Anyone who has personal property garaged or located in Fauquier County on January 1 or anyone who moved here during the year for more than 15 days of any month, in which case their personal property tax will be prorated.

Automobiles, trucks, motor homes, mobile homes, motorcycles, trailers, boats, outboard motors, aircraft, business personal property, and machinery and tools used in the manufacturing process.

The tax is based on the assessed value of the property.

The Board of Supervisors establishes a personal property tax rate each year. The tax rate may vary according to category.

Divide the property's assessed value by 100 and multiply by the current rate. For proration, divide that number by 12 then multiply that result by the number of months taxed. You can also go to the Taxpayer Portal to access your account directly. NOTE: You will need your personal property account number(s), which is on your bill. You may also contact the Commissioner’s office at 540-422-8150 to obtain your account number(s).

The assessed value of personal property is based on a recognized pricing guide if available or a percentage of the original cost. The pricing guides used for motor vehicles are the J.D. Power Official Used Car Guide as of January 1 of the current year.

If you have previously filed a personal property tax return for any motor vehicle(s) or trailer(s) for which there has been no change in location or status you are not required to file another return on such vehicle or trailer. Taxpayers who have changes or vehicles newly located in Fauquier County on January 1 must file with the Commissioner by March 15. After March 15, vehicles and trailers must be reported within 60 days of the date the property acquires situs in the county. Mobile Homes, Boats/Boat Motors, Aircraft, Business Personal Property and Machinery and Tools must be filed annually.

Town residents who have vehicles located in the incorporated Town on January 1, must file with the Town by March 15. After March 15, vehicles and trailers must be reported within 60 days of the date the property acquires situs in the Town.

Yes. If there is a filing requirement, a late filing penalty of 10% of the tax assessed is imposed and added to the tax bill for returns filed after the deadline. However, since Fauquier County is a file by exception jurisdiction, motor vehicles previously reported do not need to be re-filed in subsequent years. NOTE: This exception does NOT apply to campers, trailers, mobile homes and boats which must be filed annually.

Personal property returns may be filed by mail, P.O. Box 149, Warrenton, Va. 20188 or in person at the Commissioner of the Revenue office, 10 Courthouse Sq, Warrenton; or at your Town Office. 

Contact the Commissioner of the Revenue at 540-422-8150 or come into the office at 10 Courthouse Sq, Warrenton.

Under the Service Members Civil Relief Act, your tax liability would be to Fauquier, regardless of where you are stationed or where your personal property may be garaged during the year.

No. You would not be taxed in Fauquier on personal property registered in the name of the service person and/or spouse, and if you reside here by virtue of military orders. Military personnel must present a copy of their January LES for the current year.

Yes. All personal property is taxable, even unlicensed or inoperable vehicles. 

Contact your town official for details.

Tax on all personal property located in Fauquier County on January 1 and any property purchased or located in the county through approximately July 30 is due on October 5. Tax on vehicles and trailers only, acquired after then will be due 30 days from the date of the tax bill.

Yes. A penalty of 10% of the assessed tax will be added to the tax due. In addition, interest will be due on both the tax and penalty, at a rate of 10% per annum until paid.

Proration is the method of taxation on a monthly basis for the portion of the calendar year personal property is owned and/or located in the jurisdiction. In Fauquier County, only vehicles and trailers are prorated.

New residents who move to Fauquier County from a non-prorating county in Virginia and have already filed their personal property in their previous county will not be taxed again on that same property. Any vehicles and trailers acquired after moving to Fauquier County must be taxed from the date of purchase.

The tax will be prorated on a monthly basis, when you notify the Commissioner of the Revenue and the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. The appropriate amount of tax already paid will either be refunded or credited by the treasurer, at your option, against the tax due on any vehicle or trailer acquired during the same tax year. This is an important NOTE: The Commissioner’s office must know specifically about your transaction in order to act on it. After the adjustment has been completed by the Commissioner’s office, you may go to the Taxpayer Portal to access your account directly for any credits or balance due. NOTE: You will need your personal property account number(s), which is on your bill. You may also contact the Commissioner’s office at 540-422-8150 to obtain your account number(s).

Within Virginia:
If you move to a non-prorating county within Virginia, you will be liable to Fauquier County for the full year. If you move to a prorating county, you will be liable to Fauquier County for the amount of time you lived here and will be responsible for filing and paying taxes to the new county from the time you move there.

Outside Virginia:
If you move outside Virginia, you are liable to Fauquier County for the time you resided in Virginia. However, you must make sure you cancel your Virginia tags and register in your new state of residence within 30 days of your move or your liability will remain with Fauquier County. Once you have registered your personal property, send our office a copy of your new registration.

In the event that a motor vehicle is used by a full-time student attending an institution of higher education, and such use establishes that the motor vehicle is normally garaged at the location of the institution of higher education, the situs shall be the domicile of the owner of the motor vehicle, provided the owner presents sufficient evidence that he has paid a personal property tax on the motor vehicle in his domicile, upon request of the locality of the institution of higher education. 

You must report your vehicle to the Commissioner of the Revenue within 60 days after moving into the county.

Yes. The back of your state registration instructs you to notify the DMV of the disposition of the vehicle by returning the registration card. 

No. There is a separate form that must be completed for business personal property owned and machinery and tools used in manufacturing. The form and associated schedules/property lists are due no later than April 15. If you are unable to file by April 15, a request for a 30 day extension can be made in writing to the Commissioner of the Revenue. It must be made prior to April 15.

To qualify for a high mileage adjustment, all of the following criteria must be met:

• Only vehicles that are valued through the J.D. Power Official Used Car Guide are eligible (Note: motor homes, buses and large trucks are not in the Used Car Guide)
• Documentation must be third-party (e.g., state inspection receipt, service center repair receipt) dated on or before January 1st of the current tax year
• Mileage must meet the required minimum for the year model.  Refer to High Mileage guidelines.

It may be beneficial to document mileage annually until the vehicle mileage exceeds 250,000 based on the mileage table.