Prince Edward County, Virginia Tax Rates
Prince Edward County's real estate base rate was $0.390 per $100 of assessed value for tax year 2025, per the Virginia DOT Local Tax Rates Survey. A $0.010 countywide EMS levy (DOT Table 4) applies to every parcel, for an effective real estate rate of $0.400 per $100 countywide. The general personal property tax rate was $4.500 per $100 (plus a $0.100 countywide EMS levy, $4.600 effective), the Machinery and Tools rate was $4.200 per $100, and the Merchants' Capital rate was $0.700 per $100 (a rare nonzero figure). Combined sales tax is 5.3%. The county seat is the Town of Farmville, home to Longwood University; Hampden-Sydney College sits in the unincorporated community of Hampden Sydney. Verify current adopted rates with Prince Edward County before making financial decisions.
Rates verified May 2026. See our methodology for sourcing and update cadence.
Key Takeaways
- County real estate base rate: $0.390 per $100 of assessed value (tax year 2025 per Virginia DOT Local Tax Rates Survey) - one of the lower county base rates in Virginia.
- County Wide EMS Levy: DOT TY2025 Table 4 lists a countywide EMS levy of $0.010 per $100 on real estate and $0.100 per $100 on tangible personal property. Because it is county-wide, it applies to every parcel - so the effective countywide rates are $0.400 real estate and $4.600 general personal property.
- Two town rows in DOT Table 3: Farmville (the county seat) and Pamplin City. Both are cross-county towns - Farmville straddles the Prince Edward/Cumberland line and Pamplin City straddles the Appomattox/Prince Edward line.
- Poplar Hill CDA: DOT Table 4 lists a Poplar Hill Community Development Authority real estate levy of $1.000 per $100. This applies only to parcels inside the CDA boundary, not countywide.
- General personal property base rate: $4.500 per $100 (TY2025 per DOT). 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 Prince Edward 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 Commissioner of the Revenue for the current-year rate.
- Sales tax: 5.3% - Prince Edward County is not within any Virginia regional transportation district. The standard Virginia rate applies countywide.
- County Machinery and Tools tax: $4.200 per $100; county Merchants' Capital tax: $0.700 per $100 (TY2025 per DOT) - a rare nonzero Merchants' Capital figure that continues the central-southern Virginia pattern. Both town rows show $0.000 Merchants' Capital overlay.
- Adjacent live county pages: Appomattox County (west - shares the cross-county Pamplin City town), Buckingham County (north), Charlotte County (southwest), and Cumberland County (northeast - shares the cross-county Town of Farmville; published in the same batch).
- County seat Farmville is home to Longwood University; Hampden-Sydney College (founded 1775) is in unincorporated Hampden Sydney - a strong university-anchored profile for a rural county.
- Civil-rights history: the 1951 Barbara Johns / R.R. Moton High School student strike became one of the five cases consolidated into Brown v. Board of Education; the county later closed its public schools 1959-1964 during Massive Resistance. The Robert Russa Moton Museum in Farmville documents this history.
- Property and vehicle tax due dates: verify current dates with Prince Edward County. Due dates vary by locality in Virginia.
Prince Edward County Tax Rates - At a Glance
| Tax Type | County Rate (per $100) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Real Estate (base) | $0.390 | +$0.010 countywide EMS levy = $0.400 effective; town overlays in Farmville/Pamplin City; Poplar Hill CDA adds $1.000 inside its boundary |
| General Personal Property | $4.500 | +$0.100 countywide EMS levy = $4.600 effective; personal use vehicle rate may differ - confirm with the Commissioner of the Revenue |
| Machinery and Tools | $4.200 | Town overlays apply in Farmville (+$0.000) and Pamplin City (+$0.900) |
| Merchants' Capital | $0.700 | Rare nonzero MC figure; both town rows show $0.000 MC overlay |
| 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, 3, and 4). Verify current adopted rates with Prince Edward County.
Real Estate Tax
Rate and Assessment
Prince Edward County's real estate base rate was $0.390 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 Prince Edward County Board of Supervisors. Virginia counties assess real estate at fair market value under Code of Virginia § 58.1-3201.
On top of the base rate, DOT TY2025 Table 4 lists a County Wide EMS Levy of $0.010 per $100 on real estate. Because it is a county-wide levy, it applies to every parcel, so the effective countywide real estate rate is $0.400 per $100. Inside the two towns and inside the Poplar Hill Community Development Authority, additional overlays apply (see below).
Verification note: Rates are from the Virginia DOT Local Tax Rates Survey (tax year 2025). Verify the current adopted county rate at co.prince-edward.va.us or by contacting the Prince Edward County Commissioner of the Revenue.
Incorporated Town Overlays (Cross-County Towns)
Two town rows appear inside Prince Edward County per the Virginia DOT TY2025 Local Tax Rates Survey Table 3 (Town Tax Rates), and both are cross-county towns. The Town of Farmville (the county seat) straddles the Prince Edward/Cumberland county line - the DOT lists a single Farmville row flagged "P. Edward, Cumberland", meaning the same town rate applies on either side, with each county's base rate underneath. Pamplin City straddles the Appomattox/Prince Edward line - the DOT lists two rows, one for each county side; the Prince Edward-side overlay is shown here, and the Appomattox-side overlay appears on the Appomattox County page.
| Town | Real Estate | Tangible Personal Property | Machinery & Tools | Merchants' Capital |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Farmville (county seat; cross-county with Cumberland) | $0.220 | $1.500 | $0.000 | $0.000 |
| Pamplin City - PE (Prince Edward portion; cross-county with Appomattox) | $0.310 | $0.900 | $0.900 | $0.000 |
Combined real estate rate inside the Prince Edward side of Farmville: $0.390 (county) + $0.220 (town) + $0.010 (countywide EMS) = $0.620/$100. Inside the Prince Edward side of Pamplin City: $0.390 + $0.310 + $0.010 = $0.710/$100. Note that a Farmville parcel on the Cumberland side pays a different combined rate because Cumberland's base ($0.600) is higher than Prince Edward's. Outside both towns, parcels pay the county base plus the countywide EMS levy. Verify current town rates with each town government before making financial decisions.
Poplar Hill Community Development Authority
DOT TY2025 Table 4 lists a Poplar Hill CDA real estate levy of $1.000 per $100 for Prince Edward County. A Community Development Authority is a special tax district used to finance infrastructure for a specific development, so this levy applies only to parcels inside the CDA boundary - not countywide. Inside the Poplar Hill CDA, the real estate rate is $0.390 (county) + $0.010 (countywide EMS) + $1.000 (CDA) = $1.400/$100. Confirm whether a specific parcel sits inside the Poplar Hill CDA with the Prince Edward County Commissioner of the Revenue.
Exemptions and Relief Programs
Prince Edward 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 Prince Edward 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
Prince Edward County's general personal property base rate was $4.500 per $100 of assessed value countywide for tax year 2025, as reported in the Virginia DOT Local Tax Rates Survey. The countywide EMS levy adds $0.100 per $100, for an effective general personal property rate of $4.600 per $100. Inside the towns, a town TPP overlay also applies (Farmville +$1.500, Pamplin City-PE +$0.900). 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 Prince Edward County may differ from the $4.500 general rate. Contact the Prince Edward 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. Prince Edward 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 Prince Edward County Commissioner of the Revenue or visit co.prince-edward.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).
Machinery, Tools, and Merchants' Capital
Prince Edward County levies a Machinery and Tools tax of $4.200 per $100 and a Merchants' Capital tax of $0.700 per $100 for tax year 2025 per Virginia DOT. The Merchants' Capital figure is a rare nonzero rate: most Virginia counties levy $0.000 Merchants' Capital because they substituted Business Tangible Personal Property under Code of Virginia § 58.1-3508.1 decades ago. Prince Edward is among a minority of Virginia localities - concentrated in central and southern Virginia (Appomattox, Buckingham, Charlotte, Floyd, and others) - that retained the historical Merchants' Capital framework. Both town rows (Farmville and Pamplin City-PE) show $0.000 in the Table 3 Merchants' Capital column, so the towns do not add a separate MC levy on top of the county rate.
If you operate a business in Prince Edward County selling tangible personal property at retail or wholesale, contact the Commissioner of the Revenue for Merchants' Capital filing requirements and the capital assessment methodology. Merchants' Capital filing is materially different from Business TPP filing - the assessment base, exemptions, and tax accounting differ between the two regimes.
Source: Virginia DOT Local Tax Rates Survey TY2025 Tables 1 and 3 (pdfplumber extraction).
Sales Tax
Rate and Composition
The combined sales tax rate in Prince Edward County is 5.3%. Prince Edward 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. Towns do not add their own sales tax in Virginia.
| 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 county pages at the same 5.3% rate: Appomattox County (west), Buckingham County (north), Charlotte County (southwest), and Cumberland County (northeast).
Source: Virginia Department of Taxation - Retail Sales and Use Tax (tax.virginia.gov)
Geography and Context: Heart of Virginia
Prince Edward County sits in the southern Piedmont, in the region marketed as the "Heart of Virginia." The county was formed in 1754 and named for Prince Edward, a grandson of King George II. Its county seat, the Town of Farmville, straddles the Appomattox River and extends a short distance north into Cumberland County - which is why the Virginia DOT lists Farmville as a cross-county town flagged "P. Edward, Cumberland." Farmville is the commercial center of the region and home to Longwood University. The unincorporated community of Hampden Sydney, just south of Farmville, is home to Hampden-Sydney College, founded in 1775 and one of the oldest institutions of higher education in the United States.
Prince Edward County holds a central place in the history of American civil rights. In 1951, 16-year-old Barbara Johns led a student strike at the all-Black Robert Russa Moton High School in Farmville to protest its overcrowded, inadequate facilities. The resulting lawsuit, Davis v. County School Board of Prince Edward County, became one of the five cases consolidated into the U.S. Supreme Court's 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision. Rather than integrate, the county closed its entire public school system from 1959 to 1964 during Virginia's Massive Resistance era - the only locality in the nation to do so for that length of time. The Robert Russa Moton Museum in Farmville, a National Historic Landmark, preserves this history.
Other notable sites include High Bridge Trail State Park (a rail-trail crossing the historic High Bridge over the Appomattox River) and Sailor's Creek Battlefield State Park on the northern county line, site of the April 6, 1865 battle - the last major engagement of the Civil War before Lee's surrender at Appomattox three days later.
Disambiguation: Prince Edward County is NOT the same as Prince William County (a Northern Virginia county) or Prince George County (a Tri-Cities-area county, not yet covered). It is also unrelated to Prince Edward Island, Canada.
Adjacent jurisdictions: Appomattox County (live; west - shares the cross-county Pamplin City town), Buckingham County (live; north), Charlotte County (live; southwest), Cumberland County (live; northeast - shares the cross-county Town of Farmville; published in the same batch), unbuilt Nottoway County (east), and unbuilt Lunenburg County (south).
Central-Southern Piedmont Cluster Context
Prince Edward County and Cumberland County (published in the same batch) complete the central-southern Piedmont triangle around live Appomattox, Buckingham, and Charlotte. Prince Edward is the demand anchor of the pair: its county seat, Farmville, is a regional commercial and university center, and the county shares two cross-county towns with its neighbors (Farmville with Cumberland, Pamplin City with Appomattox). On rates, Prince Edward's $0.390 real estate base is one of the lower county base rates in Virginia, but the countywide EMS levy and the high $4.500 general TPP rate (with a $4.200 Machinery and Tools rate and a rare $0.700 Merchants' Capital) make its business-tax profile heavier than the headline real estate rate suggests. The Poplar Hill CDA is the only Community Development Authority special district among the live central-southern Piedmont counties.
Virginia Tax Tools
Virginia Car Tax Calculator
Estimate your annual vehicle personal property tax. Note: the Prince Edward County personal use vehicle rate may differ from the $4.500 general TPP rate published by DOT - confirm with the county before relying on the estimate.
LiveVirginia Property Tax Calculator
Estimate your Prince Edward County annual real estate tax based on assessed value. Add the $0.010 countywide EMS levy, the applicable town overlay (Farmville $0.220 or Pamplin City $0.310), or the Poplar Hill CDA levy ($1.000) where they apply.
LiveVirginia Sales Tax Calculator
Estimate sales tax on purchases in Prince Edward County at the 5.3% General Virginia rate.
LiveOther Virginia Jurisdictions
Prince Edward County is in the central-southern Piedmont of Virginia. Compare adjacent live jurisdictions:
- Cumberland County (same publish sequence - shares the cross-county Town of Farmville)
- Appomattox County (adjacent west - shares the cross-county Pamplin City town; Appomattox Court House NHP)
- Buckingham County (adjacent north - James River boundary, Carter G. Woodson birthplace)
- Charlotte County (adjacent southwest - Patrick Henry's Red Hill)
- City of Lynchburg (two-hop northwest via Appomattox + Campbell)
For statewide context and a complete list of Virginia jurisdictions, see Virginia County Tax Rates.
Official Sources
-
Prince Edward County - Commissioner of the Revenue
Official source for Prince Edward County real estate tax rates, vehicle personal property tax rates, PPTRA relief percentages, the County Wide EMS Levy, the Poplar Hill CDA, and payment schedules.
co.prince-edward.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 Prince Edward County in Table 1 (County Levies), both town rows (Farmville and Pamplin City) in Table 3 (Town Tax Rates), and the County Wide EMS Levy and Poplar Hill CDA in Table 4 (Special District 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 § 58.1-3508.1 - Substitution of Merchants' Capital Tax with Business TPP
Statutory authority allowing Virginia localities to substitute Merchants' Capital with Business Tangible Personal Property. Most Virginia counties (but not Prince Edward) elected the substitution.
law.lis.virginia.gov - § 58.1-3508.1 -
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
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 Prince Edward County before making financial decisions. Data last verified: May 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Prince Edward County property tax rate?
Prince Edward County's countywide real estate base rate was $0.390 per $100 of assessed value for tax year 2025 per the Virginia DOT Local Tax Rates Survey. A $0.010 countywide EMS levy (DOT Table 4) applies to every parcel, so the effective rate is $0.400. Inside Farmville (county seat) a $0.220 overlay applies ($0.620 combined); inside the Prince Edward side of Pamplin City a $0.310 overlay applies ($0.710 combined). Parcels inside the Poplar Hill CDA pay an extra $1.000. Verify the current adopted rate at co.prince-edward.va.us.
What is the Prince Edward County vehicle personal property tax rate?
Prince Edward County's general personal property base rate was $4.500 per $100 of assessed value for tax year 2025 per the Virginia DOT survey, plus a $0.100 countywide EMS levy ($4.600 effective). 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 Prince Edward County Commissioner of the Revenue to confirm the current vehicle rate and PPTRA percentage.
What is the sales tax rate in Prince Edward County?
The combined sales tax rate in Prince Edward County is 5.3% (4.3% Virginia state + 1.0% local). Prince Edward County is not within any Virginia regional transportation district, so no additional 0.7% regional levy applies.
What is the Prince Edward County Wide EMS Levy?
Per the Virginia DOT TY2025 Table 4, Prince Edward County levies a County Wide EMS Levy of $0.010 per $100 on real estate and $0.100 per $100 on tangible personal property. Because it is county-wide, it applies to every parcel on top of the base rates, making the effective countywide rates $0.400 (real estate) and $4.600 (general personal property). A separate Poplar Hill Community Development Authority district adds $1.000 per $100 on real estate, but only inside that development's boundary.
What incorporated towns are in Prince Edward County?
Two town rows appear for Prince Edward County in DOT TY2025 Table 3, and both are cross-county towns. The Town of Farmville (county seat) straddles the Prince Edward/Cumberland line - the DOT lists one Farmville row flagged "P. Edward, Cumberland" (RE +$0.220, TPP +$1.500). Pamplin City straddles the Appomattox/Prince Edward line; the Prince Edward-side row is RE +$0.310, TPP +$0.900, M&T +$0.900. Communities such as Hampden Sydney, Rice, Prospect, Meherrin, and Green Bay are unincorporated.
What colleges are in Prince Edward County and what is the Moton Museum?
Prince Edward County is home to Longwood University in Farmville (the county seat) and Hampden-Sydney College in unincorporated Hampden Sydney (founded 1775, one of the oldest U.S. colleges). The Robert Russa Moton Museum in Farmville preserves the history of the 1951 student strike led by Barbara Johns at the all-Black R.R. Moton High School - one of the five cases consolidated into the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision. Prince Edward closed its entire public school system from 1959 to 1964 during Virginia's Massive Resistance era.