Motor Vehicle Personal Property

Motor vehicle personal property includes vehicles, boats, trailers, and motorcycles. The Motor Vehicle Personal Property Return Form will be mailed to you in early March and must be returned to our office no later than May 1, to avoid a late/non-filing penalty. The information on the return is provided to this office via a DMV download. If the information on the return is incorrect, please indicate on the return and mail it back to us.

Don't forget to certify if your vehicle is for business or personal use. Doing so may prevent us from qualifying the vehicle for car tax relief. See the Personal Property Tax Relief Act page for the definition of business or personal use.

The personal property tax is levied annually on vehicles that are owned in Waynesboro on January 1. The tax is billed around the second week in October with a due date of December 5. The personal property tax is not prorated for persons moving out of Waynesboro or for the disposal of a vehicle after January 1. It is due for the full year. Vehicles that are normally garaged outside Virginia but have Virginia license plates are taxed by the Virginia locality where they are registered. 

Business Equipment

If you were operating a business on January 1 of the current tax year, then you are responsible for filing a business personal property tax return. All returns are due to be filed with this office by May 1 of the tax year. You must report all equipment used by your business or located on your business premises on January 1 of the tax year.

Tangible Personal Property is everything other than real estate.  It includes furniture, fixtures, tools, machinery, computers, telephone equipment, signs, canopies, leased equipment, hand tools, non-licensed vehicles and trailers, and any other equipment used in the business to earn income.

Personal Property Assessment

Vehicles

Passenger cars and light-duty trucks are taxed based on the value of the vehicle. We use the clean trade-in value as determined by the January issue of the National Automobile Dealers Association (N.A.D.A.) Official Used Car Guide. Unusually high mileage may be considered. To claim high mileage, complete a  High Mileage Application, accompanied by one of the following, unadulterated inspection receipt; oil change or service repair receipt from a vehicle care center or service station; title, if issued within the past 30 days. All documentation must be dated prior to January 1st in order for the adjustment to be made for the tax year starting January 1st of the current tax year. 

The personal property tax is calculated by multiplying the assessed value by the tax rate. The current rate is $3.25 per $100 of assessed value. The personal property tax rate is determined annually by the City Council and recorded in the budget appropriation ordinance each year.

Business Tangible Personal Property

We assess business tangible personal property at a depreciation rate of 20% the first year, with a 10% depreciation each year thereafter, but never less than 30% of original cost.

Manufacturer's Machinery & Tools

Assessment of machinery and tools is based on the percentage of capitalized cost as follows:

• First year: 27%
• Second year: 25%
• Third year: 22%
• Fourth year: 20%
• Fifth year: 15%
• Sixth year and beyond: 12%

Rolling Stock (Common Carrier Trucks)

The assessment of rolling stock is 100% of cost the first year following the year of purchase, with 10% depreciation given each year following. If vehicle has apportioned tags, then the apportionment percentage based on Virginia Miles Traveled is applied to the assessed value.

Mobile Homes

Our assessment of mobile homes is based on square feet multiplied by an average cost per square foot based on the manufactured year. The average cost per square foot is taken from the Wingate Guide to Mobile Home Appraisals.