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Personal Property - Purchased, Sold, Moved
Purchasing, Selling and Moving Personal Property
When personal property, which includes aircraft, automobiles and trucks, boats, heavy equipment, low speed vehicles, mobile homes/RVs, motorcycles and trailers, is purchased, sold or moved, it must be reported to the Commissioner of the Revenue.
In most cases, this is an automatic process between the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and the Commissioner of the Revenue; however, it is the taxpayer’s responsibility to ensure that their personal property is registered with the Commissioner's office. For the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR), the registered list is provided and reviewed annually.
Purchasing Personal Property
The following must be done when purchasing personal property:
- Title and register personal property, within 30 days of purchase, with the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) or, for boats, with the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR). At that time, confirm your address and garaged/docked/used jurisdiction information is correct on your vehicle registration card.
- Contact the Commissioner of the Revenue to register your vehicle for personal property tax purposes.
- Prorating items (car, low speed vehicle, motor home, motorcycle or truck) purchased during the tax year will generate a tax bill.
- Non-prorating items (aircraft, boat or trailer) purchased after Jan. 1 will not generate a tax bill.
Selling of Personal Property
The following must be done when selling personal property:
- Within 30 days of selling, contact the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) or, for boats, with the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR). Include the sale date.
- Notify the Commissioner of the Revenue and provide the sale date of the personal property.
Depending on when the personal property was sold, the Commissioner of Revenue’s office may require additional proof, such as a bill of sale, to support your sale date.
If the tax bill was paid for the year during which your personal property was sold, you may be entitled to a prorated refund.
Moving Personal Property Within Virginia
The following must be done when moving personal property within Virginia:
- Within 30 days of your move, notify the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) or, for boats, with the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR), with your new address and garaged/docked/used jurisdiction.
- Notify the Commissioner of the Revenue and provide your change of address and your move date.
- Depending on when you moved, the Commissioner of Revenue’s office may require additional proof.
Moving Personal Property from Another State
The following must be done when moving personal property from another state:
- Title and register your personal property with the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) or, for boats, with the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR). At that time, confirm your address and garaged/docked/used jurisdiction is correct on your vehicle registration card.
- Within 30 days of moving into Chesterfield or transferring title, notify the Commissioner of the Revenue and provide your change of address and your move date.
Moving Personal Property to Another State
The following must be done when moving personal property to another state:
- According to the Code of Virginia §58.1-3511, a copy of your new state registration for each personal property item billed is required for adjustments. Include a note indicating the date you moved and, if necessary, alternative documentation that confirms your move date.
- Upon receipt of this information, the Commissioner's Office will review the documentation and, if approved, adjust your tax bill accordingly.