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Fairfax County property tax appeal
- Thread starter Rik
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- Mid-Atlantic USA
Wow, my timing is bad. Originally, MD would rebate up to $2k on sales tax, but they ran out of funding a week before I took delivery. Then they retroactively partially funded it so I got back $1K. Now it appears (Incentives for Plug-in Hybrids and Electric Cars | PluginCars.com), purchasers get back $3K...
And yet, I'm looking to move to VA, which means I'll get to pay personal property taxes every year: happy happy joy joy
And yet, I'm looking to move to VA, which means I'll get to pay personal property taxes every year: happy happy joy joy
xrayangiodoc
Member
UGH.... We need a Tesla Day at one of the Fairfax County Meetings... I purchased a 85D in March. The county is basing the value off the car of NADA value that is $4K higher then I paid for the car ($5940 if you assume you shouldn't have to pay car property tax on the wall charge and documents and fees I paid with the purchase of the car). Who new the MSRP price of the car on the sticker isn't accurate according to the County....
Xenoilphobe
Well-Known Member
Got all mine -- 2 Teslas, FJ Cruiser, Sienna, Miata, Ford Fusion Hybrid and a trailer - just about $7000 over half were the two Teslas. Next week I add a Zero FX Motorcycle - I'm thinking about registering it down at my mom's farm in Botetourt County, but need to figure out if there is a benefit - since that is where I will ride it the most.
I hate taxes - especially when you see the Taj Mahal that Fairfax County built for the government center. My kids are in trailers at school and the administration is in a Corporate Campus.
Keep chanting "you are in the best school system in the country" - repeat as necessary - 7000 times..
I hate taxes - especially when you see the Taj Mahal that Fairfax County built for the government center. My kids are in trailers at school and the administration is in a Corporate Campus.
Keep chanting "you are in the best school system in the country" - repeat as necessary - 7000 times..
I got mine for my other car, and my wife's car. Didn't get anything for the Tesla yet (bill is due in less than a month)...
I emailed them over a month ago, they said something along the lines of "we know you have a Tesla, you'll get your bill 'shortly' "
I emailed them over a month ago, they said something along the lines of "we know you have a Tesla, you'll get your bill 'shortly' "
DCinDC
Member
Late to post on this one as Arlington's tax bills are due 10/5. The assessment for my 2013 S60 was originally $73,600 (tax bill = $3,105)!!! After an obvious appeal, it appeared they tagged me with one of Xenilophobe's P85s. The "reduced" assessment came down to $59,400 with a $2,395 tax bill. They tell me they used NADA Clean Trade-In too, which seems more in the $55k range so I might appeal again. They're sending me the NADA documentation so hopefully that shows what went wrong. On NADA's public website the 60 kWh is viewed as an option with a -$6,000 value so that might be causing them trouble.
I am working with Fairfax county on this issue as well. They switched sources this year to NADA Average Retail Value. The new administrator seems to be a decent guy. I think the issue is that NADA data is a mess of S, P and P+ cars for 2013, not to mention the significant difference in values that may exist between an early 2013 and a later 2013 (wiring harness etc).
Jason
Jason
Fairfax wanted to charge me a ~300 "no tag fee" because I transferred my tags from a 2013 P85+ sold in October to my P85D picked up in late December. Apparently they assumed I purchased a replacement in October and failed to register it with the county.
I had to send them an email auto reply I received from them in January as proof. With respect to the value, I don't remember what it was, but the tax bill was right at 3k.
We're not supposed to get taxed on options, but since Tesla changes the VIN for 85 and P's they see it as a different model.
I had to send them an email auto reply I received from them in January as proof. With respect to the value, I don't remember what it was, but the tax bill was right at 3k.
We're not supposed to get taxed on options, but since Tesla changes the VIN for 85 and P's they see it as a different model.
The Arlington process is extremely irritating. They are using the NADA "Classic Collectible and Muscle Car" guide, apparently because they need a January value and as of January the Tesla was not listed in the "normal" NADA guide.
NADA Classic, Collectible, Exotic and Muscle Car Value Guide Directory
The NADA "Classic Cars" web portal no longer lists the Model S (if it ever did--I assume the data is the same as the print product at the link, but I don't know). It only lists the 08 and 09 Roadster.
The Model S is now in the NADA "normal" guide. It lists 57,375 as the clean trade in value for my car.
With CPO cars like mine (late 2013 S85s) going for between 66 and 70 retail (with full warranty), I'm thinking even 57 is pretty aggressive as a wholesale trade-in value.
Pre-Owned ModelS | Tesla Motors
And I realize that they need a January value, and it's October. But they are still saying that the value on my car should be 73, which is...crazy. Bull moose nuts. Especially when the car was valued *last year* by Arlington at 66 and change, apparently using the same NADA guide.
Sadly, there doesn't appear to be any official route to appeal this nonsense other than "ask the supervisor."
NADA Classic, Collectible, Exotic and Muscle Car Value Guide Directory
The NADA "Classic Cars" web portal no longer lists the Model S (if it ever did--I assume the data is the same as the print product at the link, but I don't know). It only lists the 08 and 09 Roadster.
The Model S is now in the NADA "normal" guide. It lists 57,375 as the clean trade in value for my car.
With CPO cars like mine (late 2013 S85s) going for between 66 and 70 retail (with full warranty), I'm thinking even 57 is pretty aggressive as a wholesale trade-in value.
Pre-Owned ModelS | Tesla Motors
And I realize that they need a January value, and it's October. But they are still saying that the value on my car should be 73, which is...crazy. Bull moose nuts. Especially when the car was valued *last year* by Arlington at 66 and change, apparently using the same NADA guide.
Sadly, there doesn't appear to be any official route to appeal this nonsense other than "ask the supervisor."
Xenoilphobe
Well-Known Member
Sounds similar to the Taliban Road Tax - in Afghanistan as you drive down the road, you get stopped at every major bridge or choke point by "cops" who are just thieves with uniforms on. They want everything from water to ammo to money. Whatever they can shake you down for. This feels very similar. Fairfax clearly stated that they use the base model as basis for tax and then charge more without justification.
I have a 2013 MS. I wrote an email while back to Fairfax county and they reduced my tax and said that they incorrectly based the price and my new tax assessed price is 69,000 (base price of MS 85 at that time). Here is a paragraph from the email below..
"After careful research it was determined that the MSRP used to assess your 2013 Tesla was incorrect. We apologize for the error and for the inconvenience it may have caused. The adjusted value is 69,660. The adjusted amount due February 17,2 015 is $2,916.46. For payment options please visit our website at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dta. Please allow 24 hours for the adjustment to reflect on line."
I didn't closely look at my bill this year, but I will this weekend.
"After careful research it was determined that the MSRP used to assess your 2013 Tesla was incorrect. We apologize for the error and for the inconvenience it may have caused. The adjusted value is 69,660. The adjusted amount due February 17,2 015 is $2,916.46. For payment options please visit our website at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dta. Please allow 24 hours for the adjustment to reflect on line."
I didn't closely look at my bill this year, but I will this weekend.
My 2013 MS is assessed at 66,960 (I would double check with the county yet again.)
I am also still pushing the county on that value as it is an INCREASE from last year. I didn't expect to have to go thru this again this year.. but here we are. Tesla values the trade in on my car at around 54k as of October. I can't imagine a 12k+ depreciation happened in 10 months... of course Fairfax says its not a trade-in value as of January 1st... I guess this year I will have to ask for a trade-in value on or around January 1st to protect against funny business next year.
Pending the final outcome I may file suit against the county for not following a standard process for assessing the car (its the only way to appeal the DTA decision).
I am also still pushing the county on that value as it is an INCREASE from last year. I didn't expect to have to go thru this again this year.. but here we are. Tesla values the trade in on my car at around 54k as of October. I can't imagine a 12k+ depreciation happened in 10 months... of course Fairfax says its not a trade-in value as of January 1st... I guess this year I will have to ask for a trade-in value on or around January 1st to protect against funny business next year.
Pending the final outcome I may file suit against the county for not following a standard process for assessing the car (its the only way to appeal the DTA decision).
DFibRL8R
Active Member
Here we go again...
My Model 3 has been assessed at a taxable value of $51,750 by Loudoun County.
Apparently this has been calculated at 90% of what I paid for the car (including options) which was $57,500. This is Loudoun's method when an MSRP is not available in the NADA guide (Fairfax is similar but uses 95%). The problem is this is supposed to be calculated on the MSRP of the base vehicle not options and certainly not on items such as the $1,000 destination/doc fee!!! The base vehicle price is $35,000 which is listed on the window sticker. The long-range battery is an extra $9,000. If you look at the NADA guide, 2018 Model S and X are there but not Model 3. NADA lists a base Model S 75 AWD at $74,500 which is exactly what the price is on Tesla's website. All of the options (autopilot, wheels, paint etc) are extra and are excluded from NADA's price.
New 2018 Tesla Motors Model S 75D AWD MSRP Prices
If NADA had an MSRP for Model 3 the tax assessors would use that but it is not available at this time.
Interestingly, if you recall the note from the Tax Director in Fairfax (post 47 in this thread), because the battery size was embedded in the VIN for Model S, they concluded the upgraded battery was not an option and could be taxed. Tesla does not seem to be coding the battery size into their VINs now so perhaps a case can be made to exclude the battery from the personal property tax assessment:
Model 3 VIN Decoder
Needless to say, I will be appealing.
My Model 3 has been assessed at a taxable value of $51,750 by Loudoun County.
Apparently this has been calculated at 90% of what I paid for the car (including options) which was $57,500. This is Loudoun's method when an MSRP is not available in the NADA guide (Fairfax is similar but uses 95%). The problem is this is supposed to be calculated on the MSRP of the base vehicle not options and certainly not on items such as the $1,000 destination/doc fee!!! The base vehicle price is $35,000 which is listed on the window sticker. The long-range battery is an extra $9,000. If you look at the NADA guide, 2018 Model S and X are there but not Model 3. NADA lists a base Model S 75 AWD at $74,500 which is exactly what the price is on Tesla's website. All of the options (autopilot, wheels, paint etc) are extra and are excluded from NADA's price.
New 2018 Tesla Motors Model S 75D AWD MSRP Prices
If NADA had an MSRP for Model 3 the tax assessors would use that but it is not available at this time.
Interestingly, if you recall the note from the Tax Director in Fairfax (post 47 in this thread), because the battery size was embedded in the VIN for Model S, they concluded the upgraded battery was not an option and could be taxed. Tesla does not seem to be coding the battery size into their VINs now so perhaps a case can be made to exclude the battery from the personal property tax assessment:
Model 3 VIN Decoder
Needless to say, I will be appealing.
Xenoilphobe
Well-Known Member
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