- When do tax bills go out?
As a courtesy, tax bills are mailed in the middle of July to the last known
owner of real estate or to the last known address that we have on file for the taxpayer.
The county tax year runs from July 1st to June 30th. You are
assessed on what real estate is deeded in your name and what vehicles you have titled
in your name on July 1 of the previous year. For example: the 2022 taxes that were
mailed in July of 2022 are based on what the taxpayer had deeded or titled in his/her
name on July 1st of 2021.
- What does Additional Unpaid Tickets Exist or Prior Tickets Exist mean when printed
on my bill?
- If Additional Unpaid Tickets Exist or Prior Tickets Exist is printed on a tax
bill it usually means that the previous years taxes are unpaid. It will print on
all tax bills if taxes are not paid by May 1st. For example: If you pay your 2022
taxes on May 3rd of 2023, the 2023 tax bills you will receive in July will have
one of the two statements printed on the bill.
- It can also be printed on your bill as a flag for the tax deputy to take a closer
look at the bill to ascertain if there is a back tax or if the piece of real estate
is split into two tax classes.
- Who do I make my check payable to?
Please make checks payable to: The Sheriff of Brooke County
Mailing address is: 202 Courthouse Square Wellsburg, WV 26070-1748 Attn: Tax Office
- Can I get a discount on my taxes?
- Yes, if the first half of your taxes is paid anytime up to and including September
1st of the current tax year, you will receive a 2.5% discount.
- After September 1st and up to and including September 30th, the first half will
be the base amount of taxes per year which can be found in the upper right hand
corner of the tax bill.
- After October 1st, interest of .75% will be added to your total on the first of
every month at a rate of 9% for the entire year if the taxes go unpaid.
- I got a real and a personal property tax bill, am I being double billed? It looks
like I am paying school, state, county etc… twice.
Each bill provides a detailed breakdown of what and where the base amount of your
tax dollars are going. The total of the breakdown amounts to the school, state,
county etc… is the full year of your taxes calculated as the base amount (upper
right hand corner of the tax bill) times two.
- I did not get my second half tax bill. When is it due?
- We do not send out second half notices of taxes due. The tax bill you receive
one time in July has both payments outlined on it.
- The bottom portion of your tax bill outlines the second half year payment
amount that is due in the month you choose to pay it. If you only pay your first
half, the bottom section outlines your second half payment with the starting due
date of March 1st.
- Taxes are considered delinquent April 1st, and if any taxes are still owed as
of May 1st, then by law the tax amount and your name will be published with fees
added.
- I got my personal property tax bill but I no longer own property that is listed
on my bill.
The taxes are assessed on vehicles you owned on July 1st of the previous year. For
example: If you titled a vehicle on June 30th of 2022, you will pay taxes on that
vehicle for the 2023 tax year. If you titled a vehicle on July 2nd 2022, you will
pay taxes on that vehicle starting with the 2024 tax year.
- I have a high mileage vehicle. Can I get a discount?
High mileage vehicle discounts are handled in the Assessor's office between July
1st and October 1st. The Assessor's staff will determine the valuation discount,
if any, based on vehicle year and mileage. If the valuation is lowered, the next
year's tax bill will be reduced.
- Do you accept credit cards?
We now are able to accept credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover).
Convenience fees apply as follows and are paid directly to the payment processing company.
- Credit card 2.5% - minimum of $2.00
-
Debit card $3.95 fee up to $500.00 or 2.5% over $500.00
- Can I pay my taxes online?
Yes! We're proud to be one of the first counties in West Virginia offering this payment option. Similar to above, there is a convenience fee paid to processing company for this. If a ticket is payable online, you'll see a link on the ticket detail screen. When you click this link, the ticket will be added to your payment cart. When you've added all of your tickets to the payment cart, click the Pay Now button to complete your payment.
- Real Estate Transfers
- As a new owner or seller of real estate, it is very important that the details
of the taxes are outlined clearly during your closing. If you have an attorney or
a realtor working with you on the sale or purchase, responsibility should be assigned
at that time. The tax office is unable to tell you who owes them. We try to notify
the current owner as it would be in their best interest that the taxes are paid
to prevent the sale of the real estate.
- As a new owner, it is probable that the following years taxes will still be printed
and mailed to the previous owner. The tax bill will not be changed until a deed
has been filed and a copy is received in the assessor’s office.
- The Homestead Exemption
- You can apply for the Homestead exemption at the Assessor's office on the first July 1st following your
64th birthday.
- For example if your turn 64 in March of 2023, you can apply on July 1st, 2023.
However if you turn 64 on July 2nd 2023, you must wait until July 1, 2024.
- If you are on total disability, you may apply for the Homestead by bringing in
your award letter to the assessors office and sign-up.
- The Homestead exemption is not a full exemption. The exemption covers the first
$20,000 of the assessed value on the property in which you live.
- Delinquent Taxes/Land Sale
- Taxes become delinquent April 1st and are published with fees added on May 1st.
- If real estate taxes go unpaid, certified letters are mailed to the last known
owner or a known new owner of the real estate in September of the year following the original tax year.
- Pursuant to SB 552 (passed for 2022) taxes that go unpaid on any real estate will be certified to the state auditor's office at the close of business October 31. There will no longer be a tax lien sale at the courthouse in November.
-Redemptions are handled by the Auditor's office - Phone: (304) 558-2262 - Please allow 2 weeks after November 1st for the auditor's office to process the certification data.
- Where can I find more information about property taxes?
Additional information can be found at www.legis.state.wv.us
under WV Code Chapter 11A.
- Can I renew my vehicle registration at the tax office?
-We issue 1 year renewals for class A vehicles if expired less than 90 days. We also issue renewals for most specialty plates. No motorcycles or handicapped plates-contact DMV.
If you own a different class of vehicle, you may call us at 1-304-737-3663 to inquire
as to whether we can assist you.