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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>63213</law_id><section_number>58.1-3221.3</section_number><catch_line>Classification of certain commercial and industrial real property and taxation of such property by certain localities</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>15.2-2223</reference><reference>33.2-2510</reference><reference>58.1-2606</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="3">Other Exemptions, Credits, Partial Abatement, Apportionments, Classifications</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Beginning January 1, 2008, and solely for the purposes of imposing the tax authorized pursuant to this section, in the counties and cities that are wholly embraced by the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority and the Hampton Roads metropolitan planning area as of January 1, 2008, pursuant to &#xA7; 134 of Title 23 of the United States Code, all real property used for or zoned to permit commercial or industrial uses is hereby declared to be a separate class of real property for local taxation. Such classification of real property shall exclude all residential uses and all multifamily residential uses, including but not limited to single family residential units, cooperatives, condominiums, townhouses, apartments, or homes in a subdivision when leased on a unit by unit basis even though these units may be part of a larger building or parcel of real estate containing more than four residential units. <a id="paragraph-230454" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/58.1-3221.3/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> In addition to all other taxes and fees permitted by <span class="dictionary">law</span>, (i) the governing body of any locality embraced by the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority may, by <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span>, annually impose on all real property in the locality specially classified in subsection A: an amount of real property tax, in addition to such amount otherwise authorized by <span class="dictionary">law</span>, at a rate not to exceed $0.125 per $100 of assessed value as the governing body may, by <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span>, impose upon the annual assessed value of all real property used for or zoned to permit commercial or industrial uses; and (ii) the governing body of any locality wholly embraced by the Hampton Roads metropolitan planning area as of January 1, 2008, pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;134 of Title 23 of the United States Code may, by <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span>, annually impose on all real property in the locality specially classified in subsection A: an amount of real property tax, in addition to such amount otherwise authorized by <span class="dictionary">law</span>, at a rate not to exceed $0.10 per $100 of assessed value as the governing body may, by <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span>, impose upon the annual assessed value of all real property used for or zoned to permit commercial or industrial uses. The authority granted in this subsection shall be subject to the following conditions: <a id="paragraph-230455" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/58.1-3221.3/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> Upon appropriation, all revenues generated from the additional real property tax imposed shall be used to benefit the locality imposing the tax solely for (i) new road construction and associated planning, design, and right-of-way acquisition, including new additions to, expansions, or extensions of existing roads that add new capacity, service, or access, (ii) new public transit construction and associated planning, design, and right-of-way acquisition, including new additions to, expansions, or extensions of existing public transit projects that add new capacity, service, or access, (iii) other capital costs related to new transportation projects that add new capacity, service, or access and the operating costs directly related to the foregoing, (iv) the issuance costs and debt service on <span class="dictionary">bonds</span> that may be issued to support the capital costs permitted in subdivisions (i), (ii), or (iii), or (v) for a locality subject to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Local transportation support for WMATA" href="/33.2-3404/">33.2-3404</a>, any other transportation purposes, provided that the amount used does not exceed the amount such locality is required to transfer pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Local transportation support for WMATA" href="/33.2-3404/">33.2-3404</a>; and <a id="paragraph-230456" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/58.1-3221.3/#B1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> The additional real property tax imposed shall be levied, administered, enforced, and collected in the same manner as set forth in Subtitle III of Title 58.1 for the <span class="dictionary">levy</span>, administration, enforcement, and collection of local taxes. In addition, the local assessor shall separately assess and set forth upon the locality&#x2019;s land book the fair market value of that portion of property that is defined as a separate class of real property for local taxation in accordance with the provisions of this section. <a id="paragraph-230457" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/58.1-3221.3/#B2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> Beginning January 1, 2008, in lieu of the authority set forth in subsections A and B above and solely for the purposes of imposing the tax authorized pursuant to this section, in the counties and cities wholly embraced by the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority and the Hampton Roads metropolitan planning area as of January 1, 2008, pursuant to &#xA7; 134 of Title 23 of the United States Code, all real property used for or zoned to permit commercial or industrial uses is hereby declared to be a separate class of real property for local taxation. Such classification of real property shall exclude all residential uses and all multifamily residential uses, including but not limited to single family residential units, cooperatives, condominiums, townhouses, apartments, or homes in a subdivision when leased on a unit by unit basis even though these units may be part of a larger building or parcel of real estate containing more than four residential units. <a id="paragraph-230458" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/58.1-3221.3/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> In addition to all other taxes and fees permitted by <span class="dictionary">law</span>, (i) the governing body of any locality embraced by the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority may, by <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span>, create within its boundaries, one or more special regional transportation tax districts and, thereafter, may, by <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span>, impose upon the real property located in special regional transportation tax districts specially classified in subsection C within such special regional transportation tax districts: an amount of real property tax, in addition to such amounts otherwise authorized by <span class="dictionary">law</span>, at a rate not to exceed $0.125 per $100 of assessed value as the governing body may, by <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span>, impose upon the annual assessed value of all real property used for or zoned to permit commercial or industrial uses; and, (ii) the governing body of any locality wholly embraced by the Hampton Roads metropolitan planning area as of January 1, 2008, pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;134 of Title 23 of the United States Code may, by <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span>, create within its boundaries, one or more special regional transportation tax districts and, thereafter, may, by <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span>, impose upon the real property specially classified in subsection C within such special regional transportation tax districts: an amount of real property tax, in addition to such amounts otherwise authorized by <span class="dictionary">law</span>, at a rate not to exceed $0.10 per $100 of assessed value as the governing body may, by <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span>, impose upon the annual assessed value of all real property used for or zoned to permit commercial or industrial uses. The authority granted in this subsection shall be subject to the following conditions: <a id="paragraph-230459" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/58.1-3221.3/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> Notwithstanding any other provisions of <span class="dictionary">law</span> to the contrary, upon appropriation, all revenues generated from the additional real property taxes imposed in accordance with subsection C and this subsection shall be used for transportation purposes that benefit the special regional transportation tax district to which such revenue is attributable and solely for (i) new road construction and associated planning, design, and right-of-way acquisition, including new additions to, expansions, or extensions of existing roads that add new capacity, service, or access, (ii) new public transit construction and associated planning, design, and right-of-way acquisition, including new additions to, expansions, or extensions of existing public transit projects that add new capacity, service, or access, (iii) other capital costs related to new transportation projects that add new capacity, service, or access and the operating costs directly related to the foregoing, (iv) the issuance costs and debt service on <span class="dictionary">bonds</span> that may be issued to support the capital costs permitted in subdivisions (i), (ii), or (iii), or (v) for a locality subject to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Local transportation support for WMATA" href="/33.2-3404/">33.2-3404</a>, any other transportation purposes, provided that the amount used does not exceed the amount such locality is required to transfer pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Local transportation support for WMATA" href="/33.2-3404/">33.2-3404</a>; <a id="paragraph-230460" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/58.1-3221.3/#D1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> Any local <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> adopted in accordance with the provisions of subsection C and this subsection shall include the requirement that the additional real property taxes so authorized are to be imposed annually in accordance with applicable <span class="dictionary">law</span>; <a id="paragraph-230461" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/58.1-3221.3/#D2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> Any locality that imposes the additional real property taxes set forth in subsections A and B shall not be permitted to also impose the additional real property taxes set forth in subsection C and this subsection. In addition, any locality electing to impose the additional real property taxes on all real property located in such locality that is specially classified in subsections A and B must do so in the manner prescribed in subsections A and B and not by creation of a special transportation tax district as set forth in subsection C and this subsection. The creation of such special regional transportation tax districts shall not, however, affect the authority of a locality to establish tax districts pursuant to other provisions of <span class="dictionary">law</span>; <a id="paragraph-230462" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/58.1-3221.3/#D3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D4" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> The total revenues generated from the additional real property taxes imposed in accordance with subsection C and this subsection shall not be less than 85% of the revenues estimated to be generated when imposing the additional real property taxes in accordance with subsections A and B at the rate of $0.125 per $100 of assessed value in any locality embraced by the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority and at the rate of $0.10 per $100 of assessed value in any locality wholly embraced by the Hampton Roads metropolitan planning area as of January 1, 2008, pursuant to &#xA7; 134 of Title 23 of the United States Code; and <a id="paragraph-230463" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/58.1-3221.3/#D4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D5" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">5.</span> The additional real property taxes imposed pursuant to subsection C and this subsection shall be levied, administered, enforced, and collected, in the same manner as set forth in Subtitle III of Title 58.1 for the <span class="dictionary">levy</span>, administration, enforcement, and collection of all local taxes. In addition, the local assessor shall separately assess and set forth upon the locality&#x2019;s land book the fair market value of that portion of property that is defined as separate class of real property for local taxation in accordance with the provisions of this section. <a id="paragraph-230464" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/58.1-3221.3/#D5"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2007, c. 896; 2009, cc. 677, 822, 864, 871; 2018, cc. 854, 856.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
