Automobiles
Let's face it: Having a car, while convenient for life
in the United States, can be a hassle. Virginia is no
exception. If you are moving from outside the state, you
are in for a treat. Besides the issue of license tags
and driver's licenses, you must pay a Virginia Property
Tax on your car and pay for a city or county decal. The
following pages will fill you in on all the information
you need.
License Tags
If you are a Virginia resident with Virginia tags and
a current Virginia inspection sticker on your car, you
will not need to have your car inspected in Charlottesville
until the normal expiration date.
If you are an out-of-state resident and your car is used
to drive a family member to and/or from work in the state
of Virginia, you must register that car. Work performed
for scholarships or grants puts your car into the "must-register"
category.
If there are two or more cars in the household and one
member of the household is a full-time student, the car(s)
used for transportation by the student does not have to
be registered. The car used for transportation to and/or
from work by a person must be registered. You must register
at least one car if you are earning income in the state
of Virginia, even if you are using other means of transportation.
By law, car registration is required within 30 days of
moving to Virginia. If you have recently purchased a car,
you need to register your car (purchase tags) and have
your car inspected, unless these tasks have already been
completed by the previous owner. However, as long as
one family member is a full-time student and no one in
the family is earning income in the state of Virginia,
you may retain "out-of-state" status.
Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
www.dmv.state.va.us
Toll free: 1-866-368-5463 or 1-800-435-5137
2055 Abbey Rd., Charlottesville
Hours: M-F 8 am - 5 pm, Sat 8 am - 12 pm
Faces Rt. 250 East at the top of Pantops Mountain on the eastern edge of town. Parking lot is entered from rear. Turn on State Farm Blvd. to get there. To avoid a long wait, go in the middle of the month and avoid weekends.
At this important office new Virginia residents can do
the following:
Purchase Virginia license plates
First you must change your car's title to Virginia. In
order to change your title you must have your car title
from your former place of registration or proof that you
paid sales tax when you purchased your car, and $10 to
pay the title fee. All persons listed on the title do
not need to be present at registration, but a signature
is required for each person listed on the title. The DMV
accepts credit cards to pay the fees below.
Proof of sales-tax payment varies with the state you
came from, but a call to the License Office should establish
what you need. If you did not pay sales tax when you
purchased your car, you will be required to pay 3 percent
of your car's "blue book" value. Be sure to
make a copy of your sales-tax proof because the License
Bureau will retain the original proof.
Virginia license plates are $29.50 for a car weighing
under 4000 lbs. and $34.50 for a car weighing over 4000
lbs. Inspection tags are $15 and must be obtained annually
through various garages and dealerships.
Purchase a Virginia driver's license.
Check out the DMV page describing steps
to get a driver's license. Virginia's licensing
rules changed in January 2004.
List
of acceptable documents to get a license or photo ID
card.
Note to international students:
If you are planning to drive in the United States, you
must obtain a Virginia driver's license from the Department
of Motor Vehicles (DMV) as soon as possible. You can
only use your foreign driving license or an international
driving permit for up to 30 days, starting from the day
you arrive in the U.S. Non-U.S. license holders are required
to take a vision test, a driving theory test (multiple
choice), and a short practical driving test. Two proofs
of identification and proof of Virginia residency (e.g.
a lease agreement on your house or apartment) are required
before taking the test. The test is based on the Virginia
Driver's Code, a copy of which can be obtained from
DMV. It is recommended that you study the Code carefully
before taking the theory test, as you may be asked some
quite specific questions about braking distances, parking
regulations, etc.
Insurance
You do not need to show proof of insurance when registering
your car, but you will sign a statement that says you do
have insurance from a company licensed to do business in
Virginia. Insurance agents are listed in the yellow pages
of the Charlottesville telephone book.
Note to International Students: International
students should be aware that unless they have had a U.S.
driver's license for three years they will have difficulty
finding car insurance at normal rates. If you are considering
purchasing a car when you come to the U.S. or are shipping
a car to this country, the insurance rates may influence
your decision as to what type of car you buy. It is recommended
that you purchase car insurance initially for a six-month
period, after which time you can attempt to renegotiate
a better premium on the basis of that six-month U.S. driving
history.
Tax (Virginia Personal Property Tax)
All persons residing in Virginia who own automobiles are
subject to a personal property tax based on the average
loan value ("blue book" value) of their automobile.
This is filed when city or county tags are purchased. The
first half of the tax is due June 5 and the second half
is due December 5.
If you are a resident of another part of Virginia,
read carefully: By a strange quirk in the law, students
who have residency in another part of Virginia (not in Charlottesville
or Albemarle County) and are not locally employed, but own
their own automobiles must pay the personal property tax
in their home county or city—that is, their place of
residency.
On the other hand, if your car is owned by your parents,
or by you and your parents, you must pay the local (Charlottesville
or Albemarle County) property tax (even if you are a resident
of another part of Virginia). You can give a copy
of your personal property tax receipt to the local authorities
in your home county or city to prove you have already paid
the tax.
City or County Decals
Once you have paid the Virginia Personal Property Tax on
your car, then you must purchase a decal from the city or
county government, depending on where you live, to prove
that you have paid the tax (in other words, this is another
tax). These are stuck inside your windshield next to your
state inspection sticker and police check for valid ones.
City of Charlottesville Treasurer's Office
970-3146
City Hall, 7th and Market Sts.
City decals are $28.50 a car ($8.50 for a motorcycle)
and must be purchased once a year by January 31 or when
you buy a car. If you purchase the decal between July
and December the price is $14.25 for a car and $4.25
for a motorcycle. You must have a State Registration
card, which can be purchased through the mail or received
when you purchase your Virginia license plate.
Albemarle County Office Building
296-5851
Preston & 400 McIntire Rd., Finance Department
A county decal costs $25 for a vehicle under 4,000 pounds
and $30 for a vehicle heavier than that. Decals must
be purchased each year by January 31. County decals
may also be purchased at the time of registration at
the Department of Motor Vehicles. Decals bought after
January 31 are prorated.
University Car Registration
UVA Parking and Transportation Department
924-7231
www.virginia.edu/~parking
Millmont St. (Behind Barracks Road Shopping Center)
Parking space is one of the scarcest resources at the University.
Students wishing to park on Grounds will have to purchase
a UVA parking permit. You will receive more information
about parking at registration.
Standard commuter permits: Most students who drive
to school purchase this type of permit, also called a Blue
permit. Blue permit parking is available at University Hall
and at the lower half of the lot serving The Park, the complex
of softball fields just east of the Law School. Bus service
is available from the University Hall lots to the Law School
at 10-minute intervals. The bus system is free to all students.
The University Hall lot is about a 10-minute walk from the
Law School. Blue permits cost $16 a month, or $192 annually.
The permit year runs from June through May. Cost is prorated,
so if you buy one in September for the academic year the
cost is $144. You can also buy permits on a weekly or 90-day
basis at the same rate.