Sales tax in Covington city, Virginia
The sales tax rate in Covington city, Virginia is 5.3%. That is a 4.3% state rate plus a 1% local rate, which is legally a city rate covering the whole county, and it is the same at every address in the county. That rate was read from Virginia's own published schedule and checked on September 9, 2026.
What is the sales tax rate in Covington city?
| Virginia state rate | 4.3% |
|---|---|
| Local rate covering the county | 1% |
| Combined rate | 5.3% |
How much sales tax is that on a purchase in Covington city?
At 5.3%, a $100 purchase carries $5.30 in sales tax and a $1,000 purchase $53.00. That is general merchandise; Virginia taxes some categories, often groceries, differently, as the note below explains.
Covington city's rate is the lowest in Virginia, shared with 93 other counties. See every Virginia county.
Sales tax in counties next to Covington city
Covington city borders 1 county.
| County | Combined sales tax |
|---|---|
| Alleghany County, VA | 5.3% |
| Covington city, VA (this county) | 5.3% |
Why the rate here is not the whole story
Virginia charges a 4.3 percent state tax and the city of Covington levies the 1 percent local option sales tax that every Virginia county and city has adopted, giving 5.3 percent at every address here, the rate that applies across most of the state. Since 2026 every Virginia county and city may add a further 1 percent local sales tax for school construction if voters approve it at a referendum, and this locality has not done so. Covington is an independent city, not part of any county, so it is its own taxing locality and Virginia Tax lists it separately. Virginia towns and special districts cannot levy a general sales tax of their own, so a single rate covers the whole locality. Groceries and essential personal hygiene products are taxed at a reduced 1 percent everywhere in Virginia, which is the local share only, so that reduced rate sits outside the general rate shown here.
How do I find the exact rate for an address in Covington city?
Use Virginia's own address lookup.
Who has to collect sales tax in Covington city?
Any seller with a physical presence in Virginia collects at the rate for the address of the sale; a remote seller does once it passes Virginia's economic nexus threshold. Virginia sales tax covers the statewide rules and what is exempt.
Work out your own numbers
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Sales tax calculator
Tax on a specific purchase at this county's rate, and the total you will actually pay.
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Do you have to collect?
Whether your sales into Virginia cross its economic nexus threshold. A different question from the rate.
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Property tax in Covington city
The other local tax: effective rate and median bill for this county.
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Sales tax by county
Every US county, and how Virginia compares with the rest of the country.
Sources
- Covington city rates: Virginia Department of Taxation, Sales and Use Tax Rates by Locality, worksheet "Jan 2026 - Present" (rates effective January 1, 2026), https://www.tax.virginia.gov/sites/default/files/inline-files/sales-and-use-tax-rates-by-locality-by-date.xlsx, cross-checked against the same Department's rate chart in the Form ST-1 package (Rev. 10/24) and the rate table on https://www.tax.virginia.gov/retail-sales-and-use-tax
- Collected and verified September 9, 2026. Confidence: P on the rate components, P on the range (P read on a primary agency page, S strong but indirect, U unverified).