Arlington County property taxes: rates, due dates and how to appeal

Last checked Oct. 19, 2026. Facts on this page come from Arlington County’s Real Estate Taxes and Payments, About Real Estate Taxes, Assessment Appeals, Tax Payment Due Dates, Real Estate Tax Relief and Vehicle Tax Relief pages, and the FY 2027 budget information page.

Arlington County’s real estate tax rate for 2026 is $1.053 for every $100 of assessed value, paid in two equal halves due June 15 and Oct. 5. The County Board voted 4-1 on April 22, 2026, to raise the rate 2 cents from $1.033, with Board member Susan Cunningham voting no. Arlington has no city government, so the county assesses, bills and collects the whole tax. Questions about a bill go to the Treasurer’s Office at 703-228-4000.

Who to call

• Your bill, payments, escrow or a missing bill: Treasurer’s Office, 703-228-4000, 2100 Clarendon Blvd., Suite 201
• Your assessment or an appeal: Department of Real Estate Assessments, 703-228-3920, 2100 Clarendon Blvd., Suite 502
• Car tax and business taxes: Commissioner of the Revenue, 703-228-3033, 2100 Clarendon Blvd., Suite 200
• Tax relief for older and disabled homeowners: Department of Human Services, 703-228-1350
• Pay online: the county’s CAPP payment portal

All three offices are in the Bozman Government Center and are open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, except holidays.

Rates and what you owe

Every $100,000 of assessed value costs $1,053 a year at the 2026 rate. The county said the increase adds $466 a year to the average homeowner’s bill, based on an average home value of $882,900. That average home owes about $9,297 a year, in two bills of about $4,649. The county estimated the average apartment renter could pay $317 more if landlords pass the increase on.

Most homeowners with a mortgage pay through escrow and get no bill in the mail. If you pay off your mortgage, the bill comes to you.

The rate since 2023

The rate rose 2 cents in 2024, the first increase since fiscal 2020, partly offset by a move of stormwater costs to a separate utility fee. It held at $1.033 for 2025 and rose another 2 cents for 2026.

Late payments

Payments must be received or postmarked by the due date. The county warns that a postmark shows the date the Postal Service processed a letter, not the date it was mailed, and that some bank bill-pay services mail paper checks that arrive late.

• Real estate: a 5% penalty (minimum $5) if paid within 30 days of the due date, and another 5% after 30 days.
• Car tax and most other taxes: 10% of the tax, and another 15% on personal property tax unpaid after 60 days.
• Interest: 10% a year from the day after the due date.

Delinquent taxes can block your DMV registration and your state income tax refund.

How assessments work

The Department of Real Estate Assessments values every property as of Jan. 1 each year. The assessment times the rate set by the County Board is your tax; appraisers do not set the rate. Notices go out in January with that year’s appeal instructions and deadlines. Look up any property’s assessment and nearby sales on the county’s property search.

How to appeal an assessment

An appeal is not a complaint about higher taxes. You have to show the county has wrong data about your home (square footage, number of baths), that similar homes sold for less during the analysis period (Sept. 1, 2024, to Aug. 31, 2025, for 2026 values), or that your home was not valued equitably with similar ones.

1. Department of Real Estate Assessments. File by the deadline on your notice. For 2026 it was March 2, by postmark, using the county’s online appeal application.
2. Board of Equalization. The 2026 deadline was April 15. If you have no answer from the department by April 1, file with the board anyway to keep your rights.
3. Circuit Court. The last step is a lawsuit.

Tax relief

• Older and disabled homeowners: the county’s Real Estate Tax Relief program exempts or defers tax for owners 65 and older, or totally and permanently disabled, who live in the home. For 2026, household income up to $63,104 gets a full exemption, with 75%, 50% and 25% exemptions up to $112,187 and a deferral up to $139,551. Assets other than the home cannot top $515,200. The 2026 deadline is Monday, Nov. 16. Call 703-228-1350.
• Disabled veterans: the home of a veteran with a 100% service-connected permanent and total disability, or of the surviving spouse, can be exempt. Call 703-228-3920.
• Car tax relief: for 2026, state relief covers the first $4,000 of a qualifying personal vehicle’s value in full and 13% of the value from $4,001 to $20,000. Value above $20,000 gets none.

What this means for you

• The second half of the 2026 bill was due Oct. 5. If you missed it, pay now to stop the second penalty.
• Older or disabled homeowners have until Nov. 16 to apply for 2026 relief.
• Check your new assessment as soon as it arrives in January.

Related guides: Arlington home prices, moving to Arlington and who to call at the county government.

Frequently asked questions

What is the property tax rate in Arlington County, Virginia?

The base real estate tax rate for 2026 is $1.053 per $100 of assessed value, up 2 cents from $1.033. The County Board adopted it 4-1 on April 22, 2026.

When are Arlington County real estate taxes due?

In two equal halves, due June 15 and Oct. 5. A due date on a weekend or holiday moves to the next business day.

How much is the average property tax bill in Arlington?

The county said the 2-cent increase adds $466 a year to the average homeowner’s bill, based on an average home value of $882,900. At $1.053, that home owes about $9,297 a year.

How do I appeal my Arlington property assessment?

File with the Department of Real Estate Assessments by the deadline on your January notice (March 2 in 2026), then with the Board of Equalization (April 15 in 2026) if needed. Call 703-228-3920.

When is the Arlington car tax due?

Vehicle personal property tax is due Oct. 5. The rate is $5 per $100 of assessed value, with state tax relief covering the first $4,000 of a qualifying car’s value in full.