Richmond, VA Local Taxes & Fees: Business Tax Classification (2026)
Key Facts
- Minimum flat tax
- $30.00 under $500,000 receipts
- Contractors
- $0.19 per $100 gross receipts
- Retailers
- $0.20 per $100 gross receipts
- Financial/real estate/professional
- $0.58 per $100 gross receipts
- Personal/business services
- $0.36 per $100 gross receipts
- Wholesalers
- $0.22 per $100 purchases
- Assessor
- Director of Finance
Summary
Richmond's BPOL license tax sorts every business into a classification, contractor, retailer, financial/real estate/professional services, personal and business services, or wholesaler, and charges a different rate per $100 of gross receipts for each.
Except as may be specifically otherwise provided by this article or other law, the annual license tax imposed under this article shall be $30.00 for any person with gross receipts (or purchases for wholesale merchants) of $5,000.00 or more but less than $500,000.00 in a given license year. Any person with gross receipts greater than $500,000.00 will be liable for business license taxes at the applicable rate set forth as follows for the class of enterprise listed or as otherwise provided in this article: (1) For contractors and persons constructing for their own account for sale, $0.19 per $100.00 of gross receipts. (2) For retailers, $0.20 per $100.00 of gross receipts. (3) For financial, real estate and professional services, $0.58 per $100.00 of gross receipts. (4) For repair, personal and business services and all other businesses and occupations not specifically listed or exempted in this article or otherwise by law, $0.36 per $100.00 of gross receipts. (5) For wholesalers, $0.22 per $100.00 of purchases.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Recodification).
Full Breakdown
City Code Sec. 00 in a license year. 00 of purchases. 00 per year), and telephone companies (3 percent of local gross receipts). Sec. ' Sec. 26-869 requires every person with a definite place of business in the City, or who resides in the City with no fixed location, to apply for a license before starting business, due by March 1 for continuing businesses or within 30 days of starting for a receipts-based tax, and Sec. 26-869(e) bars issuing a license until all delinquent City taxes owed by the applicant are paid.
Violations & Fines
An appealable event under Sec. 26-872 includes the Assessor's determination of rate or classification, letting a taxpayer contest which classification a business falls into even absent a new assessment. Sec. 26-869(e) blocks license issuance while delinquent business license, real estate, personal property, meals, transient occupancy, severance or admissions taxes remain unpaid.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Richmond classify a business for its license tax?
What is the license tax rate for professional services in Richmond?
Can a business dispute the classification the City assigned it?
Does Richmond require the license tax to be paid before other City taxes?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Richmond
Compare Richmond to another location·View the Virginia local taxes & fees overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.