Car tax payments due Friday

The customer service staff at the Department of Taxation. (Fairfax County government)

The deadline for paying Fairfax County’s 2018 vehicle tax is Friday, Oct. 5. There are penalties for late payments.

The easiest way to pay at this late date is online or by phone with a credit card, debit card, or checking account. You’ll need to refer to the bill you received in the mail to complete the online form.

To pay online, access the payment portal on the Fairfax County Department of Taxation website here.

To pay by phone, call 703-222-6740. This service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Fairfax County uses a third-party processor, Govolution, to process credit card/debit card payments. That company tacks on a 2.5 percent service fee.

Fairfax County taxes can also be paid on a smartphone. Search the Apple App Store or Google Play for the free Fairfax County Government app and follow the instructions for paying taxes. Be prepared, as the payment page times out after 20 minutes.

To pay the car tax in person, you’ll have to go to the Fairfax County Government Center at 12000 Government Center Parkway in Fairfax. The payment desk is open today until 6:30 p.m. and Friday 8 a.m.-6 p.m.

You will need the last four digits of your VIN and property number as shown on your tax bill. If you do not have a bill with you, you will need your DMV customer number (on your driver’s license) and the last four digits of your vehicle’s VIN.

Taxpayers will face a surcharge if their vehicle doesn’t have Virginia license plates within 30 days of residency.

The personal property tax bill (car tax) includes a local registration fee for vehicles regularly garaged, stored, or parked in Fairfax County.

The county tax bill is separate and distinct from the state registration fee paid to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles.

Car tax rates are based on the car’s assessed trade-in value or, for new cars, the percentage of the manufacturer’s suggested retail price. 

The current rate for personal property tax in Fairfax County is $4.75 for each $100 of assessed value, but the state pays a partial subsidy on personal use vehicles. In 2018 Virginia’s subsidy for Fairfax County residents is 60 percent of the first $20,000 in assessed value.

Fairfax County mailed tax bills to 800,000 residents this summer.

Residents who purchased cars or relocated them to Fairfax County after July 1 will be billed in January.

People at least 65 years old or permanently and totally disabled and meet the income and asset eligibility requirements can apply for tax relief.

For more questions about the car tax, contact the Department of Tax Administration at 703-222-8234 before 4:30 p.m.