State Del. Bill Wiley has introduced a new bill aimed at revising vehicle lien enforcement procedures and detailing how a vehicle’s value is determined prior to sale, as stated by the Virginia State House.
The measure, filed as HB1288 on Jan. 14, 2026, during the 2026 regular session, carries the official summary: “Enforcement of vehicle liens; increases property value.”
The following provides our analysis based directly on the bill text, with explanatory interpretation for clarity.
This proposal increases the cap from $12,500 to $17,000 for the maximum vehicle value over which a bailee may enforce a lien and sell the vehicle at public auction without a court order. It also adjusts the corresponding value at which court involvement is compulsory. The legislation introduces a definition for “independent appraisal” and permits bailees to use this appraisal to determine a vehicle’s value for lien purposes. Current requirements for Department of Motor Vehicles record checks, notice to owners and lienholders, distribution of surplus, title processing, and protections for active-duty military members remain unchanged.
The bill was sponsored solely by Rep. Bill Wiley (Republican-32nd District).
Wiley has introduced three additional bills since the session began.
Wiley earned his Bachelor of Science from George Mason University in 1993.
A Republican representative, Wiley was elected to the Virginia State House in 2024 to represent the 32nd House district, taking over from David Reid.
In Virginia, the legislative process requires that a bill be introduced in either the House of Delegates or Senate, assigned to committee for evaluation and possible amendments. If the committee approves, the bill is debated and voted on by both chambers. Approval by both sends it to the governor, who can sign it into law, veto it, or let it take effect without a signature. The Virginia General Assembly’s regular session convenes annually starting the second Monday of January, with lawmakers introducing hundreds of bills—although only some are enacted.
| Legislative Session | Patron(s) | Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Bill Wiley | HB1288 | 01/14/2026 | Enforcement of vehicle liens; increases property value. |
| 2026 | Bill Wiley, Shelly A. Simonds, and Amy J. Laufer | HB1289 | 01/14/2026 | Geologists; added to definition of “professional services,” continuing education. |
| 2026 | Bill Wiley | HB1290 | 01/14/2026 | Commercial motor vehicle; expands definition. |
| 2026 | Bill Wiley | HB1291 | 01/14/2026 | Geologists; regulations, exemptions. |
| 2025 | Bill Wiley, Delores Oates, Ian T. Lovejoy, and Wren M. Williams | HB1552 | 01/08/2025 | Critical access hospitals; swing beds. |
| 2025 | Bill Wiley, David Owen, and Ian T. Lovejoy | HB1567 | 01/08/2025 | Virginia Economic Development Partnership Authority; operational plan submission. |
| 2025 | Bill Wiley | HB1568 | 01/08/2025 | Law-enforcement jurisdiction; Frederick County Sheriff’s Dept. jurisdiction in/upon certain bldgs. |
| 2025 | Bill Wiley | HB1835 | 01/08/2025 | Geologists; regulation, licensure, penalty. |
| 2025 | Bill Wiley | HB1836 | 01/08/2025 | Driver training schools; definitions, operation and licensure. |
| 2025 | Bill Wiley | HB2502 | 01/08/2025 | FOIA; exclusion of certain information held by Department of Workforce Development and Advancement. |
| 2025 | Bill Wiley, Bill Wiley, Ian T. Lovejoy, Ian T. Lovejoy, W. Chad Green, and W. Chad Green | HB2503 | 01/08/2025 | Virginia coordinate systems; updates several references in Code. |
Details in this report were provided by the Virginia State House. The original source material is available here.
