Personal Property Tax - Frequently Asked Questions
Assessment and Tax Calculation |
Who sets the personal property
tax rate?
The Board of Supervisors establishes a personal property
tax rate each year. The tax rate may vary according to
category.
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How do I calculate the tax
I must pay?
Divide the property’s
assessed value by 100 and multiply by the current
rate. Multiply that result by the number of months the
property was located here in Chesterfield County (boats,
trailers and mobile homes are not prorated)
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Is my watercraft taxable
if it’s not registered with the Game and
Inland Fisheries?
Yes. All watercraft are taxable whether registered
or not, except for wind surfers.
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I have a child enrolled
as a full-time student at Virginia Tech. He will
be driving one of my vehicles each year. Do I register
this vehicle in Montgomery County or here in Chesterfield
County where I live?
If the car is titled in the parent’s
name then it should be registered, and taxes paid,
to Montgomery County for each year that the child
is a full time student and drives the car to VA
Tech. However, if the vehicle is titled in the
child’s name it should be registered, and
taxes paid, to Chesterfield County.
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Do I get a tax break for
being a fire/rescue volunteer?
Yes. You must file a Volunteer
Vehicle Certification form by January 31 of each tax year.
There is a reduced tax
rate applied to the vehicle’s
assessed value to determine the tax. However, if
you purchase a vehicle after January 31 st of the
tax year there is no reduced tax allowed until
the following year.
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Do I need to file another
Volunteer Vehicle Certification form if I replace
a certified vehicle during the tax year?
Yes, you must file a Volunteer
Vehicle Certification form with the Office of the Commissioner
of the Revenue each time you replace a previously
certified volunteer fire/rescue vehicle.
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Where do I pay personal property
taxes if I am in the military and my home
of record is Virginia?
If your home of record is Virginia, AND
your car is registered in Chesterfield
County then your vehicle(s) are subject
to personal property tax in Chesterfield
County, regardless of where the vehicle
is garaged during active military service.
Where do I pay personal property taxes
if I am in the military and my home of record
is NOT Virginia?
If your home of record is not
Virginia, and your car is registered in Chesterfield
County, you must provide our office with a Leave
and Earnings Statement (LES) for January of the
appropriate tax year to qualify for the military
exemption. If you
move your vehicle registration to Chesterfield
County during the tax year you’ll need
to provide a current (LES).
Do I qualify for the military exemption
if the vehicle is jointly owned?
Yes, IF BOTH owner and co-owner
are active duty military.
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Is my watercraft
taxable if it’s not registered with
the Game and Inland Fisheries?
Yes. All watercraft are taxable whether
registered or not, except for wind surfers.
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Do I qualify for
the vehicle tax exemption if I substitute
as pastor at churches in the Richmond area?
No, to qualify for the tax exemption
you must be a duly designated ecclesiastical
officer of a particular church, religious
association or denomination, AND the vehicle
must be used predominately for church purposes.
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What is proration?
Proration is the method of taxation on
a monthly basis for the portion of the calendar
year personal property is owned and/or located
in the jurisdiction. Chesterfield prorates
vehicles, motorcycles and recreational vehicles.
All other property is not prorated (i.e.
boats, trailers, mobile homes, airplanes,
and camper trailers).
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If I sell a vehicle what steps
do I take to remove the vehicle from the
tax records?
First, you will need to contact DMV and
provide them with the disposal date of your
vehicle. Second, contact
us. We will check
the DMV system to verify the disposal date
and remove the vehicle from our records.
The treasurer’s office will refund
or credit any amount due.
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If I move OUT of Chesterfield
to another locality within Virginia what
must I do?
First, notify DMV, providing them with
your move date AND the new garaged jurisdiction.
Second, contact the locality you moved to
and provide them with your vehicle information. If
you move to a prorating locality, and
have paid in full the current year tax, you
will be issued a refund from us and will
owe the new locality a prorated tax amount. If
you move to a non-prorating locality you
will not be issued a refund from us, and will
not owe any tax to the new locality until
the following tax year.
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Unlicensed/Unused Vehicle(s) |
If my personal vehicle is unused
or unlicensed, do I still need to register
and pay personal property taxes?
Yes, all personal property is taxable,
even unlicensed and/or inoperable vehicles.
This property must be filed on or before
March 1 st each year for as long as you own
it. However, you may appeal
your assessment.
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