Vehicles - Purchased, Sold, Moved

Disposal of Personal Property

• Automobiles
• Trucks
• Motorcycles
• Low Speed Vehicles
• Motor Homes
• Boats
• Trailers

1. Within 30 days of disposal, contact the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).  For boats notify the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, with your disposal date.
2. Then notify the Commissioner of the Revenue’s office and provide them with the disposal date of the personal property.

Depending on when you disposed of the personal property the Commissioner of Revenue’s office may require additional proof, such as a bill of sale, to support your disposal date.

• If the tax bill was paid for the year during which your personal property was sold you may be entitled to a prorated refund.

Moving Personal Property Within Virginia

• Automobiles
• Trucks
• Motorcycles
• Low Speed Vehicles
• Motor Homes
• Boats
• Trailers

1. Within 30 days of moving, contact the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) with your new address and garaged jurisdiction change. For boats notify the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries with the new address and correct used and docked locality.
2. Then notify the Commissioner of the Revenue’s office and provide them with your change of address and your move date.

Depending on when you moved, the Commissioner of Revenue’s office may require additional proof.

• If the tax bill was paid for the year during which your personal property was moved, and you moved to a Virginia prorating locality, you may be entitled to a prorated refund.

Moving in from Another State

• Automobiles
• Trucks
• Motorcycles
• Low Speed Vehicles
• Motor Homes
• Boats
• Trailers

1. Obtain your driver’s license; title and register your personal property with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). At that time, confirm your address AND garage jurisdiction information is correct on your vehicle registration card.
2. Contact the Commissioner of the Revenue’s office to register your personal property for tax purposes. Personal Property is required by law to be reported to the Commissioner of the Revenue within 30 days of moving into Chesterfield or transfer of title.
   • In most cases, this is an automatic process between the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and the Commissioner; however, it is the taxpayer’s responsibility to ensure that their personal property is registered with our office.

If you purchased a vehicle (car, truck, motorcycle, motor home or low speed vehicle) anytime during the tax year you will receive a prorated bill within 60 days, from the purchase date to the end of the tax year.

• For subsequent tax years you will receive a bill for the full tax year in April, with payment due by June 5 of the corresponding tax year.

If you purchased other property (boat, trailer heavy equipment or aircraft) after Jan 1 of the tax year you will not receive a tax bill for the current tax year. 

• For subsequent tax years you will receive a bill for the full tax year in April, with payment due by June 5 of the corresponding tax year.

Moving to Another State

• Automobiles
• Trucks
• Motorcycles
• Low Speed Vehicles
• Motor Homes
• Boats
• Trailers

Code of Virginia §58.1-3511  requires localities to assess personal property taxes on vehicles with a weight of 10,000 pounds or less which are registered in Virginia, but normally garaged, docked, or parked in another state.

• Taxes on these vehicles are to be assessed by the Virginia locality where the vehicle is registered. 
• A copy of your new state registration for each personal property item billed by Chesterfield County is required to adjust your personal property tax account.  Please include a note indicating the date you moved.  
• Upon receipt of this information, we will review the documentation and if approved adjust your tax bill accordingly.