Privacy Policy
It is the policy of the Commonwealth of Virginia that personal information about citizens will be collected only to the extent necessary to provide the service or benefit desired; that only appropriate information will be collected; that the citizen shall understand the reason the information is collected; and be able to examine his or her personal record which is maintained by Virginia Tax. We do not initiate any unsolicited or automated outbound contacts requesting citizen information.
In compliance with the Privacy Act of 1974, disclosure of your social security number is mandatory under the authority of Code of Virginia § 58.1-209. Your social security number is used both as a means of identifying your income tax return and also of verifying the identity of individuals for income tax refund purposes.
Protecting Your Privacy
This statement is designed to explain what type of information, with whom, and under what conditions we share this information.
Information Collection
Virginia law requires that state bodies not collect personal information about citizens unless it is required to provide services for the citizen. When information is collected, it must be protected from unauthorized access or disclosure and citizens have the right to know how the information is collected, used and who has access to it.
What information do we collect?
When you browse our web site, and have not logged on to any of our online services, you browse anonymously. Personal information such as your name, address, social security number, phone number or email address is not collected as you browse. Information such as the server your computer is logged onto and your browser type is captured, but not tied to your personal identity.
When you log on to our online services, the personal information that you submit to us is captured to enable you to conduct business with us. The only personal information that we collect is the information that you submit to us during the process of completing an online filing, payment or registration transaction. In addition we collect the following information about your visit:
- the name of the domain from which you access the internet (for example, aol.com, if you are connecting from an America Online account);
- the Internet Protocol (IP) address
- the date and time you access our site.
You are required to provide personal information in order to register, file and pay online. This is information that is necessary to complete the transaction with us. Once you are signed up for online services, you may be eligible to request additional services that may require you to provide additional personal information. Should you not desire to provide the requested personal information, we will not be able to provide you with online services.
How do we use this information?
The information that you provide to us is used to provide a service such as filing or paying taxes, and access to your account history. Only the minimum amount of information necessary to conduct business with us is gathered. This information is safeguarded according to the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Information that you provide to us on our online surveys is used to improve the online services that we offer and to determine if you are satisfied with the service we are providing. This information is not stored with your tax account information and is not part of your tax records.
Your email address is used for:
- Account specific notifications such as secure messages and temporary passwords
- Any reminders or alerts you have requested
- Any e-Alerts you have requested
You may unsubscribe from any reminders, alerts or e-Alerts at any time.
Who has access to this information?
We are required by law to treat all personal information collected as confidential information. We do not provide information to any entity except as authorized by the Code of Virginia § 58.1-3.
Privacy Policy of Other Websites
You should be aware that other 3rd-party websites linked to our site might contain privacy provisions that differ from the provisions of our Privacy Statement.
References or links on this website to any other website, process, or service, is for the information and convenience of our customers, and does not constitute our endorsement or recommendation.
Cookies
A persistent cookie is generally defined as a piece of data that is stored on the user's hard drive. We do not use this type of cookie on the website or to complete any online transaction. We do however use a transient cookie that is used only during the session between our web server and your browser. This cookie is not stored on your computer's hard drive. Users who have their browsers set to reject persistent cookies will have no difficulty using our website or online services. However, if your browser is set to a security level of "High", it will reject all types of cookies and you will have difficulty using our services. To ensure proper use of our services, please make sure your browser can accept transient cookies.
You may be offered the option, through our Online Services, to receive e-mailed reminders and notices. These messages are automated and do not contain confidential tax information. You may unsubscribe to these reminders and notices at any time by following the instructions on your login page. Your e-mail address is treated as confidential personal information and is not sold. We do not provide information to any entity except as authorized by Code of Virginia § 58.1-3.
You may contact us via e-mail. While we can respond to any general tax questions by e-mail (e.g. when to file, where to file, which form to file, etc.), state and federal laws require us to keep return and account information from our records confidential. We cannot respond to requests for specific account information or assistance by e-mail. Be aware that the confidentiality of e-mail transmissions via the internet is not guaranteed.
Your Rights
You have the right to review the online information we maintain on you in order to verify its accuracy. If you find errors in your personal record, or desire that we purge your online history from our records, you must request in writing that we correct or purge your online records from our application servers. Submit the written request to:
Virginia Department of Taxation
Post Office Box 1880
Richmond, Virginia, 23218-1880
All corrections to errors in your online information will automatically be reflected in our system of record. Please be advised that we cannot legally purge taxpayer account information from our system of record.
Whether it is on the internet, in person, via telephone or mail, we are committed to protecting your privacy. We will continue to provide you with the most up-to-date safeguards possible to ensure the security and privacy of your information.