Virginia Code

Va. Code Ann. § 11-2 (2026)

When written evidence required to maintain action

✓ current as of May 2026

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Unless a promise, contract, agreement, representation, assurance, or ratification, or some memorandum or note thereof, is in writing and signed by the party to be charged or his agent, no action shall be brought in any of the following cases:

1. To charge any person upon or by reason of a representation or assurance concerning the character, conduct, credit, ability, trade, or dealings of another, to the intent or purpose that such other may obtain thereby, credit, money, or goods;

2. To charge any person upon a promise made after attaining the age of majority, to pay a debt contracted during infancy, or upon a ratification after attaining the age of majority, of a promise or simple contract made during infancy;

3. To charge a personal representative upon a promise to answer any debt or damages out of his own estate;

4. To charge any person upon a promise to answer for the debt, default, or misdoings of another;

5. Upon any agreement made upon consideration of marriage;

6. Upon any contract for the sale of real estate, or for the lease thereof for more than a year;

7. Upon any agreement or contract for services to be performed in the sale of real estate by a party defined in § 54.1-2100;

8. Upon any agreement that is not to be performed within a year; or

9. Upon any agreement or promise to lend money or extend credit in an aggregate amount of $25,000 or more.

The consideration need not be set forth or expressed in the writing, and it may be proved (where a consideration is necessary) by other evidence.

Code 1919, § 5561; 1976, c. 157; 1990, c. 570; 2024, cc. 459, 621.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 225 cases (13 in the last 5 years), 1952–2026 · leading case: Thorsen v. Richmond Soc'y for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, 786 S.E.2d 453 (Va. 2016).

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Thorsen v. Richmond Soc'y for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, 786 S.E.2d 453 (Va. 2016). · cites it 10× “A third-party beneficiary cannot sue upon an oral promise to answer for his or her debt, for example.”

Colonial Ford Truck Sales, Inc. v. Schneider, 325 S.E.2d 91 (Va. 1985). · cites it 14× “” We consider first whether Ford’s contract claim was barred by the statute of frauds. “No action shall be brought.”

Langman v. Alumni Ass'n of the Univ., 442 S.E.2d 669 (Va. 1994). · cites it 10× “Code § 11-2 provides, in material part: Unless a promise, contract, agreement, representation, assurance, or ratification, or some memorandum or note thereof, is in writing and signed by the party to be charged or his agent, no action shall be brought in any of the following…”

Langman v. Alumni Ass'n of U. of Va., 442 S.E.2d 669 (Va. 1994). · cites it 10× “Code § 11-2 provides, in material part: Unless a promise, contract, agreement, representation, assurance, or ratification, or some memorandum or note thereof, is in writing and signed by the party to be charged or his agent, no action shall be brought in any of the following…”

Lindsay v. McEnearney Assocs., Inc., 531 S.E.2d 573 (Va. 2000). · cites it 14× “The primary issue we consider in this appeal is whether a contract that must be in writing pursuant to the statute of frauds, Code § 11-2, may be modified by a parol agreement.”

C. Porter Vaughan, Inc. v. DiLorenzo, 689 S.E.2d 656 (Va. 2010). · cites it 19× “The trial court erred in finding that there were not writings between the parties sufficient to overcome the requirements of Va.Code § 11-2, commonly referred to as the Statute of Frauds.”

H-B Ltd. P'ship v. Wimmer, 257 S.E.2d 770 (Va. 1979). · cites it 6× “At the conclusion of plaintiffs’ evidence, the trial judge sustained defendant’s motion to dismiss the suit on the ground that since there was no written agreement between the parties, the contract of agency was unenforceable under the statute of frauds, Code § 11-2 (6a).…”

Haigh v. Matsushita Elec. Corp. of Am., 676 F. Supp. 1332 (E.D. Va. 1987). · cites it 6× “Va.Code § 11-2(7) (oral contract not to be performed within one year cannot form the basis of an action).”

Sun Kyung Ahn v. Merrifield Town Ctr. Ltd. P'ship, 584 F. Supp. 2d 848 (E.D. Va. 2008). · cites it 9× “Merrifield finally argues that under Virginia state law — specifically, its statute of frauds, Va.Code § 11-2 — no contract in real estate can be formed except by a writing signed by both parties.”

Troyer v. Troyer, 341 S.E.2d 182 (Va. 1986). · cites it 8× “Next, we consider whether the statute of frauds, Code § 11-2, bars enforcement of the contract.”

Falls v. Virginia State Bar, 397 S.E.2d 671 (Va. 1990). · cites it 6× “” Code § 11-2(7) (1988 Repl. Vol.). 1 On December 14, 1988, John T.”

Moorman v. Blackstock, Inc., 661 S.E.2d 404 (Va. 2008). · cites it 4× “The principal issue we consider is whether the statute of frauds, Code § 11-2, prohibits the *406 enforcement of the purported oral contract between the parties for the sale of the land.”

Show all 225 citing cases →

— Va. Code Ann. § 11-2(1) — 2 cases

Brock & Davis Co., Inc. v. Charleston Nat. Bank, 443 F. Supp. 1175 (S.D.W. Va 1977).

Marsh Broad. of Washington, D.C., Inc. v. George Mason Univ. Found., Inc., 21 Va. Cir. 89 (Fairfax Cir. Ct. 1990).

— Va. Code Ann. § 11-2(4) — 24 cases

Colonial Ford Truck Sales, Inc. v. Schneider, 325 S.E.2d 91 (Va. 1985). “” We consider first whether Ford’s contract claim was barred by the statute of frauds. “No action shall be brought.”

Langman v. Alumni Ass'n of the Univ., 442 S.E.2d 669 (Va. 1994). “Code § 11-2 provides, in material part: Unless a promise, contract, agreement, representation, assurance, or ratification, or some memorandum or note thereof, is in writing and signed by the party to be charged or his agent, no action shall be brought in any of the following…”

Langman v. Alumni Ass'n of U. of Va., 442 S.E.2d 669 (Va. 1994). “Code § 11-2 provides, in material part: Unless a promise, contract, agreement, representation, assurance, or ratification, or some memorandum or note thereof, is in writing and signed by the party to be charged or his agent, no action shall be brought in any of the following…”

Thorsen v. Richmond Soc'y for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, 786 S.E.2d 453 (Va. 2016). “A third-party beneficiary cannot sue upon an oral promise to answer for his or her debt, for example.”

Lataif v. Com. Indus. Constr., Inc., 286 S.E.2d 159 (Va. 1982).

— Va. Code Ann. § 11-2(5) — 2 cases

Colonial Ford Truck Sales, Inc. v. Schneider, 325 S.E.2d 91 (Va. 1985). “” We consider first whether Ford’s contract claim was barred by the statute of frauds. “No action shall be brought.”

Reich v. Kimnach, 216 S.E.2d 58 (Va. 1975).

— Va. Code Ann. § 11-2(6) — 33 cases

Robert & Bertha Robinson Fam., LLC v. Allen, 810 S.E.2d 48 (Va. 2018).

Station 2, LLC v. Lynch, 695 S.E.2d 537 (Va. 2010).

Moorman v. Blackstock, Inc., 661 S.E.2d 404 (Va. 2008). “The principal issue we consider is whether the statute of frauds, Code § 11-2, prohibits the *406 enforcement of the purported oral contract between the parties for the sale of the land.”

Runion v. Helvestine, 501 S.E.2d 411 (Va. 1998).

Elderberry of Weber City, LLC v. Living Centers-Se., Inc., 958 F. Supp. 2d 623 (W.D. Va. 2013).

— Va. Code Ann. § 11-2(6a) — 2 cases

Kay v. Prof'l Realty Corp., 281 S.E.2d 820 (Va. 1981).

Murphy v. Nolte & Co., Inc., 307 S.E.2d 242 (Va. 1983).

— Va. Code Ann. § 11-2(7) — 23 cases

Haigh v. Matsushita Elec. Corp. of Am., 676 F. Supp. 1332 (E.D. Va. 1987). “Va.Code § 11-2(7) (oral contract not to be performed within one year cannot form the basis of an action).”

Falls v. Virginia State Bar, 397 S.E.2d 671 (Va. 1990). “” Code § 11-2(7) (1988 Repl. Vol.). 1 On December 14, 1988, John T.”

Windsor v. Aegis Servs., Ltd., 691 F. Supp. 956 (E.D. Va. 1988).

Graham v. Cent. Fid. Bank, 428 S.E.2d 916 (Va. 1993).

C. Porter Vaughan, Inc. v. DiLorenzo, 689 S.E.2d 656 (Va. 2010). “The trial court erred in finding that there were not writings between the parties sufficient to overcome the requirements of Va.Code § 11-2, commonly referred to as the Statute of Frauds.”

— Va. Code Ann. § 11-2(8) — 24 cases

United States v. Rosen, 487 F. Supp. 2d 721 (E.D. Va. 2007).

Falls v. Virginia State Bar, 397 S.E.2d 671 (Va. 1990). “” Code § 11-2(7) (1988 Repl. Vol.). 1 On December 14, 1988, John T.”

Graham v. Cent. Fid. Bank, 428 S.E.2d 916 (Va. 1993).

Albanese v. WCI Communities, Inc., 530 F. Supp. 2d 752 (E.D. Va. 2007).

TradeStaff & Co. v. Nogiec, 77 Va. Cir. 77 (Chesapeake Cir. Ct. 2008).

— Va. Code Ann. § 11-2(9) — 10 cases

Charles E. Brauer Co. v. NationsBank of Virginia, 466 S.E.2d 382 (Va. 1996).

Williams v. Equity Holding Corp., 498 F. Supp. 2d 831 (E.D. Va. 2007).

Wachovia Bank, Nat. Ass'n v. PRESTON LAKE HOMES, 750 F. Supp. 2d 682 (W.D. Va. 2010).

Daisy J., Inc. v. First Bank & Trust Co., 50 Va. Cir. 596 (Washington Cir. Ct. 1998).

Faison v. Hughson, 80 Va. Cir. 96 (Roanoke County Cir. Ct. 2010).

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