{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/18.2-494.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/18.2-494.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/18.2-494.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/18.2-494.html"}],"law_id":351057,"edition_id":2,"section_id":351057,"structure_id":50212,"section_number":"18.2-494","catch_line":"Unlawful use of, filling or refilling, or trafficking in containers","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 18.1-400.2; 1970, c. 442; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 2023, c. 531.","full_text":"A\n\nUnless a qualifying emergency is in effect, no person except the owner thereof or person authorized in writing by the owner shall fill or refill with liquefied petroleum gas, or any other gas or compound, a liquefied petroleum gas container or buy, sell, offer for sale, give, take, loan, deliver, or permit to be delivered or otherwise use, dispose of, or traffic in a liquefied petroleum gas container or containers if the container bears upon the surface thereof in plainly legible characters the name, initials, mark, or other device of the owner. Nor shall any person other than the owner of a liquefied petroleum gas container or a person authorized in writing by the owner deface, erase, obliterate, cover up, or otherwise remove or conceal any name, mark, initial, or device thereon.\n\nB\n\nWhen a qualifying emergency is in effect, a residential customer who can demonstrate that he has less than a 24-hour supply of liquefied petroleum gas shall first make a good faith effort to procure delivery of liquefied petroleum gas from the owner of the liquefied petroleum gas container. If the owner of the liquefied petroleum gas container or other person authorized in writing by the owner is unable to make a scheduled delivery or fulfill the residential customer’s good faith request within 24 hours, the customer may have an emergency supplier fill, refill, or otherwise deliver liquefied petroleum gas into the customer’s liquefied petroleum gas container, provided that the emergency supplier ensures that such liquefied petroleum gas container, and the devices and pipelines operated in connection with such container, have been inspected and certified as required by law. Within five business days of filling, refilling, or otherwise delivering liquefied petroleum gas to the customer’s container, the emergency supplier shall give written notice to the owner of the liquefied petroleum gas container that includes (i) the name and address of the customer; (ii) the date of the filling, refilling, or delivery; and (iii) the amount of liquefied petroleum gas that was placed in the customer’s container. The emergency supplier shall assume all responsibility and liability for injury to persons or property related to the emergency refilling of the liquefied petroleum gas container.\n\t\t\tWhen an emergency supplier delivers liquefied petroleum gas to a residential customer pursuant to this subsection, neither such emergency supplier nor the owner of the liquefied petroleum gas container may charge any penalty or fee in addition to the filling, refilling, or delivery fees that are usually charged to other customers in the course of business during a nonemergency.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1307501,"text":"Unless a qualifying emergency is in effect, no person except the owner thereof or person authorized in writing by the owner shall fill or refill with liquefied petroleum gas, or any other gas or compound, a liquefied petroleum gas container or buy, sell, offer for sale, give, take, loan, deliver, or permit to be delivered or otherwise use, dispose of, or traffic in a liquefied petroleum gas container or containers if the container bears upon the surface thereof in plainly legible characters the name, initials, mark, or other device of the owner. Nor shall any person other than the owner of a liquefied petroleum gas container or a person authorized in writing by the owner deface, erase, obliterate, cover up, or otherwise remove or conceal any name, mark, initial, or device thereon.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":1307502,"text":"When a qualifying emergency is in effect, a residential customer who can demonstrate that he has less than a 24-hour supply of liquefied petroleum gas shall first make a good faith effort to procure delivery of liquefied petroleum gas from the owner of the liquefied petroleum gas container. If the owner of the liquefied petroleum gas container or other person authorized in writing by the owner is unable to make a scheduled delivery or fulfill the residential customer’s good faith request within 24 hours, the customer may have an emergency supplier fill, refill, or otherwise deliver liquefied petroleum gas into the customer’s liquefied petroleum gas container, provided that the emergency supplier ensures that such liquefied petroleum gas container, and the devices and pipelines operated in connection with such container, have been inspected and certified as required by law. Within five business days of filling, refilling, or otherwise delivering liquefied petroleum gas to the customer’s container, the emergency supplier shall give written notice to the owner of the liquefied petroleum gas container that includes (i) the name and address of the customer; (ii) the date of the filling, refilling, or delivery; and (iii) the amount of liquefied petroleum gas that was placed in the customer’s container. The emergency supplier shall assume all responsibility and liability for injury to persons or property related to the emergency refilling of the liquefied petroleum gas container.\n\t\t\tWhen an emergency supplier delivers liquefied petroleum gas to a residential customer pursuant to this subsection, neither such emergency supplier nor the owner of the liquefied petroleum gas container may charge any penalty or fee in addition to the filling, refilling, or delivery fees that are usually charged to other customers in the course of business during a nonemergency.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A"}},"ancestry":[{"id":50212,"edition_id":2,"name":"Liquefied Petroleum Gas Containers","identifier":"1","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":50211,"metadata":{"child_laws":6,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:24:40","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:29","permalink":{"id":1391559,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50212,"identifier":"1","token":"18.2\/12\/1","url":"\/18.2\/12\/1\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":50211,"edition_id":2,"name":"Miscellaneous","identifier":"12","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":11,"parent_id":50131,"metadata":{"child_laws":28,"child_structures":4},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:24:40","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:29","permalink":{"id":1391557,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50211,"identifier":"12","token":"18.2\/12","url":"\/18.2\/12\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":50131,"edition_id":2,"name":"Crimes and Offenses Generally","identifier":"18.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":52,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":960,"child_structures":94},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:22:59","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:15","permalink":{"id":1391141,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50131,"identifier":"18.2","token":"18.2","url":"\/18.2\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":351056,"structure_id":50212,"section_number":"18.2-493","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/18.2-493\/","token":"18.2\/12\/1\/18.2-493","metadata":false},{"id":351057,"structure_id":50212,"section_number":"18.2-494","catch_line":"Unlawful use of, filling or refilling, or trafficking in containers","url":"\/18.2-494\/","token":"18.2\/12\/1\/18.2-494","metadata":false},{"id":351058,"structure_id":50212,"section_number":"18.2-495","catch_line":"Presumptive evidence","url":"\/18.2-495\/","token":"18.2\/12\/1\/18.2-495","metadata":false},{"id":351059,"structure_id":50212,"section_number":"18.2-496","catch_line":"Punishment for violation","url":"\/18.2-496\/","token":"18.2\/12\/1\/18.2-496","metadata":false},{"id":351060,"structure_id":50212,"section_number":"18.2-497","catch_line":"Fines and costs","url":"\/18.2-497\/","token":"18.2\/12\/1\/18.2-497","metadata":false},{"id":351066,"structure_id":50212,"section_number":"18.2-498","catch_line":"Exempt containers","url":"\/18.2-498\/","token":"18.2\/12\/1\/18.2-498","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":351056,"structure_id":50212,"section_number":"18.2-493","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/18.2-493\/","token":"18.2\/12\/1\/18.2-493","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":351058,"structure_id":50212,"section_number":"18.2-495","catch_line":"Presumptive evidence","url":"\/18.2-495\/","token":"18.2\/12\/1\/18.2-495","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/18.2-494\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 3 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1970, chapter 442; in 1975, chapters 14 and 15; in 2023, chapter 531<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":351058,"section_number":"18.2-495","catch_line":"Presumptive evidence","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-495\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":1391565,"object_type":"law","relational_id":351057,"identifier":"18.2-494","token":"18.2\/12\/1\/18.2-494","url":"\/18.2-494\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/18.2-494\/","token":"18.2\/12\/1\/18.2-494","dublin_core":{"Title":"Unlawful use of, filling or refilling, or trafficking in containers","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 18.2-494","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> Unless a qualifying emergency<\/span> is in effect, no person<\/span> except the owner<\/span> thereof or person<\/span> authorized in writing by the owner<\/span> shall fill or refill with liquefied petroleum gas<\/span>, or any other gas or compound, a liquefied petroleum gas<\/span> container or buy, sell, offer for sale, give, take, loan, deliver, or permit to be delivered or otherwise use, dispose of, or traffic in a liquefied petroleum gas<\/span> container or containers if the container bears upon the surface thereof in plainly legible characters the name, initials, mark, or other device of the owner<\/span>. Nor shall any person<\/span> other than the owner<\/span> of a liquefied petroleum gas<\/span> container or a person<\/span> authorized in writing by the owner<\/span> deface, erase, obliterate, cover up, or otherwise remove or conceal any name, mark, initial, or device thereon. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> When a qualifying emergency<\/span> is in effect, a residential customer who can demonstrate that he has less than a 24-hour supply of liquefied petroleum gas<\/span> shall first make a good faith effort to procure delivery of liquefied petroleum gas<\/span> from the owner<\/span> of the liquefied petroleum gas<\/span> container. If the owner<\/span> of the liquefied petroleum gas<\/span> container or other person<\/span> authorized in writing by the owner<\/span> is unable to make a scheduled delivery or fulfill the residential customer’s good faith request within 24 hours, the customer may have an emergency supplier fill, refill, or otherwise deliver liquefied petroleum gas<\/span> into the customer’s liquefied petroleum gas<\/span> container, provided that the emergency supplier ensures that such liquefied petroleum gas<\/span> container, and the devices and pipelines operated in connection with such container, have been inspected and certified as required by law<\/span>. Within five business days of filling, refilling, or otherwise delivering liquefied petroleum gas<\/span> to the customer’s container, the emergency supplier shall give written notice to the owner<\/span> of the liquefied petroleum gas<\/span> container that includes (i) the name and address of the customer; (ii) the date of the filling, refilling, or delivery; and (iii) the amount of liquefied petroleum gas<\/span> that was placed in the customer’s container. The emergency supplier shall assume all responsibility and liability for injury to persons<\/span> or property related to the emergency refilling of the liquefied petroleum gas<\/span> container.\n\t\t\tWhen an emergency supplier delivers liquefied petroleum gas<\/span> to a residential customer pursuant to this subsection, neither such emergency supplier nor the owner<\/span> of the liquefied petroleum gas<\/span> container may charge any penalty<\/span> or fee in addition to the filling, refilling, or delivery fees that are usually charged to other customers in the course of business during a nonemergency. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nUNLAWFUL USE OF, FILLING OR REFILLING, OR TRAFFICKING IN CONTAINERS (\u00a7\n18.2-494)\n\nA. Unless a qualifying emergency is in effect, no person except the owner\nthereof or person authorized in writing by the owner shall fill or refill with\nliquefied petroleum gas, or any other gas or compound, a liquefied petroleum gas\ncontainer or buy, sell, offer for sale, give, take, loan, deliver, or permit to\nbe delivered or otherwise use, dispose of, or traffic in a liquefied petroleum\ngas container or containers if the container bears upon the surface thereof in\nplainly legible characters the name, initials, mark, or other device of the\nowner. Nor shall any person other than the owner of a liquefied petroleum gas\ncontainer or a person authorized in writing by the owner deface, erase,\nobliterate, cover up, or otherwise remove or conceal any name, mark, initial, or\ndevice thereon.\n\nB. When a qualifying emergency is in effect, a residential customer who can\ndemonstrate that he has less than a 24-hour supply of liquefied petroleum gas\nshall first make a good faith effort to procure delivery of liquefied petroleum\ngas from the owner of the liquefied petroleum gas container. If the owner of the\nliquefied petroleum gas container or other person authorized in writing by the\nowner is unable to make a scheduled delivery or fulfill the residential\ncustomer’s good faith request within 24 hours, the customer may have an\nemergency supplier fill, refill, or otherwise deliver liquefied petroleum gas\ninto the customer’s liquefied petroleum gas container, provided that the\nemergency supplier ensures that such liquefied petroleum gas container, and the\ndevices and pipelines operated in connection with such container, have been\ninspected and certified as required by law. Within five business days of\nfilling, refilling, or otherwise delivering liquefied petroleum gas to the\ncustomer’s container, the emergency supplier shall give written notice to\nthe owner of the liquefied petroleum gas container that includes (i) the name\nand address of the customer; (ii) the date of the filling, refilling, or\ndelivery; and (iii) the amount of liquefied petroleum gas that was placed in the\ncustomer’s container. The emergency supplier shall assume all\nresponsibility and liability for injury to persons or property related to the\nemergency refilling of the liquefied petroleum gas container.\n\t\t\tWhen an emergency supplier delivers liquefied petroleum gas to a residential\ncustomer pursuant to this subsection, neither such emergency supplier nor the\nowner of the liquefied petroleum gas container may charge any penalty or fee in\naddition to the filling, refilling, or delivery fees that are usually charged to\nother customers in the course of business during a nonemergency.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 18.1-400.2; 1970, c. 442; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 2023, c. 531.","edition":{"id":2,"name":"2026","slug":"2026","date_created":"2026-07-16 18:40:23","date_modified":"2026-08-02 15:14:36","current":1,"order_by":2,"last_import":"2026-08-02 12:37:30"}}