Sec. 26-48. - Purpose of article.

In order to provide necessary funds for the usual daily operation of various departments of the city government and to provide funds necessary for debt retirement and other necessary expenditures incurred in the rendering of the various services to the citizens of the city, the city council hereby adopts and ordains the provisions of this article to impose a vehicle license fee.

(Ord. No. 6295-06, § 1)

Sec. 26-49. - Levy of license fee; situs.

(a)

For each and every year, there is hereby levied and shall be collected from every person owning a motor vehicle, trailer or semitrailer, as identified in subsection (c) herein, which is normally garaged, stored or parked within the city limits for any portion of the year between January 1 and June 30, until otherwise changed, the annual license fees on motor vehicles, trailers and semitrailers as identified in subsection (c) herein and as hereinafter set forth in this article.

(b)

The license fee imposed by this article shall be levied against the owner of each motor vehicle, trailer or semitrailer as identified in subsection (c) herein, the motive power of which is other than animal power, who resides within or boards within or garages within the city such motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer as identified in subsection (c) herein, and the owner of each such vehicle used in the operation of any business conducted within the city.

(c)

The amount of such annual license fee shall be as follows:

  ..... Fees

(1)

Private passenger cars and leased cars—Gross weight of 4,000 pounds or under .....$26.00

(2)

Private passenger cars and leased cars—Gross weight over 4,000 pounds .....31.00

(3)

Motorcycles and motor scooters .....24.00

(4)

Trucks—Gross weight of 4,000 pounds or under .....26.00

(5)

Trucks—Gross weight of 4,001 pounds to 10,000 pounds .....31.00

(6)

Trucks—Gross weight of 10,001 pounds and over, and tractors .....31.00

Plus, per 100 pounds of weight, or major fraction thereof, in excess of 10,000 pounds .....0.20

(7)

Trailers:

a.

All trailers 1,500 pounds or under .....7.50

b.

All trailers (except boat trailers) 1,501 to 4,000 pounds .....18.00

c.

All trailers (except boat trailers) 4,001 pounds and over .....23.00

d.

All boat trailers .....7.50

(8)

Buses:

a.

Buses and motor vehicle carriers of passengers and property, per 100 pounds .....0.55

b.

Private buses and motor vehicle carriers of passengers not used for hire, per 100 pounds .....0.25

(Ord. No. 6295-06, § 1; Ord. No. 6302-06, § 1)

Sec. 26-50. - Exemptions and special rates.

(a)

No person shall be required to pay a vehicle license fee under this article who is identified within the following categories or exempt under decisions of the United States Supreme Court:

(1)

Vehicles owned or leased by active members or active auxiliary members of volunteer fire departments;

(2)

Vehicles owned by surviving spouses of persons qualified to receive special license plates under § 46.2-739;

(3)

Vehicles owned by persons qualified to receive special license plates under § 46.2-739;

(4)

Vehicles for persons qualified to receive POW special license plates under § 46.2-746;

(5)

Vehicles owned by any person in active military service who is in the city solely by reason of military orders and who has a legal residence in a state other than Virginia.

(b)

Special rates for certain classifications. Members of the state National Guard shall be entitled to pay the license fee for their motor vehicles at one-half (½) the prevailing rate, upon presentation to the city treasurer of a current state registration card which indicates that the state issued for the motor vehicle a National Guard license plate for that year. This section shall only apply to private passenger cars, regardless of weight, and trucks with a gross weight of ten thousand (10,000) pounds or less.

(c)

Exemptions shall be authorized by the city treasurer.

(Ord. No. 6295-06, § 1)

Sec. 26-51. - Payment of license fee required.

It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a motor vehicle, trailer or semitrailer as identified in section 26-49(c) of the City Code after the due date indicated on the personal property tax bill of any license year established in this article without having paid the requisite license fee.

(Ord. No. 6295-06, § 1; Ord. No. 6302-06, § 1)

Sec. 26-52. - Invoice for license fee.

(a)

After a motor vehicle, trailer or semitrailer as identified in section 26-49(c) of the City Code has been assessed for personal property tax purposes by the commissioner of the revenue, or registered with and assessed by the commissioner of the revenue for personal property tax purposes, the city treasurer shall mail to the taxpayer a bill for the license fee for the current and each subsequent year. The license fee shall be listed as a separate item on each year's annual personal property tax bill and shall be due on or before June 5 or as indicated on the tax bill.

(b)

Upon payment of the license fee prescribed by this article and compliance with all other applicable provisions of this article, the city treasurer shall mark the records to indicate that the license fee has been paid for the taxpayer's vehicle for which the license fee was charged.

(Ord. No. 6295-06, § 1)

Sec. 26-52.1. - License fee credit when new motor vehicle, trailer or semitrailer purchased.

(a)

When the owner or co-owner of a motor vehicle, trailer or semitrailer for which a vehicle license fee has been assessed purchases or obtains a new motor vehicle, trailer or semitrailer between January 1 and June 30 of the same assessment year, a credit may be processed toward the payment of a vehicle license fee under the following circumstances:

(1)

The registration of the previously owned vehicle and the new vehicle shall be in the name(s) of the same owner or co-owner; and

(2)

The owner or co-owner makes a written request to the city treasurer for such credit or makes such request in person; and

(3)

The owner or co-owner pays an administrative fee of one dollar; and

(4)

The owner or co-owner provides documentation to the commissioner of the revenue (i) confirming the sale or disposal of the old vehicle, trailer or semitrailer sufficient to end personal property tax liability and (ii) files a personal property return for the newly obtained motor vehicle, trailer or semitrailer.

(5)

The credit shall not exceed the amount of the vehicle license fee paid on the previously owned vehicle.

(b)

The city treasurer may administer the credit procedure by applying the license fee payment to the old vehicle account and thereafter assessing a one dollar ($1.00) administrative fee to the new vehicle account as if it were the license fee due for that period.

(Ord. No. 6387-07, § 1; Ord. No. 6421-07, § 1)

Sec. 26-53. - Agreement with Department of Motor Vehicles.

(a)

The city treasurer shall enter into a formal agreement with the Commissioner of the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) whereby DMV will refuse to issue or renew any state license registration of any applicant who owes to the city any vehicle licenses fees, tangible personal property taxes, or parking citations issued to residents of the city. Before being issued any state vehicle registration or renewal of such license or registration by DMV, the applicant shall first satisfy DMV that all such local vehicle license fees, tangible personal property taxes and parking citations have been paid in full.

(b)

DMV shall charge a reasonable fee to cover costs of such enforcement action, and the city treasurer shall add the cost of this DMV fee to the delinquent tax bill or the amount of the parking citation.

(c)

The city treasurer shall notify DMV in the manner provided for in the agreement with DMV and supply to DMV information necessary to identify the debtor whose registration or renewal is to be denied.

(d)

In case of parking violations, DMV shall only refuse to issue or renew the vehicle registration of any applicant for the vehicle that incurred the parking violations.

(Ord. No. 6295-06, § 1)

Secs. 26-54—26-69. - Reserved.