certificate of assumed or fictitious name shall be on a form prescribed by the Commission that sets forth the following:

1. The name of the person who will be conducting business under the assumed or fictitious name;

2. The assumed or fictitious name of the business;

3. Whether the person who will be conducting business under the assumed or fictitious name is an individual or, if not, the type of legal or commercial entity of the person;

4. If the person who will be conducting business under the assumed or fictitious name is an individual, the post office address of the individual's office or residence, which shall include a street address, city or town, state, and zip code;

5. If the person who will be conducting business under the assumed or fictitious name is a domestic or foreign corporation, limited liability company, business trust, or limited partnership authorized by the Commission to transact business in the Commonwealth, the identification number issued by the Commission to the person;

6. If the person who will be conducting business under the assumed or fictitious name is a domestic or foreign partnership that has filed with the Commission a statement of partnership authority or a statement of registration as a registered limited liability partnership that has not been canceled, the identification number issued by the Commission to the partnership;

7. If the person who will be conducting business under the assumed or fictitious name is not subject to subdivision 4, 5, or 6, the post office address of the person's principal place of business, which shall include a street address, city or town, state, and zip code; and

8. The printed name and title of the individual signing the certificate of assumed or fictitious name.

B. The certificate of assumed or fictitious name shall be signed by (i) the individual who will be conducting business under the assumed or fictitious name or (ii) an authorized representative of the person who will be conducting business under the assumed or fictitious name when the person is not an individual.

C. The clerk of the Commission shall charge a fee of $10 for the filing of a certificate of assumed or fictitious name.

Code 1950, § 59-170; 1968, c. 439; 1976, c. 79; 1981, c. 519; 1984, c. 771; 1987, c. 702; 1991, c. 439; 1995, c. 168; 2017, c. 594.

A. When a person is no longer conducting business in the Commonwealth under an assumed or fictitious name on file with the clerk of the Commission, the name may be released by filing a certificate of release of an assumed or fictitious name in the office of the clerk of the Commission that is signed (i) by the individual who conducted business under the assumed or fictitious name, (ii) on behalf of the person who conducted business under the assumed or fictitious name when the person is not an individual, (iii) by a court-appointed fiduciary of the person, or (iv) by the person's successor in interest when the person is not an individual.

B. When a person is no longer conducting business in the Commonwealth under an assumed or fictitious name on file with a circuit court, the name may be released by filing a certificate of release of an assumed or fictitious name with the clerk of the court that is signed and acknowledged by the person, a court-appointed fiduciary of the person, or, when the person is not an individual, the person's successor in interest.

C. The certificate of release of an assumed or fictitious name shall be on a form prescribed by the Commission. The fee to file a certificate of release of an assumed or fictitious name with the clerk of the Commission or with the clerk of the court shall be $10.

2017, c. 594.

Repealed by Acts 2002, c. 267, effective July 1, 2002.

Repealed by Acts 1994, c. 432.

A. The clerk of the court with whom a certificate of assumed or fictitious name is filed shall keep a book in which all certificates of assumed or fictitious name and certificates of release of an assumed or fictitious name are recorded, with their date of record, and shall keep a register in which shall be entered in alphabetical order the name under which every business is conducted and the names of every person owning the business.

B. No license shall be issued by a commissioner of the revenue until a certificate of assumed or fictitious name has been made and filed (i) in the office of the clerk of the Commission or (ii) prior to January 1, 2020, in the office of the clerk of the court, and evidence of the filing has been provided to the commissioner of the revenue by the person conducting business under the assumed or fictitious name.

Code 1950, § 59-174; 1968, c. 439; 1975, c. 230; 1983, c. 103; 1992, c. 784; 2002, c. 267; 2017, c. 594; 2019, c. 464.

Any person violating any of the provisions of this chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding $2,500 or by confinement in jail for not more than one year, or both.

Code 1950, § 59-175; 1968, c. 439; 1991, c. 710.

A. It is unlawful for any person to sign a certificate the person knows is false in any material respect with intent that the certificate be delivered to the Commission for filing.

B. Any person who violates the provisions of this section is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

2017, c. 594.

The failure of any person or corporation to comply with the provisions of this chapter shall not prevent a recovery by or against such person or corporation, in any of the courts in this Commonwealth on any cause of action heretofore or hereafter arising, but no action shall be maintained in any of the courts in this Commonwealth by any such person, corporation or his or its assignee or successor in title unless and until the certificate required by this chapter has been filed.

Code 1950, § 59-176; 1968, c. 439.