The Charlottesville property tax rate is $0.99 per $100 of assessed value, set each year by City Council.1City of Charlottesville. Real Estate Taxes Bills come in two equal installments due June 5 and December 5, and the city runs relief programs that can reduce or eliminate the bill for older homeowners, residents with disabilities, and veterans with a 100 percent service-connected disability rating.
What You’ll Owe
The calculation is simple. Take your assessed value, divide by 100, then multiply by $0.99. A home assessed at $400,000 produces an annual tax of $3,960, paid as two installments of $1,980. A $550,000 assessment comes to $5,445 for the year.
Because Council sets the rate during each budget cycle, confirm the current year’s rate on the city’s website before you do the math for a future bill. The $0.99 figure applies to every residential and commercial parcel inside city limits.
How Your Assessment Is Set, and How to Challenge It
The City Assessor’s Office revalues every parcel each year. Virginia law requires assessments to reflect 100 percent of fair market value, which means the assessed figure should track what your property would sell for on the open market.2Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 58.1-3201 – What Real Estate to Be Taxed; Amount of Assessment; Public Service Corporation Property Change-of-assessment notices go out at the end of January.3City of Charlottesville. Frequently Asked Questions
If the number looks wrong, you have three steps and a short window to use them.
Start with an informal review. Call the Assessor’s Office soon after the January notice arrives. Many disputes end here, when the assessor finds a factual error about square footage, condition, or features.
If that doesn’t resolve it, file a formal written appeal with the Assessor’s Office. Bring evidence: a recent independent appraisal (ideally under a year old), your purchase price if you bought recently, and comparable sales from your neighborhood pointing to a lower value.
The last step is the Board of Equalization, an independent citizen panel appointed by the Circuit Court judge. You have 30 days from the formal appeal decision letter to file with the BOE. The Board holds a hearing and mails its decision within 30 days.4City of Charlottesville. City Assessor
Under Virginia law, the burden is on you to show by a preponderance of evidence that the assessed value exceeds fair market value, that the assessment isn’t uniform with similar properties, or that the assessor didn’t follow generally accepted appraisal practices.2Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 58.1-3201 – What Real Estate to Be Taxed; Amount of Assessment; Public Service Corporation Property Saying the tax feels high won’t move the needle. Comparable sales, an appraisal, and documentation of property defects will.
Payment Deadlines and How to Pay
Bills are due in two equal installments on June 5 and December 5. When either date falls on a weekend or holiday, the deadline shifts to the next business day.1City of Charlottesville. Real Estate Taxes
You can pay through the city’s online portal by credit card or electronic check, mail a check to the City Treasurer’s Office, or use the drop box outside City Hall. If you mail payment, the postmark date counts as the submission date. Keep the receipt or a photo of the postmarked envelope in case the city logs it late.
What Happens If You Pay Late
Miss a deadline and a 10 percent penalty hits the unpaid amount immediately. Interest then accrues at 10 percent per year starting the first day of the month after the missed deadline, so July 1 for the June installment and January 1 for the December installment.5City of Charlottesville. Late Payment Penalty Policy On a $2,000 installment, the penalty alone adds $200 before any interest.
Long-term delinquency goes further. Under Virginia law, when real estate taxes remain unpaid on December 31 following the second anniversary of the due date, the city can file a court action to sell the property at public auction and recover the balance.6Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code Title 58.1 Chapter 39 Article 4 – Bill in Equity for Sale of Delinquent Tax Lands You can redeem the property any time before the sale date by paying all taxes, penalties, interest, attorney fees, and costs in full. Partial payment does not stop the process.
Relief for Elderly and Disabled Homeowners
Charlottesville runs a tax relief program for homeowners who are at least 65 or who are permanently and totally disabled. The amount of relief depends on combined household adjusted gross income (applicant, spouse, and any co-owners or relatives living in the home):7City of Charlottesville. Real Estate Tax Relief
- AGI of $0 to $39,000: 100 percent relief
- AGI of $39,001 to $52,000: 80 percent relief
- AGI of $52,001 to $58,500: 60 percent relief
- AGI of $58,501 to $65,000: 40 percent relief
Net worth limits also apply, with the value of the home itself excluded. The property must be your sole residence and must sit within city limits.
Applications and recertifications run from February 2 through April 1, 2026.7City of Charlottesville. Real Estate Tax Relief You file through the Commissioner of the Revenue’s office with proof of income (usually your IRS Form 1040 or all taxable income statements for the prior year). Applicants under 65 claiming disability must provide documentation from the Social Security Administration or letters from two Virginia-licensed physicians confirming the disability and its onset date. Miss April 1 and you wait a full year to apply again.
Disabled Veterans
Veterans rated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs as having a 100 percent service-connected, permanent, and total disability qualify for a full exemption on their primary residence. The exemption also extends to surviving spouses who meet the residency and marital-status requirements in the statute.8Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 58.1-3219.5 – Exemption From Taxes on Property for Disabled Veterans Apply with your VA disability rating letter.
If You Have a Mortgage
Most mortgaged homeowners never write a check to the city directly. The lender collects an estimated monthly share of your annual tax bill through an escrow account and pays the city at each deadline. Federal rules let lenders hold up to a two-month cushion against unexpected increases.9Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Escrow Accounts Your servicer runs an annual escrow analysis; a surplus over $50 is refunded, and a shortage either raises your monthly payment or can be paid in a lump sum. FHA and USDA loans generally require escrow for the loan’s life, and conventional loans usually require it when the down payment was under 20 percent.
The tax obligation stays yours even with escrow. If the servicer pays late, the penalties and interest land on you. When your annual escrow statement arrives, check that the amounts paid to the city match your actual bill.
A Note on Personal Property Tax
Real estate tax is separate from Charlottesville’s personal property tax, which covers vehicles, boats, trailers, and certain business equipment. Personal property bills follow the same June 5 and December 5 schedule and the same late penalties, but they come separately.10City of Charlottesville. Personal Property Taxes For the current personal property rate and the state’s Personal Property Tax Relief Act percentage, call the Commissioner of the Revenue at 434-970-3160.11City of Charlottesville. Frequently Asked Questions