2006 Code of Virginia § 46.2-1603.1 - Duties of licensees

46.2-1603.1. Duties of licensees.

A. If a salvage vehicle is purchased by a salvage dealer and the vehicle issold as a unit to anyone other than a demolisher, rebuilder, vehicle removaloperator or scrap metal processor, the purchaser shall obtain from theDepartment a salvage certificate. If the sale is to a demolisher or vehicleremoval operator, the salvage vehicle shall be assigned in the space providedfor such assignments on the existing salvage certificate. If a vehicle ispurchased by a salvage dealer and disassembled for parts only or demolishedby a demolisher, the salvage dealer shall immediately and conspicuouslyindicate on the salvage certificate or title that the vehicle wasdisassembled for parts only or demolished and immediately forward the salvagecertificate or title to the Department for cancellation. The Department shallcancel the title or salvage certificate and issue a nonrepairable certificatefor the vehicle to the salvage dealer.

1. If a vehicle for which a title or salvage certificate or other ownershipdocument has been issued by a foreign jurisdiction and is purchased by asalvage dealer or demolisher and disassembled for parts only or demolished bya demolisher, the salvage dealer or demolisher shall immediately andconspicuously indicate on the salvage certificate, title, or other ownershipdocument that the vehicle was disassembled for parts only or demolished andimmediately forward the salvage certificate, title or other ownershipdocument to the Department for cancellation. The Department shall cancel thetitle, salvage certificate, or other ownership document and issue anonrepairable certificate for the vehicle to the salvage dealer.

2. There shall be no fee for the issuance of a nonrepairable certificate.

B. If a licensee acquires any late model vehicle, he shall immediatelycompare the vehicle identification number assigned by the manufacturer or theDepartment or the identification number issued or assigned by another statewith the title or salvage certificate of the vehicle and shall notify theDepartment as provided in subsection C of this section. Such comparison andnotification shall not be required of a demolisher if the vehicle wasacquired from a licensed salvage dealer, rebuilder, salvage pool, or vehicleremoval operator and such licensee delivers to the demolisher a title orsalvage certificate for the vehicle.

C. If the vehicle identification number has been altered, is missing, orappears to have been otherwise tampered with, the licensee shall take nofurther action with regard to the vehicle except to safeguard it in itsthen-existing condition and shall promptly notify the Department. TheDepartment shall, after an investigation has been made, notify the licenseewhether the vehicle can be freed from this limitation. In no event shall thevehicle be disassembled, demolished, processed, or otherwise modified orremoved prior to authorization by the Department. If the vehicle is amotorcycle, the licensee shall cause to be noted on the title or salvagecertificate, certifying on the face of the document, in addition to the aboverequirements, the frame number of the motorcycle and motor number, ifavailable.

D. Except as provided in 46.2-1203, after a vehicle has been demolished,the demolisher shall, within five working days, deliver to the Department thesalvage certificate or title, certifying on the face of the document that thevehicle has been destroyed.

E. Except as provided in 46.2-1203, it shall be unlawful for any licenseeto purchase, receive, take into inventory, or otherwise accept from anyperson any late model vehicle unless, as a part of any such transaction, thelicensee also receives a title, salvage certificate, nonrepairablecertificate, or other ownership documents, issued by an appropriateregulatory agency within or without the Commonwealth, relating to suchvehicle. Every licensee shall maintain as a part of his business records atitle, salvage certificate, nonrepairable certificate, or other ownershipdocuments, issued by an appropriate regulatory agency within or without theCommonwealth, pertaining to every late model vehicle in his inventory orpossession.

(1992, c. 148; 1995, cc. 390, 394; 2004, c. 369.)