Frequently Asked Questions
General
How can the Treasurer’s Office be contacted?
By phone at (804) 365-6050, fax at (804) 365-6452 or (804) 365-6046, email Treasurer@co.hanover.va.us, by mail at PO Box 200, Hanover, Virginia 23069, or in person at the Treasurer’s Office. If you are calling in regards to a collections matter, please call (804) 365-6145 or email Collections@co.hanover.va.us.
What are the Office Hours?
Normal business hours for DMV Services are from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Monday through Friday.
Normal business hours for County Services are from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday.
What is the Treasurer Responsible For?
The Office of the Treasurer serves Hanover citizens by:
- Ensuring professional, courteous, and expedient customer service is provided.
- Controlling receipt and deposit of county taxes and other revenues.
- Collecting county taxes assessed by the Commissioner of Revenue to minimize delinquent balances.
- Responsibly managing investment of funds until required for County use.
- Controlling disbursement of County funds.
Does the Treasurer’s Office hold Delinquent Tax Sales?
Yes. Both Personal Property and Real Estate Property are sold at auction. To learn more about delinquent tax sales please contact the Treasurer’s Office at (804) 365-6145 or email us at Collections@co.hanover.va.us. Click here for additional information about delinquent tax sales.
I have received a refund check from the County, but I’m not sure what it is for. Who do I contact?
Contact the Treasurer’s Office at (804) 365-6437 or email us at Treasurer@co.hanover.va.us.
What is the odd looking box in the upper right hand corner of my tax bill?
The Treasurer's Office has added QR Codes to its tax bills. The QR Codes can be scanned by smart cell phone applications, which will direct the user to the Treasurer's online tax payment website.
Why won't my smart cell phone application work on the QR Code?
Not all smart cell phone applications can read our QR Codes. We have found the following cell phone applications will work with our QR Code:
- Barcode
- Bee Tag
- Google Goggles
- QR Droid
- Scan Life
Personal Property
When are Personal Property bills due?
Personal property bills are mailed around January 1 and are due February 5 of the following year. If you did not receive a bill, you may view your personal property information on-line by visiting the Treasurer’s On-Line Services site.
Is Hanover a prorating locality?
Yes. Hanover should only bill you for the months you owned your vehicle (excludes boats). If you are a new resident to the County, you only pay for the months you lived in the County unless the County you moved from is not a prorating locality, and then Hanover County will pick your vehicles up on January 1st of the next year. If your vehicle is registered at DMV, with Hanover as the Garage Jurisdiction, you will be billed from Hanover County. Supplemental bills are issued on a monthly basis.
Who do you contact if you feel you were billed for the incorrect time period or assessed incorrectly?
Contact the Commissioner of Revenue at (804) 365-6129 or Commissioner@co.hanover.va.us. The Commissioner of Revenue is responsible for assessing and correcting tax records. The Treasurer’s Office is responsible for collecting what has been assessed by the Commissioner of Revenue.
What is a supplemental bill?
A correction or a new item brought into the county at the end of a tax year. This can be for items that DMV sent to the Commissioner’s Office. You may receive multiple bills for more than one tax year.
Does Hanover offer payments plans?
Yes. Hanover offers a pre-payment plan for both personal property and real estate taxes. The plan allows you to pre-pay all or part of your bill in order to spread out your payments. Coupons are available on the website. All prior year taxes must be paid before a pre-pay account will be established. Payments are applied to the oldest bill first. The coupons are not for delinquent bills. Contact the Treasurer’s Office at (804) 365-6145 to discuss delinquent accounts.
What payment options do I have?
Cash, check, money orders, debit cards and Credit Cards (Visa and MasterCard). Convenience fees apply to credit card transactions.
How do I register a new item in the County?
Contact the Commissioner of Revenue at (804) 365-6129, Commissioner@co.hanover.va.us, or mail a copy of the registration to the Commissioner of Revenue; P.O. Box 488, Hanover, VA 23069.
I paid a dealership to register my vehicle with DMV. By doing so, was my car registered with Hanover County?
Maybe. You still need to notify the Commissioner of Revenue at (804) 365-6129 or Commissioner@co.hanover.va.us.
Are there late fees if I miss a due date?
YES. A 2% penalty will be assessed on delinquent taxes paid in full within the original month the tax is due.
A 10% penalty and a 10% annual interest is automatically imposed by law if payment is not received before the close of business on the last day of the month the tax is due. US postmarks must be dated on or before the due date. You should witness the postmarking of payments mailed on or close to the due date. (Code Of Virginia Section 58.1-9 and 58.1-3916)
Does my vehicle qualify for a high mileage discount?
If your vehicle has a high amount of mileage, you may apply for a discount on your personal property tax. An application must be filed with the Commissioner of the Revenue by May 1st and proof of mileage must be provided. Applications may be obtained at www.co.hanover.va.us/comrevnu/persprop.htm#High or by calling the Commissioner of Revenue at (804) 365-6129. This form provides the mileage guidelines.
What is Personal Property Tax Relief?
Part of the tax on the first $20,000 of value of a qualifying personal car, motorcycle, pickup or panel truck under 7,501 pounds is paid on your behalf by the Commonwealth of Virginia. For qualifying vehicles valued at $1,000 or less, your obligation to pay this tax has been eliminated. The relief amount is set annually (see rates).
Does my vehicle qualify for Personal Property Tax Relief?
If you can answer YES to any of the following questions, your motor vehicle is considered by State Law to have a business usage and does not qualify for Car Tax Relief.
- Is more than 50% of the mileage for the year used as a business expense for Federal Income Tax purposes OR reimbursed by an employer?
- Is more than 50% of the depreciation associated with the vehicle deducted as a business expense for Federal Income Tax purposes?
- Is the cost of the vehicle expensed pursuant to Section 179 of the Internal Revenue Service Code?
- Does an individual lease the vehicle and the leasing company pays the tax without reimbursement from the individual?
Real Estate
When are Real Estate Taxes Due?
Twice a year. The first half payment is due on June 5th. The second half payment is due October 5th. These bills include only the assessed property value as of January 1st of the given tax year. First half bills are mailed the last week of April, while the second half bills are mailed the last week of August.
What do I do if I received a bill in error?
If you have a mortgage company that pays the tax, promptly notify the mortgage company that you received the bill. If you are a new owner, the bill shows the owner of record as of January 1st. The bill will not be in your name until January after the Deed has been recorded. If you are a seller and received a bill to the property that you have sold during the current tax year, please forward it to the new owner or return the bill to our office marked SOLD. If you prefer, you may email the information to Treasurer@co.hanover.va.us.
Who do I contact if I feel I was billed for the incorrect time period or assessed incorrectly?
The Commissioner of Revenue at (804) 365-6128 or Commissioner@co.hanover.va.us.
What is a supplemental bill?
Traditionally a bill for improvements to the property or new construction on property that previously was assessed with land only. Traditionally supplemental bills are not sent to Mortgage Companies. Upon receipt contact your Mortgage Company to see if this amount was considered in your escrow account.
Does Hanover offer payments plans?
Yes. Hanover offers a pre-payment plan for both real estate and personal property taxes. The plan allows you to pre-pay all or part of your bill in order to spread out your payments. Coupons are available on the website. All prior year taxes must be paid before a pre-pay account will be established. Payments are applied to the oldest bill first. The coupons are not for delinquent bills. Contact the Treasurer’s Office at (804) 365-6145 or Collections@co.hanover.va.us to discuss delinquent accounts.
What payment options do I have?
Pay Online - You have the option to pay your County taxes on this site by E-check or Credit Card. There is a small convenience fee for credit cards. After you enter the amount you wish to pay in tax, the system will calculate the fee and add the fee to the payment. Prior to authorization, you may cancel the transaction if the fee is unacceptable to you. The system will generate a confirmation number, which you should retain for your records. Payments processed by midnight on a due date are considered on-time. Go to the Treasurer’s E-Gov On-Line Services.
Pay Over the Phone - You have the option to pay your County taxes over the phone with a Credit Card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express). Call 1-888-2PAY TAX (1-888-272-9829) and follow the instructions. When paying over the phone you need to provide Hanover County's jurisdiction code: 1020. There is a small fee for this convenience. After you enter the amount you wish to pay in tax, the system will tell you the fee and add the fee to the payment. Prior to authorization, you may cancel the transaction if the fee is unacceptable to you. The system will give you a verbal confirmation number, please retain for your records. Payments processed by midnight on a due date are considered on-time.
Pay by Mail - To mail your tax payment, send it to the following address:
Treasurer's Office
P.O. Box 200
Hanover, VA 23069
(Make checks or money orders payable to "Hanover County” and reference your account number on your check)
Pay In Person - You may pay your County taxes in person at our office. We are located in the Wickham Building (room 114) at the County Courthouse Complex.
Treasurer's Office
7497 County Complex Rd., Room #114
Hanover, VA 23069
Off of Rt. 301 at the historic Courthouse)
Pay By Drop Box - Checks and Money Orders (NO CASH) can be dropped in our 24-hr. curbside drop box. Look for the white box located in the parking lot between the Wickham Building and the Wickham Building Annex at the Hanover County Government Complex. Payments deposited prior to 7:30 A.M. on the day after a due date are considered on-time.
Are there late fees if I miss a due date?
YES. A 2% penalty will be assessed on delinquent taxes paid in full within the original month the tax is due.
A 10% penalty and a 10% annual interest is automatically imposed by law if payment is not received before the close of business on the last day of the month the tax is due. US postmarks must be dated on or before the due date. You should witness the postmarking of payments mailed on or close to the due date. (Code Of Virginia Section 58.1-9 and 58.1-3916)
Decals
Do I need to purchase a County decal for my newly purchased automobile?
No. On April 13, 2011, the Board of Supervisors voted to eliminate the County decals, effective April 14, 2011. Citizens are still required to register their vehicle within 60 days from the date of purchase or from the date they move into Hanover. To register your vehicle with the Commissioner of the Revenue, click the following link: Online Vehicle Registration Form.
How can I gain access to the county landfill/transfer stations, with a vehicle that doesn’t have a county decal?
Any newly acquired vehicle, which needs to gain access to the county landfill/transfer stations, will be given a free landfill sticker (pictured below) to display on their rearview mirror. These stickers can be picked up at any of the county landfill/transfer stations, Public Works Office or the Treasurer’s Office.
If my vehicle already has a county decal displayed on the windshield, can I still gain access to the county landfill/ transfer stations?
Yes, vehicles that already have a county decal (pictured below), will be granted access to the county landfill/transfer stations.
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