Fairfax County residents now have more time to pay their car taxes. The county’s Board of Supervisors voted October 7 to extend the car tax deadline to November 5 due to the ongoing federal shutdown. The vote passed unanimously.
This move is intended to lessen financial hardships for the estimated 80,000 Fairfax County residents who are federal workers, as well as government contractors. Neither furloughed federal workers nor those who must work during the shutdown receive paychecks for the duration of the closure. And, while they typically receive backpay when the government reopens, the Trump administration said Tuesday that furloughed employees may not be paid at all.
The original deadline for residents to pay car taxes was Monday, October 6. Residents who pay their personal property tax by the new deadline will not accrue late fees or penalties.
“What this does is extend the date so that fines would not accrue until after the new date, which gives people 30 additional days to pay their car taxes,” Board Chairman Jeff McKay said. “What this does not do is relieve car taxes for anyone” or forgive fines and delinquencies.
The Virginia Code allows counties to extend their personal property tax deadlines for up to 90 days. McKay noted that the current resolution extends the deadline for 30 days.
“Should the federal government closure extend for an extended period of time into the future, we could consider adding additional days to this. But as we sit here today, we have no idea how long that’s going to last,” McKay said.
There is not yet data on how many residents missed the original tax deadline this year. Last year, approximately 82 to 83 percent of residents paid on time, said Jay Doshi, director of the Department of Tax Administration.
Supervisor Pat Herrity also asked county staff to look into the possibility of developing a loan program in the future to aid those with financial hardships. He referenced Maryland’s recent decision to offer $700 loans to federal workers during the shutdown.
Fairfax County’s vehicle personal property tax rate is $4.57 per $100 of assessed value for most vehicles.
Feature image, stock.adobe.com
