Printer
TextThere is Still Time to Pay Taxes and Purchase Car Decals by Mail, Phone or Computer
Fairfax County Office of Public
Affairs
12000 Government Center Parkway, Suite 551
Fairfax, VA 22035-0065
703-324-3187, TTY 703-324-2935, FAX 703-324-2010
Sept. 30, 2004
There is Still Time to Pay Taxes and Purchase Car Decals by Mail, Phone or Computer
Fairfax County residents are reminded that 2004 personal property taxes must be paid and red-colored vehicle decals for year 2005 must be purchased by Oct. 5, 2004. Residents are urged to pay personal property taxes and purchase their auto decals by mail, telephone or computer to avoid long last-minute lines.
Contrary to what many people think, decals do not have to be displayed until Nov. 16. Some people think they need to pay in person if they wait until Oct. 5, because they are under the misunderstanding that they need their decals that day. If payment is made by Oct. 5, the decal will arrive in the mail in plenty of time to meet the Nov. 16 display deadline if the decal has not already been mailed out.
Tax payments can be made:
• On the Internet – Visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dta
and pay by electronic check or credit card (VISA, MasterCard, and
Discover).
• At banks – Pay at local branches of the following banks: Bank of
America, Sun Trust and Wachovia. These payments must be made on or before
the due date of Oct. 5. You must bring your bill and pay for the exact
amount billed.
• By phone – For VISA and MasterCard, call 703-222-6740, TTY 711. If
using Discover, call 703-222-8234, TTY 703-222-7594, between 8 a.m. and
4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
• By mail – Must be postmarked by Oct. 5. Send checks only to the
Department of Tax Administration, 12000 Government Center Parkway, Suite
223, Fairfax, Va. 22035.
• At the county’s electronic kiosks – Use your Discover, MasterCard or
VISA card at county kiosks located in the following libraries:
Centreville, Chantilly, Dolley Madison, Fairfax City, George Mason, John
Marshall, Kings Park, Kingstowne, Pohick, Reston, Sherwood and
Tysons-Pimmit. Additional kiosks are located at Fair Oaks Mall,
Springfield Mall, Tysons Corner Center, Reston Towne Center, Tysons
West*Park Transit Station, Mason Governmental Center, South County
Government Center, Inova HealthPlex in Springfield, the Pennino Building,
the Fairfax County Government Center and the Town of Warrenton
Library.
• In person: Pay by check, cash or credit card (VISA, MasterCard and
Discover) at the Fairfax County Government Center, Department of Tax
Administration, 12000 Government Center Parkway, Suite 223, Fairfax.
There will be extended hours at this location, Monday through Friday
until Oct. 5, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Department of Tax Administration
will also be open to the public on Saturday, Oct. 2, from 8 a.m. to 4:30
p.m.
All personal property taxes for all vehicles registered to an individual must be paid by the due date of Oct. 5, before a decal for tax year 2005 will be issued. There is a 10 percent penalty for late payments, plus 5 percent interest is charged on late personal property tax payments.
Fairfax County taxes the following types of personal property: automobiles, trucks, vans, motor homes, mobile homes, motorcycles, trailers, boats, outboard motors and airplanes. Currently, the state-authorized tax reduction is 70 percent on qualifying vehicles valued between $1,001 and $20,000. Taxpayers will see that reflected in the bill they receive from Fairfax County. Vehicles qualifying for the state-authorized tax reduction are passenger cars, pickup or panel trucks and motorcycles used for non-business purposes.
Anyone owning personal property before July 1 that is subject to tax should have received a bill in the mail by Sept. 15. Failure to receive a bill does not exempt individuals from paying personal property taxes, purchasing decals or incurring late payment penalties. Residents are asked to check their tax bills upon receipt to make sure the information is accurate. If they did not receive a bill or if the bill is incorrect, they should call 703-222-8234, TTY 703-222-7594.
Owners of newly purchased vehicles (including vehicles formerly leased) and new residents with vehicles must register those vehicles with the county and purchase a county decal within 60 days of purchase or residency. Declaration forms are available at the Department of Tax Administration, or by calling DTA at 703-222 8234, TTY 703-222-7594. You can also download tax forms from www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dta, report vehicle changes and calculate the proration of certain vehicle taxes.
For recorded personal property tax information,
using a touch-tone phone, call the county’s 24-hour automated information
system at 703-324-INFO (703-324-4636) and press 1, 5, 2. Citizens can
also obtain tax information from www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dta.
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