Virginia Beach tax rates run $0.97 per $100 of assessed value on real estate and $4.00 per $100 on vehicles, with business license taxes calculated on gross receipts and consumer taxes layered onto meals, lodging, and event tickets. Missing a deadline triggers a 10% penalty and 9.6% annual interest, so the dates matter almost as much as the rates.
Real Estate Tax
The general real estate tax rate is $0.97 per $100 of assessed value.1City of Virginia Beach. Tax Rates For a home assessed at $300,000, that comes to $2,910 a year. The City Assessor sets the assessed value annually based on what the property would sell for on the open market, and the City Council sets the rate each year, so both numbers can shift from one fiscal year to the next.
Bills come in two installments, due June 5 and December 5.2City of Virginia Beach. Real Estate If either date falls on a weekend or city holiday, the deadline moves to the next business day.
Vehicle Personal Property Tax
If you own a car, truck, motorcycle, or trailer registered in Virginia Beach, you owe personal property tax at $4.00 per $100 of assessed value.3City of Virginia Beach. Personal Property The city uses the J.D. Power Official Used Car Guide (formerly NADA) to value each vehicle. That rate is more than four times the real estate rate, and it catches many new residents off guard.
The Personal Property Tax Relief Act softens the bill on vehicles used for personal purposes. The state subsidizes tax on the first $20,000 of a qualifying vehicle’s assessed value, and for 2026 the Virginia Beach relief percentage is 42.7%.3City of Virginia Beach. Personal Property On a car assessed at $15,000, the raw tax of $600 drops to $343.80 after relief. Above $20,000 in value, you pay the full rate on the excess. Vehicles used primarily for business don’t qualify for PPTRA relief.
The bill is due June 5.4City of Virginia Beach. Personal Property New residents must register their vehicles with the Commissioner of the Revenue within 30 days of moving to the city. If your vehicle has unusually high mileage or is in poor condition, the Commissioner accepts online appeals with photos showing the vehicle’s condition as of January 1, 2026, with adjustments based on mileage allowances in the J.D. Power guide.5City of Virginia Beach. Personal Property Appeals
Business License and Business Property Tax
Businesses operating in Virginia Beach need an annual license that runs January 1 through December 31, with renewals due March 1. For businesses with gross receipts of $200,000 or more, the tax is calculated per $100 of gross receipts (or gross purchases for wholesale merchants) at these rates:6City of Virginia Beach. Tax Rates, Important Dates and Deadlines
- Contracting: $0.16 per $100
- Retail: $0.20 per $100
- Wholesale: $0.12 per $100
- General services: $0.36 per $100
- Professional, financial, or real estate services: $0.58 per $100
Smaller businesses pay a flat fee. Gross receipts of $25,000 or less: $25. Between $25,001 and $100,000: $40. Between $100,001 and $200,000: $50.6City of Virginia Beach. Tax Rates, Important Dates and Deadlines
Businesses also owe tangible personal property tax on equipment, furniture, and machinery at $4.00 per $100 of assessed value, with items depreciated to 40% of original cost. Manufacturing equipment is effectively exempt, taxed at $0.000001 per $100.7City of Virginia Beach. Business Property
Meals, Lodging, and Admissions Taxes
Three consumer-facing taxes are collected by businesses and remitted to the city each month by the 20th for the prior month’s receipts. Even a month with no receipts requires a zero filing.
The meals tax is 6% on all prepared food and beverages sold ready for consumption, whether eaten on-site or taken to go, and sits on top of the state sales tax.8City of Virginia Beach. Other Taxes
The admissions tax runs up to 10% of the ticket price for concerts, sporting events, and other entertainment, collected by the venue or promoter.
The transient occupancy (lodging) tax depends on where the property sits:9City of Virginia Beach. Transient Occupancy Taxes
- Most of Virginia Beach: 9% city lodging tax plus a $2-per-night flat fee
- Sandbridge Special Service District: 10.5% city lodging tax plus a $2-per-night flat fee
The taxable amount includes the room charge along with cleaning fees, linen fees, pet fees, and any guest service charges. Owners renting through platforms like Airbnb or VRBO file with the city monthly.
Deadlines and Late Payment Penalties
The main dates to mark:
- Real estate tax: June 5 and December 5
- Vehicle personal property tax: June 5
- Business license renewal: March 1
- Meals, lodging, and admissions: monthly, by the 20th
When a due date lands on a weekend or city holiday, the deadline moves to the next business day. Payments received or postmarked late are hit with a penalty of 10% of the total tax owed (or $10, whichever is greater), capped at the bill amount. Unpaid balances then accrue interest at 9.6% per year.2City of Virginia Beach. Real Estate On a $3,000 bill, that’s $300 in penalty on day one plus roughly $288 in annual interest.
Tax Relief for Seniors, Disabled Residents, and Veterans
Homeowners 65 or older, or permanently and totally disabled, can qualify for real estate tax relief at two levels:10City of Virginia Beach. Senior and Disabled
- Full exemption: annual household income up to $82,830
- Tax freeze (assessment locked at current value): annual household income up to $108,075
Total household assets must stay below $350,000 for either tier, though the value of your home and up to 10 acres of land is excluded from that calculation. Residents who are totally and permanently disabled get a $10,000 income exclusion in the eligibility math.
Veterans rated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs as having a 100% service-connected, permanent and total disability are exempt from real estate tax on their primary residence.11City of Virginia Beach. Disabled Veterans Exemption A surviving spouse also qualifies if the veteran died on or after January 1, 2011, and the spouse has not remarried. The exemption continues even if the surviving spouse moves to a different home in Virginia.12City of Virginia Beach. Disabled Veterans or Their Surviving Spouses
How to Pay or Look Up a Bill
The City Treasurer accepts online payments through its portal by ACH/eCheck at no cost, or by credit or debit card for a 2.5% fee (minimum $1).13City of Virginia Beach. Online Payment Options Payments made online before midnight process the next business day; payments after midnight take two business days. You can also mail a check, money order, or cashier’s check to the address on your bill, or pay in person at one of the Treasurer’s four offices.
In-person payment is the fastest route if a DMV stop has been placed on your vehicle registration for unpaid personal property tax, because the stop is released at the time of payment rather than after processing. Returned checks and failed ACH payments carry a $35 fee. To see what you owe on real estate, the Treasurer’s site offers a search by owner name, parcel number, or property address; for personal property, you’ll need details from your assessment notice or the Commissioner of the Revenue.