IRS Pub. 17, Your Federal Income Tax
Personal property tax is deductible if it is a state or local tax
that is:
- Charged on personal property,
- Based only on the value of the personal property,
and
- Charged on a yearly basis, even if it is collected more than
once a year, or less than once a year.
A tax that meets the above requirements can be considered charged
on personal property even if it is for the exercise of a privilege.
For example, a yearly tax based on value qualifies as a personal
property tax even if it is called a registration fee and is for the
privilege of registering motor vehicles or using them on the highways.
Example.
Your state charges a yearly motor vehicle registration tax of 1% of
value plus 50 cents per hundredweight. You paid $32 based on the value
($1,500) and weight (3,400 lbs.) of your car. You can deduct $15 (1%
� $1,500) as a personal property tax, since it is based on the
value. The remaining $17 ($.50 � 34), based on the weight, is
not deductible.
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