West Virginians Reminded To Pay Vehicle Taxes To Qualify For Credit

WHEELING -- It's nearly fall, and time for West Virginia residents to pay their vehicle property taxes if they want to receive a credit on their future state tax return.

The West Virginia Motor Vehicle Property Tax Adjustment Credit, also known as MV-1, allows taxpayers who pay their state vehicle taxes on time to receive a credit on their state tax refund.

Those qualifying must pay the first half of their tax bill, or their entire tax bill in full, before Oct. 1.

Those who do not pay their taxes in full must pay the second half of the bill by April 1 to receive their refund.

In January, residents will receive an MV-1 letter notifying them of the amount of their vehicle property tax credit and providing the information needed to claim the amount on their taxes.

County sheriffs are responsible for collecting vehicle property taxes from residents.

Ohio County Sheriff Nelson Croft noted county residents typically have been good about paying their taxes.

"We don't like to see people getting late fees," he said. "We appreciate paying on time. That money is how the county is able to do its business.

"Historically speaking, Ohio County residents are always good about paying their taxes on time," he said. "About.95 percent pay their bill on time, and we would like to thank the public for doing this."

The credit applies to most personal vehicles, including:

-- Class A: Cars and trucks, including passenger cars and trucks with a gross weight of 10,000 pounds or less.

-- Class B: Trucks, truck tractors or road tractors with a gross weight of 10,001 pounds or more.

-- Class G: Every motorcycle, including motor-driven cycles and mopeds, having a saddle and no more than three wheels.

-- Class H: Buses and every motor vehicle designed for carrying more than seven passengers or transporting persons for compensation, excluding taxicabs.

-- Class T: Trailers, boat trailers or semitrailers of a type designed to be drawn by Class A vehicles with a gross weight of less than 2,000 pounds.

-- Class V: Antique motor vehicles that are at least 25 years old.

-- Class X: Farm trucks used exclusively for the transportation of farm products and supplies by a farmer.

All-terrain and utility-terrain vehicles, or ATVs and UTVs, also qualify for the credit.

Vehicles that do not qualify for the credit include Class C (trailers and semitrailers), Class J (taxicabs), Class M (mobile equipment) and Class R (fifth-wheel campers and travel trailers).