{"data":{"id":"us-dc/d.c.-code-28-9-317","jurisdiction":"us-dc","citation":"D.C. Code § 28:9-317","heading":"Interests that take priority over or take free of unperfected security interest or agricultural lien.","body":"(a)\nA security interest or agricultural lien is subordinate to the rights of:\n(1)\nA person entitled to priority under § 28:9-322; and\n(2)\nExcept as otherwise provided in subsection (e), a person that becomes a lien creditor before the earlier of the time:\n(A)\nThe security interest or agricultural lien is perfected; or\n(B)\nOne of the conditions specified in § 28:9-203(b)(3) is met and a financing statement covering the collateral is filed.\n\n(b)\nExcept as otherwise provided in subsection (e), a buyer, other than a secured party, of goods, instruments, tangible documents, or a certificated security takes free of a security interest or agricultural lien if the buyer gives value and receives delivery of the collateral without knowledge of the security interest or agricultural lien and before it is perfected.\n\n(c)\nExcept as otherwise provided in subsection (e), a lessee of goods takes free of a security interest or agricultural lien if the lessee gives value and receives delivery of the collateral without knowledge of the security interest or agricultural lien and before it is perfected.\n\n(d)\nSubject to subsections (f) through (i) of this section, a licensee of a general intangible or a buyer, other than a secured party, of collateral other than electronic money, goods, instruments, tangible documents, or a certificated security takes free of a security interest if the licensee or buyer gives value without knowledge of the security interest and before it is perfected.\n\n(e)\nExcept as otherwise provided in §§ 28:9-320 and 28:9-321, if a person files a financing statement with respect to a purchase-money security interest before or within 20  days after the debtor receives delivery of the collateral, the security interest takes priority over the rights of a buyer, lessee, or lien creditor which arise between the time the security interest attaches and the time of filing.\n\n(f)\nA buyer, other than a secured party, of chattel paper takes free of a security interest if, without knowledge of the security interest and before it is perfected, the buyer gives value and:\n(1)\nReceives delivery of each authoritative tangible copy of the record evidencing the chattel paper; and\n(2)\nIf each authoritative electronic copy of the record evidencing the chattel paper can be subjected to control under § 28:9-105, obtains control of each authoritative electronic copy.\n\n(g)\nA buyer of an electronic document takes free of a security interest if, without knowledge of the security interest and before it is perfected, the buyer gives value and, if each authoritative electronic copy of the document can be subjected to control under § 28:7-106, obtains control of each authoritative electronic copy.\n\n(h)\nA buyer of a controllable electronic record takes free of a security interest if, without knowledge of the security interest and before it is perfected, the buyer gives value and obtains control of the controllable electronic record.\n\n(i)\nA buyer, other than a secured party, of a controllable account or a controllable payment intangible takes free of a security interest if, without knowledge of the security interest and before it is perfected, the buyer gives value and obtains control of the controllable account or controllable payment intangible.","path":["Title 28. Commercial Instruments and Transactions. [Enacted title]","Subtitle I. Uniform Commercial Code.","Article 9. Secured Transactions.","Part III. Perfection and Priority.","Subpart 3. Priority."],"source_url":"https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/28:9-317","current_through":"2026-08-20 (D.C. Law 26-175)","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-29T05:44:07Z","sha256":"12198fd6ac46991694e7957aaf87924b7813ccd6bc6b9c072721847c7226e49c","source_id":"us-dc","stale":false,"prev":"us-dc/d.c.-code-28-9-316","next":"us-dc/d.c.-code-28-9-318"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}