Virginia Paycheck Calculator — 5.75% Top Rate · No Local Income Tax · Free 2026 VA Tool
Free Virginia paycheck calculator 2026. Enter your pay and instantly see your take-home after VA state tax, federal tax & FICA.
VA state tax: 2% – 5.75%
No local tax
Min wage: $12.41/hr
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Please enter a valid annual salary.
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Your Virginia Take-Home Pay (estimated)
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per paycheck
Gross Pay
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Total Taxes
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Effective Rate
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Full Paycheck Breakdown
Item
Amount
Gross Pay
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— Federal Income Tax
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— Virginia State Income Tax
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— Social Security (6.2%)
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— Medicare (1.45%)
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— Pre-tax Deductions
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— Post-tax Deductions
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Net Take-Home Pay
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Disclaimer: Estimates only. Actual withholding may vary. Consult a tax professional for personalized advice.
Note: If your actual paycheck is lower than this estimate, check unaccounted overtime, deduction differences, or W-4 elections against our pay stub guide.
✓ Reviewed for AccuracyReviewed by Jordan Ellis — Senior Payroll & Tax Analyst · Last reviewed: June 2026
$8,750/$17,500VA standard deduction single/married
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2× damagesVirginia Wage Theft Act penalty
Section 1
Virginia Paycheck Calculator 2026
Virginia's top income tax rate of 5.75% applies to most earned income above $17,000. Enter your pay details for an instant, accurate estimate of your Virginia take-home pay — from the federal contractor corridors of Northern Virginia to the shipyards of Newport News.
Section 2
Virginia Income Tax Rates 2026
Virginia's income tax brackets have not been substantially updated since 1990, resulting in a top rate that kicks in at just $17,000 of taxable income — meaning most working Virginians pay the top 5.75% rate on the vast majority of their income.
Virginia State Income Tax Brackets (All Filing Statuses — 2026)
Tax Rate
Taxable Income Range
Max Tax in This Bracket
Note
2%
$0 – $3,000
$60
Lowest bracket
3%
$3,001 – $5,000
$60 + $60 = $120 total
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5%
$5,001 – $17,000
$120 + $600 = $720 total
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5.75%
Over $17,000
$720 + 5.75% over $17,000
Applies to most workers
Virginia standard deduction (2026): Virginia's enhanced standard deduction was extended through 2026. Single filers deduct $8,750 before the brackets apply; married filing jointly deduct $17,500. Virginia also allows a personal exemption of $930 per exemption claimed (typically 1 for single, 2 for married). These deductions are applied before the bracket calculation — our calculator includes them automatically. Because the top bracket kicks in at only $17,000 of taxable income, a single Virginia worker earning $40,000 has taxable income of approximately $30,320 after the standard deduction ($40,000 − $8,750 − $930), with most of that in the 5.75% bracket.
Virginia vs. Neighbors: How VA Tax Compares
State income tax comparison — Virginia neighbors (2026)
State/Locality
Top Income Tax Rate
Local Tax?
Standard Deduction
Virginia
5.75%
No
$8,750 single
Maryland
5.75% state + county
Yes (2.25%–3.2%)
$2,400 single
Washington DC
10.75%
N/A (city-state)
$15,000
North Carolina
4.5% flat
No
$10,750 single
West Virginia
6.5% (reducing)
No
Varies
Tennessee
0% (no income tax)
No
N/A
Virginia 2026 — Estimated Take-Home Pay by Salary (Single, 1 Exemption, Bi-Weekly)
Virginia take-home pay examples — single filer, 1 VA-4 exemption, no pre-tax deductions, bi-weekly pay frequency
Annual Salary
Bi-Weekly Gross
VA State Tax/Check
Fed Tax/Check
FICA/Check
Est. Take-Home/Check
$40,000
$1,538
~$64
~$118
~$118
~$1,238
$50,000
$1,923
~$85
~$170
~$147
~$1,521
$75,000
$2,885
~$136
~$300
~$221
~$2,228
$100,000
$3,846
~$185
~$505
~$294
~$2,862
$125,000
$4,808
~$234
~$700
~$346*
~$3,528
$150,000
$5,769
~$284
~$920
~$371*
~$4,194
$200,000
$7,692
~$384
~$1,430
~$415*
~$5,463
* Social Security (6.2%) phases out after wages exceed $184,500 annually. Additional Medicare Tax (0.9%) applies on wages over $200,000. Use the calculator above for precise figures based on your exact situation.
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Virginia Form VA-4 — State Withholding Certificate
All Virginia employees must complete Form VA-4 (Employee's Virginia Income Tax Withholding Exemption Certificate) in addition to the federal W-4. On VA-4, you claim: personal exemptions ($930 each for yourself, spouse, and dependents), age/blindness exemptions, and optional additional withholding. Claiming too many VA-4 exemptions leads to underpayment of VA tax — resulting in a bill plus a potential underpayment penalty on your annual Form VA-760 return. Claiming too few means you overpay and receive a refund. Unlike the current federal W-4, Virginia's VA-4 still uses the older allowances-based system.
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Military Pay in Virginia — Major Exemptions
Virginia provides significant military tax relief critical for the Hampton Roads region (Norfolk Naval Station, NAS Oceana, Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek, JBL Langley-Eustis) and the Northern Virginia military corridor (Ft. Belvoir, Marine Corps Base Quantico, Pentagon). Active duty military pay earned outside Virginia by a Virginia domiciliary is not subject to VA income tax. Virginia also allows a $15,000 deduction for active duty pay if stationed in Virginia. The Military Spouses Residency Relief Act (MSRRA) may exempt military spouses from VA tax if their domicile state differs. Disabled veteran exemptions are also available on the VA-760.
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VA Tax vs. Federal Tax — The Key $7,000 Difference
Virginia's standard deduction ($8,750 single) is only about 54% of the 2026 federal standard deduction ($16,100). This means approximately $7,350 more of your income is subject to Virginia tax vs. federal tax for a single filer — at 5.75%, that's an extra $423/year in VA tax compared to what you'd expect if Virginia matched the federal deduction. This gap explains why many Virginia workers are surprised when their effective VA tax rate feels higher than expected. Always calculate VA and federal taxes separately using different deduction amounts.
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Virginia Reciprocal Tax Agreements
Virginia has reciprocal tax agreements with Maryland, Washington DC, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky. If you live in one of these states and work in Virginia, you pay income taxes only to your home state — not Virginia. File Form VA-4 with your Virginia employer claiming the exemption. If Virginia taxes have been withheld in error, file a Virginia nonresident return (Form 763) for a full refund. This affects hundreds of thousands of DC-metro commuters and should be on every Northern Virginia employer's radar for new hires.
Section 3
How Virginia Paycheck Tax Is Calculated
Virginia uses a unique combination of standard deductions, personal exemptions, and four tax brackets to determine state withholding. Here is the exact process your employer's payroll system follows to produce your pay stub each period.
1
Compute Gross Pay
Hourly: rate × hours in period. Salaried: annual ÷ pay periods. Virginia follows federal FLSA overtime (1.5× after 40 hrs/week). Virginia's minimum wage is $12.41/hour (2026), adjusted annually for inflation — significantly above the federal $7.25/hour floor. Virginia eliminated the tipped minimum wage in 2022: all Virginia employees, including servers, bartenders, delivery workers, and valets, must receive the full $12.41/hour from their employer before tips. Tips are entirely additional income on top of the full minimum wage.
2
Subtract Pre-Tax Deductions
401(k), health insurance premiums, HSA, and FSA contributions reduce gross wages before all tax calculations. Virginia uses federal AGI as its taxable income base, so these pre-tax deductions reduce both your federal and Virginia state taxable income — compounding your savings at each paycheck.
3
Federal Income Tax Withholding
Using IRS Publication 15-T 2026 Percentage Method. Northern Virginia workers in government contracting, tech, and finance sectors often earn $80,000–$150,000+, placing them in the 22%–24% federal bracket. The federal standard deduction ($15,000 single / $30,000 MFJ in 2026) is applied before federal bracket calculation.
4
FICA — Social Security & Medicare
Social Security: 6.2% up to $184,500 wage base. Medicare: 1.45% on all wages. Additional 0.9% Medicare surtax on wages over $200,000. Virginia has no state-specific FICA modifications.
5
Virginia State Income Tax Withholding
Your employer uses the Virginia Withholding Tax Tables (Form VA-1). The calculation annualizes per-paycheck wages, subtracts the Virginia standard deduction ($8,750 single / $17,500 married for 2026) and personal exemptions ($930 each), then applies the four-bracket tax. Because the top 5.75% bracket applies to income above just $17,000 of taxable income — a very low threshold — most Virginia workers pay 5.75% on the overwhelming majority of their taxable income.
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Post-Tax Deductions → Net Pay
Post-tax items subtracted last. Virginia Code § 40.1-29 requires wages to be paid at least once every two weeks or twice monthly. Final wages on separation must be paid by the next regular payday. See our final paycheck rules guide for how this compares nationally.
Section 4
Pre-Tax Deductions That Increase Your Virginia Take-Home Pay
Virginia's 5.75% top rate means that every dollar of pre-tax deductions saves you 5.75 cents in state tax — on top of the federal and FICA savings covered in our paycheck tax deduction guide. For Northern Virginia workers earning six figures, these savings compound dramatically.
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Traditional 401(k) — Critical for Northern Virginia High Earners
Virginia's high concentration of federal contractors, technology workers, and defense industry employees in Northern Virginia (Fairfax, Arlington, Alexandria, Loudoun counties) often earn $100,000–$200,000+. For these workers, maxing the 2026 401(k) limit of $23,500 saves $1,351.25/year in Virginia state tax (5.75% × $23,500), plus $5,170 in federal tax (22% bracket), plus $1,797 in FICA — a combined $8,318/year in tax savings from this single election.
2026 limit: $23,500Saves 5.75% VA state tax50+ catch-up: +$7,500
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Health Insurance Premiums — Especially Valuable in High-COL Areas
With Northern Virginia and Richmond among the nation's higher cost-of-living areas, employer health plan premiums are a significant expense. Section 125 cafeteria plan elections make these premiums pre-tax, reducing gross wages before federal, state, and FICA calculations. Virginia state workers and federal employees in Virginia also have access to robust health plan options through FEHB and state employee plans — most of which allow pre-tax premium payments.
Section 125 planSaves VA + fed + FICA taxes
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Virginia-Specific Tax Benefits
Virginia offers several noteworthy tax benefits beyond the standard deduction: the Age Deduction (taxpayers 65+ may deduct up to $12,000 from Virginia taxable income), the Military Benefits Subtraction (active duty and retired military pay is partially or fully deductible from Virginia income for qualifying taxpayers), and the Virginia 529 Deduction (up to $4,000 per account per year in contributions to Virginia529 plans, with unlimited carry-forward). Federal employees in Virginia should also explore the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) traditional contributions — identical to a 401(k) and fully deductible from Virginia taxable income.
Military pay subtractionAge deduction: $12,000 at 65+VA529: $4,000/yr deduction
Northern Virginia residents: If you work in Virginia but live in Maryland, DC, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, or Kentucky, you may be subject to your home state's income tax instead of Virginia's — thanks to Virginia's reciprocal tax agreements with those states. You may need to file a Virginia Form VA-4 claiming exemption from Virginia withholding and pay taxes to your home state instead. This affects hundreds of thousands of commuters in the DC metro area.
Section 5
Virginia Pay Laws & Paycheck Factors 2026
Virginia has several state-specific rules that directly affect what shows up on your paycheck. Here is what every Virginia worker needs to know.
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Virginia Minimum Wage & Tipped Workers — 2022 Landmark Change
Virginia's minimum wage is $12.41/hour (2026), adjusted annually for inflation since legislation passed in 2021 — well above the federal $7.25/hour floor. The most significant development for Virginia service workers: Virginia eliminated the tipped minimum wage effective May 1, 2022. All Virginia employees — including servers, bartenders, delivery workers, valets, salon workers, and any tipped occupation — must receive the full minimum wage from their employer. Tips are entirely additional income on top of the full base wage.
Virginia tip credit eliminated: Many Virginia restaurant, hotel, bar, and hospitality employers — especially in tourist-heavy areas like Virginia Beach's Oceanfront, Richmond's Carytown, or Arlington's restaurant corridor — were slow to update payroll after May 2022. If you're a tipped worker receiving a base wage below $12.41/hour from your employer, check your pay stub carefully.
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Virginia Pay Frequency, Payday Laws & Final Paycheck
Under the Virginia Wage Payment Act (Virginia Code § 40.1-29), employers must pay wages at regular, designated paydays. Salaried employees: at least monthly. Hourly employees: at least twice monthly (semi-monthly). Employers must post their pay schedule and pay on or before the designated payday.
Final paycheck: Virginia requires final wages to be paid on or before the date of the next regular payday — whether you resigned or were fired. See our final paycheck rules guide for how this compares to other states.
Accrued vacation payout: Unlike some states, Virginia courts have enforced vacation payout at separation when the employer's written policy (handbook, offer letter) creates a reasonable expectation of payment.
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Virginia Overtime Wage Act — State-Specific Overtime Rules
Virginia enacted its own Overtime Wage Act in 2021 (Va. Code § 40.1-29.2), which sets overtime pay rules operating separately from the federal FLSA. Non-exempt employees are entitled to 1.5× their regular rate for hours worked over 40 in a workweek, calculated based on Virginia's specific method for determining the "regular rate" for salaried non-exempt employees.
1.5× after 40 hours/weekState-specific regular-rate calculation
Filing a Virginia Wage Claim: If your paycheck doesn't match what you expect, first check it against our pay stub guide. For unresolved pay disputes, contact the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry to file a free administrative claim.
City & Region Spotlight
Virginia County & City-Specific Paycheck Considerations
Virginia has no local income tax in any of its 95 counties or 38 independent cities — the 5.75% state rate is uniform statewide. However, several Virginia regions have unique employment characteristics, employer concentrations, and worker populations that affect take-home pay calculations in important ways.
🏛️Northern Virginia (Fairfax, Arlington, Loudoun, Prince William)
Dominant employers: Federal government agencies, defense contractors (Leidos, SAIC, Booz Allen Hamilton, General Dynamics IT), Amazon HQ2, technology firms, and law firms. Average wages are among the highest in the country. Key paycheck issues: Many Northern Virginia workers are classified as independent contractors or W-2 employees working on federal contracts. Workers frequently earn $80,000–$200,000+, meaning the 22%–24% federal brackets and the SS wage cap ($184,500) are commonly hit. Fairfax County, Arlington, and Loudoun County impose no local income tax — unlike neighboring Montgomery County, MD. Many Northern Virginia workers live in Maryland or DC and should review Virginia's reciprocal tax agreements. Amazon HQ2 workers in Arlington should verify their employer's payroll setup matches Virginia withholding requirements.
⚓Hampton Roads (Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Newport News, Hampton)
Dominant employers: U.S. Navy (Norfolk Naval Station — world's largest naval base), Newport News Shipbuilding (HII), Joint Base Langley-Eustis, NAS Oceana, Military Sealift Command, and a large hospitality/tourism sector. Key paycheck issues: The Hampton Roads region has one of the highest concentrations of active duty military personnel and veterans in the U.S. Virginia's $15,000 military pay deduction and out-of-state duty pay exemption are critical for this region. Service members' spouses may also be exempt from Virginia withholding under MSRRA. Virginia Beach's large hospitality industry means tipped worker violations (many occurred before the 2022 tip credit elimination) remain common. Newport News Shipbuilding workers are among Virginia's largest unionized workforce — union wage agreements may provide pay rates and conditions above state minimums.
🏙️Richmond Metro (Richmond City, Henrico, Chesterfield, Hanover)
Dominant employers: State of Virginia government agencies, Capital One Financial, Dominion Energy, CarMax, Markel Corporation, Altria, major healthcare systems (VCU Health, Bon Secours), and a growing tech/fintech sector. Key paycheck issues: Richmond is Virginia's capital and home to the largest concentration of state employees. Virginia state employees are covered by the Virginia Personnel Act (Title 2.2) and the Department of Human Resource Management (DHRM) pay bands — knowing your pay band classification matters for overtime eligibility. Capital One is Richmond's largest private employer and frequently hires both contractors and employees, so it's worth confirming which category applies to your paycheck. Richmond City, Henrico, and Chesterfield levy no local income tax — only property taxes differ across these jurisdictions.
🌄Roanoke Valley & Southwest Virginia
Dominant employers: Carilion Clinic (healthcare), Virginia Tech (Blacksburg — Roanoke's largest nearby employer), Norfolk Southern, and manufacturing. Key paycheck issues: Southwest Virginia has the state's lowest average wages. The $12.41/hour minimum wage applies uniformly — the same as in Arlington, where the cost of living is dramatically higher. This means the minimum wage has more real purchasing power impact in Southwest Virginia. Virginia's Appalachian Power workers (utility sector) and manufacturing employees should be aware of Virginia's Overtime Wage Act, which provides a separate state-law overtime cause of action. Coal mining counties (Wise, Buchanan, Dickenson, Russell, Tazewell) have experienced significant workforce transitions — the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) provides resources for displaced workers.
🎓Charlottesville & University of Virginia Area
Dominant employers: University of Virginia (one of Virginia's largest employers), UVA Health System, state and county government. Key paycheck issues: UVA is a state institution, meaning employees are covered by the Virginia Personnel Act. Graduate student workers and research assistants have specific wage and hour considerations — many are paid fellowships or stipends that may or may not be subject to Virginia income tax withholding depending on classification. The Charlottesville area also has a growing tech scene with startups, where it's worth confirming whether you're classified as an employee or contractor for tax purposes. Albemarle County and Charlottesville City levy no local income tax — only Virginia's uniform 5.75% applies.
🌿Shenandoah Valley & Rural Virginia
Dominant employers: Agriculture, poultry processing (Shenandoah Valley is the nation's leading turkey production region — Cargill, Tyson, Pilgrim's Pride have major operations), retail, and state/county government. Key paycheck issues: Agricultural workers in Virginia have specific minimum wage rules — farm workers employed by small farms may have different minimum wage protections. Many workers in rural Virginia are paid in cash or via check with no formal payroll system — if you're not receiving pay stubs with itemized deductions, that may itself violate Virginia Code § 40.1-29, which requires written pay statements.
No Virginia locality imposes a local income tax on wages. All 95 Virginia counties, 38 independent cities (including Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Richmond, Arlington, Alexandria, Hampton, Newport News, Roanoke, Lynchburg, Danville, and all others), and 190+ towns share the same 2%–5.75% Virginia state income tax schedule. Local governments in Virginia may levy property taxes, business licenses, and meals taxes — but never a payroll or income tax. This is constitutionally restricted under Virginia law.
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Virginia Paycheck Accuracy Checklist
Here are the most common items to check on a Virginia paycheck:
✓Tipped Virginia worker receiving less than $12.41/hour base wage from employer (tip credit illegal since May 2022)
✓Overtime paid at 1.5× under Virginia's Overtime Wage Act or federal FLSA
✓Final paycheck paid by next regular payday after termination or resignation
✓Deductions require your written authorization (Virginia Code § 40.1-29)
✓Military pay: active duty pay earned outside VA is generally exempt from Virginia state income tax withholding
✓Accrued vacation/PTO paid out at separation, per your employer's written policy
If your paycheck doesn't match these rules, compare it against our pay stub guide first. For unresolved pay disputes, file with the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry (DOLI) at doli.virginia.gov. Virginia wage claim statute of limitations: 3 years.
Section 7
Virginia vs Neighboring States — 2026 Take-Home Pay
Virginia's no-local-income-tax policy is its biggest competitive advantage for wage earners in the DC metro and mid-Atlantic region. Here is how Virginia stacks up against its neighbors at $85,000 annual income for a single filer — the most-searched comparison for workers choosing where to live and work in the region.
State / Locality
State Income Tax
Local Income Tax
Minimum Wage 2026
Est. Take-Home ($85k)
Tax Burden
Virginia
Up to 5.75%
None
$12.41/hr
$62,800–$63,800
Moderate
MD – Montgomery Co.
Up to 5.75%
3.20%
$16.70/hr
$59,000–$60,200
Very High
MD – Baltimore City
Up to 5.75%
3.20%
$15.00/hr
$59,000–$60,200
Very High
Washington DC
Up to 10.75%
N/A (city-state)
$17.50/hr
$56,800–$58,500
Very High
North Carolina
4.50% flat
None
$7.25/hr
$63,500–$64,500
Low-Moderate
West Virginia
Up to 4.58%
None
$8.75/hr
$63,200–$64,200
Moderate
Tennessee
No income tax
None
$7.25/hr
$66,500–$67,500
Low
Kentucky
4.0% flat
Many localities
$8.00/hr
$63,800–$65,000
Moderate
Estimates based on single filer, $85,000 gross income, standard deductions, no pre-tax benefits. Federal taxes constant. Actual results vary. Use the calculator at the top of the page for your exact situation.
Virginia's 5.75% top rate sits closest among our standard-bracket states to Montana (5.65%) and New Mexico (5.9%). For workers weighing a move into Maryland's county-layered system — shown above — see the Maryland paycheck calculator for the full local-tax breakdown. Our paycheck calculator guide covers how any state's paycheck math works from gross to net.
The Virginia–Maryland Take-Home Gap: At $85,000 income, a Northern Virginia worker (Arlington, Fairfax) takes home approximately $2,900–$3,600 more per year than an equivalent worker living in Montgomery County, MD — solely due to Maryland's county income tax. Over a 30-year career with investment compounding, this gap can exceed $350,000 in accumulated wealth. This is a primary reason many DC-area remote workers and federal employees choose Northern Virginia residency over Maryland when commute distance is similar.
Virginia offsets to note: Virginia's tax advantage comes with trade-offs. Maryland offers a higher minimum wage ($15.00–$16.70 vs. $12.41 in VA) and mandatory paid sick leave for employers with 15+ employees. Workers choosing between states should weigh income tax savings against these paycheck-relevant differences and cost-of-living factors.
Section 7b
Virginia Cost of Living by Region — What Your Paycheck Actually Buys
Virginia's uniform 5.75% state income tax rate means take-home pay is the same statewide — but what that pay buys varies dramatically by region. A $75,000 salary in Wise County (Southwest Virginia) goes much further than the same salary in Arlington. Here is the real purchasing power picture across Virginia's major regions.
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Northern VACost index: ~160–185% of national avg. Median 1BR rent: $2,100–$2,600/mo (Arlington/Fairfax). Highest salaries in state; federal contractor and tech sector. Effective real purchasing power is moderate despite high gross wages.
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Hampton RoadsCost index: ~105–115% of national avg. Median 1BR rent: $1,300–$1,700/mo. Military pay, shipyard wages, and hospitality. Moderate cost of living relative to Northern VA; strong purchasing power for skilled trades and military families.
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Richmond MetroCost index: ~100–110% of national avg. Median 1BR rent: $1,400–$1,800/mo. State government, finance, healthcare, and growing tech sector. Good balance of salary and affordability; often rated best value in Virginia for mid-career professionals.
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Southwest VACost index: ~75–85% of national avg. Median 1BR rent: $650–$950/mo. Healthcare, manufacturing, and education. Lowest wages in state but highest real purchasing power; minimum wage ($12.41/hr) has the most impact here. Remote-work migration increasing home prices.
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Virginia Take-Home Pay at Common Salary Levels — 2026
Annual Salary
Bi-Weekly Gross
Est. Fed Tax
VA State Tax
FICA (7.65%)
Est. Take-Home/Check
Annual Take-Home
$40,000
$1,538
~$115
~$85
~$118
~$1,220
~$31,720
$55,000
$2,115
~$195
~$123
~$162
~$1,635
~$42,510
$75,000
$2,885
~$375
~$175
~$221
~$2,114
~$54,964
$100,000
$3,846
~$605
~$240
~$294
~$2,707
~$70,382
$130,000
$5,000
~$900
~$315
~$340*
~$3,445
~$89,570
$180,000
$6,923
~$1,470
~$440
~$420*
~$4,593
~$119,418
* FICA capped at $184,500 SS wage base. Single filer, standard deduction, no pre-tax deductions. Estimates only — use the calculator above for precision.
Take-Home Pay Guide
How Much Is Taken Out of My Paycheck in Virginia?
For a Northern Virginia federal contractor at $110,000 (bi-weekly), expect ~$810 federal, ~$243 VA state (5.75%), ~$324 FICA — leaving approximately $2,854/paycheck. Virginia's top rate kicks in at just $17,000 of taxable income.
Salary Calculator
Virginia Salary Calculator — VA Net Pay Estimator
Virginia's top bracket (5.75%) at $17,000 taxable income means most full-time workers pay near the top rate on most income. The $930 personal exemption per person provides modest relief. VA-MD reciprocity: DC-area workers only pay tax in their state of residence.
Section 9
Virginia Paycheck Calculator — Frequently Asked Questions
Top questions about Virginia take-home pay, state income tax, military pay exemptions, and tipped worker rules. Updated for 2026.
Virginia has four brackets: 2%, 3%, 5%, and 5.75%. However, the top 5.75% bracket kicks in at just $17,000 of taxable income — an extremely low threshold that hasn't been adjusted since 1990. After applying Virginia's standard deduction ($8,750 single for 2026) and personal exemption ($930), even a worker earning $30,000 gross has taxable income of about $20,320, meaning most of it is taxed at 5.75%. In practice, nearly every Virginia worker above part-time earnings pays the 5.75% rate on the bulk of their income. Virginia's effective state tax rate for most workers is between 4.5% and 5.5%.
No. Unlike neighboring Maryland — where each county levies its own income tax (2.25%–3.2%) on top of state tax — Virginia has no local income taxes anywhere in the state. Fairfax, Arlington, Alexandria, Loudoun, Prince William, and all other Virginia localities do not tax wages. This is a significant financial advantage for Northern Virginia workers compared to their Maryland counterparts who may pay an effective total state+local rate of 9%+ when combining Maryland's 5.75% top state rate with county taxes.
Virginia has reciprocal tax agreements with Maryland, Washington DC, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky. If you live in one of those states and work in Virginia, you pay income taxes to your home state — not Virginia. You should file Virginia Form VA-4 with your employer claiming exemption from Virginia withholding, and instead have your home state's tax withheld. If your employer has been withholding Virginia tax, you can file a Virginia nonresident return to get a full refund. This affects hundreds of thousands of DC-area commuters.
Example: A single Virginia worker earning $75,000/year bi-weekly (26 paychecks): Gross per paycheck: $2,884.62 | Federal tax: ~$380 | Virginia state tax: ~$186 | Social Security: ~$179 | Medicare: ~$42 | Total deductions: ~$787 | Take-home: approximately $2,098 per bi-weekly paycheck (~$54,548/year). Use our calculator above for your exact situation.
Virginia's standard deduction is $8,750 for single filers and $17,500 for married filing jointly (2026), per legislation extending the enhanced deduction through 2026. This is significantly lower than the 2026 federal standard deduction ($16,100 single / $32,200 MFJ). The difference matters: approximately $7,350 more of your income is subject to Virginia's 5.75% top rate vs. what you'd expect comparing to federal tax — costing a single filer about $423/year in additional state tax.
Virginia also allows personal exemptions of $930 per person claimed on Form VA-4 (yourself, spouse, each dependent). Taxpayers age 65+ or blind get an additional $930 exemption per qualifying condition. These deductions are subtracted before applying the four brackets. Always calculate Virginia taxes separately from federal — they use completely different deduction amounts.
Virginia provides significant military tax relief. Active duty military pay earned outside Virginia by a Virginia domiciliary (legal resident) is generally not subject to Virginia income tax. A Virginia resident stationed at a base in Germany, Japan, or another state does not owe Virginia income tax on that duty pay.
For active duty service members stationed in Virginia, Virginia provides a $15,000 deduction from Virginia taxable income on their annual VA-760 return. Military spouses may be exempt from Virginia income tax withholding entirely under the Military Spouses Residency Relief Act (MSRRA) if their home state of domicile is different from Virginia. This is critical for Hampton Roads (Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Newport News, Hampton) — home to the largest naval concentration in the world — and for Northern Virginia's Quantico, Fort Belvoir, and Pentagon corridor. Always consult a Virginia military tax specialist for your specific domicile situation.
Virginia made a landmark change effective May 1, 2022: it eliminated the tipped minimum wage entirely. Before 2022, Virginia allowed employers to pay tipped workers a lower base wage (as low as $2.13/hour federally) and count customer tips to satisfy the minimum wage requirement. That practice is now illegal in Virginia.
Since May 2022, all Virginia employees — regardless of how much they receive in tips — must be paid the full state minimum wage ($12.41/hour in 2026) directly by their employer. Tips are entirely additional income on top of this base wage. If your Virginia employer pays you less than $12.41/hour and counts your tips to make up the difference, file a wage claim with the Virginia DOLI.
Virginia enacted its own Overtime Wage Act (Va. Code § 40.1-29.2) in 2021, providing a state-law overtime standard that operates alongside the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Non-exempt employees are entitled to 1.5× their regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek. This is especially relevant for Northern Virginia's large federal contractor workforce, where employees should confirm their exempt/non-exempt classification matches actual job duties, not just salary status — IT consultants, analysts, and project managers are common roles where this distinction matters.
Northern Virginia has one of the world's largest concentrations of federal government contractors — companies like Leidos, SAIC, Booz Allen Hamilton, General Dynamics IT, ManTech, CACI, Perspecta, and thousands of small businesses hold federal prime and sub-contracts. Common paycheck issues in this sector:
Many roles in this sector are paid as W-2 employees with exempt (salaried professional or administrative) classifications, which affects overtime eligibility — if you're performing IT, analysis, or support work and routinely work over 40 hours without overtime pay, it's worth confirming your classification matches your actual job duties. Contract transitions: When a federal contract transfers to a new prime contractor, Virginia law still requires payment of all earned wages by the required deadlines — a contract transition does not delay final pay obligations.
Virginia's Wage Payment Act requires employers to pay all wages you've earned — including regular pay, overtime, bonuses, or commissions — by the required deadlines. You have 3 years to file a wage claim with the Virginia DOLI for free.
Virginia Code § 40.1-29 requires employers to pay final wages by the next regular payday following separation, whether you resigned or were let go. Virginia also requires accrued vacation to be paid out at separation if the employer's written policy provides for it — unlike some states where vacation payout is purely optional, Virginia courts have enforced this right when the employer's handbook creates an expectation of payout.
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Related Searches — Virginia Paycheck Calculator
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Worked Example
🏛️ Virginia: Real Paycheck Breakdown 2026
Federal contracting, technology & defense · No local income taxes · VWPA 2× damages · Single filer · Bi-weekly pay (26 paychecks/year)
Take-Home (Bi-weekly)
$2,079
Gross (bi-weekly)
$2,769.23
— Federal Income Tax
-$347
— Virginia State Tax
-$131
— Social Security + Medicare
-$212
Net Take-Home Pay
$2,079
Key insight: Northern Virginia (Fairfax, Arlington, Reston) is one of the highest-paying labor markets in the US, driven by federal government contracting and cybersecurity. A Virginia worker earning $120,000 in NoVA takes home roughly $15,000–$18,000 more per year than the same salary in Maryland, primarily due to Maryland's county income tax surcharge.
Need a different salary or filing status? Use the Virginia paycheck calculator above.
How Virginia Compares
Virginia's 5.75% top rate has been stable, but Northern Virginia workers benefit from very high salaries driven by federal contracting — raising gross pay more than the state tax rate impacts take-home. Neighboring state: Maryland (~8.95% combined) or West Virginia (2.11%–4.58%).