The Prince William County sales tax is 6% on most retail purchases, combining a 4.3% Virginia state tax, a 1% county tax, and a 0.7% Northern Virginia regional transportation tax.1Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 58.1-603 – Imposition of Sales Tax2Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 58.1-603.1 – Additional Sales Tax in Certain Regions Groceries are taxed at just 1%, restaurant meals carry an extra food and beverage tax on top of the 6%, and hotel rooms are subject to an 8% occupancy tax on top of the base rate. Prescription drugs, most medical equipment, and manufacturing inputs are exempt.
What Makes Up the 6% Rate
Three layers of government share every taxable sale. The state takes 4.3%.1Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 58.1-603 – Imposition of Sales Tax Prince William County collects 1% that stays local for schools and public safety.3Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 58.1-605 – Local Sales Tax The final 0.7% is a Northern Virginia regional tax that funds transportation projects like roads and transit.2Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 58.1-603.1 – Additional Sales Tax in Certain Regions Localities outside Northern Virginia pay 5.3% because that regional slice doesn’t apply to them.
If you buy something out of state and have it shipped to Prince William County without paying Virginia tax, you owe a 6% use tax directly to the state at the same combined rate.4Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 58.1-604 – Imposition of Use Tax An item already taxed as a sale isn’t taxed again as a use.
Groceries and Personal Hygiene Products: 1%
Food bought for home consumption is taxed at 1% in Prince William County. Virginia dropped the state and regional portions on groceries starting January 1, 2023, leaving only the 1% local share.5Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 58.1-611.1 – Exemption for Food Purchased for Human Consumption and Essential Personal Hygiene Products6Virginia Tax. Retail Sales and Use Tax Before that, groceries were taxed at 2.5%.
The same 1% rate applies to essential personal hygiene products: disposable diapers and incontinence products for children and adults, along with tampons, pads, pantyliners, menstrual cups, and similar items.5Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 58.1-611.1 – Exemption for Food Purchased for Human Consumption and Essential Personal Hygiene Products Alcohol, tobacco, and ready-to-eat prepared meals don’t qualify for the reduced rate.
Restaurant Meals: 9% Total in 2026
Prepared food and drinks sold by restaurants, food trucks, caterers, and similar businesses carry a county food and beverage tax on top of the 6% sales tax. Effective January 1, 2026, that tax is 3%, down from the prior 4%.7Prince William County. Food and Beverage Tax A restaurant bill therefore shows 9% in total tax in 2026.
The 3% applies to any food or drink prepared for immediate consumption, whether you dine in, carry out, or order delivery.
Hotels and Short-Term Stays: 14% Total
Any lodging rented for fewer than 30 consecutive days in Prince William County carries an 8% transient occupancy tax on the room charge.8Prince William County. Transient Occupancy Tax That covers hotels, motels, bed-and-breakfasts, travel campgrounds, homestays, and boarding houses. Combined with the 6% general sales tax that also applies to the room rate, a guest can see roughly 14% in total taxes on their bill.
Cars Are Taxed Separately
Vehicle purchases don’t use the 6% retail rate. Virginia charges a motor vehicle sales and use tax of 4.15% on the sale price of most passenger vehicles.9Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Motor Vehicle Sales and Use Tax Manufactured homes are taxed at 3%, mobile offices at 2%, and heavy vehicles rated above 26,001 pounds at 0%.
You pay this tax to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles when you title the vehicle, not to the dealer at the register. The rate applies whether you buy from a dealership or a private seller. If you bought the car in another state and are registering it in Virginia, you owe 4.15% minus any sales tax already paid elsewhere.
What’s Exempt From Sales Tax
A number of purchases escape sales tax entirely, year-round.
Medical Items
Prescription drugs, hearing aids, and contact lenses sold on a licensed practitioner’s prescription are exempt.10Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 58.1-609.10 – Miscellaneous Exemptions Wheelchairs, prosthetic devices, crutches, braces, catheters, and other durable medical equipment bought by an individual for personal use are exempt. So are insulin, blood-testing supplies for diabetics, and dialysis equipment and drugs. Nonprescription and over-the-counter medicines bought for treating or preventing disease in humans are also exempt.
Manufacturing and Research Inputs
Manufacturers can buy machinery, tools, spare parts, industrial fuels, and raw materials used directly in production without paying sales tax.11Virginia Economic Development Partnership. Commercial and Industrial Sales and Use Tax Exemption Production-line testing and quality control equipment qualifies, as do utilities delivered through pipes or mains for manufacturing use. Items used directly and exclusively in research and development in an experimental or laboratory setting qualify too. The buyer must give the seller a completed Form ST-11 at the point of sale; the exemption doesn’t work as a later refund.
Resale, Nonprofit, and Government Purchases
Goods bought for resale rather than consumption are exempt when the buyer gives the seller a Form ST-10. Qualified nonprofits buying for their charitable missions and government entities are exempt when they present a valid exemption certificate.
The Annual Sales Tax Holiday
Virginia holds a three-day sales tax holiday each year beginning the first Friday in August.12Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 58.1-639.1 – Annual Retail Sales and Use Tax Holiday In 2026, that falls on August 7 through 9. During the holiday, qualifying items are completely tax-free, including the state, local, and regional portions.
Three categories qualify, each with its own per-item price cap:
- School supplies, clothing, and footwear up to the statutory price threshold
- Hurricane and emergency preparedness items such as portable generators, batteries, flashlights, and bottled water
- Energy Star and WaterSense products such as qualifying energy-efficient appliances and fixtures
The dollar thresholds are set by statute and can change year to year. Check the Virginia Department of Taxation closer to August for the specific limits and a full list of qualifying items. The holiday applies to in-store and online purchases, provided the item ships to a Virginia address.