City Waives Penalties for B&O Taxes

During the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the City of Charleston remains on the front lines of the response by providing emergency and necessary services throughout the City, such as EMS, fire, police, refuse, and other services coordinated from the Kanawha County Emergency Operations Center. The City is consistently monitoring revenues and expenses in an effort to keep these services fully staffed and in full operation and the City recognizes and understands that some businesses may be facing their own cash flow problems. With that in mind, the City of Charleston’s Business and Occupation Tax quarter ends tomorrow, Tuesday, March 31, 2020, and the returns are due within one month. In order to continue providing critical emergency and necessary services, the City is asking those businesses that can pay to please submit your return and payment on time, before April 30, 2020. If a business is unable to pay, the City is requesting that the business submit a return indicating the amount due, but without payment included. The City of Charleston is waiving all penalties associated with late payment of the first quarter Business and Occupation Tax through June 1, 2020, as authorized by Municipal Code.

“We are living through a rare moment in history and must continue to work together in our fight against COVID-19,” said Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin. “If your business is able to pay its Business and Occupation Tax, I am asking that you do so in order to help ensure the City can continue to operate at full strength. But, if you cannot pay, please know that we will not assess penalties for late payment through June 1st. In addition, I will be going to City Council to seek a change to Municipal Code that will authorize the City Manager to waive interest on an individual basis for businesses that are unable to pay on time because of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

In order to authorize the waiver of interest for those businesses who are unable to pay on time due to COVID-19, the City Council must pass a bill to amend the Municipal Code. Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin will work with Council to get the bill introduced and read a first time at the April 6 meeting of City Council, so that it can be reviewed by the Finance Committee and up for passage at the April 20 meeting. The City Collector’s Office remains closed from public access, so we ask that you mail your returns to P.O. Box 7786, Charleston, WV 25356, pay online at charlestonwvpayments.com, or place your return in the secure drop box located just outside the door of the City Collector’s Office at 915 Quarrier Street, Suite 4.