Taxpayer Services Frequently Asked Questions

• Personal Property: Within 30 days of your move, you need to notify the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) of your change in address and then contact Prince William County Tax Administration so that your accounts can be updated. You can contact the County either online at https://tax.pwcgov.org, by email at [email protected], or by phone at 703-792-6710.
• Real Estate: Contact us of any change in mailing address to ensure correspondence is mailed to the correct address. If you have paid off your mortgage, you must notify the county so your bills can be sent to the correct address.

• We do not always receive notification from DMV. You need to first notify the Virginia DMV of your change in address and then contact Prince William County Tax Administration so that your accounts can be updated. It is the responsibility of the taxpayer to notify the DMV and the County within 30 days after your move.
• Contacting the County can be done either online through our Taxpayer Portal, by email at [email protected], or by phone at 703-792-6710.

For a change of address links to various government agencies that you may use, please visit https://www.usa.gov/

Contact DMV at https://www.dmv.virginia.gov/#/ to update your address and garage jurisdiction (if changed).

Contact the County once you have updated DMV. This can be done through your portal account online at https://tax.pwcgov.org, by email at [email protected], or by phone at 703-792-6710

Adding or Disposing of a Vehicle

If you request an account adjustment (online, email, or phone), penalties and interest continue to accrue until payment is made.

• Adjustments do not pause late fees.
• Moving Into or Within Prince William County

New to Virginia or Prince William County?

Please refer to the New Resident Vehicle Guide for full instructions.

Moving a Vehicle Into PWC From Another Virginia Locality

Within 30 days, update your registration with the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) (804‑497‑7100).
Then notify:

• The locality you moved from
• Prince William County

This is to avoid continued assessment in the county where you no longer live and to ensure you are assessed accordingly by Prince William County.

Contact Prince William County

• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: 703‑792‑6710

Moving Out of Prince William County

Moving to Another Virginia Locality

You must:

1. Register the vehicle in your new locality
2. Update your address with the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) (804‑497‑7100)

Failure to update will result in continued tax liability in PWC.

Moving Out of State

You must:

1. Register the vehicle in your new state
2. Notify the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) (804‑497‑7100)
3. Contact Prince William County:

• Email [email protected] or by going through your Taxpayer Portal account: https://tax.pwcgov.org/

Failure to register in the new state will result in continued tax liability.

Accepted Documentation to Prove a Vehicle Is No Longer Located in Prince William County

Below is the list of documents that may be used to verify that a vehicle has been moved, sold, disposed of, or is otherwise no longer taxable in Prince William County (PWC).

Bill of Lading (OCONUS Only)

For vehicles shipped outside the United States.

Must include:

•       VIN

•       Vehicle description

•       Owner information

•       Ship‑from and ship‑to locations

•       Signature

•       Date

Bill of Sale

Must include:

•       VIN

•       Vehicle description

•       Signatures of all parties

•       Date of sale

Additional requirements:

•       If handwritten, the sale date must be within 30 days of the DMV disposal date.

•       If the DMV disposal date is more than 30 days, additional proof (e.g., buyer’s registration) is required.

Donation Receipt

Must include:

•       Date of donation

•       VIN

•       Signature

Stolen Vehicle Documentation

Provide a police report plus one of the following:

•       DMV plate deactivation

•       Insurance modification letter

•       Total loss letter from insurance

Total Loss Vehicle

Provide a total loss statement from the insurance company.

Must include:

•       VIN

•       Vehicle description

•       Date of total loss

DMV Verification

If available, DMV information may be used to verify:

•       Disposal or move date (used if within 30 days of the change)

•       Change date (used if disposal/move date is more than 30 days old)

•       Plate deactivation date (if no disposal date exists)

•       Plate expiration date (if no disposal or deactivation date exists)

Exceptions:

If documentation shows the vehicle is:

•       Registered to someone else

•       A total loss

•       At end of lease

•       Registered in another state

…then DMV dates may be overridden.

If none of the above dates exist, supporting documentation is required.

Moved Out of Virginia

Must Provide:

•       Out‑of‑state registration

Moved to Another Virginia Jurisdiction

Must Provide:

•       Written or verbal verification from the new locality, if DMV cannot confirm the move

Leased Vehicles

All documents must include:

•       VIN

•       Vehicle description

•       Date of return or sale

•       Signatures from both parties

Accepted documents:

•       End‑of‑lease agreement

•       Odometer statement

•       Proof of sale/purchase

 

Pay by Telephone

Tax payments can be made over the phone using:
American Express · MasterCard · Visa · Discover

📱 Phone Numbers

English

Call: 1‑888‑272‑9829
Enter Jurisdiction Code: 1036

Español

Para pagar por teléfono:
Llame al 1‑833‑856‑0247
Presione 2 para Español

A convenience fee applies to all credit and debit card payments.

• The fee is based on the transaction amount
• It is paid directly to the payment processor, not the County.

📝 How to Pay by Telephone

Before calling, have the following ready:

• 🧾 Tax Account Number (top right corner of your bill)
• 🖊 Pen and paper
• 📄 Your tax bill

📞 Step‑by‑Step Instructions

1. Dial 1‑888‑2PAY‑TAX (1‑888‑272‑9829)
2. When prompted, enter Jurisdiction Code 1036 for Prince William County
3. Select the tax type:
   • Press 1 for Personal Property Tax
   • Press 2 for Real Estate Tax
4. Enter your Tax Account Number
5. Enter your payment card information
6. Write down the receipt number provided by the system

📌 Important Reminder

The automated system will guide you through each step.
Be sure to write down your receipt number in case you have questions about your payment later

Convenience Fee Schedule:
Payment Amount	Fee
$0.01 to $150.00	$3.75
$150.01 to $99,999.00	2.75%
The fee for a Visa debit card is $3.75. All other credit and debit cards are subject to the above fee schedule.

📬 Pay by Mail

✉ How to Prepare Your Payment

• Make your check or money order payable to:
  Prince William County
• Include the tear‑off remittance slip from your tax bill for faster processing.
• If paying multiple bills with one check, include all remittance slips.

📮 Standard Mail Payments

Most tax bills instruct you to mail payments to the following address:

Prince William County

Taxpayer Services
PO Box 70519
Philadelphia, PA 19176‑0519

This is a secure remittance processing center used to ensure payments are accurately captured and posted.

🚚 Express / Overnight Mail

For payments sent by:

• Express or overnight delivery
• Package delivery services
• Mail requiring a signature receipt

Send to:

Lockbox Services – 70519

Prince William County / Taxpayer Services
2005 Market Street, 5th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19103‑7042

📝 Helpful Tips

• Always include your remittance slip(s) to avoid delays.
• Do not send cash through the mail.
• Allow sufficient mailing time to ensure your payment is received by the due date.

🏢 Pay In Person at a County Location

Residents may pay taxes in person at any Prince William County Taxpayer Services location.
Accepted payment methods include:
Cash · Money Orders · Checks · Debit Cards · Credit Cards

⚠ A service fee applies to all debit and credit card payments.

💳 In‑Person Card Payment Service Fee

Prince William County’s Finance Department now uses a new merchant servicer.

• A 2.3% service fee applies to all in‑person debit and credit card transactions
• This fee is charged by the payment processor, not the County
• To avoid the fee, residents may pay using cash, check, or money order

For questions about the service fee, call 1‑800‑725‑1243.

📥 Drop Box (24/7 Payment Option)

You may drop off payments any time, day or night, using secure depository boxes located at all Taxpayer Services locations.

Accepted Drop Box Payments

• ✔ Checks
• ✔ Money Orders
  (No cash, debit, or credit card payments)

To Ensure Proper Processing

• Make checks payable to “Prince William County” or “PWC”
• Include your bill stub
• Write your Tax Account Number on the check

This option is simple, secure, and eliminates the need to wait in line.

📍 Drop Box Locations

🏛 James J. McCoart Administration Building

1 County Complex Court, Prince William, VA 22192
(Near Prince William Parkway & Hoadly Road)

🏗 Development Services Building

5 County Complex Court, Prince William, VA 22192
(Near Prince William Parkway & Hoadly Road)

🏗 Sudley North Government Center

7987 Ashton Avenue

(near the Bull Run Library)

Annually, PWC assesses a vehicle registration fee (also known as a license fee) on all vehicles principally housed, parked, or garaged in Prince William County. The vehicle registration/license fee is $33 for autos/trucks and $20 for motorcycles.

Yes. You can make prepayments up until the bills are generated and then make regular payments towards the remaining balance due. For real estate, you will need to link the account to your personal property account by calling 703-792-6710 or emailing [email protected]. You can then make online prepayments at https://tax.pwcgov.org/;  when prompted to put in the amount to pay, click on the box below the amount to pay to set the payment as a pre-payment.

You can mail payments to us. Note on the check the account number and that it is a prepayment, or it may be returned to you if there is nothing due at that time. For more information visit:

https://www.pwcva.gov/department/tax-administration/tax-payments

Personal Property Taxes are normally paid by the leasing company. You will need to verify if they are paying the taxes for you with your leasing company. Your leasing company will then bill you for the taxes they paid.

A $100 License Plate Tax is assessed on your bill if your vehicle was not properly registered within 30 days of move in or purchase with the Virginia DMV. A penalty of $250 is also assessed which brings the total to $350, which is a yearly fee that will be assessed if your vehicle is still not registered by January 1^st of the calendar year. You are also required to register your vehicle in your local jurisdiction within 60 days. You should register with both the state and county.

All reports are confidential; therefore, we are unable to disclose that information.

Anyone can receive a tax bill from any county if your vehicle has been garaged in the Commonwealth or PWC for the past 30 days. There are some exemptions that may or may not apply to you.

A payment plan is optional for (1) prepayment plan the taxpayer can set up through the portal for payment in full by an upcoming due date; or (2) delinquent payment plan set up by a collector and may include one or more delinquent accounts by calling 703-792-6710 Option 3.  It cannot include a mixture of past-due and not-yet-due account balances.  All payment plans must be kept current and bring the balance out of delinquency prior to the next due date.  Actions such as DMV Stop and Debt Set-Off Claims remain active and will be released only when the delinquent balance is paid in full. Taxpayers must pay upcoming (future) bills when due and in addition to the payments due under any payment plan.  Any defaulted payment results in a canceled payment plan, and enforcement actions will proceed.

No. Changes to the payment plan date need to be processed at least 48 hours before the next installment date. Call 703-792-6710 Option 3 to make changes. Please do not email us as the email may not be processed in time to stop the payment from being taken out of your bank.

Bank liens?

No. A payment plan cannot be set up. You may call 703-792-6710 Option 3 for Enforcement if you have further questions.

Employer liens?

No. A payment plan cannot be set up. You can call 703-792-6710 Option 3 for Enforcement if you have further questions

Delinquent Notice​.

Final Notice​.

Salary Lien​.

Bank Lien.

Debt-Set Off Program.​

DMV Registration Withholding.​

Judgments.​

Judicial Tax Sales (real estate)

DMV Stop:

The DMV Stop prevents taxpayers from renewing, adding, or changing vehicle registrations with DMV until the taxes are paid in full. When paid, the DMV Stop is lifted, and taxpayers may contact Taxpayer Services at [email protected] or by calling 703-792-6710 to ensure the DMV Stop has been removed so registration renewal can take place.

As a cosigner you are responsible for the payment of taxes as the person for which you cosigned. If they do not pay, joint account collection actions are done on each person on the account to get the bill paid.

A DMV Stop is placed on a delinquent account 30 days after the delinquent notice has been sent out.

No. The delinquent tax account needs to be satisfied to release the DMV stop.

If the amount withheld by the state pays the balance owed, we will need the taxpayer’s permission to finalize the claim amount and the DMV hold will be removed.

If the amount held by the state does not cover the balance owed, payment of the difference will need to be received and authorization to finalize the claim by the taxpayer. The DMV hold will then be removed.

Debt Set-Off (DSO) is a program connected with the Department of Taxation, Commonwealth of Virginia, which allows for funds to be held from either the State Income Tax Return refund or from Virginia lottery winnings on behalf of State and Local Government agencies. Va. Code §§ 58.1-520 through 58.1-535, and §§ 58.1-4000 through 58.1-4029.

New requests/claims are submitted annually to the State of Virginia and can draw from any VA State tax refund or lottery winnings available to the taxpayer that calendar year. The State of Virginia charges a 4% administrative fee on each claim, and Prince William County will add an additional $25.00 Debt Set-Off Fee at the time a DSO claim is finalized. The State deducts their fee prior to sending the payment to the County.​

The debt-set off will be finalized after 30 days of a match. However, this may not be enough to cover the outstanding amount due. Please contact us to find out if there will be a balance due. You can email [email protected] or call 703-792-6710. Please have your account number ready to be provided to the Taxpayer Services Specialist.

Joint account: Taxpayers filing jointly will have the available refund held to pay for the delinquent tax account of the registered taxpayer with the balance in PWC.

The State of Virginia is holding my state refund and I have a payment plan set up with PWC, will I get my refund back?

It can take several months for the State to send the tax refund payment to PWC. The payment plan set up with PWC continues until the tax account is paid in full. Any overpayments received from the State refund will be returned to the taxpayer.

To amend your return, please complete the Food and Beverage application, write Amended on the top, make sure your account number is listed and submit it to our office by emailing [email protected].

To close your business, we must receive notification in writing signed by the owner, or an officer listed with our office.   

Business Closure form 

Business License and/or Business Tangible Property Tax – Any business operating in Prince William County that has stopped operations permanently, or moved out of PWC to a different jurisdiction, must complete and submit a Business Closure Form for each location. Once completed, please send the closure form via email to [email protected]. 

**If closing operations permanently and dissolving the business, you must dissolve your fictitious/trade name by contacting the Circuit Court Clerk's Office and/or the State Corporation Commission. 

No. We encourage all businesses to apply for a Business License even if gross receipts are under the threshold. All businesses are required to file Business Tangible Property Tax.