A. It is unlawful for any person to sell or offer for sale in the Commonwealth any new agricultural implement, farm tractor, or other type of farm machinery or equipment, knowing that the manufacturer’s original serial number has been removed, defaced, or in any way obliterated. Any person who violates this subsection is guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor. A person convicted of a second or subsequent offense under this subsection is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

Attorney's Note

Under the Virginia Code, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
Class 1 misdemeanorup to 12 monthsup to $2,500
Class 2 misdemeanorup to 6 monthsup to $1,000
For details, see Va. Code § 18.2-11

Terms Used In Virginia Code 3.2-5000

  • farm: means any person that obtains at least 51 percent of its annual gross income from agricultural operations and produces the agricultural waste used as feedstock for the waste-to-energy technology, (ii) "agricultural waste" means biomass waste materials capable of decomposition that are produced from the raising of plants and animals during agricultural operations, including animal manures, bedding, plant stalks, hulls, and vegetable matter, and (iii) "waste-to-energy technology" means any technology, including but not limited to a methane digester, that converts agricultural waste into gas, steam, or heat that is used to generate electricity on-site. See Virginia Code 1-222.1
  • Person: includes any individual, corporation, partnership, association, cooperative, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, government, political subdivision, or any other legal or commercial entity and any successor, representative, agent, agency, or instrumentality thereof. See Virginia Code 1-230

B. The dealer in farm equipment who possesses for sale any farm implement or machinery that has had its serial number removed, defaced, or in any way obliterated, shall have his supplier stamp, attach or scribe, as was originally done, the same serial number as was placed upon the machine or implement at the time of its manufacture. Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to prevent any manufacturer or importer, or his agents, other than dealers, from doing his own numbering on agricultural implements, farm tractors, or other types of farm machinery or equipment, or parts, removed or changed, and replacing the numbered parts.

Code 1950, § 3-707; 1952, c. 672; 1966, c. 702, § 13.1-918; 2008, c. 860.