# Virginia SB595: Mechanics and storage liens; vehicle data. Virginia SB595, Mechanics and storage liens; vehicle data., is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Bill DeSteph (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-04-13 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0826)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB595-2026 - As of: 2026-10-12 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Virginia SB595 - State: Virginia - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Mechanics and storage liens; vehicle data. - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2026-01-14 - Last action: 2026-04-13, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0826) - Sponsor: Bill DeSteph (Republican) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 11 (225 yes, 38 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 7 ## Summary Mechanics and storage liens; abandoned vehicles; vehicle records. Removes the requirement that the Department of Motor Vehicles, when searching for owner or lienholder information for a vehicle titled in another jurisdiction for (i) the enforcement of a mechanic's or storage lien or (ii) determining ownership of an abandoned vehicle, ascertain such information by contacting the other jurisdiction. The bill retains the requirement that the Department ascertain such information upon initiation of a search by the bailee or person in possession of an abandoned vehicle. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Active-duty owners get vehicle disposal protections: benefit, medium. Businesses disposing of an active-duty servicemember’s vehicle must follow the federal Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. A DMV active-duty flag counts as evidence that these protections apply. Businesses must still check the owner’s military status, even when DMV records have no flag. - Abandoned vehicles face fees and deadlines: mixed, medium. A person holding an abandoned vehicle pays $40 for an owner-and-lender search; local agencies with written DMV agreements are exempt. DMV sends identified owners and lenders certified notices giving 15 days to reclaim and remove the vehicle. Manufactured and mobile homes have 120 days; after the de… - Outside requesters pay for Virginia records: mixed, low. People, businesses, and agents outside Virginia can request records to enforce substantially similar vehicle-lien or abandoned-vehicle laws. For Virginia-titled vehicles, they pay $25 per search; DMV provides available owner and lender details and notifies those parties. This search does not replac… - Vehicle lien sales require paid notices: mixed, low. Before a lien sale, the business holding the vehicle notifies DMV and pays $40; DMV repeats its records search. Identified owners and lenders receive certified notice at their last known addresses, giving 15 days to reclaim and repay. If the vehicle stays unclaimed and the debt unpaid, ownership an… - Vehicle searches protect owners before sales: mixed, low. Before enforcing a vehicle lien, the business holding the vehicle must request a Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) search. DMV searches state records and national crime and title databases, shares owner and lender information, and reports stolen vehicles. It sends initial notices and hold… - Vehicle value sets lien sale rules: mixed, low. DMV normally uses a recognized guide’s trade-in value; businesses holding vehicles can submit independent appraisals and supporting papers. Appraisers must meet licensing and zoning requirements, qualify through another state's appraisal license or insurer authorization, and have no financial inter… - Businesses can title older unclaimed vehicles: mixed, low. A business holding a vehicle can get a DMV title or nonrepairable certificate when its value is $4,500 or less. Its model year must be at least six years before the current model year. The business must prove at least 30 days of continuous custody. DMV's required diligent search must fail to identi… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Bill DeSteph (Republican), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-03-03 | House | Passed House | pass | 81 | 17 | | | 2026-02-26 | House | Reported from Transportation | pass | 18 | 3 | | | 2026-02-24 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting | pass | 6 | 4 | | | 2026-02-06 | Senate | Read third time and passed Senate | pass | 29 | 11 | | | 2026-02-05 | Senate | Engrossment reconsidered by Senate | pass | 40 | 0 | | | 2026-02-05 | Senate | Reading of amendment waived (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-02-05 | Senate | Senator DeSteph Substitute agreed to | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-02-03 | Senate | Engrossed by Senate (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-02-02 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) | pass | 40 | 0 | | | 2026-02-02 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-01-29 | Senate | Reported from Transportation | pass | 11 | 3 | | ## Actions (39) - 2026-04-13: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0826) (Governor) - 2026-04-13: Approved by Governor-Chapter 826 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor) - 2026-03-10: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor) - 2026-03-10: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026 (Senate) - 2026-03-09: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB595) (Senate) - 2026-03-09: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB595ER) (Senate) - 2026-03-09: Enrolled (Senate) - 2026-03-09: Signed by President (Senate) - 2026-03-09: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2026-03-03: Passed House (81-Y 17-N 0-A) (House) - 2026-03-03: Read third time (House) - 2026-03-02: Read second time (House) - 2026-02-26: Reported from Transportation (18-Y 3-N) (House) - 2026-02-24: Subcommittee recommends reporting (6-Y 4-N) (House) - 2026-02-20: Assigned HTRAN sub: Department of Motor Vehicles (House) - 2026-02-12: Referred to Committee on Transportation (House) - 2026-02-12: Read first time (House) - 2026-02-12: Placed on Calendar (House) - 2026-02-11: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB595) (Senate) - 2026-02-06: Read third time and passed Senate (29-Y 11-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-02-05: Senator DeSteph Substitute agreed to (Senate) - 2026-02-05: Reading of amendment waived (Voice Vote) (Senate) - 2026-02-05: Engrossment reconsidered by Senate (Senate) - 2026-02-05: Engrossed by Senate - floor substitute (Voice Vote) (Senate) - 2026-02-05: Reading of substitute waived (Senate) - 2026-02-04: Floor substitute printed 26107129D-S1 (DeSteph) (Senate) - 2026-02-04: Floor Offered (Senate) - 2026-02-04: Read third time (Senate) - 2026-02-04: Passed by for the day (Senate) - 2026-02-03: Engrossed by Senate (Voice Vote) (Senate) - 2026-02-03: Read second time (Senate) - 2026-02-02: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate) - 2026-02-02: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-02-02: Passed by for the day (Senate) - 2026-02-02: Rules suspended (Senate) - 2026-01-29: Reported from Transportation (11-Y 3-N) (Senate) - 2026-01-26: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB595) (Senate) - 2026-01-14: Referred to Committee on Transportation (Senate) - 2026-01-14: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26101286D (Senate) ## Bill text - Chaptered, 2026-04-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1222879.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1222878.PDF) - Enrolled, 2026-03-09: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1196046.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1196045.PDF) - Substitute, 2026-02-04: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1116200.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1116199.PDF) - Introduced, 2026-01-14: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1090989.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1090988.PDF) ## Related bills - HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed) - SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed) - HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with rental agreement. (signed) - HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for certain individuals. (signed) - HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, termination by landlord. (signed) - HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil penalty. (signed) ## Sources - [Chaptered (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1222879.HTML) - [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1222878.PDF) - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1196046.HTML) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1196045.PDF) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1116200.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1116199.PDF) - [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1090989.HTML) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1090988.PDF) ## Related - [HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB5-2026) - [SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB199-2026) - [HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB95-2026) - [HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1393-2026) - [HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, terminat…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB834-2026) - [HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB675-2026) - [Virginia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia/bills) - [Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB595-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).