Forest Incentive Programs - Property Taxes for West Virginia

Type of Tax

Current use value tax, land is divided into different productivity classes based on soil surveys and a 3.22% yield tax

Law

WV Legislative Regulations, State Tax Division Title 110, Series 1H

Objective

To give a tax break to forest landowners who would otherwise liquidate their timber and to encourage forest industry to invest in the state

Requirements

Minimum of 10 acres

Minimum of 40% stocking

Must have a forest management plan approved by the Division of Forestry

Use verification must be submitted annually

Penalty only applies if landowner fails to inform assessor of land use change

Penalty for uninformed land change results in rollback tax of one year

Program Administration

State Department of Forestry establishes standards for management plans and the county tax assessor determines forest values