Personal Property & Real Estate Tax

Personal Property

Personal Property Taxes are due every year on June 5th (first half) and December 5th (second half).

If this date falls on a weekend, the deadline is extended to the following Monday. Personal property tax payments not received or postmarked by the due date are considered delinquent. 

Decal Applications
Ways to return your application:

• MAIL
• DROP BOX (DRIVE THRU)
• SCAN & EMAIL

PERSONAL PROPERTY STATEMENTS – DUE MARCH 1
Personal property statements are due on March 1st of every year. The statements typically are mailed in February and give you a good opportunity to correct any changes to your property (new purchases, vehicles sold, etc).

Real Estate

Real estate taxes are traditionally due on June 5th and December 5th.
Real estate taxes are due in equal installments on June 5th and December 5th of each year. If the deadline falls on the weekend, the due date is extended to the following Monday. You can pay your annual tax amount in June. Real estate taxes are assessed as of January 1.

Mortgage Companies and your Tax Bill

• Citizens who maintain an escrow account with a mortgage company will not receive a copy of their real estate tax bill if their mortgage company has requested the bill on time.  If you maintain an escrow, and you received your bill, please contact your mortgage company and let them know that you received it. Then forward the bill to them for payment.
• Please keep in mind that the payment of your real estate taxes by a mortgage company is a private arrangement between you and your mortgage company. The City cannot legally intercede in this relationship. It is therefore the citizen’s responsibility to ensure that the mortgage information on his/her account is current and correct and to follow up with his/her mortgage company to ensure that payment is made in a timely manner.
• Please be aware that if a supplemental bill has been assessed on your property, the City will send that bill to the homeowner. The homeowner has the option of forwarding that bill to the mortgage company, or they may pay it themselves.

Please notify the Treasurer’s office if there is a change with your mortgage company, so we can update your account accordingly and ensure you receive a tax bill.

Real Estate Assessment Process

The last reassessment went into effect on July 1, 2024. These values will remain in effect until the next reassessment is completed, usually every four to six years based on vote of the Board of Supervisors.

Virginia Code §58.1-3252 requires that all counties with a population of 50,000 or more shall have a general reassessment of real property every four years unless otherwise decided by the board of supervisors. Our goal is to make all assessments fair, equitable, and at 100% fair market value. All real property in Buena Vista is subject to taxation except properties that are:

• specifically exempt under Article X § 6 of the Constitution of Virginia; or
• property classified or designated as exempt under Section 58.1-3600 of the Code of Virginia;
• property owned by the City, State, or Federal governments; and
• property used for religious, charitable, educational, cultural, or recreational uses which are considered non-taxable. Properties may also be subject to exemption by county designation