Staunton, Virginia Tax Rates

Staunton Tax Rates - At a Glance

Staunton Current Tax Rates Summary

Tax Type	Rate	Notes
Real Estate Tax (citywide)	$0.910 per $100	Tax year 2025 per Virginia DOT survey; verify current adopted rate with the City of Staunton
Downtown Service District overlay	+$0.150 per $100 RE	TY2025 per DOT Table 5; total in DSD = $1.060/$100; applies only to properties inside DSD boundaries
Vehicle Personal Property Tax	$2.90 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	$1.240 per $100	TY2025 per DOT survey (business tangible personal property)
Sales Tax	5.3%	General Virginia rate; not in a regional transportation district; qualifying groceries 1.0%

Real Estate Tax

Rate and Assessment

Staunton's real estate tax rate was $0.910 per $100 of assessed value citywide for tax year 2025, as reported in the Virginia Department of Taxation Local Tax Rates Survey. Staunton is an independent city in the Shenandoah Valley of western Virginia. The rate is set annually by Staunton City Council.

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

Downtown Service District

Staunton has one DOT-published service-district overlay: the Downtown Service District (DSD), which adds $0.150 per $100 to real estate inside the district per the Virginia DOT Local Tax Rates Survey TY2025 Table 5. Properties inside the DSD therefore pay $1.060 per $100 in real estate tax (the citywide $0.910 base plus the $0.150 DSD overlay). Properties outside the DSD pay only the base $0.910 rate. The DSD funds downtown improvements and services. Confirm exact DSD boundaries with the City of Staunton.

Independent City Status

Staunton is an independent city - a county-equivalent jurisdiction in Virginia. Although Staunton is geographically surrounded by Augusta County, the two are legally and administratively separate. The neighboring City of Waynesboro is also an independent city. If you live in Staunton, your local property and vehicle taxes are set by Staunton city government, not by Augusta County or Waynesboro. Augusta County, City of Staunton, and City of Waynesboro each set their own rates.

Exemptions and Relief Programs

Staunton 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 Staunton 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

Staunton's general personal property tax rate was $2.90 per $100 of assessed value for tax year 2025, as reported in the Virginia DOT Local Tax Rates Survey. 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 Staunton may differ from the $2.90 general rate. Contact the Staunton 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. Staunton 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 Staunton Commissioner of the Revenue or visit staunton.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 Staunton is 5.3%. Staunton 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.

Staunton 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)