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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>68599</law_id><section_number>58.1-3212</section_number><catch_line>Local restrictions and exemptions</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>58.1-3213</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="58.1">Taxation</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="III">Local Taxes</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="32">Real Property Tax</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="2">Exemptions for Elderly Individuals and Individuals with Disabilities</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Pursuant to Article X, &#xA7; 6 (b) of the Constitution of Virginia, the General Assembly hereby authorizes the governing body of a county, city or town to establish by <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> net financial worth or annual income limitations as a condition of eligibility for any exemption or deferral of tax allowed pursuant to this article. If the governing body establishes an annual income limitation, the computation of annual income shall be based on adding together the income received during the preceding calendar year, without regard to whether a tax return is actually filed, by (i) owners of the dwelling who use it as their principal residence, (ii) owners&#x2019; relatives who live in the dwelling, except for those relatives living in the dwelling and providing bona fide caregiving services to the owner whether such relatives are compensated or not, and (iii) at the option of each locality, nonrelatives of the owner who live in the dwelling except for bona fide tenants or bona fide caregivers of the owner, whether compensated or not. A locality may provide in its <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> that, for the purpose of the computation of annual income, if an individual described in clause (ii) and (iii) is permanently and totally disabled, any disability income received by such person shall not be included. If the governing body establishes a net financial worth limitation, net financial worth shall be based on adding together the net financial worth, including the present value of <span class="dictionary">equitable</span> interests, as of December 31 of the immediately preceding calendar year, of the owners, and of the spouse of any owner, of the dwelling.
			Nothing in this section shall be construed or interpreted as to preclude or prohibit the governing body of a county, city or town from excluding certain sources of income, or a portion of the same, for purposes of its annual income limitation or excluding certain <span class="dictionary">assets</span>, or a portion of the same, for purposes of its net financial worth limitation.
			Any county, city, or town that pursuant to this article provides for the exemption from, deferral of, or a combination program of exemptions from and deferrals of real property taxes may exempt or defer the real property taxes of the qualifying dwelling and the land, not exceeding ten acres, upon which it is situated.
			No local <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> shall require that a citizen reside in the <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> for a designated period of time as a condition for qualifying for any real estate tax exemption or deferral program established pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Exemption or deferral of taxes on property of certain elderly individuals and individuals with disabilities" href="/58.1-3210/">58.1-3210</a>. <a id="paragraph-248291" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/58.1-3212/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> A locality may, by <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span>, require that in <span class="dictionary">order</span> to qualify for an exemption or deferral under this section, a qualifying individual shall be required to either (i) pay all delinquent taxes, penalties, and interest assessed by the locality and incurred prior to becoming eligible for an exemption or deferral; (ii) enter into an installment agreement with the locality for the payment of all such delinquent amounts in installments over a period that is reasonable under the circumstances, but that in no event shall exceed 72 months; (iii) submit and obtain the treasurer&#x2019;s agreement to an offer in compromise pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Offers in compromise with respect to local taxes" href="/58.1-3994/">58.1-3994</a> with respect to all amounts of delinquent taxes, penalties, and interest; or (iv) a combination thereof. Compliance with the installment or accepted offer in compromise shall be a requirement for remaining eligible for an exemption or deferral. <a id="paragraph-248292" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/58.1-3212/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 58-760.1; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 169; 1972, cc. 315, 616; 1973, c. 496; 1974, c. 427; 1976, c. 543; 1977, cc. 48, 453, 456; 1978, cc. 774, 776, 777, 780, 788, 790; 1979, cc. 543, 544, 545, 563; 1980, cc. 656, 666, 673; 1981, c. 434; 1982, cc. 123, 457; 1984, cc. 267, 675; 1989, c. 568; 2011, cc. 438, 496; 2012, c. 299; 2014, c. 767; 2019, c. 16; 2025, cc. 522, 536.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
