Virginia Code 55.1-1935: Use of technology.
A. Unless expressly prohibited by the condominium instruments, (i) any notice required to be sent or received or (ii) any signature, vote, consent, or approval required to be obtained under any condominium instrument or any provision of this chapter may be accomplished using electronic means.
Terms Used In Virginia Code 55.1-1935
- Condominium: means real property, and any incidents to or interests in such real property, lawfully subject to this chapter by the recordation of condominium instruments pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. See Virginia Code 55.1-1900
- Electronic means: means any form of communication, not directly involving the physical transmission of paper, that creates a record that may be retained, retrieved, and reviewed by a recipient of such communication. See Virginia Code 55.1-1900
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Executive board: means an executive and administrative entity, by whatever name denominated, designated in the condominium instruments as the governing body of the unit owners' association. See Virginia Code 55.1-1900
- Foreclosure: A legal process in which property that is collateral or security for a loan may be sold to help repay the loan when the loan is in default. Source: OCC
- Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
- Notary: means notary public. See Virginia Code 1-226
- Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
- Person: means a natural person, corporation, partnership, association, trust, or other entity capable of holding title to real property, or any combination thereof. See Virginia Code 55.1-1900
- Unit: means a portion of the condominium designed and intended for individual ownership and use. See Virginia Code 55.1-1900
B. The unit owners’ association, unit owners, and other persons entitled to occupy a unit may perform any obligation or exercise any right under any condominium instrument or any provision of this chapter by use of electronic means.
C. An electronic signature meeting the requirements of applicable law shall satisfy any requirement for a signature under any condominium instrument or any provision of this chapter.
D. Voting, consent to, and approval of any matter under any condominium instrument or any provision of this chapter may be accomplished by electronic means provided that a record is created as evidence of such vote, consent, or approval and maintained as long as such record would be required to be maintained in nonelectronic form. If the vote, consent, or approval is required to be obtained by secret ballot, the electronic means shall protect the identity of the voter. If the electronic means cannot protect the identity of the voter, another means of voting shall be used.
E. Subject to other provisions of law, no action required or permitted by any condominium instrument or any provision of this chapter need be acknowledged before a notary public if the identity and signature of such person can otherwise be authenticated to the satisfaction of the executive board.
F. Any meeting of the unit owners’ association, the executive board, or any committee may be held entirely or partially by electronic means, provided that the executive board has adopted guidelines for the use of electronic means for such meetings. Such guidelines shall ensure that persons accessing such meetings are authorized to do so and that persons entitled to participate in such meetings have an opportunity to do so. The executive board shall determine whether any such meeting may be held entirely or partially by electronic means.
G. If any person does not have the capability or desire to conduct business using electronic means, the unit owners’ association shall make available a reasonable alternative, at its expense, for such person to conduct business with the unit owners’ association without use of such electronic means.
H. This section shall not apply to any notice related to an enforcement action by the unit owners’ association, an assessment lien, or foreclosure proceedings in enforcement of an assessment lien.
2010, c. 432, § 55-79.71:1; 2019, c. 712; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 9, 494.