This article may be cited as the Virginia Fraud Against Taxpayers Act.
§ 8.01-216.1.Citation.
Chapter 3. Actions · Article 19.1. Virginia Fraud Against Taxpayers Act · Last amended 2002 · Last verified July 16, 2026
In one sentenceSection 8.01-216.1 gives Article 19.1 of Chapter 3 its short title, the Virginia Fraud Against Taxpayers Act, the name used throughout the rest of the article, in court filings, and in later sections that reference it.
Full Text of § 8.01-216.1
Plain-English Summary
Section 8.01-216.1 does one thing: it names the article. Everything that follows in Article 19.1 — the definitions, the conduct that triggers liability, the whistleblower lawsuit mechanics, and the Attorney General’s investigative tools — falls under the short title established here, the Virginia Fraud Against Taxpayers Act.
A citation section carries no independent obligations of its own. Its purpose is to give the article a name that courts, litigants, and later statutes can use as shorthand, rather than repeating the full chapter and article numbers every time the law comes up. The substance of the Act — what counts as a false claim, who can sue, and what penalties apply — begins with the definitions in § 8.01-216.2 and the liability provisions in § 8.01-216.3.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Virginia Fraud Against Taxpayers Act?
It is the short title, established by § 8.01-216.1, for Article 19.1 of Chapter 3 of Title 8.01 — Virginia’s statute imposing civil liability on people and businesses who submit false or fraudulent claims for public money or property.
Does § 8.01-216.1 create any legal duties or penalties?
No. It is a naming provision only. The duties, prohibited conduct, and penalties appear in the sections that follow, beginning with the definitions in § 8.01-216.2 and the liability rule in § 8.01-216.3.
Is the Virginia Fraud Against Taxpayers Act the same as the federal False Claims Act?
No, though the two share a similar structure. The Virginia Act is a distinct Commonwealth statute reaching claims against Virginia state and local government, and § 8.01-216.3 even ties its civil penalty amounts to inflation adjustments under the federal statute.
Where do I find what conduct violates the Act?
Section 8.01-216.3 lists the acts that create civil liability, such as knowingly presenting a false claim for payment or knowingly using a false record material to a claim.
Who can enforce the Virginia Fraud Against Taxpayers Act?
The Attorney General can investigate and sue under § 8.01-216.4, and a private person can also bring a civil action on the Commonwealth’s behalf, and their own, under § 8.01-216.5.
Amendment History
2002, c. 842.
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
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