In all cases in which satisfaction of any judgment so docketed is made, which is not required to be certified to the clerk under § 8.01-455, it shall be the duty of the judgment creditor, himself, or by his agent or attorney, to cause such satisfaction by the defendant, and if there is more than one defendant, by which defendant it was satisfied, to be entered within 30 days after the same is made, on such judgment docket. If the judgment has not been docketed, then the entry shall be made on the execution book in the office of the clerk from which the execution issued. For any failure to do so within 90 days, or after 10 days' notice to do so by the judgment debtor or his agent or attorney, the judgment creditor shall be liable to a fine of $100 and shall pay the filing cost of the release. The entry of satisfaction shall be signed by the creditor or his duly authorized attorney or other agent and be attested by the clerk in whose office the judgment is docketed, or when not docketed, by the clerk from whose office the execution issued; however, the cost of the release shall be paid by the judgment debtor. For any money judgment marked as satisfied pursuant to this section, nothing herein shall satisfy an unexecuted order of possession entered pursuant to § 8.01- 126, provided that (i) the time period for issuing writs of eviction in unlawful entry and detainer provided by § 8.01- 471 has not lapsed and (ii) the defendant has not exercised his right of redemption in accordance with § 55.1-1250.
§ 8.01-454.Judgment, when satisfied, to be so noted by creditor.
Chapter 17. Judgments and Decrees Generally · Article 6. Satisfaction · Last amended 2024 · Last verified July 16, 2026
In one sentenceA judgment creditor whose judgment is paid off outside the § 8.01-455 process must have satisfaction entered within thirty days, facing a $100 fine and the release’s filing cost for waiting past ninety days or ignoring a debtor’s demand, and marking a money judgment satisfied does not by itself cancel an unexecuted order of possession.
Full Text of § 8.01-454
Plain-English Summary
Getting paid is only half the job — Section 8.01-454 makes sure the public record catches up. Once a docketed judgment is satisfied outside the court-certification route in § 8.01-455, the creditor himself, or his agent or attorney, must have that satisfaction entered within thirty days, on the judgment docket if it was docketed or on the execution book if it was not.
Delay carries real consequences. Miss the ninety-day mark, or ignore a ten-day notice from the debtor demanding the entry, and the creditor becomes liable for a $100 fine plus the filing cost of the release — though the debtor still bears the ordinary cost of the release itself. The entry must be signed by the creditor or his duly authorized attorney or agent and attested by the clerk holding the judgment or execution record.
One carve-out matters in landlord-tenant cases: marking a money judgment satisfied under this section does not by itself satisfy an unexecuted order of possession entered under § 8.01-126, so long as the writ-of-eviction period under § 8.01-471 has not lapsed and the tenant has not exercised the right of redemption under § 55.1-1250. Paying the money judgment, in other words, does not automatically undo a pending eviction.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a judgment creditor have to note satisfaction after being paid?
Thirty days after the satisfaction is made, on the judgment docket if docketed or otherwise on the execution book.
What penalty applies if the creditor fails to enter satisfaction within ninety days?
A $100 fine, and the creditor must pay the filing cost of the release, though the debtor bears the ordinary cost of the release.
Does paying off a money judgment automatically cancel an unexecuted eviction order of possession?
No. The section says nothing here satisfies an unexecuted order of possession under § 8.01-126, so long as the writ-of-eviction period has not lapsed and the right of redemption has not been exercised.
Who signs the entry of satisfaction?
The creditor or his duly authorized attorney or other agent, attested by the clerk in whose office the judgment or execution is recorded.
What happens if the judgment debtor gives the creditor ten days’ notice to enter satisfaction?
If the creditor still fails to do so, he becomes liable to the $100 fine and the cost of the release.
Amendment History
Code 1950, § 8-382; 1977, c. 617; 1988, c. 420; 2014, c. 274; 2015, cc. 547, 553, 631; 2024, c. 268.
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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