Virginia Code Title 53.1. Prisons and Other Methods of Correction § 53.1-127.5. Collection of fees owed; contract for collection; duties of Department of Taxation

The sheriff or jail superintendent may (i) contract with private attorneys or private collection agencies, (ii) enter into an agreement with a local governing body, or (iii) enter into an agreement with the county or city treasurer, upon such terms and conditions as may be established by guidelines promulgated by the Board, to collect fees imposed under § 53.1-131.3. As part of such contract, private attorneys or collection agencies shall be given access to the social security number of the person who owes the fees in order to assist in the collection effort. Any such private attorney or collection agency shall be subject to the penalties and provisions of § 18.2-186.3.

The fees of any private attorney or collection agency shall be paid on a contingency fee basis out of the proceeds of the amounts collected. However, in no event shall such attorney or collection agency receive a fee for amounts collected by the Department of Taxation under the Setoff Debt Collection Act (§ 58.1-520 et seq.). A local treasurer undertaking collection pursuant to an agreement with the sheriff or jail superintendent may collect the administrative fee authorized by § 58.1-3958.