It’s that time of year again in West Virginia: personal property tax season. If you own vehicles and pay for a tax to the state for that privilege, take note: you only have slightly more than a week in which to pay those taxes to qualify for a credit on your 2026 taxes that you’ll pay next year.

To qualify for the credit, taxes for the second half of 2025 (yes, it’s confusing)must be paid to your county sheriff’s tax office by April 1.

This only pertains to individuals who paid their first-half taxes for 2026 by Oct. 1. If you paid the full year back in the fall, you’ve already qualified for the credit and should have received an MV-1 form in the mail from the West Virginia State Tax Department to submit with your 2025 taxes. But if you only paid the first half, you still can qualify for the rest of the credit by paying your second half no later than April 1.

Simple enough, right? If you paid your first half by Oct. 1, and pay the second half by April 1, you will get the credit for the full amount you paid when you file your taxes the following year.

For example, if your bill is $1,000 annually, and you paid $500 by Oct. 1, and then paid the second $500 for this current year by April 1, and then your 2026-27 $500 bill by Oct. 1, you would receive a credit of $1,000 on your 2026 state income taxes filed in 2027.

It’s confusing to an extent, but it really is as simple as this: if you pay your taxes on time, the state will send you a form with the credit you’re due. Above all things, don’t leave money on the table.

Pay your personal property taxes on time to maximize your returns. This is money that belongs to you.