An Act to amend and reenact § 46.2-1533 of the Code of Virginia, relating to motor vehicle dealers; conduct of business; business hours; filing changes.
HB586 amends Virginia law governing motor vehicle dealers’ business hours. The bill requires each dealer to be open for business at least 20 hours per week, with at least 10 of those hours occurring between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. It preserves the existing authority of the Board to modify those hour requirements for good cause upon a dealer’s written request.
The bill also continues the requirement that dealers conspicuously post their business hours at or near the main entrance of each place of business. In addition, it requires dealers to list their business hours on original and renewal license applications and to immediately file any changes in those hours with the Department Board, strengthening the administrative tracking of dealer operating schedules.
HB586 directly amends § 46.2-1533 of the Code of Virginia, updating the statutory business-hours requirements for licensed motor vehicle dealers and the filing obligations tied to those hours. The practical effect is to maintain a minimum operating schedule, improve transparency for consumers and regulators, and ensure the licensing authority has current information about dealer hours. Dealers remain subject to Board discretion for exceptions based on good cause.
The available record shows no committee transcripts or recorded votes, so there is no documented debate or opposition in the provided materials. The bill was enacted as Chapter 181 and approved on April 6, 2026, which suggests it moved through the process without visible controversy in the supplied history.
No specific points of contention are reflected in the provided transcripts or vote history. The main policy issue inherent in the bill is the balance between consumer access and dealer flexibility: the law sets a minimum number of open hours and filing requirements, while still allowing the Board to grant modifications for good cause at a dealer’s request.