An officer into whose hands a writ of fieri facias is placed to be levied, when making a levy shall serve a copy of the writ and any attachments thereto on the judgment debtor or other responsible person at the premises where the levy is made. If no such person is present, a copy of the writ and any attachments thereto shall be posted on the front door of such premises.
§ 8.01-487.1.Officer to leave copy of writ where levy made.
Chapter 18. Executions and Other Means of Recovery · Article 4. Enforcement Generally · Last amended 1986 · Last verified July 16, 2026
In one sentenceWhen an officer levies a writ of fieri facias, the officer must serve a copy of the writ and any attachments on the judgment debtor or another responsible person found at the premises where the levy occurs, or, if nobody is present, post the copy on the front door instead.
Full Text of § 8.01-487.1
Plain-English Summary
A levy can happen without the debtor standing there to see it. Section 8.01-487.1 makes sure the debtor still finds out promptly what was taken and under what authority. When an officer levies a writ of fieri facias, the officer must serve a copy of the writ, along with any attachments to it, on the judgment debtor or another responsible person present at the premises.
If no one responsible is around when the levy happens, the officer does not walk away without leaving notice. Instead, the copy of the writ and its attachments must be posted on the front door of the premises, so the debtor discovers what happened and has the paperwork needed to respond, whether by seeking an exemption, moving to quash, or otherwise contesting the levy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What must an officer do when making a levy on a writ of fieri facias?
Serve a copy of the writ and any attachments on the judgment debtor or other responsible person at the premises where the levy is made.
What happens if no one is present at the premises during the levy?
The officer must post a copy of the writ and any attachments on the front door of the premises.
Can the officer serve someone other than the judgment debtor personally?
Yes, service may be made on the judgment debtor or another responsible person at the premises.
Does this section apply to the writ’s return to the court?
No, it addresses service at the time of levy; § 8.01-483 separately requires the return to state how the copy was served under this section.
When was this notice requirement added to the Code?
The history note shows it was added in 1986.
Amendment History
1986, c. 341.
Source & verification. Section text and amendment history are
reproduced verbatim from the Code of Virginia, published by the
Code of Virginia, Virginia Division of Legislative Automated Systems. Last verified July 16, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: copy of writ left at levy virginiaposting writ on front door virginia execution8.01-487.1 virginia codenotice to debtor of levy virginia