Ok, I did some research for you because I know how hard it is to get NIPR access when downrange. I am assuming that you have a drivers license from another state, right? I have copied this from my search:
In Virginia, there are TWO aspects to vehicle registration...the license plates which are issued by the State Dept of Motor Vehicles....and then there is the COUNTY (NOT STATE) personal property tax (the dreaded "car tax").
The State does have a Sales or Use tax, but any newcomer is exempt from that tax IF they paid it to another State (when they bought the car) OR they have owned the car for over one year. DMV will charge you a $10 title fee (one time fee) and the license plates are about $40 per year for the average car (goes by vehicle weight)....so the plates should cost you about $50 initially, and $40 a year after that.
Then you have the inspections which are done at lots of gas stations/repair places. There are two inspections:
1. Safety inspection: done once a year for $16 (they put a sticker on the windshield which the police enforce.
2. Emission inspection: done every TWO years for $28. (there is nothing attached to the car for emissions, you have to submit proof to DMV in order to buy plates)
If you decide to register in Va, do the inspections first so you can take the emissions report to DMV.
Now for the County car tax...non-resident military personnel are exempt as long as there NO CIVILIAN OWNERS, including spouses, children, etc. I can't emphasize that enough! Civilians are NOT exempt from the County car tax.
Register the car in the military member(s) name ONLY!! They do NOT care that the spouse is "only here because of hubby or wifey's military orders"!
Some localities (but not Fairfax County) issue a tax decal to be displayed on the windshield...it will be free IF you are exempted from the local car tax. Sticker or not, you have to contact your locality to obtain the tax exemption. If you don't, they'll send you a tax bill (they don't know that you're military, just that you recently registered a vehicle in Virginia).
To recap:
There are no STATE exemptions of fees for non-resident military personnel.
The military exemption is from the County Tax Assessor....so long as there are NO civilian owners.
**Here's a paste from the Arlington County Tax website:
Q. If I am in the military, do I still have to pay this tax?
A. If you are an active-duty member of the United States military who maintains a legal residence outside of Virginia and is residing in Virginia under military orders, your vehicle(s) may qualify for a military exemption. To qualify, a vehicle must be registered:
● solely in the name of the active duty service member, or
● jointly in the names of the active duty service member and his or her spouse who share a household, or
● solely in the name of the active duty service member’s spouse as long as he or she resides with the active duty military member.
Any service member or spouse requesting an exemption from personal property tax will be required to submit their military ID, Leave and Earnings Statement (LES), and documentation as to military orders and marital status (if spousal exemption is sought.). Co-owned vehicles where the co-owner is other than a spouse are only exempted when both owners are on active duty and are residents of another state. Leased vehicles do not qualify for military exemption. To find out if you qualify for this exemption, call the CoR office at 703-228-3135.
Also the tax rate for Arlington for tax year 2009 is $5.00 per $100.00 of the assessed value or $2,300 based on your given value of $46,000. It would appear that you save $2,300 in county fees. That's a plus. Anyway, I hope this helps...
Should I just buy the thing already or what???
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Originally Posted by seatbelt67
Anyway, this is what I typed in my Google search to get the aforementioned information: "Virginia DMV Military Exemption".
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