This document provides information about taxes in Fairfax County, Virginia for the 2015-2016 fiscal year, including tax rates, payment deadlines, and types of taxes. It outlines taxes on personal property, vehicles, real estate, businesses, utilities, sales, and other areas. It also discusses tax relief programs, penalties, and shows pie charts about revenues and expenditures in the county budget.

1. Tax Facts!
General information about
Fairfax County Taxes
Effective July 1, 2015
to June 30, 2016

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
 Real Estate
– First installment payment is
due July 28
– Second installment payment is due Dec. 5.
 B.P.O.L.
– 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.

4. 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.
Continued 

5. 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.

6. 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 one-
time 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.
Continued 

7.  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.
Continued 
Personal Property Tax

8.  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 vehicle/s.
 New to Virginia? New residents must follow the
state’s title and registration deadline and
requirements within 30 days.
Personal Property Tax

9. 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 towns of Clifton and Herndon
must purchase and display town decals. In
Vienna, residents must pay a town vehicle
registration fee.
 Make sure your address and vehicle jurisdiction
are correct with the Virginia Department of
Motor Vehicles at www.dmvnow.com

10. Real Estate Tax
 A tax on the assessed value of real estate
property and mobile homes based on 100
percent of the fair market value as of
Jan. 1, 2015.
 The 2015 (Fiscal Year 2016) base real
estate tax rate is $1.09 per $100 of
assessed value.
Continued 

11. 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.

12. 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 703-222-
7594.

13. 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.

14. 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.

15.  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.
 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.
Business, Professional and
Occupational License (BPOL)

16. 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, 2015:

17. 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: $8.33 per $100 value on sales. ($.06 per $100 on
refinanced mortgages.)
 Grantors Tax: County - $0.50 per $100 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.

18. 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 also is
charged in addition to late penalties.
 Overdue taxes are subject to collection
actions and additional collection fees.

19. FY 2016 Budget General Fund
 Click Links Below For Budget Charts:
Where the Money Comes From…
Where the Money Goes…