Virginia Code 6.2-1040: Unlawful use of terms indicating that business is trust company; penalty
A. A person not authorized to engage in the trust business in the Commonwealth by the provisions of this title or under the laws of the United States, shall not (i) use any office sign having thereon any name or other words indicating that any such office is the office of a trust company; (ii) use or circulate any letterheads, billheads, blank notes, blank receipts, certificates, circulars or any written or printed paper, having thereon any name or word indicating that such person is a trust company; or (iii) use the word “trust” or the equivalent thereof in any foreign language, or the plural thereof in connection with any business other than a trust business.
Attorney's Note
Under the Virginia Code, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:| Class | Prison | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| Class 6 felony | up to 5 years | up to $2,500 |
Terms Used In Virginia Code 6.2-1040
- Person: means any individual, corporation, partnership, association, cooperative, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, government, political subdivision, or other legal or commercial entity. See Virginia Code 6.2-100
- subsidiary trust company: means a corporation organized under Chapter 9 of Title 13. See Virginia Code 6.2-1000
- Trust business: means the holding out by a person or legal entity to the public at large by advertising, solicitation or other means that the person or legal entity is available to act as a fiduciary in the Commonwealth or is accepting and undertaking to perform the duties of a fiduciary in the regular course of its business. See Virginia Code 6.2-1000
- Trust company: means a corporation, including an affiliated trust company, that is authorized to engage in the trust business under Article 2 (§ 6. See Virginia Code 6.2-1000
- Trust company holding company: means a corporation that controls a trust company. See Virginia Code 6.2-1000
- United States: includes the 50 states, the District of Columbia the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and the United States Virgin Islands. See Virginia Code 1-255
B. The foregoing prohibitions shall not apply to use by a trust company holding company of the word “trust” or the equivalent thereof in its name, or of a name similar to that of a subsidiary trust company of such trust company holding company.
C. The use of the above-mentioned words in the name of, or in connection with, any other business shall not be prohibited if the context or remaining words show clearly and definitely that the business is not a trust company, and is not carrying on a trust business.
D. Any person violating the provisions of this section, either individually or as an interested party, is guilty of a Class 6 felony.
Code 1950, § 6-134; 1966, c. 584, § 6.1-112; 1972, c. 187; 1992, cc. 24, 136; 2000, c. 56; 2003, c. 592; 2010, c. 794.