<?xml version="1.0"?>
<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>372429</law_id><section_number>58.1-485</section_number><catch_line>Willful failure by employer to make return, to withhold tax, to pay it or to furnish employee with withholding statement; penalty</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2026/" slug="2026" current="TRUE" last_updated="2026-08-02">2026</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="125" identifier="58.1">Taxation</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="2" identifier="I">Taxes Administered by the Department of Taxation</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="3" identifier="3">Income Tax</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="15" identifier="16">Income Tax Withholding</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>Willful failure by any <span class="dictionary">employer</span> to (i) make any return required by this article to the <span class="dictionary">Tax Commissioner</span>, (ii) withhold the required tax or to pay it to the <span class="dictionary">Tax Commissioner</span> as specified, or both, or (iii) furnish an <span class="dictionary">employee</span> the written statement required by &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Withholding tax statements for employees; employers must file annual returns with Tax Commissioner; penalties" href="/58.1-478/">58.1-478</a> shall be a Class 1 <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span>.</p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 58-151.15; 1962, c. 612; 1984, c. 675.</history><metadata><court_decisions><item key="0"><name>George v. Commonwealth</name><case_number>0332064</case_number><citation>655 S.E.2d 43</citation><date>2008-01-15</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/1062879/george-v-commonwealth/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. 655 S.E.2d 43 (2008) .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html><abbr title="Court of Appeals">COA</abbr></court_html></item><item key="1"><name>George v. Com.</name><case_number>Record 080339.</case_number><citation>667 S.E.2d 779</citation><date>2008-10-31</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/1058432/george-v-com/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. 667 S.E.2d 779 (2008) .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html><abbr title="Supreme Court of Virginia">SCV</abbr></court_html></item></court_decisions></metadata></law>
