Virginia Personal Property Tax

[FarAway]

All,

I just started a new thread looking for some purchase invoices from Dec. '24 or Jan '25 to start an appeal of my trucks accessed value. It seems unconscionable that a used vehicle could be appraised for more than what a new vehicle costs in the showroom! If anyone has appealed their accessed value, please let me know. If I have any success I will share the information here.


from the other thread:

I am appealing a Virginia state property tax assessment on my truck and need some actual documentation of what a new Cybertruck would cost during that time frame. The local government used the NADA book value in Jan '25 which has a used CT valued at over $134,000.

If you could send a copy of your bill of sale to me at [email protected] that would be great. (Please feel free to black out any personal information). Thank you!

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[FarAway]

I just had an hour meeting with the Culpeper County Commissioner of Revenue. The appeal process consists of asking for them to look at it, they get the Jan 25 JD Power valuation book out and say, "see there it is" that is the law. PERIOD. I pointed out the book was incorrect since it says the Cyberbeast MSRP was $145,000 and change! She said she would reach out to them... I am not holding my breath. I should point out she would not let me copy or take a picture of the Tesla Cybertruck page in the book either.

A class action lawsuit maybe the only way to fix this, and then we have to convince the Judge that the JDPower Book is not "prima facie" evidence.

Still looking for a Buyer's agreement that has the actual price in January 2025.
Anyone??

 

[BlueLightning]

Enjoy what you like and no different than driving a $90,000 GMC Denali.

 

[L3it3R]

Virginia stole YEARS of tax returns from me once - just pulled it from my account. When I called to figure out what the hell happened, they said I didn't pay income taxes during years X to Y ... The next day I drove to their office in Richmond from Fairfax, plopped down my military records, pointed to my home of record, showed them my tax returns for those years and just said "pay me what you stole". The comptroller himself came out and addressed the issue. And THEN they started this nonsense with some of the cars we owned at the time. That was the last straw. We sold our house and left VA. Moved in 2010 and will never live in that state ever again.

 

[FarAway]

Enjoy what you like and no different than driving a $90,000 GMC Denali.

Not true in Va, the $90k gmc will have a couple thousand dollar less annual property tax, every single year!

 

[FarAway]

For those residing in Virginia.

I had a sit-down meeting with my local Commissioner of Revenue. Basically, we are screwed.

JD Power used the CT auction prices in early 2024 for vehicles that sold well above the cost that a new truck could be ordered from Tesla. This skewed their "value", and as the state codes says the only value that can be used for Va. auto appraisals for the property tax is the value set by JD Power. A lawsuit could be brought but would probably fail, as the judge would rely on state code. I have posted the correspondence below, yes there are factual errors.... but that really doesn't matter per above.

From the Culpeper County Comm. of Revenue:

I contacted JDP per your request. While they cannot get involved in local tax assessment, our Rep verified there are no errors in the values listed in the January 2025 guide, more specifically the values for your vehicle.

While I did not hear from all other 132 VA localities (total 127 commissioners, 6 directors of finance), I'll share some feedback I did receive. A few of these folks followed the vehicle trend, at least one has followed this manufacturer for a while now and at least one came from the vehicle market prior to being elected Commissioner.

Factors/influencers immediately prior to Jan 1st:

1) new, rare, limited roll out
2) early on the wait list got best pricing - the further down the wait list, the higher the purchase price
3) dealer purchase/sale
4) people purchased through brokers, paying prices over $170k
5) self-driving technology (add on)
6) increasing trim level packages
6) political relationship

Factors/influencers now (Oct/Nov):

1) more units available
2) previous add ons now standard including self-driving for some models
3) political relationship

At the end of the day, not one Commissioner, that responded, has failed to comply with VA Code. As I mentioned when you where here, the Code of Virginia directs how vehicles are valued. This language is a "SHALL", not a "may". As you know, we are a Dillion Rule State, so Commissioners do not have a choice. Every single locality in VA uses the JD Power guide and values vehicles in the guide pursuant to:

§ 58.1-3503. General classification of tangible personal property.

A. Tangible personal property is classified for valuation purposes according to the following separate categories which are not to be considered separate classes for rate purposes:

3. Automobiles, except those described in subdivisions 7, 8, and 9 of this subsection and in subdivision A 8 of § 58.1-3504, which shall be valued by means of a recognized pricing guide...

The Code of Virginia allows owners to make application for correction via Va Code Section 58.1-3980. See https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/58.1-3980/ . But please know, so that you do not take false hope away from this pathway, I will have to deny your request because the assessment is pursuant to VA Code. Commissioners do not have any authority to value a vehicle that is in the guide, any other way other than by the guide. We've already verified your vehicle was valued by the guide. Please also know that you always have the pathway to take an assessment to court.

 

[65SoYoLO]

This is why we got rid of England 249 years ago...

 

[Cyber AI]

I am also Virginia resident (Prince William county). Just paid my CT (penalty tax). $3,800. They used JD power as a value (145k) which crazy. I wish there is any workaround to it.

 

[FarAway]

I am also Virginia resident (Prince William county). Just paid my CT (penalty tax). $3,800. They used JB power as a value (145k) which crazy. I wish there is any workaround to it.

Right there with you!
A gift that keeps on giving and the price of owning a great vehicle in Virginia.

 

[Cybergskr]

For 2025, we are screwed anyways. What about the future? What will the value and percentage of value be for taxation? Any insight by anyone?

 

[FarAway]

For 2025, we are screwed anyways. What about the future? What will the value and percentage of value be for taxation? Any insight by anyone?

The JDP number for Jan '25 reflected some anomalies that should have been left out of their valuation. A case of "garbage in, garbage out". When I met with my Commissioner, she looked up the JDP number for September '25 and it was down in the upper 70's. She could not believe how much it had changed over the few intervening months and blamed this on TESLA, rather than the poor job done initially by JDP.

Accordingly, I would think the tax bill will be significantly less for us next year. Remember it is the Jan '26 value they will use.

 

[CyberGus]

 

[Cyber AI]

That sounds to good to be true! Anyone else has done that?

 

[65SoYoLO]

That sounds to good to be true! Anyone else has done that?

Allot of exotic cars are registered in Montana to save 10's of thousands of Dollars in sales tax.

 

[PungoteagueDave]

That sounds to good to be true! Anyone else has done that?

It’s technically not legal in most states because of laws that give a grace period only for registering a vehicles that spend time in that state - 60 or 90 days in most. I have this issue and roll the dice - I move my boats and jet skis and one road vehicle every spring and fall between Florida and Maryland. They stay for 6 months in each - in MD you can get a temporary nonresident registration for six months or a year, but only if you are military, a student, a temporary employee with documentation, or a nonresident visitor without owning or renting real estate. I don’t qualify for any of those, own homes in both states. My permanent residency is Florida for tax purposes, a that’s where we have driver licenses and vote. In the case of Florida, it is even worse - we technically have only 10 days to re-register a vehicle moved there. So I register everything in Florida and take my chances with Maryland. The one antique vehicle that I keep in Maryland is registered there.


When I owned a farm in Virginia, we registered only a couple old pickups there, with low PP taxes, and registered everything else in FL - we were never hassled, although a local cop did pull me over for speeding and then let me go when he realized I owned a local business - he admitted that he only pulls over out-of-state vehicles because the drivers almost never make him go to court. Virginia just sucks.

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