A. Any person who fails to pay or deliver property within the time prescribed by this chapter shall be required to pay to the administrator interest at the same annual rate as is applicable to delinquent taxes under § 58.1-1812 on the property or value thereof from the date the property should have been paid or delivered. Such interest rate shall vary with the rate specified in § 58.1-1812.

B. Any person who does not exercise due diligence as defined in § 55.1-2500 shall pay a civil penalty not to exceed $50 for each account upon which due diligence was not performed.

C. Except as otherwise provided in subsection D, a holder that (i) fails to report, pay, or deliver property within the time prescribed by this chapter; (ii) files a false report; or (iii) fails to perform other duties imposed by this chapter without good cause shall pay to the administrator, in addition to interest as provided in subsection A, a civil penalty of $100 for each day the report, payment, or delivery is withheld or the duty is not performed, up to a maximum of the lesser of $10,000 or 25 percent of the value of the property that should have been but was not reported.

D. A holder that (i) willfully fails to report, pay, or deliver property within the time prescribed by this chapter; (ii) willfully fails to perform other duties imposed by this chapter without good cause; or (iii) makes a fraudulent report to the administrator shall pay to the administrator, in addition to interest as provided in subsection A, a civil penalty of $1,000 for each day the report, payment, or delivery is withheld or the duty is not performed, up to a maximum of the lesser of $50,000 or 100 percent of the value of the property that should have been but was not reported.

E. The administrator for good cause may waive, in whole or in part, interest under subsection A and penalties under subsections B, C, and D. All civil penalties shall be payable to the State Treasurer and credited to the Literary Fund.

1984, c. 121, § 55-210.26:1; 1988, c. 378; 1992, c. 583; 2000, cc. 733, 745; 2019, c. 712.