Lexington, Virginia Tax Rates

Lexington Tax Rates - At a Glance

Lexington Current Tax Rates Summary

Tax Type	Rate	Notes
Real Estate Tax	$0.920 per $100	Tax year 2025 per Virginia DOT survey Table 2; verify current adopted rate with the City of Lexington
Vehicle Personal Property Tax	$4.250 per $100	General personal property rate TY2025 per DOT survey; personal use vehicle rate may differ; PPTRA relief on first $20,000; verify current rate
Machinery and Tools	$4.250 per $100	TY2025 per DOT survey (business tangible personal property); matches TPP rate
Sales Tax	5.3%	General Virginia rate; not in a regional transportation district; qualifying groceries 1.0%

Real Estate Tax

Rate and Assessment

Lexington's real estate tax rate was $0.920 per $100 of assessed value for tax year 2025, as reported in the Virginia Department of Taxation Local Tax Rates Survey (Table 2 - City Levies). Lexington is an independent city in the upper Shenandoah Valley / Blue Ridge foothills region of Virginia. The rate is set annually by Lexington City Council.

Verification note: Rates are from the Virginia DOT Local Tax Rates Survey (tax year 2025). Verify the current adopted rate at lexingtonva.gov or by contacting the Lexington Commissioner of the Revenue before making financial decisions.

Service Districts

Lexington has no city service-district levies in the Virginia DOT Table 5 for tax year 2025. The base $0.920/$100 rate applies citywide.

Independent City Status

Lexington is an independent city - a county-equivalent jurisdiction in Virginia per Virginia Constitution Article VII. Although Lexington sits geographically inside Rockbridge County and serves as the Rockbridge County seat, the two are legally and administratively separate. If you live within Lexington city limits, your local property and vehicle taxes are set by the Lexington city government, not by Rockbridge County. Rockbridge County's real estate rate of $0.640/$100 does NOT apply to Lexington residents - they pay the city rate of $0.920/$100. Lexington is also adjacent to a second independent city, Buena Vista, approximately 8 miles east; the two cities are separate tax jurisdictions with their own rates.

Exemptions and Relief Programs

Lexington 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 Lexington 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

Lexington's general personal property tax rate was $4.250 per $100 of assessed value for tax year 2025, as reported in the Virginia DOT Local Tax Rates Survey (Table 2). 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 Lexington may differ from the $4.250 general rate. Contact the Lexington 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. Lexington calculates its annual PPTRA relief percentage based on its share of that grant and the total qualifying vehicle assessed value in the city. 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 Lexington Commissioner of the Revenue or visit lexingtonva.gov 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 Lexington is 5.3%. Lexington 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.

Lexington 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. Note that some Virginia jurisdictions (Northern Virginia counties, Hampton Roads cities, Central Virginia counties) charge a 6.0% sales tax. If you shop across jurisdictional lines, the applicable rate depends on where the sale occurs, not your city of residence.

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

Lexington, Buena Vista, and Rockbridge County - Three Separate Jurisdictions

Lexington sits geographically inside Rockbridge County, with the second independent city of Buena Vista approximately 8 miles east. All three share geography but are legally separate Virginia jurisdictions per Virginia Constitution Article VII, and each sets its own tax rates. Your tax bill depends on which of the three jurisdictions your property is in - not on the broader region.

TY2025 Comparison - Lexington, Buena Vista, Rockbridge County

Jurisdiction	Real Estate	Personal Property	Machinery & Tools	Sales Tax
Lexington City (this page)	$0.920	$4.250	$4.250	5.3%
Buena Vista City	$0.910	$5.850	$4.250	5.3%
Rockbridge County	$0.640	$4.250	$2.550	5.3%

All rates per $100 of assessed value, TY2025, per Virginia DOT Local Tax Rates Survey (Lexington and Buena Vista from Table 2 - City Levies; Rockbridge County from Table 1 - County Levies). Each jurisdiction's rates apply only to property within its boundaries.

Washington and Lee, VMI, and the University-Anchored Economy

Lexington is home to two of the oldest higher-education institutions in Virginia: Washington and Lee University (founded 1749 as Augusta Academy) and the Virginia Military Institute (VMI, founded 1839). The two campuses sit on adjacent properties in the center of the city. Lexington's resident population (approximately 7,000) is roughly doubled when full-time university enrollment is included during the academic year. This small-resident-base, high-foot-traffic profile is unusual among Virginia independent cities and shapes both the property tax base and retail sales patterns.

If you are a student, faculty member, or staff member living in Lexington, your local property and vehicle taxes are set by Lexington City - not by Rockbridge County, and not by the universities. Verify your specific tax obligations with the Lexington Commissioner of the Revenue, particularly if you maintain a vehicle registered in Lexington but spend academic breaks elsewhere.