Virginia Salary Tax Calculator 2026

How Virginia income tax works

Virginia conforms substantially to the federal Internal Revenue Code with rolling fixed-date conformity (typically updated annually in the General Assembly session). Virginia taxable income is federal AGI plus Virginia additions minus Virginia subtractions and the standard deduction. The 5.75% top rate kicks in at just $17,000 of taxable income — meaning a single filer with $50,000 of Virginia taxable income pays $2,395, or an effective rate of 4.79% on taxable income (and ~3.5% on gross income after the standard deduction).

Virginia fully exempts Social Security benefits and allows an Age Deduction of up to $12,000 per filer age 65+ (subject to a means test for filers born in 1939 or later) plus an age-65+ personal exemption of $800.

Virginia personal property tax on vehicles

Virginia is one of the few states that taxes the assessed value of personal vehicles annually. Each county sets its own rate (Fairfax County: $4.57 per $100 of assessed value for 2026; Loudoun: $4.20; Arlington: $5.00) and the bill is typically due in October. Virginia's Personal Property Tax Relief Act (PPTRA) reimburses counties for a portion of the tax on the first $20,000 of value for qualifying personal-use vehicles, reducing the visible bill by 30%–50% in most jurisdictions.

Vehicle assessment uses the prior January 1 NADA or J.D. Power clean trade-in value, which often runs above the actual market value during periods of used-car appreciation. Owners can dispute the assessment by submitting evidence of comparable sale prices to the county commissioner of the revenue.

Virginia credits and deductions

• Credit for Low-Income Individuals — up to $300 per family for filers below the federal poverty line (or 20% of the federal EITC, whichever is greater).
• Land Preservation Tax Credit — 40% of the value of qualifying donations of land or conservation easements, transferable and carryforward 13 years.
• Virginia 529 (Invest529, Prepaid529) — deduction up to $4,000 per account per year, unlimited carryforward; filers age 70+ may deduct the full annual contribution.
• Long-term Care Insurance Credit — 15% of premiums paid for qualifying coverage.
• Education Improvement Scholarships Credit — 65% of contributions to approved scholarship foundations.

Northern Virginia premium and Metro tax

Northern Virginia adds a 0.7% regional sales tax (above the 5.3% state base) to fund Metro and transportation infrastructure, plus a 2.1% regional gas tax. Arlington, Fairfax, Alexandria, Falls Church, Loudoun, and Prince William also impose a 3% transient occupancy tax on lodging. There is no city or county wage income tax in any Virginia jurisdiction.

Virginia tax planning tips

• Take the Virginia 529 deduction even if your child is years from college. The $4,000-per-account deduction with unlimited carryforward is one of the more flexible 529 deductions in the country.
• Time large bonuses to avoid pushing into a year with substantially higher Virginia taxable income — the flat 5.75% above $17,000 makes the bracket effect modest, but multi-year planning still pays.
• For high-net-worth filers, the Land Preservation Tax Credit is one of the few state-level credits that is fully transferable on the open market — credits typically sell at 80–90 cents on the dollar.
• If you own a vehicle, dispute the assessment if NADA value runs above your actual market value, especially for older or high-mileage vehicles.
• Veterans with a 100% service-connected disability are eligible for full exemption from Virginia real property tax on their primary residence and from the personal property tax on one vehicle.