This document provides information about taxes in Fairfax County, Virginia for fiscal year 2017, including tax deadlines, payment options, types of taxes, tax relief programs, and penalties. It outlines taxes on personal property, vehicles, real estate, businesses, utilities, sales, cigarettes, hotels, deeds, and dogs. The budget section indicates that charts are available showing sources and uses of funds from the general fund budget.
2. What You Will Find
Tax Deadlines
Ways to Pay
Personal Property Tax
Vehicle Registration
Real Estate Tax
Tax Relief
Tax Relief for Vets With Disabilities
Tax Relief for Surviving Spouses of Members of Armed Forces
Killed in Action
Business, Professional and Occupational License (BPOL)
Other Taxes and Fees
Penalties
The Budget: Where are your tax dollars going?
3. Deadlines
Personal Property
– Report by May 1.
– Pay by Oct. 5. (For vehicles bought or moved
to the county on or after July 1, pay by Feb.
15 of the following year.)
Real Estate
– First installment payment is due July 28.
– Second installment payment is due Dec. 5.
4. Deadlines
Business, Professional & Occupational
License (BPOL)
– File and pay by March 1, or within 75 days for
new business.
Tax Relief
– File by April 1, or Dec. 31 of the following
year for hardship or first-time filers.
Dog Licenses
– Renew by Jan. 31.
5. Ways to Pay Online (check or credit card)
A service fee is charged for credit card payments.
Phone (credit card) at 703-222-6740, TTY 711.
A service fee is charged for credit card payments.
Pay Personal Property Tax (only) with
cash at Shoppers Food locations in Northern
Virginia – pay exact amount due in cash at
customer service desk; a $1.25 processing fee
will be charged by Global Express for each bill
paid. For additional participating vendors go to
www.globalexpress.net, click on store locator.
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6. More Ways to Pay
Real estate and personal property (car) taxes
can be paid at any of the following banks in
Fairfax County only:
– Bank of America: check or cash
– SunTrust: check or cash
*Click here for additional convenient payment methods.
7. MyFairfax
MyFairfax is your home to conduct key online
transactions with the county.
As the first step of this ongoing customer
service initiative, you have direct access to
– Personal Property (car) Tax
– Business Personal Property Tax
– Real Estate Tax
Register at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/myfairfax
– View/pay bills and view payment history
– Change mailing address
– Perform vehicle registrations/updates
8. Personal Property Tax
Applies to cars, trucks, motor homes, motorcycles,
trailers, campers, boats, outboard motors, planes and
business personal property.
Tax applies if a vehicle is normally garaged/parked in
the county, even if registered in another state.
Vehicles normally garaged in Fairfax County but
displaying out-of-state license plates may be subject to
an additional annual “No Plate” tax of $100 and penalty
of $250. This amount is not prorated. In most cases,
Virginia license plates must be obtained from DMV
within 30 days of establishing residency.
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9. For most vehicles, personal property tax is
based on the clean trade-in value in the
National Automobile Dealers Association’s Used
Car Guide published in January.
The personal property tax rate is $4.57 per
$100 of assessed value.
Click here to download an appeal form.
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Personal Property Tax
10. If you have moved in or out of Fairfax County,
or sold your car, your personal property bill will
be calculated on a monthly basis.
New to Fairfax County? Bought or leased a car?
You have 60 days to register your vehicles.
New to Virginia? New residents must follow the
state’s title and registration deadline and
requirements within 30 days.
Personal Property Tax
11. Vehicle Registration
There is a $33 local vehicle registration fee
($38 for vehicles over 4,000 pounds). There is
no county windshield decal to purchase or
display.
Residents within the towns of Clifton and
Herndon no longer need to display a decal.
Payments for the town vehicle registration fees
for Herndon and Clifton town residents will be
billed on the Fairfax County tax bills.
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12. Vehicle Registration
Vienna town residents must pay a town vehicle
registration fee directly with the town of
Vienna.
Make sure your address and vehicle jurisdiction
are correct with the Virginia Department of
Motor Vehicles at www.dmvnow.com.
13. Real Estate Tax
A tax on the assessed value of real property
and mobile homes based on 100 percent of
the fair market value as of
Jan. 1, 2016.
The 2016 (Fiscal Year 2017) base real
estate tax rate is $1.13 per $100 of
assessed value.
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14. Real Estate Tax
Commercially zoned or used properties are
subject to an additional $0.125 tax for the
countywide transportation district.
Other tax rates or fees may apply.
* Information on other special tax districts.
15. Tax Relief
Property owners 65 or older, or individuals
who are permanently and totally disabled,
may qualify for relief from some taxes and
fees based on income and assets.
Some active duty military personnel and
spouses are exempt from personal property
tax (see next slide for disabled veterans).
For more information on tax relief, visit our
website or call 703-222-8234, TTY 711.
16. Tax Relief for Vets and Spouses
Veterans with permanent and total
disabilities who qualify may be exempt
from Real Estate Tax and eligible for
reduced Personal Property (car) Tax relief.
Surviving spouses of U.S. Armed Forces
members killed in action may be eligible for
Real Estate Tax relief.
For more information, go to
www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dta.
17. Business, Professional and
Occupational License (BPOL)
Businesses with gross receipts:
Between $10,001 and $50,000 must file a
BPOL application and pay a $30 license
fee.
Between $50,001 and $100,000 must pay
a $50 license fee.
More than $100,000 must pay the BPOL
tax rate for the particular categories.
18. Businesses with gross receipts of $10,000 or less do
not need to file for a business license.
License applications must be filed and paid by
March 1 of each year or within 75 days of the
business start date.
Business, Professional and
Occupational License (BPOL)
19. Businesses located in the City of Fairfax, City of
Falls Church and the towns of Clifton, Herndon and
Vienna are not subject to the Fairfax County BPOL
tax. Contact those localities directly.
However, businesses operating within the towns of
Vienna, Clifton and Herndon need to file a Return of
Business Personal Property and Machinery and
Tools with Fairfax County.
Business, Professional and
Occupational License (BPOL)
20. Other Taxes and Fees
Consumer Utilities Taxes:
• Residential gas and electric: Maximum tax is $4 per month.
• Commercial electric: Maximum tax is $1,000 per month.
• Commercial gas: Maximum tax is $300 per month.
Communication Sales and Use Tax: Statewide 5%. Communications
Sales and Use Tax is levied on landline, wireless and Internet
telephone services, as well as satellite TV and radio. Also included in
this tax is a charge of $0.75 per line per month for E-911.
Sales Tax: State – 4.3%; regional transportation/NVTA 0.7%;
Fairfax County – 1%.
Cigarette Tax: 30 cents per pack.
Continued
Effective July 1, 2016:
21. Other Taxes and Fees
Hotel/Motel: 6%: 2% general; 2% tourism; 2% regional
transportation/NVTA (Towns only 4%: 2% tourism; 2% regional
transportation/NVTA. In addition, individual towns may also levy
their own hotel/motel tax.)
Recordation: $.0833 per $100 value on sales. ($.06 per $100 on
refinanced mortgages.)
Grantors Tax: County - $0.50 per $500 on value of deeds;
Regional transportation/NVTA - $0.15 per $100 on value of deeds.
Dog Licenses: $10. Required for all dogs four months or older.
22. Penalties
Late filing penalties for the late registration
of personal property.
Late payment penalties for any tax not paid
by the prescribed due date. Interest is
charged in addition to late penalties.
Overdue taxes are subject to collection
actions and additional collection fees.
23. FY 2017 Budget General Fund
Click Links Below For Budget Charts:
Where the Money Comes From…
Where the Money Goes…