West Virginia (Summary)
Last Updated: March 2020
Tax Type: Current use value
Description: Productivity based on soil productivity
Law: WV Legislative Regs., State Tax Div. Title 110, Series 1H
Objectives: Encourage landowners to actively manage their forest land thereby increasing the amount and quality of the resource.
Principal Forest Property Tax Incentive Program:
Program legal-common name: Managed Timberland Program
Program Requirements
Min/Max Acreage: at least 10 contiguous acres
Min. Stocking Growth: remain in at least 40% or greater forest cover of well distributed commercially important trees
Forest Management Plan: A notarized document that the land is being protected and managed or a written plan prepared by a professional forester.
Duration of Enrollment: Indefinite
Evidence of Use: Annual
Penalties for Use Change: The amount of the penalty is equal to the amount of additional taxes the owner would have paid if written notice had been timely given, plus interest at the rate of 9% per year.
Program Administration
State: West Virginia Bureau of Commerce, Division of Forestry establishes standards for management plans. Landowners enter into a contract with the Division of Forestry to use the property.
County Tax Assessor and Commissioner: County Tax Assessor determines forest values.
University: N/A
Landowners: shall annually certify in writing to the Division of Forestry that the property satisfies the requirements of managed timberland, and enter into a contract with the Division of Forestry to use the property in a planned program of multiple forest management as specified in the West Virginia Forest Practices Standards and the West Virginia Silvicultural Nonpoint Source Management Program
For a more in depth discussion of West Virginia property taxes click here!