(a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b), an action for breach of contract must be commenced within the later of four years after the right of action accrues or one year after the breach was or should have been discovered, but not later than five years after the right of action accrues.
(b) If the original agreement of the parties alters the period of limitations, the following rules apply:
(1) The parties may reduce the period of limitation to not less than one year after the right of action accrues but may not extend it.
(2) In a consumer contract, the period of limitation may not be reduced.
(c) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (d), a right of action accrues when the act or omission constituting a breach of contract occurs, even if the aggrieved party did not know of the breach. A right of action for breach of warranty accrues when tender of delivery of a copy pursuant to § 59.1-506.6, or access to the information, occurs. However, if the warranty expressly extends to future performance of the information or a copy, the right of action accrues when the performance fails to conform to the warranty, but not later than the date the warranty expires.
(d) In the following cases, a right of action accrues on the later of the date the act or omission constituting the breach of contract occurred or the date on which it was or should have been discovered by the aggrieved party, but not earlier than the date for delivery of a copy if the claim relates to information in the copy:
(1) a breach of warranty against third-party claims for:
(A) infringement or misappropriation; or
(B) libel, slander, or the like;
(2) a breach of contract involving a party's disclosure or misuse of confidential information; or
(3) a failure to provide an indemnity or to perform another obligation to protect or defend against a third-party claim.
(e) If an action commenced within the period of limitation is so concluded as to leave available a remedy by another action for the same breach of contract, the other action may be commenced after expiration of the period of limitation if the action is commenced within six months after conclusion of the first action, unless the action was concluded as a result of voluntary discontinuance or dismissal for failure or neglect to prosecute.
(f) This section does not alter the law on tolling of the statute of limitations and does not apply to a right of action that accrued before the effective date of this chapter.
2000, cc. 101, 996.
Structure Code of Virginia
Title 59.1 - Trade and Commerce
Chapter 43 - Uniform Computer Information Transactions Act
§ 59.1-501.3. Scope; exclusions
§ 59.1-501.4:1. Consumer protection law governs
§ 59.1-501.6. Rule of construction
§ 59.1-501.7. Legal recognition of electronic record and authentication; use of electronic agents
§ 59.1-501.8. Proof and effect of authentication
§ 59.1-501.10. Contractual choice of forum
§ 59.1-501.11. Unconscionable contract or term
§ 59.1-501.12. Manifesting assent
§ 59.1-501.13:1. Opportunity to review
§ 59.1-501.14:1. Pretransaction disclosures in Internet-type transactions
§ 59.1-501.15. Variation by agreement; commercial practice
§ 59.1-501.16. Supplemental principles; good faith; commercial practice
§ 59.1-501.17. Decision for court; legal consequences; reasonable time; reason to know
§ 59.1-502.1. Formal requirements
§ 59.1-502.2. Formation in general
§ 59.1-502.3. Offer and acceptance in general
§ 59.1-502.4. Acceptance with varying terms
§ 59.1-502.5. Conditional offer or acceptance
§ 59.1-502.6. Offer and acceptance; electronic agents
§ 59.1-502.7. Formation; releases of informational rights
§ 59.1-502.8. Adopting terms of records
§ 59.1-502.9. Mass-market license
§ 59.1-502.10. Terms of contract formed by conduct
§ 59.1-502.12. Efficacy and commercial reasonableness of attribution procedure
§ 59.1-502.13. Determining attribution
§ 59.1-502.14. Electronic error; consumer defenses
§ 59.1-502.15. Electronic message; when effective; effect of acknowledgment
§ 59.1-502.16. Idea or information submission
§ 59.1-503.1. Parol or extrinsic evidence
§ 59.1-503.2. Practical construction
§ 59.1-503.3. Modification and rescission
§ 59.1-503.4. Continuing contractual terms
§ 59.1-503.5. Terms to be specified
§ 59.1-503.6. Performance under open terms
§ 59.1-503.7. Interpretation and requirements for grant
§ 59.1-503.9. Agreement for performance to party's satisfaction
§ 59.1-503.10. Licenses to nonprofit libraries, archives or educational institutions
§ 59.1-504.1. Warranty and obligations concerning noninterference and noninfringement
§ 59.1-504.2. Express warranty
§ 59.1-504.3. Implied warranty; merchantability of computer program
§ 59.1-504.4. Implied warranty; informational content
§ 59.1-504.5. Implied warranty; licensee's purpose; system integration
§ 59.1-504.6. Disclaimer or modification of warranty
§ 59.1-504.7. Modification of computer program
§ 59.1-504.8. Cumulation and conflict of warranties
§ 59.1-504.9. Third-party beneficiaries of warranty
§ 59.1-504.10. No implied warranties for free software
§ 59.1-505.1. Ownership of informational rights
§ 59.1-505.3. Transfer of contractual interest
§ 59.1-505.4. Effect of transfer of contractual interest
§ 59.1-505.5. Performance by delegate; subcontract
§ 59.1-505.6. Transfer by licensee
§ 59.1-505.7. Financing if financier does not become licensee
§ 59.1-505.8. Finance licenses
§ 59.1-505.9. Financing arrangements; obligations irrevocable
§ 59.1-505.10. Financing arrangements; remedies or enforcement
§ 59.1-505.11. Financing arrangements; effect on licensor's rights
§ 59.1-506.1. Performance of contract in general
§ 59.1-506.2. Licensor's obligations to enable use
§ 59.1-506.3. Submissions of information to satisfaction of party
§ 59.1-506.4. Immediately completed performance
§ 59.1-506.5. Electronic regulation of performance
§ 59.1-506.6. Copy; delivery; tender of delivery
§ 59.1-506.7. Copy; performance related to delivery; payment
§ 59.1-506.8. Copy; right to inspect; payment before inspection
§ 59.1-506.9. Copy; when acceptance occurs
§ 59.1-506.10. Copy; effect of acceptance; burden of establishing; notice of claims
§ 59.1-506.11. Access contracts
§ 59.1-506.12. Correction and support contracts
§ 59.1-506.13. Contracts involving publishers, dealers, and end users
§ 59.1-506.14. Risk of loss of copy
§ 59.1-506.15. Excuse by failure of presupposed conditions
§ 59.1-506.16. Termination; survival of obligations
§ 59.1-506.17. Notice of termination
§ 59.1-506.18. Termination; enforcement
§ 59.1-507.1. Breach of contract; material breach
§ 59.1-507.2. Waiver of remedy for breach of contract
§ 59.1-507.3. Cure of breach of contract
§ 59.1-507.4. Copy; refusal of defective tender
§ 59.1-507.5. Copy; contract with previous vested grant of rights
§ 59.1-507.6. Copy; duties upon rightful refusal
§ 59.1-507.7. Copy; revocation of acceptance
§ 59.1-507.8. Adequate assurance of performance
§ 59.1-507.9. Anticipatory repudiation
§ 59.1-507.10. Retraction of anticipatory repudiation
§ 59.1-508.1. Remedies in general
§ 59.1-508.3. Contractual modification of remedy
§ 59.1-508.4. Liquidation of damages
§ 59.1-508.5. Limitation of actions
§ 59.1-508.6. Remedies for fraud
§ 59.1-508.7. Measurement of damages in general
§ 59.1-508.8. Licensor's damages
§ 59.1-508.9. Licensee's damages
§ 59.1-508.11. Specific performance
§ 59.1-508.12. Completing performance
§ 59.1-508.14. Discontinuing access
§ 59.1-508.15. Right to possession and to prevent use