Chapter 10.10
LOCAL VEHICLE LICENSE*
Sections:
10.10.010 Definition.
10.10.020 Required – Exceptions.
10.10.030 Application.
10.10.040 Tax generally.
10.10.050 Proration or refund of tax.
10.10.060 Payment of vehicle personal property taxes prerequisite to licensing.
10.10.070 Issuance of certificate and tag or decal.
10.10.080 Display of tag or decal generally.
10.10.090 Display of expired tag or decal.
10.10.100 Transfer – Duplicate tags or decals.
*Cross reference – License tax on owners of motor vehicles not displaying current license plates, SCC 3.10.050.
10.10.010 Definition.
The word “resident,” as used in this chapter, shall be construed to mean a person having a place of abode in the city, irrespective of the intention of such person to return to some other residence outside of the city at some future time. (Code 1964, § 15-31; Ord. 12-9-82; Code 1985, § 16-28).
10.10.020 Required – Exceptions.
(1) Every resident, owner or resident custodian of a motor vehicle, including motor bicycles, mopeds and motorcycles, and of every trailer operated or to be operated on the streets of the city, in the business or for the private use or benefit of the owner or custodian shall, on or before March 31st of each year, or before he shall commence to operate his vehicle or trailer, obtain a license to operate the same from the city.
(2) This section shall not apply to any vehicle or trailer which is exempted from the imposition of a local license tax or fee by Section 46.2-755 of the Code of Virginia or any other state law.
(3) Nonresidents of the city may operate a motor vehicle or trailer without a city license only for a period not exceeding 30 days.
(4) New residents of the city owning or having custody of a motor vehicle (as set forth in subsection (1) of this section) shall obtain the license required herein within 30 days of such residency. Upon application for the city license, the new resident, owner or custodian shall not be charged the tax therefor for the balance of the calendar year of application provided the new resident, owner or custodian provides evidence, satisfactory to the treasurer of the city, that a similar license tax (or registration tax) was paid on said motor vehicle to another political subdivision (city or county) in the commonwealth of Virginia for the calendar year concerned.
(5) Every resident, owner, or resident custodian of a new or used motor vehicle shall obtain the herein required license within 30 days of the motor vehicle purchase, with such 30-day period beginning with the date of purchase. (Ord. 2004-29. Code 1964, § 15-31; Ord. 12-9-82; Code 1985, § 16-29; Ord. 8-22-96; Ord. 8-8-02).
10.10.030 Application.
Application for a license required by this chapter shall be made to the city treasurer. Such application shall contain the name and residence address of the applicant and, if a corporation, its place of business. The application shall contain the following information concerning the vehicle to be licensed:
(1) Its make, model and serial or factory number, if any;
(2) A brief description showing its style;
(3) Its weight, as computed by the provisions of the state law now in force or in accordance with any modifications that hereafter may be made by the state. (Code 1964, § 15-31; Ord. 12-9-82; Code 1985, § 16-30).
10.10.040 Tax generally.
(1) An annual license tax is hereby imposed upon every motor vehicle and trailer required to be licensed under this chapter. The amount of such tax shall be as prescribed in subsections (2), (3), (4) and (5) of this section.
(2) Except as provided in subsection (3) of this section, the license tax on a passenger motor vehicle shall be $20.00, if the gross weight of the vehicle is 4,000 pounds or less, and $25.00, if such gross weight is more than 4,000 pounds.
(3) The license tax on a motor bicycle, moped or motorcycle shall be $15.00.
(4) The license tax on trucks shall be based on gross weight and shall be in accord with the following schedule:
|
Gross Weight (in pounds) |
Amount of Tax |
|
4,000 or less |
$20.00 |
|
4,001 to 6,500 |
$25.00 |
|
6,501 to 12,000 |
$27.00 |
|
12,001 to 30,000 |
$33.00 |
|
30,001 or more |
$55.00 |
(5) The license tax on a trailer shall be based on gross weight and shall be one-half the license tax imposed by subsection (4) of this section on a truck of the same weight, with a maximum tax of $22.00, except that on travel and camping trailers, the license tax shall be $5.00 if the gross weight is 1,500 pounds or less, and $10.00 if such weight is over 1,500 pounds.
(6) The license tax imposed by this section shall be paid to the city treasurer at the time application for the license is filed pursuant to SCC 10.10.030. (Code 1964, § 15-31; Ord. 12-9-82; Code 1985, § 16-31).
State law reference – Authority for above tax, Code of Virginia, § 46.2-752.
10.10.050 Proration or refund of tax.
(1) If a license required by this chapter is initially applied for on or after April 1st of any license year, the license tax imposed by SCC 10.10.040 shall be prorated according to the following schedule:
|
Date of Application |
Percent of Tax to Be Paid |
|
April 1 – April 30 |
92 |
|
May 1 – May 31 |
83 |
|
June 1 – June 30 |
75 |
|
July 1 – July 31 |
67 |
|
August 1 – August 31 |
58 |
|
September 1 – September 30 |
50 |
|
October 1 – October 31 |
42 |
|
November 1 – November 30 |
33 |
|
December 1 – December 31 |
25 |
|
January 1 – January 31 |
17 |
(2) The owner of a city vehicle license tag or decal may turn the same in to the city treasurer and receive a refund of the tax paid for such tag or decal based on the amount originally paid according to the same schedule as set out in subsection (1) of this section. No refund shall be made after December 31st for the previous year’s license.
(3) Any resident who, on March 31st, owns a vehicle required to be licensed under this chapter shall pay 100 percent of the license tax imposed by this chapter, regardless of when such license is obtained. (Code 1985, § 16-32; Ord. 8-8-02).
10.10.060 Payment of vehicle personal property taxes prerequisite to licensing.
No motor vehicle or trailer shall be licensed under this chapter, unless the applicant for such license produces satisfactory evidence that all personal property taxes upon the motor vehicle or trailer to be licensed have been paid and satisfactory evidence that any delinquent motor vehicle or trailer or personal property taxes owing have been paid which have been properly assessed or are assessable against the applicant by the city. (Code 1964, § 15-31; Ord. 12-9-82; Code 1985, § 16-33).
State law reference – Authority for above section, Code of Virginia, § 46.2-752.
10.10.070 Issuance of certificate and tag or decal.
Upon receipt of a proper application and the required license tax, the city treasurer shall issue a certificate of registration and license tag or decal for the vehicle on which the tax was paid, giving the vehicle a suitable number which shall distinguish it from others. (Code 1964, § 15-31; Ord. 12-9-82; Code 1985, § 16-34).
10.10.080 Display of tag or decal generally.
A license tag or decal issued under this chapter shall be displayed on the vehicle for which issued in such manner as to be clearly visible at all times and it shall be unlawful for any person to operate such vehicle in the city unless a current tag or decal is so displayed. (Code 1964, § 15-31; Ord. 12-9-82; Code 1985, § 16-35).
10.10.090 Display of expired tag or decal.
It shall be unlawful for any owner of a motor vehicle or trailer to display upon such motor vehicle or trailer any license tag or decal of the city after the expiration date of such tag or decal. A violation of this section shall constitute a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not exceeding $20.00. (Code 1985, § 16-36).
State law reference – Authority for above section, Code of Virginia, § 46.2-752.
10.10.100 Transfer – Duplicate tags or decals.
The matter of transfers and of duplicating lost vehicle licenses or license tags or decals shall be the same as under the state law, except that the fee in such cases shall be $1.00. (Code 1964, § 15-31; Ord. 12-9-82; Code 1985, § 16-37).