Nonpayment of tax; lien for unpaid taxes; certificate of release from lien
Va. Code Ann. § 58.1-908
in effectA. A lien shall arise as follows upon all property, real or personal, located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, of every decedent having a taxable estate who fails to pay the tax imposed by this chapter:
1. In the case of a nonresident decedent having a taxable estate a lien shall not arise automatically upon the death of the decedent.
2. In the case of a resident or nonresident decedent, such lien shall attach to the personal estate of the decedent only upon the Department's filing a memorandum in the clerk's office of the county or city wherein the decedent resided, and to the real estate only upon the filing of a memorandum in the clerk's office of the county or city wherein such real estate is located.
Such lien, once it attaches, shall be enforceable for a period not to exceed ten years from the date of death of the decedent.
B. Such part of the property of a decedent as may at the time be subject to the lien provided for under subsection A shall be divested of such lien to the extent used for payment of charges against the estate or expenses of its administration allowed by the court having jurisdiction thereof.
C. Such part of the personal property of a decedent as may at the time be subject to the lien provided for under subsection A shall be divested of such lien upon the conveyance or transfer of such property to a purchaser or holder of a security interest for an adequate and full consideration and such lien shall then attach to the proceeds received for such property from such purchaser or holder of a security interest. Real property shall not be divested of such lien except as provided in subsections B and D of this section.
D. When any lien under this section has attached and the Department is satisfied that the tax liability, if any, of the estate has been fully discharged, the Department shall issue a certificate releasing all property of such estate from the lien herein imposed; or, if the Department is satisfied that the tax liability of the estate has been provided for, it shall issue a certificate releasing any surplus property of such estate from the lien herein imposed.
Code 1950, § 58-238.9; 1978, c. 838; 1979, c. 567; 1984, c. 675; 1987, c. 373.
Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/58.1-908/Fetched: 10/16/2026