- (a) Security interest in fixtures under this title. A security interest under this title may be created in goods that are fixtures or may continue in goods that become fixtures. A security interest does not exist under this title in ordinary building materials incorporated into an improvement on land.
- (b) Security interest in fixtures under real property law. This title does not prevent creation of an encumbrance upon fixtures under real property law.
- (c) General rule; subordination of security interest in fixtures. In cases not governed by subsections (d) through (h), a security interest in fixtures is subordinate to a conflicting interest of an encumbrancer or owner of the related real property other than the debtor.
- (d) Fixtures purchase-money priority. Except as otherwise provided in subsection (h), a perfected security interest in fixtures has priority over a conflicting interest of an encumbrancer or owner of the real property if the debtor has an interest of record in or is in possession of the real property and:
- (1) the security interest is a purchase-money security interest;
- (2) the interest of the encumbrancer or owner arises before the goods become fixtures; and
- (3) the security interest is perfected by a fixture filing before the goods become fixtures or within twenty days thereafter.
- (e) Priority of security interest in fixtures over interests in real property. A perfected security interest in fixtures has priority over a conflicting interest of an encumbrancer or owner of the real property if:
(1) the debtor has an interest of record in the real property or is in possession of the real property and the security interest:
- (A) is perfected by a fixture filing before the interest of the encumbrancer or owner is of record; and
- (B) has priority over any conflicting interest of a predecessor in title of the encumbrancer or owner;
(2) before the goods become fixtures, the security interest is perfected by any method permitted by this title and the fixtures are readily removable:
- (A) factory or office machines;
- (B) equipment that is not primarily used or leased for use in the operation of the real property; or
- (C) replacements of domestic appliances that are consumer goods;
- (3) the conflicting interest is a lien on the real property obtained by legal or equitable proceedings after the security interest was perfected by any method permitted by this title; or
(4) the security interest is:
- (A) created in a manufactured home in a manufactured-home transaction; and
- (B) perfected pursuant to a statute described in § 8.9A-311 (a) (2).
- (f) Priority based on consent, disclaimer, or right to remove. A security interest in fixtures, whether or not perfected, has priority over a conflicting interest of an encumbrancer or owner of the real property if:
- (1) the encumbrancer or owner has, in a signed record, consented to the security interest or disclaimed an interest in the goods as fixtures; or
- (2) the debtor has a right to remove the goods as against the encumbrancer or owner.
- (g) Continuation of subdivision (f) (2) priority. The priority of the security interest under subdivision (f) (2) continues for a reasonable time if the debtor's right to remove the goods as against the encumbrancer or owner terminates.
- (h) Priority of construction mortgage. A mortgage is a construction mortgage to the extent that it secures an obligation incurred for the construction of an improvement on land, including the acquisition cost of the land, if a recorded record of the mortgage so indicates. Except as otherwise provided in subsections (e) and (f), a security interest in fixtures is subordinate to a construction mortgage if a record of the mortgage is recorded before the goods become fixtures and the goods become fixtures before the completion of the construction. A mortgage has this priority to the same extent as a construction mortgage to the extent that it is given to refinance a construction mortgage.
- (i) Priority of security interest in crops. A perfected security interest in crops growing on real property has priority over a conflicting interest of an encumbrancer or owner of the real property if the debtor has an interest of record in or is in possession of the real property.
- (j) Subsection (i) prevails. Subsection (i) prevails over any inconsistent provisions of the following statutes.
1964, c. 219, § 8.9-313; 1973, c. 509; 1983, c. 204; 2000, c. 1007; 2024, c. 652.