FAQs • Fredericksburg, VA • CivicEngage

How do I know if my vehicle needs a City decal?: The City no longer requires every resident to display a current decal on his/her vehicle. However, if you plan to park at the Sophia Street parking lot or the VRE lot, you must display a current City decal to avoid a parking ticket. Any resident may obtain a decal for a fee of $2.00. Please contact the Office of the Commissioner of the Revenue at (540) 372-1004 for more details.

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COR - Individual Personal Property

1. What is considered individual personal property?: Virginia State Code Section 58.1-3503 defines personal property as automobiles, trucks, manufactured homes, motorcycles, recreational vehicles, boats, trailers, and aircraft.

2. How do I file an individual personal property return? What is the filing deadline?: An annual filing is not required. Only changes, such as buying or selling, need to be reported. The 30-day filing requirement on new purchases still exists, and items that are not filed with the City within 30 days of purchase are subject to a late filing penalty.

3. How do I know if my vehicle needs a City decal?: The City no longer requires every resident to display a current decal on his/her vehicle. However, if you plan to park at the Sophia Street parking lot or the VRE lot, you must display a current City decal to avoid a parking ticket. Any resident may obtain a decal for a fee of $2.00. Please contact the Office of the Commissioner of the Revenue at (540) 372-1004 for more details.

4. What is a vehicle license fee?: Annually, a $20 vehicle license fee is charged for each vehicle garaged in the City for any portion of that year. This fee is not part of your personal property tax bill and cannot be deducted on an itemized income tax return.

5. I am a new resident to the City of Fredericksburg. What do I need to do?: The Commissioner of the Revenue welcomes you to our locality. All vehicles should be registered with Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). All vehicles must be registered with our office no later than 30 days after moving into the City.

6. I am moving out of the City of Fredericksburg. What do I need to do?: The information required depends on the locality to which you are moving. Please contact the Office of the Commissioner of the Revenue at (540) 372-1004 for more information.

7. How do I know if the locality I am moving to is a 'prorating' or a 'non-prorating' locality?: Please contact the Office of the Commissioner of the Revenue at (540) 372-1004, and my staff will be happy to determine the locality type.

8. I am planning on disposing of my vehicle. What do I need to do?: Virginia DMV requires notification within 30 days of selling, trading, junking, or otherwise disposing of a vehicle. You are required to notify the Commissioner of the Revenue within 30 days of the disposition of the vehicle. You may notify the office via telephone, fax, mail or email. If this office is contacted after 30 days, documentation may be required to substantiate the disposition.

9. Do I have to register a leased vehicle with the City of Fredericksburg?: Any leased vehicle, including business vehicles, garaged in the City of Fredericksburg must be registered with our office within 30 days of the date of the lease or from the date the vehicle moved to the City. The lessee is responsible for registering the leased vehicle with our office, regardless of the party responsible for the property taxes.

10. I am a college student. Where do I register my vehicle?: The vehicle is assessed based on the owner's home locality. If the vehicle is owned by your parents who live in Fairfax County, the vehicle should be registered and taxed in Fairfax County. If the vehicle is owned by you and you have made the City of Fredericksburg your domicile (permanent address, registered to vote, etc.), then the vehicle is to be assessed by the City. Feel free to contact our office at 540-372-1005 if you have any questions.

11. If I am in the military, do I have to pay personal property taxes?: If your legal domicile is Virginia, your vehicle is subject to personal property tax in Virginia, regardless of where the vehicle is garaged during your active duty military service. If your vehicle is titled in Virginia but your legal domicile (home of record) is not Virginia, your vehicle may not be subject to Virginia personal property tax. This only applies to vehicles titled to active duty military personnel and/or spouses. Please contact this office at 540-372-1004 for further information.

12. If I own an antique or vintage vehicle, do I have to register the vehicle with the City of Fredericksburg?: Yes, all vehicles need to be registered with the City. If the vehicle is classified as an antique or vintage vehicle and has permanent license plates issued as specified in Virginia State Code Section 46.2-730, then the vehicle is not subject to taxation.

13. My spouse and I are separated and our vehicle is jointly owned. Who is responsible for the personal property taxes?: The vehicle is taxed in both names, and both parties are equally responsible for the taxes until the title is changed with DMV.

14. How do you determine the assessment on a vehicle?: We use the retail value as listed in the Eastern Edition, N.A.D.A. Official Used Car Guide effective as of January of the year of tax.

15. When are personal property taxes due? Where do I send payments? How much did I pay in taxes last year?: Personal property taxes are billed twice a year and are due May 15 and November 15 each year. Payments should be sent to the Treasurer's Office. The Treasurer's Office can answer any questions you have about current and past tax payments.

16. Does the City offer a discount for vehicles with high mileage?: Yes, the City of Fredericksburg does offer a discount program for vehicles with high mileage. The criteria for the discount program conforms to the guidelines provided by N.A.D.A. Proof of high mileage as of January 1st must be submitted.

17. Why do I need to file for the high mileage discount every year?: The amount of discount applied to the assessment is calculated according to the year of the vehicle, the make and the amount of mileage. In order to ensure that you receive the greatest amount of relief available, our office requires a yearly update of information.