Virginia Law

Article 3. Credit Cards.

As used in this article, unless the context otherwise requires:

"Cardholder" means the person or organization named on the face of a credit card to whom or for whose benefit the credit card was issued by an issuer.

"Credit card" means any instrument or device, whether known as a credit card, credit plate, or by any other name, issued with or without fee by an issuer for the use of the cardholder in obtaining money, goods, services, or any other thing of value.

"Issuer" means the business organization or financial institution or its duly authorized agent that issues a credit card.

"Payment device" means any credit card, any "accepted card or other means of access" as defined in 15 U.S.C. § 1693a(1), or any card that enables a person to pay for transactions through the use of value stored on the card itself.

1970, c. 324, § 11-30; 2010, c. 794.

A. A cardholder who receives a credit card from an issuer, which card the cardholder has not requested nor consented to the issuance of in writing, nor used, shall not be liable for any amount owing because of a use of the credit card.

B. The failure to destroy or return an unsolicited credit card shall neither:

1. Be evidence of a cardholder's request for or consent to the issuance of the credit card, nor

2. Constitute negligence on the part of the cardholder.

C. Use by an authorized agent of the cardholder shall be the equivalent of use by the cardholder. The burden of proving the authority of an agent shall be upon the issuer.

1970, c. 324, § 11-31; 2010, c. 794.

The request, consent, or use required in § 6.2-425 as a condition precedent to liability shall not be necessary in any instance:

1. Of a credit card that is a renewal of a credit card previously held and used by the cardholder or his authorized agent within 12 months of the renewal date; or

2. Where the card is issued to a customer who has previously established credit with the issuer and has used such credit within 12 months prior to the issuance of the card.

1970, c. 324, § 11-32; 2010, c. 794.

A. In any suit arising out of the use of a credit card, where the request, consent, or use as required by § 6.2-425 is denied and is not proved, and judgment shall be for the defendant, the court shall assess against the issuer all court costs and shall award the defendant a reasonable attorney fee.

B. For purposes of subsection A, a certified copy of the request or consent shall be admissible as evidence that such request or consent was obtained.

1970, c. 324, § 11-33; 2010, c. 794.

A. Except as otherwise provided in subsection D, no person shall, as a means of identification or for any other purpose:

1. Require that a person produce a credit card number for recordation; or

2. Record a credit card number in connection with (i) a sale of goods or services in which a purchaser pays by check or (ii) the acceptance of a check.

B. A person aggrieved by a violation of this section shall be entitled to institute an action to recover his actual damages or $100, whichever is greater, and to injunctive relief against any person who has engaged, is engaged, or is about to engage in any act in violation of this section. Such action shall be brought in the general district or circuit court, whichever is appropriate, of any county or city wherein the defendant resides or has a place of business. In the event the aggrieved party prevails, he may be awarded reasonable attorney fees and court costs in addition to any damages awarded.

C. This section shall not be construed to (i) impose liability on any employee or agent of a person, where that employee or agent has acted in accordance with the directions of his employer, (ii) prohibit a person from requesting a purchaser to display a credit card as an indication of creditworthiness or financial responsibility or as identification, and in these instances the type, the issuer, and the expiration date of the credit card may be recorded, or (iii) require acceptance of a check, whether or not a credit card is presented.

D. A person may require production of and may record a credit card number as a condition for cashing a check only where (i) the person requesting the card number has agreed with the issuer to cash checks as a service to the issuer's cardholders, (ii) the issuer has agreed to guarantee cardholder checks cashed by that person, and (iii) the cardholder has given actual, apparent, or implied authority for use of his card number in this manner and for this purpose.

1990, c. 587, § 11-33.1; 2010, c. 794.

A. No person that accepts payment devices for any purpose shall print on any receipt provided to the holder of the payment device (i) more than the last four digits of the payment device number or (ii) the expiration date.

B. For transactions in which the sole means of recording the person's payment device number is by handwriting or by an imprint or copy of the payment device, no receipt, other than the one original, shall display the information prohibited in subsection A. Returning all copies, including carbons, that do not comply with this section, to the payment device holder or authorized user or destroying such copies and carbons in front of the payment device holder or authorized user shall constitute compliance with this section.

C. The provisions of this section shall apply to all cash registers or other machines or devices that electronically print receipts for payment device transactions that are placed in service on or after July 1, 2003.

D. For all cash registers or other machines or devices that electronically print receipts for payment device transactions in service prior to July 1, 2003, the provisions of this subsection shall not apply until July 1, 2005.

E. Any person violating this section (i) shall be liable to the payment device holder and the issuer for any damages or expenses, or both, including attorney fees, that the payment device holder incurs due to the use of the payment device without the permission of the payment device holder and (ii) may be compelled, in a proceeding instituted in any appropriate court by the attorney for the Commonwealth, to comply with this section by injunction, mandamus, or other appropriate remedy. Without limiting the remedies authorized by this section in a proceeding instituted by the attorney for the Commonwealth, any person failing, neglecting, or refusing to obey any injunction, mandamus, or other remedy obtained pursuant to this section, shall be subject, in the discretion of the court, to a civil penalty not to exceed $1,000 for each violation.

2002, c. 744, § 11-33.2; 2004, c. 793; 2009, c. 373; 2010, c. 794.

Solely for the purpose of a buyer asserting claims and defenses pursuant to 15 U.S.C. § 1666i, a transaction shall be presumed to have occurred at the mailing address most recently provided by the cardholder to the card issuer, without regard to the location where the last act necessary for the formation of the contract between the cardholder and the party honoring the card took place.

2004, c. 373, § 11-33.3; 2010, c. 794.

Except as set forth in § 6.2-428, the provisions of §§ 6.2-424 through 6.2-430 shall not apply to any credit card issued by any telephone company that is subject to supervision or regulation by the Commission.

1970, c. 324, § 11-34; 1990, c. 587; 2010, c. 794.

Any application form or preapproved written solicitation for an open-end credit card account to be used for personal, family, or household purposes that is mailed to a consumer residing in the Commonwealth by or on behalf of a creditor, whether or not the creditor is located in the Commonwealth, other than an application form or solicitation included in a magazine, newspaper, or other publication distributed by someone other than the creditor, shall contain or be accompanied by a disclosure that satisfies the initial disclosure requirements of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Regulation Z (12 C.F.R. Part 1026).

1987, cc. 622, 639, 714, §§ 6.1-330.63, 6.1-330.78; 1992, Sp. Sess., c. 4; 1997, c. 112; 2005, c. 670; 2009, cc. 784, 860; 2010, c. 794; 2016, c. 501.