Amherst County, Virginia

Real Estate Tax Relief for the Elderly & Handicapped

If you are 65 years years old or older on January 1 of the tax year or 100% disabled, earn less than $50,000 in income from all sources, and have less than $150,000 in net worth, you may be entitled to an exemption on your Real Estate Tax or Mobile Home Tax.  Applications for relief from Real Estate Tax or Mobile Home Tax must be filed annually between January 15 and March 31.  Applications are available and must be filed with the Commissioner of the Revenue.  For an application or if you have any questions, please call (434) 946-9310.

The County's financial condition is reported in the County's Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR), which is prepared by an outside auditing firm. Their findings are published annually and must be submitted to the Auditor of Public Accounts for the State of Virginia. This document provides a complete overview of all revenues and expenditures of the County.

• Drywall repair and painting
• Residential reroofing
• Residential exterior siding
• Tents that cover 900 square feet or less and have an occupant load of less than 50 persons
• Fences
• Floor coverings and porch/deck flooring; and/or
• One-story detached residential accessory structures under 256 square feet (including detached prefabricated structures under 256 square feet).*
• Swimming pools with less than 150 square feet of surface water, and less than 5000 gallons capacity, and less than 24 inches of water depth*

       * Zoning permit still required. 

Sources:

·         2007 NASS Census of Agriculture

·         2006 Virginia Equine Survey Report

·         2008 Virginia Department of Forestry

To establish water service as a new customer or an existing customer, please call us at (434)845-1605.

The Amherst County 9-1-1 Communications Center serves as the public safety answering point (PSAP). The center takes calls for and dispatches the Amherst County Sheriff's Office, Amherst Town Police, Amherst Fire Department, Amherst Life Saving Crew, Monelison Fire and Rescue Department, Pedlar Fire, Amherst County Animal Control. The center answers and makes over 140,000 phone calls per year and dispatches over 39,000 calls of service. Even though the Amherst County 911 Center has multiple functions, there are two primary job functions within the Communications Center.

1. Receiving Incoming Calls. When a telephone call is received by the Center either via 911 or on a non-emergency line, the telecommunicater collects the information from the caller.

2. Dispatching The Call. The operator then dispatches the call to the appropriate agency or agencies.

The center is composed of four consoles that contain three computers each in addition to the 911 phone system. Each console has a computer for computer aided dispatch (CAD), mapping and our 800mhz radio system. Our Computer Aided Dispatch system is provided by IDNetworks and our 911 mapping is provided by MSAG. Amherst County is part of the regional radio system along with the City of Lynchburg and Bedford County.

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• If you have a particular art or craft talent and would like to teach a class, please contact the Recreation Department at 434-946-9371 

Sheriff Ayers was elected is November 2023 and began his term in 2024. He can be reached at

ljayers@amherstsheriff.org   

1. Enforcement of state, county, and town laws dealing with domestic animals.
2. Investigation of aminal attacks on humans, domestic animals, dangerous and vicious animals, reports of severe animal cruelty, dogs attacking livestock, and possible rabid animals, or possible human or animal exposure to wildlife when rabies is a concern.
3. Investigations of animal cruelty.
4. Removal of stray dogs from streets and public areas.
5. Pick up stray animals from residences and businesses.
6. Regulations and inspections of private and commercial kennels.
7. Dog license enforcement.
8. Rabies vaccination enforcement for dogs and cats.

Tax rates are set each year by the Board of Supervisors during the month of April.

Personal Property Tax Due Dec 5th

All cities and counties in Virginia have a personal property tax. Amherst County taxes vehicles (cars, trucks, buses, motorcycles, motor homes), camping trailers, boat trailers, utility trailers, recreational vehicles, mobile homes, boats, and business furniture, equipment, inventory, machinery, and tools. Assessments are based on 100% of the NADA Car Guide clean trade value as of January 1st of each year. If the vehicle is not listed in the NADA Car Guide, the assessment is 90% of the cost. Code of VA Section 58.1-3518 requires every taxpayer owning any personal property subject to taxation (vehicles, boats, trailers, motorcycles, camping trailers) shall file a return by May 1 with the Commissioner of the Revenue.

Military VA Residents

All vehicles owned by a military individual who claims Virginia as their legal state of residence are subject to Personal Property tax.

Vehicles Sold, Junked or Moved Out of Amherst County

PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX RELIEF ACT

What is the Personal Property Tax Relief?

The Personal Property Tax Relief Act of 1998 provides tax relief for passenger cars, motorcycles, and pickup or panel trucks having a registered gross weight of less than 7,501 pounds. To qualify, a vehicle must: 1) be owned by an individual or leased by an individual under a contract requiring the individual to pay personal property taxes; AND 2) be used less than 50% for business purposes. Motor homes, trailers, and farm-use vehicles do not qualify for tax relief.

Does your vehicle qualify for Car Tax Relief?

If you can answer YES to any of the following questions, your motor vehicle is considered by State Law to have a business use and does NOT qualify for Car Tax Relief. 1) Is more than 50% of the mileage for the year used as a business expense for Federal Income Tax purposes OR reimbursed by an employer?; 2) Is more than 50% of the depreciation associated with the vehicle deducted as a business expense for Federal Income Tax purposes?; 3) Is the cost of the vehicle expensed pursuant to Section 179 of the Internal Revenue Service Code?; 4) Is the vehicle leased by an individual and the leasing company pays the tax without reimbursement from the individual? **Please note** Starting January 1, 2012, high mileage will be taken into consideration if a 762 Personal Property form is filed before May 1. Provide a copy of the vehicle's last inspection receipt for proof of mileage.

Business Personal Property Tax To Be Filed By May 1st and Tax Due Dec 5th

Business Personal Property Tax is assessed to each business on the property used in the trade or business (such as furniture, fixtures, equipment, inventory, machinery, and tools) owned on January 1st. Business Personal Property Tax Returns must be filed with the Commissioner of the Revenue on or before May 1st. Businesses must provide a list of properties indicating the description, date of purchase, and original cost for each item. If you do not receive a form, please contact the Commissioner of the Revenue.

We currently mail out business personal property returns to all businesses currently on our tax rolls as of January 1 of each year.

The Virginia Employment Commission publishes a community profile report for all localities in Virginia. This Demographic Profile provides an in-depth analysis of the population in Amherst County. Most of the data is produced by the U.S. Census Bureau and includes demographic characteristics such as age, race/ethnicity, and gender.

Click Here for the Amherst County Community Profile

Please note that our payment system is hosted on a separate, secure server.

The address in your browser will be 

Pay Bill Here

To Make Partial Payments, Click Here

The purpose of the child protective services program is to protect children; support and preserve families, when possible; arrange protective and other needed services; and prevent maltreatment.

Child Abuse & Neglect Definitions:

• Causes or threatens to cause a non-accidental physical or mental injury; 
• Neglects or refuses to provide adequate food, clothing, shelter, emotional, nurturing, or health care; 
• Abandons the child; 
• Fails to provide adequate supervision in relationship to the child's age and level of development; and 
• Commits or allows to be committed any illegal sexual act upon a child, including incest, rape, fondling, indecent exposure, prostitution, or allows a child to be used in any sexual explicit visual material.

Fire service in Amherst County is served by dedicated volunteers in three departments Amherst, Monelison and Pedlar with each having primary service areas in the county.  Three non-jurisdictional departments also provide first due response service in an effort to provide quicker response to these areas of the county. Public Safety personnel cross trained in EMS and Fire suppression also provide support to the volunteers as needed.  Each department is assigned a primary response area and also acts as backup response for other departments.

Volunteer fire service began in Amherst County in 1917 with Amherst Fire Department. It was after a large devastating fire swept through the Amherst livery stable, Meeks Building, and the Hill Hardware Lumberyard that the citizens decided a local department was needed. Amherst Fire was the only First Department between Charlottesville and Lynchburg. 

In 1959, the Monelison Volunteer Fire Department was founded by a group of individuals with one common goal: To protect the lives and property of the citizens of Amherst County.  At that time, there was one truck and one station.

In 1975, the men and women in the Pedlar area of Amherst County formed Pedlar Fire and Rescue to serve the citizens in the north western portion of the county.

During the years, Amherst County fire service has grown to a total of five fire stations, 8 engines, three tankers, four brush trucks, 2 squad trucks, 1 ladder truck, 2 Sport utility vehicles, 1 ATV and 100 volunteers.  It is a multi-million dollar business with a critical mission for our community and dedicated personnel.

We are forever grateful for all the men and women who worked so diligently to create, form, develop and establish the standards before us within each of these organizations.  Their commitment and dedication to their fellow citizens are the reason we are here today.  In addition to this group, are the many volunteers that have come and gone over the years that have maintained the traditions and brought these agencies to this point. 

The history of our existence is important and equally important is the future which is in our hands.  We must never lose focus about our purpose which is to provide fire and EMS services to Amherst County in a safe and professional manner.  It takes the contribution of the public, local government, the communication system and both volunteer and career personnel to make the system work.

Note: § 18.2-144.2 A of the Code of Virginia states: "It shall be unlawful for any person to deliver or release any animal to a pound, animal shelter or humane society,...or to any similar facility for animals, or any agent thereof, and to falsely represent to such facility or agent that such a person is the owner of the animal."

 Chief Deputy:  James E. Begley    jebegley@amherstsheriff.org

You may purchase a dog license at the Animal Care Center or the Treasure's office in Amherst, Virginia.

1. You need to mail a certified or registered letter to the person who wrote the check to you. Sending it to the address on the check or the last known address of the person who wrote it meets this requirement. The letter should tell the person they have ten days from receipt of the letter to make the check good before you attempt to bring charges against him/her.
2. Make sure you make a copy of the letter.
3. Ensure you keep the receipt of the registered or certified letter and bring it with you to court.
4. Bring the check with you to court as well (along with the person who took the check and can identify the defendant)

Businesses located in the County of Amherst are required to obtain a Business license. The license tax is based on gross receipts. Businesses must file a renewal application and pay the license fee by May 1 of each year. The business must be approved by the Zoning Office (434) 946-9303 prior to issuance of the license. If the business has a trade name, they must register their trade name with the Clerk of Circuit Court (434) 946-9321.

If gross receipts are under $50,000, you pay a $10.00 license tax. If the amount of gross receipts is over $50,000, see the rates listed below.

• Contractors - $.13 per $100 of gross receipts
• Services - $.31 per $100 of gross receipts
• Professional - $.50 per $100 of gross receipts
• Itinerant Merchants - $200.00 - 30 days or $500.00 annually.
• Peddlers - $50.00 annually
• Door to Door - $20.00 annually

Businesses that are obtaining a business license for the first time will estimate their gross receipts for the year. All businesses that have operated previously and are renewing their license may need to provide proof of gross receipts (Schedule C, or Corporate return) if audited by the Commissioner.

Amherst County Voting Precincts :

 

Extension can help you and your family with these concerns and many more. Extension has programs and resources to enable families to make better decisions and improve their quality of life. Also, there are five Family and Community Education clubs, which meet regularly to share educational information. Membership is open to everyone and new clubs may be organized where there is interest and available leadership. Call or visit our office for assistance and programs relating to the home and family.

Amherst County Recycling Centers

Inspections

The goal of any State and County fire code is the prevention of fires and the loss of life. It is the responsibility of the Fire Marshal's Office to ensure public buildings and other places of assembly comply with these codes.   Our ongoing inspection priorities are those that do not change from year to year. These priorities include public and private schools, daycare facilities and licensed educational facilities.  We are also in the process of developing a program to inspect local restaurants.   

To report suspected fire code violations call 434-946-9307.

If a fire can not be prevented, a clear cause must be determined. The ability to examine a fire scene and reconstruct the sequence of events that took place that caused a fire is part science and part skill. Skills are used to examine burn patterns and characteristics while science is used to analyze materials that burned or may have failed. When put together, a clear picture of how a fire started usually begins to take shape. It is the skilled fire investigator that can put these two together to know who, what, how, and when a fire started. 

Knowing how a fire started can provide valuable information that can lead to safer products and process that we use daily. Defective products can be recalled, and the public can be educated on how best to prevent similar fires in the future. 

Some fires may not be accidental in nature. Intentionally set fires (arson) account for tens of thousands of fires annually. In instances where an arson fire is suspected, Amherst County Fire Investigators team up with Amherst County Sheriff's Office Investigators or the Virginia State Police to solve the crime. 

Report Arson

If you know of a suspected arson fire in Amherst County, call 434-946-9307.

PUBLIC DISPLAY OF FIREWORKS

The following is the Amherst County Code for the use of fireworks:

Sec. 11.5-56.  Purpose of division.

The regulations contained in this division are hereby adopted to provide for the issuance of permits to fair associations, amusement parks and organizations and groups of individuals for the display of fireworks, and to regulate the use and display of fireworks upon the granting of such permits.

(Ord. of 9-16-03(2); Ord. of 6-15-04(3))

Sec. 11.5-57.  Filing and contents of application for permit.

(a)   Written application for a permit to display fireworks shall be made, in triplicate, to the director of public safety stating the time, place, type of fireworks and circumstances under which they are proposed to be displayed. Each such application shall name at least one (1) person who shall participate in displaying the fireworks and who has had experience in displaying the type of fireworks proposed to be displayed. Each application shall include a diagram of where the fireworks will be ignited and where spectators will be located. An on-site visit will be conducted by the department of public safety to insure all safety precautions as described in NFPA Code 11-23, "Display of Fireworks" are met.

(b)   No permit shall be issued until the applicant files with the director of public safety a certificate of insurance in the amount of at least one million dollars ($1,000,000.00) combined single limit for bodily injury and property damage. This insurance policy shall become available for the payment of any damage rising from the acts or omissions of the applicant, his agents or his employees in connection with the display of aerial fireworks. The applicant shall ensure that the insurance policy is in effect at the time of the commencement of the activities authorized by the permit, and remains continuously in effect until such activities are completed.

(Ord. of 9-16-03(2); Ord. of 6-15-04(3))

Sec. 11.5-58.  Approval of permit application.

Upon approval of an application for a permit to display fireworks, the director of public safety shall write across such application the word "approved", and the application shall be dated and signed by him.

(Ord. of 9-16-03(2); Ord. of 6-15-04(3))

Sec. 11.5-59.  Approved application constitutes permit; disposition of copies of application.

One (1) copy of each application for a permit to display fireworks shall be kept on file by the director of public safety until after the date the fireworks are displayed, and two (2) copies, after being approved as provided in section 11.5-58, which will then become a permit to display fireworks, shall be returned to the applicant, who shall keep one (1) copy on file for sixty (60) days after displaying such fireworks, and one (1) copy shall be in possession of the person in charge of displaying the fireworks at the time and place they are being displayed.

(Ord. of 9-16-03(2); Ord. of 6-15-04(3))

Sec. 11.5-60.  Term of permit.

A permit for the display of fireworks shall be valid only for a period of thirty (30) days from the date affixed to the permit application by the director of public safety pursuant to section 11.5-58, and all fireworks covered by such permit shall be displayed or discharged within such period.

(Ord. of 9-16-03(2); Ord. of 6-15-04(3))

Sec. 11.5-61.  Storage of fireworks prior to use.

Prior to the use of fireworks pursuant to a permit provided for in this division, they shall be stored in a metal container in a building of masonry, concrete or other firm construction, so that members of the public cannot have access to them, and such fireworks shall not be stored in the county for a period in excess of thirty (30) consecutive days from the date affixed to the permit application by the director of public safety pursuant to section 11.5-58.

(Ord. of 9-16-03(2); Ord. of 6-15-04(3))

Sec. 11.5-62.  Authorized participants.

The director of public safety and the applicant shall work together to determine the maximum number of persons who shall participate in displaying fireworks at one (1) time, and all such persons shall be over the age of twenty-one (21) years old.

(Ord. of 9-16-03(2); Ord. of 6-15-04(3))

Sec. 11.5-63.  Regulation of spectators.

No spectator or member of the public, other than those who are participating indisplaying or discharging fireworks pursuant to a permit provided for in this division, shall be allowed closer than two hundred (200) feet to the point at which the fireworks are to be discharged. In no case shall a display be fired within five hundred (500) feet of a school, theater, church, hospital, or similar institution.

(Ord. of 9-16-03(2); Ord. of 6-15-04(3))

If an Animal Control Officer brings your animal to the Center, there will be an additional $10.00

Parks Passport Instructions and Booklet

https://www.countyofamherst.com/egov/documents/1698161290_84558.pdf

The Health Department is also responsible for confining domestic animals that bite people or expose them to rabies and for testing potentially rabid animals.

• Amherst County Animal Care & Control:  434.946.9300
• Amherst County Health Department:  434.946.9408

State Income Tax

The Commissioner of the Revenue office offers free state income tax preparation to Amherst County citizens, as well as the necessary forms to file.

In order for this office to assist you please provide a completed copy of your Federal tax return, and your W-2's.

Food & Beverage Tax

Any business offering prepared food and beverages served with a meal (including alcoholic beverages) are required to levy a 6 percent tax.

The Commissioner will provide the necessary forms that are due on or before the 20^th of each month.

Lodging Tax

Any motel, hotel or inn in Amherst County that provides lodging for compensation shall impose a 5 percent tax on the total amount paid for lodging.

The Commissioner will provide the necessary forms that are due on or before the 20^th of each month.

In Amherst County, Virginia, any dog four months old or older must be vaccinated against rabies and be licensed with the county. This is required by the Amherst County Dog Ordinance and Virginia State Law. In accordance with Virginia Code Section 3.1-796-87.1, area veterinarians are required to notify localities when a rabies vaccination is given. The Treasurer shall send an application to the owner; then, the owner must sign and return the application and fee.

To purchase a dog license in Amherst County, Virginia you must present a valid rabies vaccination certificate to the Treasurer or Deputy Treasurer. The license can be mailed if the dog owner so desires. To obtain a Kennel License, inspection and approval of the kennel must be granted by the dog warden. He/she will issue a certificate to obtain the kennel license.

Dog Licenses are sold at the Treasurers Office at 100 Goodwin Street , Amherst, Virginia 24521 and Amherst County Service Authority Office, Phelps Rd., Madison Heights, Virginia 24572.