The City of Manassas does not pro-rate taxes. If the vehicle was owned on January 1st of the tax year, then taxes must be paid for the full calendar year.
See "Exemption Information" on the Commissioner of Revenue's home page.
If you do not receive a bill, contact the Treasurer's Office before the due date at (703) 257-8242. The appropriate information can be given over the telephone. Virginia law requires that the Treasurer mail bills for taxes at least 14 days prior to the due date. The policy of the Manassas City Treasurer's Office is to mail bills at least 30 days prior to the due date. However, if a bill is not delivered on time, the taxpayer is not relieved of the penalty and interest charge required by law for late payment. The law clearly states that the taxpayer is required to know the due date, determine the amount owed and pay it on time, even when a bill is not received by the taxpayer.
Why am I responsible for the entire tax bill although I just bought the property recently?
Under Virginia law, Real Property is assessed for the entire year in the name of the owner as of January 1st of the year. The purchaser at a sale is required to see that the proceeds from the sale are applied at settlement to any taxes and levies assessed on the Real Estate. The liability is prorated between the buyer and the seller, but the lien which arises from a delinquency attaches to the land. If you buy property, your settlement attorney must ascertain all taxes due and prorate them for payment out of settlement. If you have sold the property referred to on the tax bill and another person has assumed responsibility for payment, please return the bill to us with information as to the new owner.
If you received the bill, it is the original and not a copy. The mortgage company must request each tax bill every billing period. If your mortgage was sold or if you recently refinanced, it's possible your mortgage company did not request the tax bill. Forward the bill to the mortgage company and ask them to request the bill from us in the future.