- March 6, 2019 Update: We've worked through the backlog of returns and are now current with individual income processing.
- February 15, 2019 Update: New legislation allows Virginia Tax to begin processing returns.
Changes For This Year's Filing Season
Virginia's tax season officially starts on Monday, Jan. 28, 2019.
However, there is one big difference this year that could affect your state return. The Virginia General Assembly is determining the Commonwealth’s response to the federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Because of this, Virginia Tax will not be able to start processing returns immediately.
What this means for taxpayers:
- While we will still accept returns as usual on Jan. 28, you will not be able to check on your 2018 return or refund status through our Where’s My Refund online tool or by calling our customer services hotline.
- If you file electronically, and receive a message from your software provider that we've accepted your return, we have your return and are ready to start processing it when decisions are made. You don't need to do anything else at this time.
"We’re committed to providing the information necessary to help everyone properly prepare and file this tax season," said Tax Commissioner Craig M. Burns. "We also want to ensure that returns are processed accurately in as timely a manner as possible."
Like in past years, we still encourage taxpayers to file electronically and request direct deposit if you're due a refund, since this is the most secure and efficient way to file and receive your refund. Before filing, we also suggest reading our tips to help reduce the chances that your return is stopped for review.
For more information about filing season, including your electronic filing options, see Individual Income Tax Filing or read the full news release.