Beginning July 1, 2017, Ruling Requests and Local Tax Advisory Opinion requests must be submitted using Form Rulings-Fee and may be subject to a fee. Administrative appeals, discussed below, should not use this form.

State Tax Assessments (Bills)

    You have a right to seek an informal review of any bill that you believe has been incorrectly issued, or of any refund that you believe was incorrectly denied. If you are not satisfied with the informal review, you have the right to file an appeal to the Tax Commissioner under Va. Code § 58.1-1821 and request that the bill be adjusted or the refund issued.

    The assessment of tax, penalty, and interest is a formal act that starts time limitations on various appeal rights as well as authorizes various collection actions by Virginia Tax. You have the right to file an appeal directly with the Tax Commissioner if you believe we have incorrectly assessed tax, penalty, and interest. A complete appeal must be filed within 90 days of the date of assessment. This 90-day limitation period is strictly enforced. See 23 VAC 10-20-165 for a full explanation of the appeals process.

    Appeals should be filed using the Appeals Form and must include a complete statement of the facts involved in your case and the reason you disagree with the assessment, as well as any documentation supporting your position. Incomplete filings that must be returned for additional information will not be considered timely filed for the purposes of the 90-day limitation.  If you are unable to file your appeal within 90 days, you must pay the bill in full and file a protective claim for refund with the same information required for an appeal. See the Taxpayer Bill of Rights for more information.

    Once your appeal is received, collection activity will be suspended until the Tax Commissioner issues a final determination on the appeal. Interest on any unpaid balance determined to be due will continue to accrue while the appeal is pending.

    Local Tax Assessments (Bills)

    Any person assessed with a local license fee or tax, a local business tax (as defined in Va. Code § 58.1-3983.1), or a local mobile property tax (as defined in Va. Code § 58.1-3983.1), as a result of a final determination following an administrative appeal to the local assessing officer, may file an appeal with the Tax Commissioner. The appeal to the Tax Commissioner must be filed within 90 days of the date of the final determination by the local assessing officer. The appeal must contain all the information required for an administrative appeal under Va. Code § 58.1-1821. The taxpayer is required to provide the local assessing officer a copy of the appeal filed with the Tax Commissioner.