Vehicle Tax (Leesburg, Fairfax: sales, buying, DMV)

[wumarshall82]

What can I expect to pay in taxes for a vehicle worth about $29000 in Northern VA. Moving that way in the spring and curious as to what I can expect to pay each year?

Thanks!

[AnalyzeThis]

If I remember correctly, we paid somewhere close to $1K the year we bought our Highlander and I believe they had it valued at like $39K.

[johnsonkk]

Originally Posted by wumarshall82

What can I expect to pay in taxes for a vehicle worth about $29000 in Northern VA. Moving that way in the spring and curious as to what I can expect to pay each year?

Thanks!

Beyond state taxes, each county has a separate car tax too. And the state's gas tax is increasing another $0.05 per gallon in next couple months.

[spencgr]

Originally Posted by johnsonkk

Beyond state taxes, each county has a separate car tax too. And the state's gas tax is increasing another $0.05 per gallon in next couple months.

I don't pay state taxes on my car, do you?

[johnsonkk]

Originally Posted by spencgr

I don't pay state taxes on my car, do you?

I used the same lexicon in my reply as the OP. The OP asked about taxes, yearly taxes, and although each county in Virginia charges annual taxes on each vehicle, at the state level (DMV), they call it a registration fee. So technically it's a fee and not a tax but it's the same thing (unless you're asking the Supreme Court what is and isn't considered a tax).

For DMV annual registration fees, here is a link:
http://www.dmv.virginia.gov/webdoc/pdf/dmv201.pdf

Each county has a slightly difference percentage they charge for their county property tax on vehicles (the county tax office calls the vehicle tax a property tax). New this year is another $10 late fee that DMV added to those that re-register after their vehicle tags expire.

[car54]

The State tax on cars is the "sales or use tax" you pay when you buy the car. It is a one-time tax...around 4% of the sales price. Someone moving here with a car already in their name in another State normally does not pay the Va State sales tax unless they've owned the car for less than one year AND can not prove they paid sales tax in the other State.

The local personal property tax is collected by the county or city that the car is garaged in. It is an annual tax based on the assessed value of the car.

[boyd888]

I'll use Fairfax County as an example, but all the NOVA counties will be pretty close to this.

The tax is 4.57% on the value of the vehicle, but 62% of the bill up to the first $20K is paid for by the county. In other words up to $20K the rate is 1.74%, and anything over $20K you pay the full 4.57% (on the amount over $20K).

So for your car worth $29K will you pay about $760 a year [20000*.0174 + 9000*.0457]. The car tax is deductible if you itemize.

[wumarshall82]

Thanks for the information. I paid about $600 in SC last year but I am in the county here which is cheaper than being in the city. City would have been around $800.

[bluef250]

Personal Property Tax is levied based on a number of things: the county your vehicle is located in, the town your vehicle is located in, the assessed value of your vehicle, and whether or not you are eligible for personal property tax relief.

Let's assume your vehicle will be registered in Loudoun County (notice I haven't stated what Town/City yet). You owe Loudoun County $4.20 per $100 of the assessed value.

Now let's assume your vehicle is registered in Leesburg (well, let's assume you're living there and the car is parked there). You owe the town of Leesburg $1.00 per $100 of assessed value.

Yes, you owe BOTH Leesburg and Loudoun County.

BUT, you qualify for personal property tax relief under certain conditions. If you're like me and have a Ford F250 with truck tags and whose gross vehicle weight is just shy of 10k pounds, then you won't get the relief. It's a substantial savings.

Most people I know don't have diesel vehicles, but on the off chance that you do, then note that you qualify for tax relief on your diesel fuel.


Research
Loudoun County, VA - Official Website - Virginia Personal Property Tax Relief
Loudoun County, VA - Official Website - Vehicle Personal Property Tax Rates
Leesburg, VA : Personal Property Taxes

[prciosasoy]

Originally Posted by johnsonkk

although each county in Virginia charges annual taxes on each vehicle, at the state level (DMV), they call it a registration fee.

I've been trying to find out what this tax is because I moved from NY where there is no car tax like this that I've ever paid. So are you saying what FFX County is calling a tax is just the yearly registration fee, but they don't give another sticker for that? I thought the stuff they gave me at the DMV was supposed to take care of all that for the year, so I've been trying to figure out why I'm getting charged a car tax on top of the sales tax I paid in NY buying the car, plus all of the DMV fees I had to pay as soon as I got here. Just makes me mad to pay hard-earned money for something that I can't figure out what it is