Commissioner of the Revenue

A Note From Cloe-Eva Barker, Commissioner of the Revenue:

Welcome to the Office of the Commissioner of the Revenue for the City of Bristol

It is my honor to proudly serve as your Commissioner of the Revenue and to contribute to the growth and success of our City. It is the goal of my office to provide the highest quality of customer service to all citizens of the City of Bristol.

Responsibilities
The office of the Commissioner of the Revenue is established by the Constitution of Virginia. The Commissioner is elected every four years to serve as the chief assessing officer of a locality. The duties of the Commissioner are as follows:

Registering Personal Property
Personal property includes cars, trucks, motorcycles, trailers and boats. Businesses also pay tax on personal property used in a trade or business, including but not limited to furniture, fixtures, machinery and other equipment.

Administering Business Taxes
Business taxes include business license, business personal property, machinery and tools and excise taxes.

Administering Public Service Corporation Taxes
Public service corporations include power companies, phone companies and railroads. These taxes are assessed in cooperation with the State Corporation Commission and the Virginia Department of Taxation and billed every 6 months.

Tax Relief for Elderly & Disabled
The office determines real estate tax relief eligibility for Bristol homeowners and offers assistance with the application process.

Tax Exemptions for Qualifying Veterans Who Are 100% Disabled
The office accepts the disabled veteran application for the real estate tax exemption available to Bristol homeowners and offers assistance with the application process

Preparing Virginia Income Tax Returns & E-File qualifying Federal and Virginia Income Tax Returns
The Bristol Commissioner of the Revenue’s staff will prepare your Virginia State income tax return at no charge. In order to do so, you must bring your completed Federal income tax return, including all attached schedules and W-2s and 1099s to our office. For direct deposit of any refund you must provide the bank routing and account number.