Governor Kaine signed House Bill 1578 which establishes procedures to return taxes and fees collected by the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority. Governor Kaine issued a press release. The release can be read here.
View the guidelines for return of initial registration fee and regional registration fee. (pdf, 22kb)
Governor Kaine signed legislation which repeals the abusive driver fees outlined in HB3202. Learn more about how this measure will return fees paid and waive any outstanding fees.
House Bill 3202 authorizes Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads to raise revenue through regional authorities, the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority and the Hampton Roads Transportation Authority respectively. The Supreme Court ruled that the authority to impose taxes and fees granted by the General Assembly was unconstitutional.
Governor Kaine signed House Bill 1578 (2008). This bill establishes procedures for the return of the taxes and fees collected by the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority.
The seven taxes and fees will be returned as follows:
- The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will return the 1% initial vehicle registration fee and the $10 regional registration fee by mail beginning in early April. DMV will publish guidelines for the return of the fees by April 1. Individuals who paid these fees are encouraged to ensure that DMV has their correct mailing address to allow for quick and convenient return of the fees. Call DMV Direct at 866-368-5463 to update your address or for additional information.
- The Clerks of the Circuit Courts will work with settlement agents to return the congestion relief fee (real estate grantor’s tax) to the affected settlement agents within 60 days. The settlement agent will in turn refund the individuals or entities that paid the congestion relief fee. The Clerks will jointly develop uniform guidelines for the return of the fee within 60 days. Call your settlement agent or the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority at 703-766-4650 for additional information.
- The 2% vehicle rental tax, 2% transient occupancy tax, $10 safety inspection fee and the 5% sales tax on motor vehicle repair will be sent to the Unclaimed Property Division of the Department of the Treasury. Citizens may request refunds from the Unclaimed Property Division. The department is working to finalize guidelines for refunding money. Go to the Department of Treasury at www.trs.virginia.gov for additional information, or, after April 1, call 804-278-0187.
The Virginia Supreme Court released its ruling on the appeal of the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority’s bond validation suit. Their ruling can be read here.
Governor Kaine released a joint statement with Attorney General Bob McDonald and Speaker of the House Bill Howell regarding the ruling. The statement can be read here.
The Department of Motor Vehicles and the Department of Taxation have been instructed to cease collection of tax imposed by the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority.”
House Bill 3202, Chapter 896 of the 2007 Acts of Assembly, was enacted on April 4, 2007. The bill provides new statewide funding for the Commonwealth’s highway and transit needs. To learn more about the statewide revenue please click here.
Additionally, House Bill 3202 improves the coordination between land use and transportation planning. It requires high growth localities in Virginia to establish urban development areas to plan for future growth. Also, these same localities are authorized to assess road impact fees on by-right development, at the last stage of the local approval process. The Commonwealth Transportation Board, Northern Virginia Transportation Authority and Hampton Roads Transportation Authority must establish transportation and land use performance measures and goals to be incorporated into the statewide transportation plan. To learn more about the land use and transportation planning measures, please click here.
The bipartisan compromise improves Virginia transportation and provides a framework for assessing and addressing future transportation needs.
