Virginia Law

As used in this chapter, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the terms "commissioner" and "commissioner of the revenue" shall be interpreted to include both city and county commissioners of the revenue. The term shall also include the director of finance and any other officer of any county or city if such officer performs any or all of the duties of the commissioner of the revenue described herein.

1984, c. 675.

Each county commissioner of the revenue shall keep an office at the county seat of his county or at such other point in the county as the governing body of the county deems to be more convenient to a majority of its citizens.

Code 1950, § 58-853; 1984, c. 675.

The jurisdiction, powers and duties of commissioners shall not extend beyond the bounds of their respective counties or cities.

Code 1950, § 58-854; 1984, c. 675.

Each commissioner shall begin annually, on the first day of January, to discharge the duties prescribed by law. As part of his duties each commissioner of the revenue shall ascertain and assess, at fair market value, all subjects of taxation in his county or city on the first day of January in each year, except as otherwise provided by law. For each such assessment of local mobile property tax as defined in § 58.1-3983.1, prior to the time that any tax with respect to such assessment is due, the commissioner or other local tax official shall provide in writing to each applicable taxpayer: (i) the amount of the assessment and a description of the property; (ii) the valuation method used; (iii) the date the applicable taxes will be due; and (iv) a description of the procedures available to the taxpayer and the records required should he wish to appeal the assessment.

Code 1950, §§ 58-855, 58-864; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 4; 1984, c. 675; 2004, c. 534.

The commissioner shall apply for and be entitled to the official books and papers of his predecessor. The person in possession of such materials shall deliver them upon application.

Code 1950, § 58-856; 1984, c. 675.

The Tax Commissioner shall provide instructions to the commissioners of the revenue in respect to their duties.

Code 1950, § 58-857; 1984, c. 675.

A. All compensation payable to a commissioner of the revenue shall be paid pursuant to § 15.2-1636.13.

B. The compensation allowed to a commissioner shall not be paid unless he has punctually performed his duties in reference to the assessment of property and licenses and has made all reports required within the time prescribed by law or can show to the satisfaction of the Department of Taxation a sufficient reason for his delay.

Code 1950, §§ 58-890, 58-891; 1984, c. 675.

Each commissioner of the revenue shall obtain full and complete tax returns from every taxpayer within his jurisdiction who is liable under the law to file such return with him for all taxes assessed by his office. This duty of the commissioner of the revenue to obtain such returns shall in no manner diminish the obligation of the taxpayer to file the required returns without being called upon to do so by the commissioner of the revenue or any other officer.

Code 1950, § 58-859; 1984, c. 675.

A. Each commissioner of the revenue shall render such taxpayer assistance as may be necessary for the preparation of any return required by law to be filed with his office. Such commissioners may go to convenient public places within the county or city for the purpose of receiving state and local tax returns. Compliance by the commissioner of the revenue with this section shall not relieve him of the duty to obtain tax returns as required by § 58.1-3107.

B. Each commissioner shall advertise, in some newspaper of general circulation in the city or county, at least once during the seven days prior to the time fixed by law for filing returns without penalty, the location of the commissioner's office, the location of such branch offices as he may establish, and the hours of the day, not less than eight hours each day, during which such office or offices shall be open for business. Such advertisement shall state the time when returns of taxpayers must be filed.

Code 1950, §§ 58-861, 58-862; 1982, cc. 114, 466; 1984, c. 675; 2023, cc. 506, 507.

Each commissioner of the revenue shall:

1. Review the lists of all persons licensed by the commissioner of the revenue and assess, for the current license year, additional license taxes for any person who has reported less than the law requires;

2. Upon investigation, assess the proper license taxes for any person who has without a license conducted any business for which a license is required;

3. Review, in regard to intangible personal property and income, such returns of taxpayers as may be referred to him by the Department of Taxation and report to the Department, for assessment, any additional intangible personal property and income when his review or investigation discloses that such property or income has not been reported for taxation or has been reported for taxation at less than the law requires;

4. Examine causes pending in the courts of his county or city and the records thereof and ascertain and assess all property and income subject to assessment by his office;

5. Require every taxpayer who may not have properly returned to the commissioner of the revenue all of his tangible and intangible personal property, and licenses for the current tax year and the three preceding tax years to make the proper and complete return;

6. Require taxpayers or their agents or any person, firm or officer of a company or corporation to furnish information relating to tangible or intangible personal property, income or license taxes of any and all taxpayers; and require such persons to furnish access to books of account or other papers and records for the purpose of verifying the tax returns of such taxpayers and procuring the information necessary to make a complete assessment of any taxpayer's tangible and intangible personal property, and license taxes for the current tax year and the three preceding tax years;

7. Make such reports to the Department of Taxation as may be required by law or as the rules and regulations adopted by the Tax Commissioner may require;

8. Upon written request of any town treasurer or director of finance or other officer who performs the duties of a treasurer and whose locality is located within such commissioner's jurisdiction, provide the name, address and social security number of any taxpayer who has filed a personal property tax return with such commissioner of the revenue, as long as such town treasurer or director of finance or other officer who performs the duties of a treasurer shall certify that such information is sought in the performance of official duties. Any town official to whom information is furnished pursuant to this provision shall be bound by the provisions and penalties of § 58.1-3; and

9. Notify the animal control officer of the presence of any commercial dog breeder, as defined in § 3.2-6500, operating within the locality.

Code 1950, §§ 58-865, 58-874; 1980, c. 317; 1984, c. 675; 1991, cc. 8, 448; 2008, c. 852.

A. The commissioner may, for the purpose of assessing all taxes assessable by his office, summon the taxpayer or any other person to appear before him at his office, to answer, under oath, questions touching the tax liability of any and all specifically identified taxpayers and to produce documents relating to such tax liability, either or both. For the purposes of administering this section, commissioners and their deputies may administer oaths. The commissioner shall not, however, summon a taxpayer or other person for the tax liability of the taxpayer which is the subject of litigation.

B. Any court of competent jurisdiction may, upon the application of the commissioner or his deputy, compel the compliance of a taxpayer summoned or required to produce documents as required by this section.

C. Every writ, warrant, notice, summons, or other process the commissioner is authorized to issue pursuant to general or local law may be served by the commissioner, or his deputy, or may be directed to the sheriff to be served pursuant to § 8.01-292 and executed and returned in like manner as the civil process of a court of competent jurisdiction.

Code 1950, §§ 58-860, 58-874; 1980, c. 317; 1982, c. 536; 1984, c. 675; 1986, c. 35; 1987, c. 377; 2015, c. 378.

Any person who refuses to (i) furnish to the commissioner of the revenue access to books of account or other papers and records, (ii) furnish information to the commissioner of the revenue relating to the assessment of taxes, (iii) answer under oath questions touching any person's tax liability, or (iv) exhibit to the commissioner of the revenue any subject of taxation liable to assessment by the commissioner of the revenue, shall be deemed guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor. Each day's refusal to furnish such access or information shall constitute a separate offense. No person other than the taxpayer shall be convicted under this section unless he has willfully failed to comply with a summons properly issued under § 58.1-3110.

Code 1950, § 58-875; 1980, c. 317; 1984, c. 675; 1990, c. 162; 2002, c. 363.

A. The commissioner of the revenue shall preserve in a permanent file in his office all returns of tangible personal property, machinery and tools, and merchants' capital.

B. The commissioner may, in his discretion, subject to the requirements of the Virginia Public Records Act (§ 42.1-76 et seq.), destroy any returns, collected by the commissioner of the revenue, which have been on file in his office for at least six years after the tax assessment year. Any commissioner who fails to comply with the provisions of this subsection shall be guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor.

C. In lieu of retaining the original returns in his office for at least six years after the tax assessment year, the commissioner, with the consent of the local governing body, may have the original returns copied. Any such copies shall be on a durable medium that complies with the requirements of the Virginia Public Records Act. After copying, the original returns may be destroyed in accordance with the provisions of § 15.2-1412, and the copies shall be retained in accordance with the provisions of subsections A and B of this section, mutatis mutandis. Any such copy may be used in any legal proceeding if the copy is authenticated in accordance with applicable law.

Code 1950, §§ 58-876, 58-877; 1968, c. 627; 1984, c. 675; 1996, c. 323.

All returns which are used for the assessment of intangible personal property shall be transmitted by the commissioner of the revenue to the Department of Taxation at its office in Richmond, after the commissioner of the revenue has recorded the assessments on such property in his assessment books.

Code 1950, § 58-878; 1956, c. 69; 1984, c. 675.

The Department of Taxation shall prescribe the form of the personal property book to be used by the commissioner of the revenue and shall furnish each commissioner of the revenue with three copies of blank personal property books prepared in the form so prescribed. The Department of Taxation shall also prepare and forward to the commissioners of the revenue (i) the printed forms of land or other tax books required by law and (ii) the blank forms of returns to be filed by taxpayers.

Code 1950, §§ 58-858, 58-879; 1981, c. 158; 1984, c. 675.

In making out assessment books, the commissioner of the revenue shall arrange them alphabetically to show the persons chargeable with taxes. When there are two or more persons of the same name, he shall use some distinguishing sign by which the taxpayer may be identified. The address of each taxpayer shall be given.

The commissioner of the revenue shall, in making out the original personal property book and the two copies thereof, follow strictly the form prescribed by the Department of Taxation.

All taxable tangible personal property and all other subjects of taxation not required by law to be assessed on some other book or form shall be entered in the personal property book.

Code 1950, § 58-881; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 4; 1984, c. 675.

Nothing herein contained shall be construed as prohibiting the Department of Taxation from prescribing a separate personal property book for the assessment of state taxes and a separate personal property book for the assessment of local levies.

Code 1950, § 58-882; 1984, c. 675.

All supplemental assessment sheets prescribed by the Department of Taxation and used for the assessment of taxes and levies during any current tax year, after the regular assessment books have been completed, shall be disposed of in the same manner as are the regular assessment books.

Code 1950, § 58-883; 1984, c. 675.

Each commissioner of the revenue shall retain in his office the original personal property book. Each commissioner of the revenue shall deliver one certified copy of the personal property book to the treasurer of his county or city and, if requested by the Department in writing, to the Department of Taxation. The personal property books may be produced in the form of microfilm, microfiche, any other similar microphotographic process, or by electronic means and shall be distributed as designated in that form so long as such process complies with standards adopted pursuant to regulations issued under § 42.1-82 for microfilm, microfiche, other similar microphotographic process, or electronic means and is acceptable to and meets the requirement of the recipients of copies of the personal property book as designated by this section. For failure to deliver the copies in the manner herein provided by September 1 of each year, or within 90 days from the date the rate of tax on personal property has been determined, whichever date shall occur last, the commissioner of the revenue shall be fined not less than $50 nor more than $200 and he shall not be paid any compensation which he may be due, payable out of the state treasury, for making out such books. But the Department of Taxation may, for good cause and upon written notice to the county or city treasurer and local governing body, extend the time of delivery for such books.

The treasurer and the commissioner of the revenue need not preserve copies of the personal property book for a period of longer than six years following the tax year to which such book relates.

Code 1950, § 58-884; 1960, c. 49; 1962, c. 281; 1975, c. 45; 1980, c. 343; 1981, c. 158; 1984, c. 675; 1997, c. 701; 1999, c. 52; 2003, c. 8.

After the commissioner of the revenue has delivered a copy of his personal property book to the county or city treasurer, no alteration shall be made therein which affects the taxes or levies of that year.

Code 1950, § 58-885; 1984, c. 675.

A. If no land book or personal property book was made out for the year immediately preceding the year in which a commissioner takes office, the commissioner of the revenue for such county or city shall proceed to complete books for such year, according to the rate of tax which then existed.

B. All proceedings required by this article in regard to assessment books shall be had with and under the books of such year and the sums charged therein shall be collected and accounted for in like manner.

Code 1950, §§ 58-887, 58-888; 1984, c. 675.

If any commissioner knowingly makes a false entry on any of his books, he shall be guilty of malfeasance in office.

Code 1950, § 58-889; 1984, c. 675.

The Tax Commissioner may communicate any instances of misconduct or neglect of any commissioner, or any evidence of his incapacity, in a letter to the clerk of the circuit court of the county or city wherein such commissioner was elected. The clerk shall promptly present such letter to the circuit court.

Code 1950, §§ 58-892, 58-893; 1984, c. 675.

The commissioner of the revenue may charge a photocopying fee, to a maximum amount of fifty cents per page, for photocopying any papers or records upon a taxpayer's request for information.

1990, c. 42.

The commissioner of the revenue may provide remote access, including access through the Internet, to all nonconfidential public records maintained by his office, subject to such limitations as may be imposed by applicable law. Any system of remote access created or maintained pursuant to this section shall include security measures that preclude remote access users from (i) obtaining any data that is required to be maintained as confidential pursuant to § 58.1-3, the Government Data Collection and Dissemination Practices Act (§ 2.2-3800 et seq.), the Virginia Public Records Act (§ 42.1-76 et seq.), or other applicable law, and (ii) modifying or destroying any record or data in any manner.

1998, c. 235; 2006, c. 474.

A. Each commissioner of the revenue shall provide to the Virginia Economic Development Partnership Authority (the Authority), upon entering into a written agreement, such tax information as may be necessary to facilitate the administration and enforcement by the Authority of performance agreements with businesses that have received incentive awards, the provisions of § 58.1-3 notwithstanding.

B. Any tax information provided to the Authority under this section shall be confidential and shall not be divulged by the Authority. Any tax information so provided shall be used by the Authority solely for the purpose of verifying capital investment claims of those businesses that have received incentive awards.

2017, cc. 804, 824.

A. As used in this chapter, unless the context clearly shows otherwise, the term "treasurer" shall be interpreted to include both city and county treasurers. The term shall also include the director of finance and any other officer of any county or city where such officer performs any or all of the duties of the treasurer described herein.

B. For the purposes of collection of taxes and other charges, unless the context indicates otherwise, the term "treasurer" under this title includes town treasurers, town directors of finance, and any other town officer or employee who performs any of the duties of a town treasurer or town director of finance.

1984, c. 675; 1999, cc. 90, 777.

The office of the county treasurer shall be maintained at the county seat or at such other point in the county as the board of supervisors or other governing body of the county may deem to be more convenient to a majority of the citizens of the county.

Code 1950, § 58-916; 1954, c. 652; 1984, c. 675.

Each circuit court shall enter an order in each year requiring the commissioner of accounts of such court or, if it is improper for such commissioner to act or if there is no commissioner of accounts of such court, then the commissioner of accounts of some other court to be designated in the order, to examine the official bond of the treasurer of such county or city, except when the surety upon the bond is such a surety company as is provided for in § 49-15. Such commissioner shall report to the court at its next term thereafter whether the bond is sufficient in all respects and at the same time certify a copy of such report to the Comptroller. If the bond is reported as insufficient, the court shall make an order requiring the treasurer, within thirty days after he has been served with a copy of the order as a notice, to execute a new bond, which may be given before the court. If such new bond is not given within the time prescribed, the office shall be deemed vacant. The commissioner's fees shall be paid out of the county or city funds.

Code 1950, § 58-917; 1984, c. 675.

The treasurer may require from any deputy such bond with surety as he shall deem necessary for his indemnity. If any deputy fails to collect or, having collected, fails to pay over to his principal, any taxes, levies or funds which he ought to have collected or may have received, such deputy and his sureties shall be liable to such principal, upon motion, for the amount of the deficiency in such taxes, levies or funds, together with damages thereon at the rate of ten percent per month from the time each payment should have been made. They shall also be liable to such principal for all damages sustained by him by reason of any other default or misconduct in office by such deputy.

Code 1950, § 58-918; 1984, c. 675.

A. Each treasurer shall receive the state revenue and the levies and other amounts payable into the treasury of the political subdivision of the Commonwealth served by the treasurer. Such treasurer shall account for and pay over the revenue received in the manner provided by law.

B. The treasurer shall keep a correct account of all moneys received and disbursed by him. The treasurer shall keep subject to the provisions of § 58.1-3, the books, papers and moneys pertaining to his office at all times ready for inspection of the attorney for the Commonwealth or governing body or any taxpayer of the county and shall, when required by such attorney, governing body or any judge of a court of record, exhibit a statement of his accounts and the books containing a list of the warrants drawn upon him.

Code 1950, §§ 58-919, 58-958; 1984, c. 675.

All amounts to be received or expended by any department or agency, or department or agency head, of a political subdivision of the Commonwealth by virtue of a federal grant, gift, or forfeiture or other disposition of federal funds shall be made payable to the treasury or treasurer of the political subdivision and shall not be made payable to such department or agency, or department or agency head. Accounting and disbursement provisions of § 58.1-3127 shall apply to such amounts.

1989, c. 167.

A. The treasurer may, for the purpose of collecting all taxes due, summon the taxpayer or any other person to appear before him at his office, to answer, under oath, questions touching the tax liability of any and all taxpayers and to produce documents relating to such tax liability, either or both. For the purposes of administering this section, treasurers and their deputies may administer oaths.

B. Any person who refuses to answer, under oath, questions touching any person's tax liability shall be deemed guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor. Each days' refusal to answer such questions shall constitute a separate offense. Any court of competent jurisdiction may, upon the application of the treasurer or his deputy, compel the compliance of a taxpayer summoned or required to produce documents as required by this section.

C. Every writ, warrant, notice, summons or other process the treasurer is authorized to issue pursuant to general or local law may be served by the treasurer, or his deputy or designee, or may be directed to the sheriff to be served pursuant to § 8.01-292 and executed and returned in like manner as the civil process of a court of competent jurisdiction.

1984, c. 675; 1997, c. 496; 1998, c. 648; 1999, c. 192; 2000, c. 453.

A. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the governing body of any town may, by local ordinance, require that any dealer registered for the collection of the retail sales and use tax, and located within the town annually provide the town treasurer with the amount of sales and use tax collected or assessed and attributable to the sale or use of property within the town.

B. The town treasurer shall transmit all such data to the Auditor of Public Accounts. The data shall be published in the Comparative Report of Local Government Revenues and Expenditures.

1988, c. 456.

A. The treasurer may, with the consent of the governing body, destroy all paid tax tickets at any time after five years from the end of the fiscal year during which taxes represented by such tickets were paid, in accordance with retention regulations pursuant to the Virginia Public Records Act (§ 42.1-76 et seq.).

B. The treasurer may, at any time after the expiration of three years from the date he certifies the lists mentioned in § 58.1-1801 and subdivisions 2 and 4 of § 58.1-3921, and after the expiration of five years from the date he certifies the list mentioned in subdivision 3 of § 58.1-3921, destroy the tax tickets made out by him for the taxes and levies included therein, provided the certification of the Auditor of Public Accounts is obtained to the effect that these tickets are no longer needed for audit purposes.

C. The treasurer may cause records to be destroyed after audit, with the consent of the Auditor of Public Accounts and the Librarian of Virginia, in accordance with retention regulations for records maintained by the treasurer established under the Virginia Public Records Act (§ 42.1-76 et seq.).

D. In lieu of retaining the original tax tickets for at least five years after the end of the fiscal year during which taxes represented by such tickets were paid, the treasurer, with the consent of the Auditor of Public Accounts and the local governing body, may have the original tax tickets copied. Any such copies shall be on a durable medium that complies with the requirements of the Virginia Public Records Act. After copying, the original tax tickets may be destroyed in accordance with the provisions of § 15.2-1412 and the copies shall be retained in accordance with the provisions of subsections A, B and C of this section, mutatis mutandis. Any such copy may be used in any legal proceeding if the copy is authenticated in accordance with applicable law.

Code 1950, §§ 58-919.1, 58-919.2, 58-987; 1956, cc. 372, 634; 1962, c. 502; 1968, c. 442; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 12; 1972, c. 14; 1975, c. 151; 1981, c. 436; 1982, c. 493; 1984, c. 675; 1996, c. 323; 1998, c. 427.

The governing body of any county, city or town, upon petition of the treasurer, may authorize by resolution the destruction of all bonds and bond coupons paid by such fiscal officer or his predecessors after a period of five years from the end of the fiscal year in which such bonds and bond coupons were paid.

The resolution of the governing body shall designate a committee of three persons, one of whom shall be the treasurer, to supervise and witness the destruction of such bonds and bond coupons. The committee shall prepare and execute a certificate setting forth the means by which such paid instruments were destroyed, the issue, series, number and maturity date of the paid bonds so destroyed and the fiscal year in which paid.

Every such certification shall be in such form as shall be prescribed by the governing body and shall be acknowledged in the manner prescribed by law for the acknowledgment of deeds. The certification shall be prepared in duplicate, the original of which shall be made a part of the minutes of the governing body, and the copy thereof shall be retained as a permanent record of the office of the treasurer.

Code 1950, § 58-919.3; 1964, c. 629; 1968, c. 442; 1984, c. 675.

The treasurer shall maintain a record in which he shall make an entry of all warrants and other legal demand instruments legally drawn upon him by the governing body and presented for payment, stating correctly the amount, number, in whose favor drawn and the date such warrant was issued. All such warrants and other legal demand instruments shall be paid, in the order presented, out of the fund drawn upon.

No information contained in the record of warrants and other legal demand instruments, including any invoice that has been presented to a locality for payment, and the locality has attempted to pay it, but the payment has not been completed because electronic payment has failed or a check was mailed but not cashed, shall be released for any purpose except (i) that the local governing body may publish aggregated information relating to warrants and other legal demand instruments paid, as classified by expenditure item, recipient, date, or disbursement, or (ii) as a means of establishing the status of a claim previously reported as having been paid when a person legally entitled to the funds presents evidence that a previously submitted claim has not been paid. In no case, however, shall the governing body of any county, city, or town publish any information that is prohibited from release under federal or state law, including but not limited to confidential records held pursuant to § 58.1-3.

Code 1950, § 58-920; 1984, c. 675; 2003, c. 931; 2011, cc. 485, 597; 2012, c. 88; 2019, c. 31.

No treasurer shall refuse to pay any warrant legally drawn upon him and presented for payment for the reason that a warrant of prior presentation has not been paid, when there is appropriated money in the treasury belonging to the fund drawn upon available and sufficient to pay such prior warrant and also the warrant so presented. However, such treasurer shall, as he may receive money into the treasury belonging to the fund so drawn upon, set such money apart for the payment of warrants previously presented and in the order presented. He shall receive, in payment of the county or city levy, any county or city warrant drawn in favor of any taxpayer, whether such warrant has been entered in the treasurer's book or not. However, if the warrant has been transferred it shall be subject to any county or city levy owing by the taxpayer in whose favor the warrant was issued. When the warrant is for a larger sum than such levy due from the payee or transferee of the warrant, the treasurer shall endorse on the warrant a credit for the amount of the levy so due and such payee or transferee shall execute to the treasurer a receipt for such amount, specifying the number and date of the warrant on which it was credited. The residue of the warrant shall be paid according to the order of its entry in the treasurer's book. Copies of all appropriations, and ordinances and resolutions appropriating funds by the governing body, shall be delivered to the treasurer by the clerk of the governing body.

Code 1950, § 58-921; 1959, Ex. Sess., c. 51; 1984, c. 675.

A. In the payment of any warrants lawfully drawn, the treasurer paying such warrants may first deduct all taxes and other charges due from the party in whose favor the warrant is drawn. If such warrant is insufficient to pay the entire amount due, then such treasurer shall credit the bill for such taxes or other charges by the amount of the warrant.

B. The governing bodies of any two or more localities may enter into compacts by which the treasurer paying such warrants may first deduct taxes and other charges owed to any participating locality that are due from the party in whose favor the warrant is drawn. The governing body of each participating locality shall designate an official to provide notice and an opportunity for a hearing to the party in whose favor the warrant is drawn in a manner that substantially conforms with Article 21 (§ 58.1-520 et seq.) of Chapter 3 of this title prior to applying the warrant to the outstanding debt. Any such compact shall conform substantially to the provisions of the Setoff Debt Collection Act (§ 58.1-520 et seq.). The treasurer deducting moneys from the warrant in accordance with this subsection shall hold such funds and not make payment to the claimant jurisdiction until such jurisdiction certifies that it is entitled to such funds.

Code 1950, § 58-922; 1984, c. 675; 2001, cc. 470, 801; 2002, c. 64.

No warrant or order drawn on any treasurer by the governing body, school board, local board of social services or circuit court shall be paid by the treasurer, unless the warrant or order is presented to be paid and registered in the warrant book within two years from the date of the drawing of the warrant.

Code 1950, § 58-923; 1972, c. 73; 1984, c. 675; 2002, c. 747.

Each treasurer shall furnish an account of his receipts and expenditures and a statement of his account as treasurer as often and in such manner as may be required by the governing body of his county or city, or any court of record of such county or city.

Code 1950, § 58-924; 1984, c. 675.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, upon the death, resignation, removal, retirement or other termination of a treasurer, an audit of all accounts of his office pertaining to state funds shall be performed by the Auditor of Public Accounts at no cost to the county or city. An audit of all such accounts pertaining to local and other funds shall be performed by the Auditor of Public Accounts or an independent certified public accountant, at the option of the local governing body, and the cost thereof shall be paid by such governing body. Audits not performed by the Auditor of Public Accounts shall be performed according to his specifications and a copy of the audit report shall be filed with the Auditor for his approval.

Code 1950, § 58-924.1; 1982, c. 241; 1984, c. 675.

The treasurer shall receive the county levy in the manner prescribed for the receipt of the state revenue and shall, at the August meeting of the governing body of the county, or within thirty days thereafter, settle with the governing body his accounts for that year. Out of the balance shown to be in his hands upon the settlement he shall at once pay all warrants drawn on the appropriations for that year not previously paid, in the order of their presentation. When the treasurer's term of office expires or if he dies, resigns or is removed from office, the treasurer, upon the expiration of his term of office, resignation, or removal, or his personal representative, upon his death, shall immediately make such settlement, showing the amount in his hands to be accounted for and the fund to which such funds belong and deliver to his successor all securities belonging to his office and all money belonging to the county.

Code 1950, § 58-925; 1959, Ex. Sess., c. 51; 1984, c. 675.

Whenever a vacancy in the office of treasurer is filled by appointment, the court or judge making the appointment shall, at the time the appointment is made, if the vacancy exists by reason of the death, resignation or removal from office of the treasurer, order such treasurer or his personal representative, as the case may be, to deliver all books and papers in his possession as treasurer, including all tax tickets for taxes and levies for the current year for which he has not accounted and paid into the treasury, to the officer so appointed. The appointed officer shall prepare and issue a receipt to such treasurer or his personal representative for the material received. When no appointment is made or the officer appointed fails to qualify, the court shall order the deposit of such materials to be made with the clerk of the circuit court, who shall give a receipt therefor and hold such materials subject to the order of the court.

When the term of office of a treasurer expires by limitation he shall deliver forthwith to his successor in office all the books and papers in his possession, including all tax tickets for taxes and levies for the current year for which he has not accounted and paid into the treasury, and take a receipt therefor. The receipt so furnished to any treasurer or his representative shall be allowed as a credit for the amount thereof in the settlement of his account and the amount of tax tickets and levies covered by such receipt shall be charged against his successor in office.

Code 1950, § 58-926; 1984, c. 675.

No treasurer, or any of his deputies, shall, either directly or indirectly, obtain by contract, purchase, barter or exchange, either for himself or any other person, or become the owner, in whole or in part, of any warrant drawn upon the treasury of his county or city or payable out of such treasury, other than a warrant lawfully payable to such treasurer or deputy. If any treasurer or deputy shall so contract for or purchase any such warrant, such treasurer shall not be allowed in his settlement the amount of the warrant, or any part thereof. This disallowance shall be in addition to the penalties prescribed in § 58.1-3144.

Code 1950, § 58-927; 1984, c. 675.

If any such treasurer (i) fails to pay, upon presentation, any legal warrant listed in § 58.1-3131, for which he has at the time funds appropriated by the governing body of his jurisdiction out of which such warrant ought to be paid, or (ii) fails to set apart necessary funds, when such funds are appropriated and come into his hands, for the payment of such warrant or (iii) fails to pay over the amount due upon such warrant as soon thereafter as the same may be again presented, the holder thereof may, on motion in his own name, in the circuit court of the treasurer's county or city, recover from him and his sureties the amount of such warrant, together with damages at the rate of ten percent per month on the amount from the time such treasurer should have paid the warrant and the costs of such motion, including reasonable attorney's fees.

Code 1950, § 58-928; 1959, Ex. Sess., c. 51; 1984, c. 675.

No treasurer or any other person handling public money shall knowingly apply, disburse or use any part of the public money held by him in any manner or for any purpose other than the manner and purposes provided by law. Any violation of this section, when amount so applied, disbursed or used exceeds fifty dollars, shall constitute embezzlement.

Code 1950, § 58-929; 1984, c. 675.

Whenever the treasurer receives interest on funds belonging to the Commonwealth or to any political subdivision thereof, such interest shall become a part of the principal of the particular fund on which such interest accrued and shall be accounted for by the treasurer in the same manner as he is required by law to account for the principal. However, the governing body of any county or city may direct that the interest received from general obligation bond proceeds invested be credited to the general fund of such county or city. Any treasurer violating this section shall be deemed guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

Code 1950, § 58-930; 1970, c. 582; 1984, c. 675.

Reserved.

Any treasurer who knowingly violates any provision of this article relating to the county or city levy, for which a specific penalty is not otherwise provided, shall be deemed guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be removed from office. In addition, he and the sureties on his official bond shall be liable to the party aggrieved thereby for double damages for the injury sustained.

Code 1950, § 58-932; 1984, c. 675.

Any treasurer or, if he has died, his personal representative, at any time after the expiration of his term shall produce before the circuit court of the county or city of which he is treasurer the respective certificates of the Comptroller, of the governing body of such county or city and of the school board of such county or city. These certificates shall show the final settlement of his account as treasurer and the proper accounting for and turning over of all the moneys or other property, including the tax tickets for the current year, that had or should have come into his hands as such treasurer during the term and the receipt of his successor in office, provided for in § 58.1-3138. The court shall then enter an order requiring the clerk of the court to publish, once a week, for four successive weeks, in some newspaper to be designated in the order and by posting at the front door of the courthouse of the county or city, a notice that such treasurer will, on the day to be named in the order, move the court to enter an order of final discharge to such treasurer. These provisions shall not apply to treasurers who retain their office at the end of the term.

Code 1950, § 58-933; 1984, c. 675.

Prior to the final discharge of any treasurer, the clerk shall issue a rule, as directed by the appropriate circuit court, against the Comptroller, the governing body and the school board of the county or city, to show cause, if any they can, why the treasurer should not be discharged. When the notice has been published and posted as aforesaid and the rule executed, then the court, on the day named in the notice, shall, if no cause be shown to the contrary, enter an order, finally discharging such treasurer. If an objection is made, the court shall hear such matter with or without formal pleadings, on oral testimony, or the court may refer any question that may arise in the proceedings to a commissioner in chancery to make a report thereon and may enter, upon final hearing, such order as it may deem proper. A copy of the order herein required, served upon the Comptroller, the chairman of the governing body, and the mayor of the city or superintendent of schools, respectively, shall be a sufficient service of the rule. The attorney for the locality may prepare and file any pleadings necessary pursuant to this section. If the locality has no attorney, or if the attorney declines or is unable to perform these tasks, the circuit court shall assign legal counsel for these purposes in accordance with § 15.2-1606, provided, however, that the Compensation Board shall not be obligated to reimburse the locality for fees incurred for this purpose.

Code 1950, § 58-934; 1984, c. 675; 2017, c. 677.

An appeal may be taken to the Court of Appeals from any order entered either discharging or declining to discharge any treasurer.

Code 1950, § 58-935; 1984, c. 675; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 489.

Nothing contained in this chapter in conflict with any special provision of the charter of any city, dealing specifically with the subject, shall be construed to supercede or repeal such provision.

Code 1950, §§ 58-936, 58-937; 1984, c. 675.

All money received by a treasurer for the account of either the Commonwealth or the treasurer's county or city shall be deposited intact by the treasurer as promptly as practical after its receipt in a bank or savings institution authorized to act as depository therefor. All deposits made pursuant to this provision shall be made in the name of the treasurer's county or city. The treasurer may designate any bank or savings and loan association authorized to act as a depository to receive any payments due to the county or city directly, either through a processing facility or through a branch office.

Code 1950, § 58-939; 1975, c. 20; 1984, c. 675; 1992, c. 683; 1996, c. 77.

No treasurer or executive officer of any depository shall permit any public deposit to remain in any depository which is not a "qualified public depository" as defined in § 2.2-4401 and which is not secured pursuant to the Virginia Security for Public Deposits Act (§ 2.2-4400 et seq.).

Code 1950, § 58-948; 1984, c. 675; 1996, cc. 364, 390.

Each county of the Commonwealth may establish a county finance board, which shall consist of the chairman of the governing body of the county, the treasurer of the county and a citizen of the county of proven integrity and business ability. The citizen member shall be appointed by the circuit court of the county. However, in any county adjoining any county having a population of more than 500 per square mile the county finance board shall consist of the chairman of the governing body, the treasurer, the attorney for the Commonwealth and a citizen of the county of proven integrity and business ability. The citizen member thereof shall be appointed by the circuit court of the county or by the judge thereof in vacation. The term of the citizen member shall be four years, but the circuit court of the county may remove for cause any such member and appoint some other qualified citizen of the county in his stead for the unexpired portion of his term.

The governing body of any county which has a county finance board established under the provisions of this section may by ordinance duly adopted abolish the finance board, whereupon all authority, powers, and duties of the finance board shall vest in the governing body.

Code 1950, § 58-940; 1954, c. 587; 1984, c. 675.

The chairman of the governing body of the county shall be the chairman of the county finance board and the clerk of the governing body shall be ex officio clerk thereof. The board shall meet at such times and at such places as the chairman or a majority of the members of the board may decide. The clerk shall record the activities and proceedings of such board in a suitable record book which shall be provided for such purpose by the governing body.

Code 1950, § 58-941; 1984, c. 675.

The citizen member of the county finance board may in the discretion of the governing body of the county receive for each day's attendance as a member of the board a sum not less than twenty dollars and such reimbursement for his daily mileage as prescribed in § 2.2-2823. The allowance made under this section shall be paid by the governing body out of county funds, on a certificate of attendance from the chairman of the county finance board, verified by the written statement of the citizen member as to mileage traveled in going to and returning from the meeting. The total compensation paid under this section shall not exceed $360, in addition to the mileage allowance, in any one year.

Code 1950, § 58-942; 1952, c. 630; 1974, c. 6; 1976, c. 308; 1984, c. 675.

The depository or depositories for the money received by a county treasurer shall be selected pursuant to the provisions of the Virginia Security for Public Deposits Act (§ 2.2-4400 et seq.).

Code 1950, § 58-943; 1984, c. 675.

Notwithstanding other provisions of this article the treasurer of any county, city or town may if the State Commission on Local Debt gives prior approval, deposit local funds in banking institutions outside of the Commonwealth. Such institutions, which shall be designated by the Commission, shall give such security as the Commission deems proper and shall meet such other conditions as the Commission prescribes. All such deposits shall be limited to the sums reasonably necessary to pay principal or interest on obligations of the county, city or town which are payable at some place outside the Commonwealth and where any such banking institution is located.

Code 1950, § 58-943.1; 1950, p. 410; 1984, c. 675.

Notwithstanding other provisions of this article, whenever the county finance board determines that county or district funds would otherwise draw no interest or draw a lesser rate of interest, the finance board may direct the county treasurer to invest such funds in accordance with guidelines issued by the State Treasurer.

Code 1950, § 58-943.2; 1954, c. 498; 1974, c. 224; 1984, c. 675; 1988, c. 834.

Repealed by Acts 1988, c. 834.

No treasurer shall permit any public deposit to be deposited with any depository unless it is a "qualified public depository" as defined in § 2.2-4401. All such deposits shall be secured pursuant to the Virginia Security for Public Deposits Act (§ 2.2-4400 et seq.).

Code 1950, § 58-944; 1956, c. 84; 1958, c. 442; 1966, c. 498; 1984, c. 675; 1996, cc. 364, 390.

Reserved.

At the end of each month each county treasurer shall report to the county finance board the amount of money on deposit with each depository.

Code 1950, § 58-949; 1984, c. 675.

Each depository of each county shall, in the discretion of the county finance board, pay interest on money deposited under the provisions of this article. The rate of such interest shall be agreed upon by the treasurer and the depository subject to the approval of the county finance board if it so desires.

Code 1950, § 58-950; 1984, c. 675.

A. Money deposited under the provisions of this article shall be disbursed only upon checks signed by the county treasurer and drawn in payment of lawfully issued and properly drawn orders or warrants and lawfully issued and properly drawn and matured bonds, notes or other obligations of the county, for the payment of which funds are available.

B. This section shall not be construed as preventing any county treasurer or his duly authorized deputy from (i) transferring, by check or wire transfer, money from one approved depository to another, (ii) from settling with the Commonwealth, without an order from the governing body of his county, for state revenues or other items collected and remittable by him to the State Treasurer, or (iii) from paying to the State Treasurer without an order from the board of supervisors or other governing body of his county, any amount or amounts pursuant to provisions of law.

C. Any governing body may require that checks issued pursuant to the provisions of this section be countersigned and may appoint such person or persons as it may desire for the purpose.

D. This section shall not be construed as imposing upon any depository any obligation to determine whether any check issued pursuant to the provisions of this section was issued for any purpose or purposes other than those specified herein or as imposing any liability upon any such depository for paying any check so issued.

E. The treasurer may, with the approval of the governing body, by resolution entered of record on the minute book of the board, authorize one or more of his deputies to sign any such checks whenever the necessity therefor shall arise by reason of the sickness or unavoidable absence of the treasurer or his inability to sign such checks for any other reason.

Code 1950, § 58-951; 1960, c. 526; 1978, c. 25; 1984, c. 675.

No treasurer shall be held liable for any loss of public money, deposited as provided by this article, due to the default, failure or insolvency of a depository.

Code 1950, § 58-952; 1984, c. 675.

Whenever the Governor has reason to believe that the treasurer of any county or city of the Commonwealth or any other officer charged with the collection of the public revenues has failed to execute and perform the duties required of such officer by the laws of the Commonwealth with reference to the collection and disposition of, and accounting for, the revenue, he may institute an ouster proceeding against such officer under §§ 24.2-230 to 24.2-238. In such proceeding the Commonwealth shall be represented by the Attorney General or by special counsel selected by the Governor should the Governor so direct.

Code 1950, § 58-953; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 1; 1984, c. 675.

Upon the institution of the proceeding authorized in § 58.1-3168 the Governor may suspend such officer from collecting the revenues of the Commonwealth and of the county or city and from performing any of the other duties of his office. The Governor may also appoint a person to act in the place of such suspended officer in the performance of the duties of the office. Such appointee, after having qualified and given bond according to law, shall discharge all the duties of the office to which he is appointed during the time of the suspension of his predecessor, shall be entitled to the compensation provided for such officer and shall be amenable to all the rules, regulations, requirements and responsibilities declared by the laws of this Commonwealth pertaining to the collection and disposition of, and accounting for, the public revenue.

The suspension of the officer shall continue, unless sooner removed by the Governor, until the ouster proceedings so instituted have been finally determined.

Code 1950, § 58-954; 1984, c. 675.

The substitute officer, appointed pursuant to § 58.1-3169, shall, upon the ouster of his predecessor, unless sooner removed by the Governor or under the provisions of §§ 24.2-230 to 24.2-238, continue to serve in such capacity during the remainder of the term of his predecessor and until his successor be elected or appointed and qualified.

Code 1950, § 58-956; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 1; 1984, c. 675.

Reserved.

Each treasurer, pursuant to § 2.2-806, shall deposit promptly upon receipt all state moneys collected or received from all sources directly into the account of the state treasury without any deduction and make up a statement of all state revenue collected by him since such treasurer filed with the Comptroller his last preceding report. The Comptroller may call upon any treasurer, at any time he thinks proper, to pay into the state treasury any and all money in his hands belonging to the Commonwealth and such treasurer shall, within five days from the receipt of such call, make the payment. Should any treasurer wilfully fail to make any statement or payment required by this section, within the time prescribed, such failure shall be deemed a sufficient cause for his removal from office under the provisions of §§ 24.2-230 to 24.2-238.

Code 1950, § 58-973; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 1; 1982, c. 292; 1984, c. 675.

Every treasurer who wilfully fails to pay the revenue into the treasury at the time prescribed by law shall be charged with interest thereon at the rate of fifteen percent per annum from the time such revenue was so payable.

Code 1950, § 58-974; 1984, c. 675.

Reserved.

The Attorney General shall proceed against all treasurers who are in default and against their sureties for the recovery of the amounts due from such treasurers, respectively, upon receiving from the Comptroller information of such default. The proceedings may be by motion in the appropriate circuit court. Copies of such motion, certified by the clerk of the court, shall be forthwith sent by the Attorney General to any of the clerks of the circuit courts of the counties and cities wherein it is ascertained that such treasurer or his sureties have any estate. The clerk to whom any such copy is so sent shall record it in the same manner required by law for recordation of a deed and index the copy in the name of the Commonwealth.

Code 1950, § 58-976; 1984, c. 675.

A judgment obtained pursuant to § 58.1-3171, against the treasurer or against the treasurer and his sureties, jointly or severally, shall be a lien on all real estate owned by such treasurer or surety in any county or city of the Commonwealth. Such lien shall arise at the time the motion provided for in § 58.1-3171 is recorded and indexed in such county or city. An execution on such judgment shall bind all the personal estate of such treasurer and sureties, jointly and severally, respectively, at the time such motion is recorded and indexed before the return day of such execution. However such execution shall not be binding as against (i) an assignee for valuable consideration of any of such personal estate which is not capable of being levied on under an execution or (ii) a person making a payment to such treasurer. The lien of the execution by virtue of this section shall not affect such assignee or person making payment unless he had notice of the execution or of the pendency of the proceeding at the time of the assignment or payment, as the case may be.

Code 1950, § 58-977; 1984, c. 675.

The treasurer may provide remote access, including access through the Internet, to all nonconfidential public records maintained by his office, subject to such limitations as may be imposed by applicable law. Any system of remote access created or maintained pursuant to this section shall include security measures that preclude remote access users from (i) obtaining any data that is required to be maintained as confidential pursuant to § 58.1-3, the Government Data Collection and Dissemination Practices Act (§ 2.2-3800 et seq.), the Virginia Public Records Act (§ 42.1-76 et seq.), or other applicable law, and (ii) modifying or destroying any record or data in any manner.

Any treasurer who provides such electronic access pursuant to this section may charge a fee. Such fee may be assessed based upon: (i) a subscription not to exceed $100 per month, or (ii) a cost per page, not to exceed $1 for the first page and $.25 for each additional page. If charged, the fee shall be charged each user, paid to the treasurer's office, and deposited by the treasurer into a special nonreverting local fund to be used to cover the operational expenses of such electronic access.

1998, c. 235; 2004, c. 223.

A. The Comptroller shall approve for the clerk of each court of record in the Commonwealth the books, sheets and forms comprising a system of accounting, maintained and supplied by the Supreme Court of Virginia, in which shall be entered all taxes and other money belonging to the Commonwealth, together with all fees, collected or which should be collected by the clerk. Such books and sheets shall be a permanent record of the court of which he is clerk. There shall be shown on and in appropriate sheets and columns the taxes received by the clerk upon subjects which he is authorized and directed by law to collect the tax and in separate columns the fees received by him upon such subjects, together with all other fees, commissions, salaries and allowances received or which should have been received by him and the proper summaries, expenses and other items in connection therewith. The Comptroller shall prescribe the method of making the entries and keeping the record herein provided for.

B. The accounting system provided for in subsection A shall not be adopted until the Auditor of Public Accounts has determined that such system is adequate for purposes of audit and internal control.

Code 1950, § 58-969; 1984, c. 675.

The clerk at the time he collects, or is required by statute to collect, any public money shall enter such amounts upon the record required in § 58.1-3173, together with the fees received in connection for such collection, and shall also enter upon the record all other fees, commissions, salaries and allowances received or which should have been received by him.

Code 1950, § 58-970; 1984, c. 675.

Each clerk, monthly, or oftener if called upon by the Comptroller, shall make out a statement, upon forms prepared by the Comptroller, of all taxes and other money belonging to the Commonwealth collected by him during the preceding month. The statement shall be signed by the clerk and sent to the Comptroller, and the clerk shall at the same time pay into the state treasury the amount of taxes collected by him.

Code 1950, § 58-971; 1984, c. 675.

Each clerk shall be entitled to a commission of five percent of the amount of state revenue collected by him. However, if the aggregate amount of state revenue collected for six months' collections reported exceeds the sum of $50,000, the clerk shall be entitled to a three percent commission on the amount in excess of $50,000. Such commissions shall not be deducted by any such clerk, but shall be paid out of the state treasury. Commissions shall not be allowed on costs collected pursuant to § 19.2-368.18.

Code 1950, § 58-972; 1978, c. 49; 1979, c. 487; 1984, c. 675.

A. The clerk shall have the duty, unless it is otherwise specially ordered, to receive, take charge of and hold all moneys paid into the court and to pay out or dispose of these moneys as the court orders or decrees. To this end, the clerk is authorized to verify, receive, and give acquittances for all such moneys.

B. All moneys received by the clerk shall be deposited intact as soon as practical and secured in accordance with the Virginia Security for Public Deposits Act (§ 2.2-4400 et seq.).

C. The clerk may invest all moneys paid into the court in certificates of deposit, time deposits or in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 45 (§ 2.2-4500 et seq.) of Title 2.2. Unless otherwise provided by law or court order, all interest or investment income shall become income of the person or entity that paid the moneys to the clerk.

D. Except as otherwise ordered by the court, for good cause shown, the clerk shall be liable for any loss of income which results from his failure to pay out any money so ordered by the court within sixty days of the court order.

1991, c. 635.