If you feel that your car is exceptionally beneath the standard operating condition for your make and model, or if it is totaled but you still own it, then you may be able to reduce the tax value of your vehicle. While every county will have different laws and regulations for its vehicle tax codes, contacting the county tax office to you will help to find any specific requirements for your location.
Consult the Kelley Blue Book to find an accurate estimation, according to the 27-point Vehicle Condition Quiz, for your vehicle's worth and tax value. Compare what the Blue Book says about your car's value to your tax statement from the county in which your is registered. If there is a huge disparity between what the tax office claims your car is worth and the actual value of the vehicle then you may be able to save some money on your taxes.
Contact your county's tax office. There should be a phone number or website associated with the tax bill that you received for your vehicle tax. Ask the clerk at the tax office for any specific forms and requirements that need to be met in order for the tax to be lowered on your vehicle.
Take pictures as evidence of any damage that has been done to your car, demonstrating the lowered value and worth of the vehicle. Keep the pictures as part of your records for the taxes that you pay for the year.
Take your car to a mechanic, or if it does not run at all, ask if you can get a mechanic to come out to see your car. Most likely, the tax office will want a confirmed statement from a licensed mechanic about the actual value of your vehicle. If your car is totaled, then you may still have to pay a small tax on it. You will have better luck with a mechanic who owns a private shop rather than a dealership mechanic or a mechanic that works at a chain repair center.
File your claim for a lowered value for your car. Follow up on the claim if you have not heard anything within the next three to four weeks. Double-check to make sure that you do not go into any type of penalty for not paying your vehicle tax while waiting for the claim to be reviewed and approved.
