Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions About Personal Property Tax

Are you...

...a new resident in the City of Roanoke?

...planning to move out of the City of Roanoke?

...buying or selling a vehicle?

...leasing a vehicle?

...a college student?

...on active duty in the military?

...a disabled veteran or former prisoner of war?

...in the National Guard?

...the owner of an antique or vintage vehicle?

New residents to the city of Roanoke
Welcome to the city of Roanoke! The Office of the Commissioner of the Revenue thanks you for choosing to live in the "Star City." All vehicles must be registered with our office within 30 days of moving to the City of Roanoke. Registration may be completed by fax, mail, phone, online form, or in person at our downtown location. Please have your registration card(s) available. Remember to report all address/vehicle changes to the Commissioner of the Revenue's office within 30 days.

Residents moving out of the city of Roanoke to a prorating locality in Virginia
We require a copy of your filing form, decal/license tax application, new assessment bill or a paid receipt from the prorating locality to which you move. The paid receipt must include vehicle information and the beginning tax date. You can forward this information to our office via fax, mail, or phone. Your city of Roanoke account will be prorated once we receive this information.

Residents moving out of the city of Roanoke to a non-prorating locality in Virginia
If you move from the city of Roanoke to a non-prorating locality within Virginia, you are not eligible for a refund. Since a non-prorating locality will not tax you for a portion of the year, your taxes are due to the city of Roanoke for the full year.

Residents of the city of Roanoke moving out of Virginia
We will accept the vehicle registration in the state you moved to, showing the actual date of registration. You can forward this information to our office via fax, mail, phone, or online. Your city of Roanoke account will be prorated once we receive this information.

Buying or Selling a Vehicle
Taxpayers are required by state law to report any vehicle purchases or acquisitions within 30 days to their local commissioners of the revenue. Timely notification will avoid a late filing penalty.

Leasing a Vehicle
You must report to our office any leased vehicles that are garaged or parked in the city. All vehicles from leasing companies, including company cars provided by your employer, are to be reported to us within 30 days. Regardless of the party responsible for the payment of the tax, the lessee is required to notify our office.

College Students
Personal property tax on automobiles used or owned by college students is paid to the locality in which the owner(s) of the vehicle(s) resides, regardless of where the vehicle is garaged or parked.

Active Duty Military
If you legally reside in Virginia but you are stationed in another state in compliance with military orders, you are not subject to personal property tax in another state. You are required to pay personal property taxes to the Virginia locality where you maintain your legal domicile or home of record although the physical location of your vehicle(s) is outside of Virginia during this period of military service. If your home of record is not in Virginia, your license tax is waived.

Disabled Veteran or Former Prisoner of War
The license tax is waived for owners of disabled veteran (DV) tags or former prisoner of war (POW) tags.

National Guard
The license tax is reduced to $10 for owners of vehicles with National Guard tags.

Antique or Vintage Vehicles
In the first year of registration, the license tax is reduced to $5 for owners of vehicles with a permanent antique plate with expiration of 99/99/99. The license tax is waived in each year thereafter.