A vehicle license decal can be obtained by registering
the vehicle with the City and paying the license tax.
Please bring your vehicle registration, title or bill
of sale, and driver's license to:
Personal Property Tax Branch
301 King Street, City Hall, Room 1410
703-838-4560
For vehicles owned or held the previous year and registered
with the City: During September each year, the Finance
Department will mail combined City Vehicle License Application/Personal
Property Tax Returns to all residents who registered
their vehicles in the previous year. Please complete
and return the form(s) with the license tax payment
on or before October 5 of each year to:
Treasury Division
P.O. Box 323
Alexandria, VA 22313
The application form is a combined tax return. It
allows residents to apply for a vehicle license decal
and to register their property for taxation purposes.
A decal cannot be issued if prior year personal property
taxes have not been paid.
If you do not receive a City vehicle license application
during September, please contact the Personal Property
Tax Branch. You are required to obtain a decal by October
5 each year. Failure to receive an application does
not relieve the requirement to file and pay taxes by
the due date. If the information on the application
is incorrect, please contact the Personal Property Tax
Branch at (703) 703-838-4560.
For vehicles acquired or brought into the City during
the current tax year: Residents must register their
vehicles within 30 days after locating vehicles in
the City:
- In person: Please bring your vehicle registration,
title or bill of sale, and driver's license to City
Hall, Room 1410, and pay the license tax; or
- By mail: Please call 703-838-4560 for registration
material. The application form must be completed
and returned with photocopies of your vehicle registration,
title or bill of sale, and payment for the license
tax.
Please note that dealers normally register and license
new vehicles with the Virginia Department of Motor
Vehicles, but not with municipalities. Therefore,
please contact the City immediately to register a
new vehicle.
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Computation of Tax
I. Annual License Tax on Vehicles Used or Designed
to Transport Passengers
| Passenger car |
$33 |
| Motor home |
$33 |
| Private motor vehicle seating more than
ten adults |
$8 plus $0.30 per 100 pounds of weight,
but not less than $23 |
| Private school bus |
$8 plus $0.30 per 100 pounds of weight,
but not less than $23 |
| Trailer/semitrailer designed for use as
living quarters |
$28 |
| Taxicabs or vehicles kept for rent or
hire with chauffeur, operated under State-issued
permits* |
$23 for vehicles up to 4,000
pounds; $28 for vehicles over 4,000 pounds |
| Motorcycles |
$21 |
| Buses used solely for transportation to
and from Sunday school or church |
$23 for vehicles up to 4,000
pounds, $28 for vehicles over 4,000 pounds |
| Other passenger-carrying vehicles |
$13 plus $0.70 per 100 pounds
of weight |
*Does not apply to common carrier vehicles, which
are covered by (II) below.
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II. Annual License Tax on Vehicles Not Used or Designed
to Transport Passengers
| Gross Weight Group (pounds) |
Annual Fee |
| 4,000 or less |
$33 |
| 4,001 - 10,000 |
$38 |
| 10,001 - 12,000 |
$43 |
| 12,001 - 15,000 |
$48 |
| 15,001 - 18,000 |
$53 |
| 18,001 - 20,000 |
$58 |
| 20,110 - 22,000 |
$63 |
| 22,001 - 24,000 |
$68 |
| 24,001 - 26,000 |
$73 |
| 26,001 - 40,000 |
$83 |
| 40,001 and above |
$98 |
Military personnel who are on extended active-duty
and are not legal residents of Virginia do not pay
license fees for their vehicle. The vehicle must be
registered solely in the active duty military person's
name.
(A legal resident of Virginia should purchase a decal
from his/her city or county of record.)
Disabled American veterans and recognized Foreign
Diplomats and their immediate family member pay no
license fee, but the vehicle must be registered with
the City.
The license tax for passenger vehicles owned by members of the
Virginia National Guard shall be one-half of the license tax prescribed in this section,
upon presentation of evidence by the registered owners that special Virginia National Guard
license plates have been issued to the vehicles.
Trading in an old vehicle for a new vehicle: If
a vehicle that is currently registered with the City
is replaced with a new vehicle, the vehicle owner
can obtain a replacement City license decal. Please
remove the license decal from the old vehicle and
return the pieces with a letter of explanation to
the Personal Property Tax Branch. The Treasury Division
will then issue a replacement decal for one dollar.
The price of a new decal without the pieces of the
old decal is $33.
Disposition or removal of vehicle from City: If
a vehicle that is currently registered is disposed
of or removed from the City, the vehicle owner should
provide written notification to the City of the status
of the vehicle. Please remove the license decal from
the vehicle and return it with your written notice
to the Personal Property Tax Branch. The vehicle decal
fee is not refundable.
Tax Rebates and Exemptions
Military personnel who are on extended active-duty and are
not legal residents of Virginia do not pay license fees for their vehicle.
The vehicle must be registered solely in the active duty military person's name.
(A legal resident of Virginia should purchase a decal from his/her city or county of record.)
Disabled American veterans and recognized Foreign Diplomats
and their immediate family member pay no license fee, but the vehicle must be
registered with the City.
The license tax for passenger vehicles owned by members of the Virginia National Guard
shall be one-half of the license tax prescribed in this section, upon presentation
of evidence by the registered owners that special Virginia National Guard
license plates have been issued to the vehicles
Change In Vehicle Status
Trading in an old vehicle for a new vehicle: If a vehicle that is currently registered
with the City is replaced with a new vehicle, the vehicle owner can obtain a replacement
City license decal. Please remove the license decal from the old vehicle and return the pieces
with a letter of explanation to the Personal Property Tax Branch. The Treasury Division will then
issue a replacement decal for one dollar. The price of a new decal without the pieces of the old decal is $33.
Disposition or removal of vehicle from City: If a vehicle that is currently registered is disposed
of or removed from the City, the vehicle owner should provide written notification to the City of the
status of the vehicle. Please remove the license decal from the vehicle and return it with
your written notice to the Personal Property Tax Branch. The vehicle decal fee is not refundable.
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Fine for Failure to Display
City Vehicle License Decal
Any resident who parks or drives his/her vehicle
on City streets and fails to display a City vehicle
license decal is subject to a $40 fine for each violation
of the City's motor vehicle license tax ordinance.
Further Information
Billing or payments:
Treasury Division
301 King Street, City Hall
Alexandria, VA 22314
703-838-4777
Tax Forms and Taxpayer Assistance:
Personal Property Tax Branch
301 King Street, City Hall
Alexandria, VA 22314
703-838-4560
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