Virginia Law

A. In any case where a business subject to a local license tax is located partially within a county, city or town and partially within another county, city or town by reason of the boundary line between such political subdivisions passing through such place of business, the situs for the local license of such business shall be each county, city or town in which any part of such place of business is located. If a local license tax is measured by the volume of business done, the volume allocable to each political subdivision for measuring the local license tax levied by it shall be such proportion of the total volume of business done at such place of business as the area within that political subdivision, which such place of business actually occupies and actively uses in connection with such business, bears to the total area which such place of business actually occupies and actively uses in connection with such business. And in every such case, if a local license tax is a flat tax, the amount thereof shall be adjusted so as to constitute such proportion of the entire flat license tax levied by the political subdivision as the area within that political subdivision, which such place of business actually occupies and actively uses in connection with such business, bears to the total area which such place of business actually occupies and actively uses in connection with such business. The word "area," as used in this section, means the area of the land actually occupied by the building or structure constituting the place of business; but if such place of business actually occupies and actively uses only a part of such building or structure, the land area below such part shall be the land area which shall be used in making the apportionment, whether or not such building or structure contains one story or floor or more than one story or floor. If the place of business is of such nature that inventories are kept or stored outside of a building or structure, then the land area used in keeping or storing such inventories, together with the land area actually occupied by any building or structure, or part thereof, which is actually occupied and actively used in connection with such business shall constitute the land area for making the apportionment. If the place of business has a parking area contiguous thereto for the use of its vehicles or those of its customers to the exclusion of any other business, such area shall be included in the word "area" as used in this section. If the place of business has a contiguous parking area used in common with other places of business, such parking area shall be apportioned for the purpose of this section among such places of business in the ratio of their total areas to the whole parking area, and the area so apportioned shall be included within the word "area" as used in this section.

B. Any person whose place of business comes within the provisions of subsection A of this section and who considers himself aggrieved by the imposition upon him of a local license tax, may, at any time during the license year, apply for relief to any court of record having jurisdiction in any county or city involved, and the court shall issue against each such county or city a rule to show cause why relief should not be granted. The rule shall be served on the attorney for the Commonwealth for the county or on the city attorney for the city, as the case may be. The court shall hear the case without a jury and shall render judgment declaring the proper tax to be paid, and granting such relief as may be proper. In any case where the court finds that the tax imposed was excessive, no costs shall be awarded against the taxpayer, nor shall he be liable for penalty or interest on such tax if he pays the tax before the expiration of fifteen days after final judgment.

Code 1950, § 58-266.4; 1954, c. 517; 1978, c. 433; 1984, c. 675.