Self-employment tax in Virginia
Virginia taxes self-employed income on a graduated scale from 2% to 5.75%, with an $8,750 single standard deduction for 2025 and 2026 and a $930 personal exemption - plus a local BPOL license tax in some localities, and a first estimated payment due May 1, not April 15.
What a Virginia freelancer owes
- Federal self-employment tax of 15.3% (12.4% Social Security + 2.9% Medicare).
- Federal income tax on your net profit (after the deductible half of SE tax).
- Virginia income tax from 2% to 5.75% on a graduated scale, after the $8,750 single standard deduction (2025 and 2026) and the $930 personal exemption.
Estimate your Virginia taxes
Free 1099 self-employment tax calculator — add Virginia's 2%-5.75% state rate. No sign-up.
Enter Virginia's 2%-5.75% in the State Tax field for a full estimate.
States with no income tax are set to 0%. Estimate only — adjust for local taxes.
Estimates use 2026 US federal figures (IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32): self-employment tax of 15.3% (12.4% Social Security up to the $184,500 wage base + 2.9% Medicare) plus federal income tax on your net profit after the standard deduction. State and local taxes are only included if you set a state rate above. Simplified estimate for planning only — not tax advice.
Guide: Self-employment tax in Virginia — graduated tax, BPOL, and May-1 estimates
Virginia taxes freelancers on a graduated scale, and its estimate calendar starts earlier than the federal one. The brackets are the same for all filing statuses: 2% on the first $3,000; $60 plus 3% of the excess over $3,000 up to $5,000; $120 plus 5% of the excess over $5,000 up to $17,000; and $720 plus 5.75% of the excess over $17,000. The standard deduction is $8,750 for single filers ($17,500 joint), for both 2025 and 2026, and the personal exemption is $930 per filer, spouse, and dependent, plus $800 for age 65 or older and $800 for blindness.
The federal layer is the same in every state. Self-employment tax is 15.3% (12.4% Social Security + 2.9% Medicare) on 92.35% of your net profit, and it applies once your net earnings reach $400. The Social Security wage base is $184,500 for 2026; Medicare is uncapped. The deduction for half of your SE tax lowers your income tax only — it does not lower your net earnings or your SE tax.
Virginia has no local income tax — confirmed by Tax Commissioner ruling 21-121 — but that does not mean localities leave businesses alone. Many localities impose a BPOL license tax on gross receipts earned within the locality, on businesses with a definite place of business there. BPOL is imposed and administered locally, so rates and thresholds vary and there is no single statewide figure: check the locality where you work.
Worked example. Take a single freelancer with $60,000 of net profit. Subtract the $8,750 standard deduction and the $930 personal exemption to get $50,320 of Virginia taxable income. The graduated tax is $720 + 5.75% x $33,320 = $720 + $1,915.90 = $2,635.90. Federal SE tax on the same profit is $60,000 x 92.35% = $55,410, x 15.3% = $8,477.73.
Virginia estimated payments use Form 760ES, and the first one is the trap: the first installment is due May 1, not April 15, followed by June 15, September 15, and January 15. Keep every receipt and invoice in MoneyFeed via WhatsApp, so your net profit is ready well before that May 1 deadline.
FAQ
The same for all filing statuses: 2% on the first $3,000; $60 plus 3% of the excess over $3,000 up to $5,000; $120 plus 5% of the excess over $5,000 up to $17,000; and $720 plus 5.75% of the excess over $17,000. The brackets and the $8,750 single standard deduction apply to both 2025 and 2026.
The standard deduction is $8,750 for single filers ($17,500 joint) for 2025 and 2026. The personal exemption is $930 per filer, spouse, and dependent, plus $800 for age 65 or older and $800 for blindness.
No local income tax — confirmed by Tax Commissioner ruling 21-121. But many localities impose a BPOL license tax on gross receipts earned within the locality, on businesses with a definite place of business there. Rates and thresholds vary by locality, so there is no single statewide figure.
Form 760ES installments are due May 1 (not April 15), June 15, September 15, and January 15. The May 1 first installment is the date Virginia freelancers most often miss.
Use the calculator for the federal estimate. Because Virginia tax is graduated, the State Tax field takes a single rate: enter your marginal bracket rate for a conservative estimate, or work through the brackets as in the example above for an exact figure.
Virginia freelancer tax — FAQ
Do freelancers pay state income tax in Virginia?
Yes. Virginia taxes self-employment income at 2% up to $3,000, $60 plus 3% of the excess over $3,000 up to $5,000, $120 plus 5% of the excess over $5,000 up to $17,000, and $720 plus 5.75% of the excess over $17,000 - on top of federal taxes.
How do I estimate my Virginia 1099 taxes?
Use the free MoneyFeed 1099 calculator for the federal estimate, then add Virginia graduated tax - and remember the first Virginia estimate (Form 760ES) is due May 1, not April 15.
Do I owe local income tax in Virginia?
No local income tax - that is confirmed by Tax Commissioner ruling 21-121. Some localities instead impose a BPOL license tax on gross receipts earned in the locality if you have a definite place of business there; rates and thresholds vary by locality, so there is no single statewide figure.
Figures are 2026 headline guidance for freelancers and the self-employed, not tax advice. Check current IRS and state rules or a CPA for your situation.