Augusta County, Virginia Tax Rates

Q: What is the Augusta County property tax rate?

Augusta County's countywide real estate tax rate was $0.520 per $100 of assessed value for tax year 2025, per the Virginia Department of Taxation Local Tax Rates Survey. Properties inside the Town of Grottoes pay an additional town levy. The Town of Craigsville reports all-zero town tax rates per the same survey. Important: the cities of Staunton and Waynesboro are Virginia independent cities geographically inside Augusta County's footprint - they assess their own city tax rates separately and are not Augusta County. Verify the current adopted rate with Augusta County before making financial decisions.

Q: What is the Augusta County vehicle personal property tax rate?

Augusta County's general personal property tax rate was $2.60 per $100 of assessed value for tax year 2025, per the Virginia DOT Local Tax Rates Survey. The DOT survey notes that vehicles may be classified as a separate class and taxed at a different rate. PPTRA state relief applies to qualifying personal use vehicles on the first $20,000 of assessed value. Contact the Augusta County Commissioner of the Revenue to confirm the current personal use vehicle rate and PPTRA relief percentage.

Q: What is the sales tax rate in Augusta County?

The combined sales tax rate in Augusta County is 5.3%: 4.3% Virginia state rate + 1.0% local rate. Augusta County is not within the Northern Virginia, Hampton Roads, or Central Virginia regional transportation districts, so the 0.7% regional levy does not apply. Qualifying food and grocery items are taxed at the reduced 1.0% Virginia state rate. The same 5.3% rate applies to purchases inside Staunton and Waynesboro - independent cities follow the standard Virginia rate when they are not in a regional transportation district.

Q: Are Staunton and Waynesboro part of Augusta County for tax purposes?

No. Staunton and Waynesboro are Virginia independent cities. Although they sit geographically inside the area of Augusta County, both are legally separate jurisdictions: each assesses its own real estate tax, vehicle personal property tax, and (for Staunton) Downtown Service District levy. Augusta County residents do not pay Staunton or Waynesboro tax, and city residents do not pay Augusta County tax. See the Staunton and Waynesboro pages for those separate rate schedules.

Q: Does the Town of Grottoes charge additional taxes?

Yes. Per the Virginia DOT TY2025 Local Tax Rates Survey Table 3 (Town Tax Rates), Grottoes adds $0.100 per $100 to real estate, $0.380 per $100 to general personal property, and $0.380 per $100 to machinery and tools on top of the county rate inside town limits. Note that Grottoes spans the Augusta County / Rockingham County boundary - the same town overlay applies inside Grottoes regardless of which county side the parcel sits on, but the underlying county rate is different. Verify current Grottoes rates with the town government.

Augusta County's real estate tax rate was $0.520 per $100 of assessed value for tax year 2025, per the Virginia DOT Local Tax Rates Survey. The general personal property tax rate was $2.60 per $100 (personal use vehicle rate may differ). Two incorporated towns - Craigsville (all rates $0.000) and Grottoes (shared with Rockingham County) - report on the DOT survey. The combined sales tax rate is 5.3%. Important: the cities of Staunton and Waynesboro are Virginia independent cities geographically inside Augusta County's footprint but assess their own taxes separately - see those pages for their rate schedules. Verify current adopted rates with Augusta County before making financial decisions.

Key Takeaways

County real estate tax rate: $0.520 per $100 of assessed value (tax year 2025 per Virginia DOT Local Tax Rates Survey).
Two incorporated town overlays per DOT Table 3 (apply only inside town limits): Craigsville (all rates $0.000) and Grottoes (RE +$0.100, TPP +$0.380, M&T +$0.380; town spans the Augusta / Rockingham boundary).
Vehicle personal property tax rate: $2.60 per $100 general county rate (TY2025 per DOT survey). The Virginia DOT notes that vehicles may be classified as a separate class and taxed at a different rate. Confirm the current personal use vehicle rate with the Augusta County Commissioner of the Revenue.
PPTRA state relief applies to qualifying personal use vehicles on the first $20,000 of assessed value. The annual relief percentage is set by the county and changes each year. Contact the Augusta County Commissioner of the Revenue for the current-year rate.
Sales tax: 5.3% - Augusta County is not within any Virginia regional transportation district. The standard Virginia rate applies.
County Machinery and Tools tax: $2.000 per $100 (TY2025 per DOT) - applies to business tangible personal property.
County Merchants' Capital tax: $0.000 (TY2025 per DOT) - Augusta County does not levy a merchants' capital tax.
Augusta County is in the central Shenandoah Valley. The cities of Staunton and Waynesboro are Virginia independent cities geographically inside Augusta County's area but assess their own taxes separately.
Property and vehicle tax due dates: verify current dates with Augusta County. Due dates vary by locality in Virginia.

Augusta County Tax Rates - At a Glance

Augusta County Current Tax Rates Summary (TY2025)
Tax Type	County Rate (per $100)	Notes
Real Estate	$0.520	Plus town levy if inside Grottoes (Craigsville is $0.000)
General Personal Property	$2.600	Personal use vehicle rate may differ - confirm with the Commissioner of the Revenue
Machinery and Tools	$2.000	Business tangible personal property classification
Merchants' Capital	$0.000	Augusta County does not levy this tax classification
Sales Tax	5.3% (4.3% state + 1.0% local; not in a regional transportation district; qualifying groceries 1.0%)

All rates from Virginia DOT Local Tax Rates Survey TY2025 (Tables 1 and 3). Verify current adopted rates with Augusta County and the relevant town.

Real Estate Tax

Rate and Assessment

Augusta County's real estate tax rate was $0.520 per $100 of assessed value countywide for tax year 2025, as reported in the Virginia Department of Taxation Local Tax Rates Survey Table 1 (County Levies). The rate is set annually by the Augusta County Board of Supervisors.

Properties inside the Town of Grottoes are subject to a town real estate levy of $0.100 per $100 on top of the county rate (Virginia DOT TY2025 Table 3 - Town Tax Rates). Note that Grottoes spans the Augusta / Rockingham boundary - the same town overlay applies inside Grottoes regardless of which county the parcel is in. The Town of Craigsville reports all-zero town tax rates on the DOT survey, so Craigsville parcels pay only the Augusta County rate.

Verification note: Rates are from the Virginia DOT Local Tax Rates Survey (tax year 2025). Verify the current adopted county rate at co.augusta.va.us or by contacting the Augusta County Commissioner of the Revenue.

Incorporated Town Overlays

Two incorporated towns inside Augusta County appear on the Virginia DOT TY2025 Local Tax Rates Survey Table 3. The town rate adds to the county rate inside town limits only.

Augusta County Town Tax Overlays (TY2025 per DOT Table 3, per $100 assessed value)
Town	Real Estate	Tangible Personal Property	Machinery & Tools
Craigsville	$0.000	$0.000	$0.000
Grottoes (shared with Rockingham County)	$0.100	$0.380	$0.380

Total inside Grottoes equals the Augusta County rate ($0.520 RE / $2.60 TPP / $2.00 M&T) plus the town rate ($0.100 / $0.380 / $0.380). Inside Craigsville, parcels pay only the Augusta County rate. Verify current town rates with each town government before making financial decisions.

Exemptions and Relief Programs

Augusta County offers tax relief programs for qualifying senior citizens and disabled residents. Disabled veterans who are 100% service-connected disabled may qualify for a full real estate tax exemption on their primary residence under Code of Virginia § 58.1-3219.5. Contact the Augusta County Commissioner of the Revenue for current eligibility thresholds and procedures.

Source: Virginia DOT Local Tax Rates Survey TY2025 (pdfplumber extraction, direct from source).

Vehicle Personal Property Tax

Rate and Assessment Method

Augusta County's general personal property tax rate was $2.60 per $100 of assessed value countywide for tax year 2025, as reported in the Virginia DOT Local Tax Rates Survey. Properties inside Grottoes are subject to an additional $0.380 per $100 town levy on general personal property. Under Code of Virginia § 58.1-3503, localities assess vehicles using a recognized pricing guide as of January 1 of the tax year.

Important note on rate classification: The Virginia DOT Local Tax Rates Survey reports the general tangible personal property rate. The DOT survey explicitly states that "certain items of property, including vehicles, may be considered separate classifications and may be taxed at a different tax rate." The current personal use vehicle rate in Augusta County may differ from the $2.60 general rate. Contact the Augusta County Commissioner of the Revenue to confirm the rate that applies to your vehicle.

PPTRA Relief

Virginia's Personal Property Tax Relief Act (PPTRA), Code of Virginia § 58.1-3524, provides partial state-funded relief on the first $20,000 of assessed value for qualifying personal use vehicles. Virginia distributes a fixed annual block grant of $950 million among all localities. Augusta County calculates its annual PPTRA relief percentage based on its share of that grant and the total qualifying vehicle assessed value in the county. This percentage changes each year. For a deeper explanation of how PPTRA works, see our Virginia PPTRA explained guide.

PPTRA percentage pending official confirmation. Contact the Augusta County Commissioner of the Revenue or visit co.augusta.va.us to confirm the current-year vehicle personal property tax rate and PPTRA relief percentage.

Rate source: Virginia DOT Local Tax Rates Survey TY2025 (pdfplumber extraction, direct from source).

Sales Tax

Rate and Composition

The combined sales tax rate in Augusta County is 5.3%. Augusta County is not within the Northern Virginia, Hampton Roads, or Central Virginia regional transportation districts, so no 0.7% regional levy applies. The standard Virginia statewide rate applies countywide. Note that Staunton and Waynesboro - independent cities geographically inside Augusta County - also use the 5.3% rate because neither is in a regional transportation district.

Augusta County Sales Tax Rate Breakdown
Component	Rate
Virginia state rate	4.3%
Local rate	1.0%
Combined rate	5.3%

Qualifying food and grocery items are subject to Virginia's reduced 1.0% state rate. Adjacent live jurisdictions: Staunton (5.3%; independent city inside Augusta), Waynesboro (5.3%; independent city inside Augusta), Rockingham County (5.3%; adjacent county to the north).

Source: Virginia Department of Taxation - Retail Sales and Use Tax (tax.virginia.gov)

Staunton and Waynesboro Distinction

Both Staunton and Waynesboro are Virginia independent cities. Although they sit geographically inside Augusta County's footprint, both are legally separate jurisdictions: each has its own Commissioner of the Revenue, Treasurer, real estate tax rate, vehicle personal property tax rate, and (for Staunton) Downtown Service District levy. Augusta County residents do not pay Staunton or Waynesboro tax, and city residents do not pay Augusta County tax. This is the standard Virginia independent-city/surrounding-county relationship - the same pattern that applies to Harrisonburg inside Rockingham County and to Winchester inside Frederick County.

For the separate Staunton and Waynesboro rate schedules, see those pages directly. Both publish their own DOT-verified tax rate tables.

Virginia Tax Tools

Virginia Car Tax Calculator

Estimate your annual vehicle personal property tax. Note: Augusta County rates should be confirmed directly with the county before use; Grottoes residents add the town overlay.

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Virginia Property Tax Calculator

Estimate your Augusta County annual real estate tax based on assessed value. Add the Grottoes overlay if inside Grottoes town limits.

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Virginia Sales Tax Calculator

Estimate sales tax on purchases in Augusta County at the 5.3% General Virginia rate.

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Other Virginia Jurisdictions

Augusta County is in the central Shenandoah Valley and surrounds two independent cities. Compare nearby live jurisdictions:

Staunton (independent city inside Augusta County)
Waynesboro (independent city inside Augusta County)
Rockingham County (adjacent north)
Harrisonburg (independent city inside Rockingham County)
Highland County
Bath County
Rockbridge County
Nelson County
Albemarle County

For statewide context and a complete list of Virginia jurisdictions, see Virginia County Tax Rates.

Official Sources

Augusta County - Official Website
Official source for Augusta County real estate tax rates, vehicle personal property tax rates, PPTRA relief percentages, and payment schedules. Domain confirmation pending verification (MVQ-077).
co.augusta.va.us
Virginia Department of Taxation - Local Tax Rates Survey TY2025
Official statewide survey of real estate, tangible personal property, machinery and tools, and merchants' capital tax rates for all Virginia localities. Includes Augusta County in Table 1 (County Levies) and the two town overlays (Craigsville, Grottoes) in Table 3 (Town Tax Rates).
tax.virginia.gov/local-tax-rates
Virginia Department of Taxation - Retail Sales and Use Tax
Official source for Virginia sales tax rates by region.
tax.virginia.gov/retail-sales-and-use-tax
Code of Virginia § 58.1-3524 - Personal Property Tax Relief Act (PPTRA)
Statutory authority for Virginia's vehicle personal property tax relief program.
law.lis.virginia.gov - PPTRA statutory reference
Code of Virginia § 58.1-3503 - Assessment of Personal Property
Statutory authority for vehicle assessment methodology in Virginia.
law.lis.virginia.gov - § 58.1-3503

Tax rates are sourced from the Virginia DOT Local Tax Rates Survey (tax year 2025) and the Virginia Department of Taxation. Rates change annually - verify current figures with Augusta County and the relevant town before making financial decisions. Data last verified: May 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Augusta County property tax rate?

Augusta County's countywide real estate tax rate was $0.520 per $100 of assessed value for tax year 2025 per the Virginia DOT Local Tax Rates Survey. Properties inside Grottoes pay an additional $0.100/$100 town levy. Craigsville reports all-zero town rates on the DOT survey. Verify the current adopted rate at co.augusta.va.us.

What is the Augusta County vehicle personal property tax rate?

Augusta County's general personal property rate was $2.60 per $100 of assessed value countywide for tax year 2025 per the Virginia DOT survey. The personal use vehicle rate may differ because Virginia localities can classify vehicles as a separate property class. PPTRA state relief applies on the first $20,000 of assessed value. Contact the Augusta County Commissioner of the Revenue to confirm the current vehicle rate and PPTRA percentage.

What is the sales tax rate in Augusta County?

The combined sales tax rate in Augusta County is 5.3% (4.3% Virginia state + 1.0% local). Augusta County is not within any Virginia regional transportation district. The same 5.3% rate also applies inside Staunton and Waynesboro because neither independent city is in a regional transportation district.

Are Staunton and Waynesboro part of Augusta County for tax purposes?

No. Both Staunton and Waynesboro are Virginia independent cities - even though they sit geographically inside Augusta County's footprint, both assess and collect their own real estate, personal property, and sales taxes separately from Augusta County. County residents do not pay city tax, and city residents do not pay Augusta County tax. See those pages for separate rate schedules.

Does the Town of Grottoes charge additional taxes?

Yes. Per Virginia DOT TY2025 Local Tax Rates Survey Table 3, Grottoes adds $0.100 per $100 to real estate, $0.380 per $100 to general personal property, and $0.380 per $100 to machinery and tools on top of the county rate inside town limits. Grottoes spans the Augusta / Rockingham boundary, so the same town overlay applies inside Grottoes regardless of which county the parcel is in - but the underlying county rate differs.