Virginia Beach Local Vehicle License Fee Exemptions for Veterans and Service Members

Virginia Beach charges a local vehicle license fee with state registration, collected by DMV: $30 for a car or pickup of 4,000 pounds or less, $35 for a heavier one up to 7,500 pounds, and $23 for a motorcycle, under City Code section 35-280. Section 35-284(4) waives the fee on one motor vehicle owned and personally used by a disabled veteran, and by each surviving spouse of a disabled veteran, who is exempt from the state registration fee. DMV's chart of Virginia Beach exemptions, which DMV applies at registration, lists one vehicle of a veteran with Disabled Veteran plates and the DMV disabled veteran exemption, one vehicle with Disabled Veteran plates owned by a surviving spouse, and any vehicle with Prisoner of War or Medal of Honor plates. The surviving spouse, Prisoner of War, and Medal of Honor waivers are the city's choice under section 46.2-752; only the veteran's own vehicle is required by state law. The city code cites stale section numbers. Section 35-284 refers to "Code of Virginia, § 46.2-756(B)" for the disabled veteran exemption and to "§ 46.2-739(B)" for the registration fee waiver. The local fee bar is now section 46.2-755(B), and the registration fee waiver is subsection C of section 46.2-739; subsection B is the parking plate. Section 35-278(a) also exempts any vehicle owned solely by a person in active military service who is in the city only because of military orders and whose legal residence is another state. DMV's chart says the service member shows a current Leave and Earnings Statement to the Commissioner of the Revenue each year, all owners of a jointly owned vehicle must meet the test, and a leased vehicle does not qualify.