Virginia prompt payment

Who and what this applies to

State-agency and covered local-government contracts under the Virginia Public Procurement Act.

Thresholds and scope

Public-agency deadlines and contractor-to-subcontractor deadlines are distinct.

The rules

• Section 2.2-4347 defines the required payment date as the contract date; if none is fixed, it is 30 days for a state agency or 45 days for a local government after the later of proper invoice receipt or receipt of the goods/services. Source
• Section 2.2-4354(1) requires covered construction contractors to pay a subcontractor within 60 days of receipt of its invoice following satisfactory completion, even without owner payment. A contractual-compliance withholding requires specific written notice within 50 days. Retainage provisions and public contracts solely for direct architectural/engineering professional services are excepted from this subdivision. Source
• Section 2.2-4354(2) requires the contractor, within seven days after receiving the public payment, either to pay the subcontractor’s attributable share or notify both agency and subcontractor in writing of the reason for withholding. The payment and interest requirements must pass down to lower-tier subcontracts. Source

Deadlines

Agency default: 30/45 days; downstream: seven days after receipt and the separate 60-day invoice protection.

Primary sources

• https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title2.2/chapter43/section2.2-4347/
• https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title2.2/chapter43/section2.2-4354/

Sources reviewed 2026-09-30. This guide covers the projects and rules stated above.

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