I took an out-of-state job for two years, then moved back to Virginia — was I a Virginia resident the whole time for income tax?

Plain-English summary

A Virginia resident took an out-of-state job for about two years and then moved back — and argued he was a State A resident, not a Virginia one, for 2020. The Department held he never abandoned his Virginia domicile, so he remained taxable as a Virginia resident, with a credit for the other states' tax.

The facts. He was a Virginia domiciliary before 2019: he lived and worked here, owned a home, held a Virginia license and vehicle registration, and was registered to vote. In February 2019 he took a job in "State A" and leased a home there, living and working there until December 2020, when he returned to Virginia. He filed a State A resident return for 2020. But he kept his Virginia home (which he returned to), his Virginia driver's license, two vehicles registered in Virginia, and his Virginia voter registration — and voted by absentee ballot in 2020.

The law. A state may tax all the income of its residents, even income earned elsewhere (New York ex rel. Cohn v. Graves; Virginia conforms to federal income concepts under § 58.1-301). Virginia taxes both domiciliary and actual residents (§ 58.1-302), and changing domicile requires proving both abandonment of the old domicile and establishment of a new one by physical presence and intent to remain permanently or indefinitely — with the burden on the taxpayer (§ 58.1-205). Two things doomed the claim:

• Voting. Using a Virginia voter registration to vote during the period he was away is very strong evidence he still considered Virginia his domicile (§ 24.2-101; Virginia Constitution, art. II, § 1).
• Every official tie stayed in Virginia — license, two vehicle registrations, home — and he leased (rather than bought) in State A and then moved back. That pattern shows he had not intended to remain away permanently or indefinitely, which is what a change of domicile requires.

Result. He remained a Virginia domiciliary resident for 2020 and is taxable on all income wherever earned — but may claim a credit for income tax paid to both State A and State B (he also filed a State B nonresident return) to the extent allowed by § 58.1-332. He should file a 2020 Virginia resident return within 30 days, or the best-information assessment (§ 58.1-111) stands, adjusted to include the credits.

What this means for you

Taking a temporary out-of-state assignment

A stint in another state — even a two-year one — does not change your domicile if you keep your Virginia ties and intend to come back. Domicile turns on an intent to remain permanently or indefinitely; leasing (not buying) a home elsewhere and then returning to Virginia both point the other way. If your move really is permanent, cut the Virginia ties and build new-state ones; if it is temporary, expect to remain a Virginia resident and plan for the out-of-state credit rather than a change of domicile.

Voting is the tie that binds

As in the companion case P.D. 25-67, voting in Virginia while living away was decisive. Do not vote as a Virginia registrant if you are claiming to have left — it is treated as a declaration that Virginia is still your home.

The credit softens the result

Because he stayed a Virginia resident, he can credit the income tax he paid to both other states on the same income (§ 58.1-332), avoiding most double taxation. File the Virginia resident return and claim every out-of-state credit you are entitled to.

Common questions

Q: I worked in another state for two years, then came back. Was I a Virginia resident that whole time?
A: Likely yes. A temporary relocation does not change your domicile unless you both abandon Virginia and establish a new domicile with intent to remain permanently or indefinitely. Keeping your Virginia home, licenses, registrations, and voting — and then returning — shows you did not.

Q: I filed a resident return in the other state. Doesn't that settle it?
A: No. Filing another state's resident return is one factor, but it does not override the domicile analysis. Virginia can still tax you as a domiciliary resident, though you then get a credit for the other state's tax.

Q: Does moving back to Virginia hurt my case?
A: It can. Returning is evidence you never intended to leave permanently or indefinitely, which undercuts the "abandonment" half of a change of domicile.

Q: Will I be double-taxed on income earned in the other states?
A: Generally no. As a Virginia resident you may credit the income tax paid to each other state on the same income, up to the lesser of that state's tax or the Virginia tax on it (§ 58.1-332).

Citations and references

Statutes:

• Va. Code § 58.1-301 — Virginia conforms to the Internal Revenue Code; Virginia taxable income starts from federal adjusted gross income
• Va. Code § 58.1-302 — domiciliary vs. actual resident; a Virginia domiciliary is taxed on all income wherever earned
• Va. Code § 58.1-205 — assessment prima facie correct; the taxpayer bears the burden of proving a change of domicile
• Va. Code § 58.1-332 — credit for income tax paid to another state
• Va. Code § 58.1-111 — assessment on the best information available when no return is filed
• Va. Code § 46.2-323.1; § 24.2-101 — only residents may hold a Virginia license; voter residence requires domicile and a place of abode

Authorities (described here, not linked): New York ex rel. Cohn v. Graves, 300 U.S. 308 (1937) (a state may tax all income of its residents); Cooper's Adm'r v. Commonwealth, 121 Va. 338 (1917) (two-part change-of-domicile test); and prior public documents P.D. 00-151, P.D. 02-149, and P.D. 97-301. A companion 2025 determination, P.D. 25-67, reached the same result for a retiree whose Virginia voting and license renewal were decisive.

Source

• Landing page: Virginia Laws, Rules & Decisions
• Ruling: P.D. 25-68

Original ruling text

May 16, 2025

Re: § 58.1-1821 Application: Individual Income Tax

Dear *:

This will respond to your letter in which you seek correction of the individual income tax assessment issued to * (the “Taxpayer”) for the taxable year ended December 31, 2020.

FACTS

The Department received information from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) indicating that the Taxpayer may have been required to file a Virginia income tax return for the 2020 taxable year. A review of the Department’s records showed that the Taxpayer had not filed a Virginia return. The Department requested additional information from the Taxpayer in order to determine if his income was taxable in Virginia. When a response was not received, the Department issued an assessment. The Taxpayer appeals, asserting he was a resident of * (State A) in 2020 and had no Virginia source income.

DETERMINATION

Taxation of Virginia Residents

Virginia Code § 58.1-301 provides, with certain exceptions, that the terminology and references used in Title 58.1 of the Code of Virginia will have the same meaning as provided in the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) unless a different meaning is clearly required. Conformity does not extend to terms, concepts, or principles not specifically provided in the Code of Virginia. For individual income tax purposes, Virginia conforms to federal law, in that it starts the computation of Virginia taxable income (VTI) with federal adjusted gross income (FAGI). Income properly included in the FAGI of a Virginia resident is subject to taxation by Virginia, unless it is specifically exempt as a Virginia modification pursuant to Chapter 3 of Title 58.1 of the Code of Virginia .

It is well established that a state may tax all the income of its residents, even income earned outside the taxing jurisdiction. In New York ex rel. Cohn v. Graves , 300 U.S. 308, 312-313 (1937), the United States Supreme Court explained “[t]hat the receipt of income by a resident of the territory of a taxing sovereignty is a taxable event is universally recognized.” As such, even if the Taxpayer had no Virginia source income, he would have been subject to Virginia income tax if he had been a Virginia resident.

Residency

Two classes of residents, a domiciliary resident and an actual resident, are set forth in Virginia Code § 58.1-302. The domiciliary residence of a person means the permanent place of residence of that person and the place to which that person intends to return even though they may be residing elsewhere. An actual resident of Virginia means a person who, for an aggregate of more than 183 days of the taxable year, maintained their place of abode within Virginia. A Virginia domiciliary resident continues to be subject to Virginia taxation even if they work in another state or country. Additionally, a person who is not a domiciliary resident of Virginia, but who stays in Virginia for an aggregate of more than 183 days, is also subject to Virginia taxation.

In order to change domicile, there must be (1) actual abandonment of the old domicile, coupled with an intent not to return to it, and (2) an acquisition of a new domicile at another place, which must be formed by personal presence and an intent to remain there permanently or indefinitely. See Cooper’s Adm’r v. Commonwealth , 121 Va. 338, 347 (1917). The burden of proof that an individual has abandoned or failed to establish domicile in Virginia rests with the individual. See Title 23 of the Virginia Administrative Code (VAC) 10-110-30 B 3.

The determination of whether a change of domicile has occurred is highly dependent on the facts and circumstances of the individual case, and no single factor is dispositive. Factors to be considered include, but are not limited to, the following:

sites of real and tangible property, location of savings and checking accounts, motor vehicle registration and licensing, motor vehicle operator’s license, voter registration, membership in clubs and civic groups, place of business, profession or employment, charitable contributions, location of schools attended by children, length of time of residence, place of birth and marriage, residence of family, reason for abandoning or acquiring domicile, and, in the case of a minor or married person, domicile of parents, husband, or wife and/or children. Id.

The Taxpayer was a domiciliary resident of Virginia prior to 2019. He lived and worked in Virginia, owned a personal residence, held a Virginia driver’s license and vehicle registration, and was registered to vote in Virginia.

In February 2019, the Taxpayer obtained a position with a new employer in State A and began leasing a residence there. The Taxpayer lived and worked in State A until December 2020, when he returned to Virginia. The Taxpayer filed a State A resident individual income tax return for the 2020 taxable year.

The Taxpayer, however, retained significant connections to it. He continued to own a residence in Virginia, and he returned to it in December 2020. He maintained his Virginia driver’s license and leased or owned two vehicles that were registered in Virginia in 2020. He also remained registered to vote in Virginia and voted by absentee ballot in 2020.

Virginia Code § 46.2-323.1 states, “No driver’s license . . . shall be issued to any person who is not a Virginia resident.” In fact, this section states that every person applying for a driver’s license must execute and furnish to the Commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) a statement that certifies that the applicant is a Virginia resident. The Department has found that an individual may successfully establish a domicile outside Virginia even if they retain a Virginia driver’s license. See Public Document (P.D.) 00-151 (8/18/2000). However, obtaining or renewing a Virginia driver’s license is considered to be a strong indicator of intent to retain domiciliary residency in Virginia. See P.D. 02-149 (12/9/2002).

With regard to eligibility to vote, Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution of Virginia states in relevant part as follows:

In elections by the people, the qualifications of voters shall be as follows: Each voter shall be a citizen of the United States, shall be eighteen years of age, shall fulfill the residency requirements set forth in this section, and shall be registered to vote pursuant to this article. . . . The residence requirements shall be that each voter shall be a resident of the Commonwealth and of the precinct where he votes. Residence, for all purposes of qualification to vote, requires both domicile and place of abode.

The domicile and place of abode requirement found in the Constitution of Virginia is also reflected in the definition of “residence” or “resident” used in Virginia election statutes. See Virginia Code § 24.2-101. The Department will consider the fact that an individual obtains a Virginia voter’s registration and actively votes as a Virginia resident in elections in Virginia to be very strong evidence that the individual considered Virginia to be their domicile during the time they held and used such registrations. See Cooper’s Adm’r , 121 Va. at 349.

Virginia Code § 58.1-205 provides that, in any proceeding relating to the interpretation of the tax laws of Virginia, an “assessment of a tax by the Department shall be deemed prima facie correct.” As such, the burden of proof is on the Taxpayer to show he was not subject to income tax in Virginia.

As stated above, a change of domicile requires that an individual prove two elements concurrently: 1) that the individual abandoned the old domicile and had no intent to return to it; and 2) that the individual established a new domicile, which must have been formed by physical presence coupled with the intent to remain permanently or indefinitely. The Department expects that when individuals are seeking a permanent change of domicile, they will normally register vehicles, obtain a new driver’s license, register to vote, and perform other official acts indicating their intent to change domicile. To the extent such connections may be retained with Virginia, it suggests that the individual may not have been certain that they intended to abandon their Virginia domicile. If a permanent change of residence were intended, there would be no need to retain such connections with a former state.

Credit for Taxes Paid to Another State

Virginia Code § 58.1-332 A allows Virginia residents a credit on their Virginia return for income taxes paid to another state provided the income is either earned or business income or gain from the sale of a capital asset. The intent of the credit is to grant Virginia residents relief in situations where they are taxed by both Virginia and another state on these types of income.

Virginia law does not necessarily allow a taxpayer to claim a credit for the total amount of tax paid to another state. Rather, the credit is limited to the lesser of the amount of tax actually paid to the other state or the amount of Virginia income tax actually imposed on the taxpayer on the income earned or derived in the other state. See P.D. 97-301 (7/7/1997). The limitation is computed by multiplying the individual’s Virginia tax liability by a fraction, the numerator of which is the income upon which the other state’s tax is imposed, and the denominator of which is Virginia taxable income.

As an actual resident of State A and a domiciliary resident of Virginia, the Taxpayer would be allowed a credit against his Virginia income tax liability for income tax paid to State A. In addition, the Taxpayer would be allowed a credit for income tax paid to * (State B), as reported on his 2020 State B nonresident income tax return. The credit for taxes paid to State A and State B would be allowed to the extent permitted by Virginia Code § 58.1-332.

CONCLUSION

The Department acknowledges that a determination of a change in domicile is evidenced by a process in which no single factor is dispositive. After carefully considering the information presented, the Department finds that the Taxpayer has not proven his intent to abandon his Virginia domicile and establish domicile in State B. In particular, using a Virginia voter’s registration to vote during the period when he was not actually residing in Virginia is a significant factor demonstrating domiciliary intent. Accordingly, the Department finds that the Taxpayer was taxable as a domiciliary resident of Virginia for the 2020 taxable year. The Taxpayer will, however, be able to claim a credit for the income tax he paid to State A and State B.

The assessment at issue was made based on the best information available to the Department pursuant to Virginia Code § 58.1-111. The Taxpayer, however, may have information that better represents his Virginia income tax liability for the taxable year at issue. Therefore, he should file a 2020 Virginia resident income tax return and claim credit for income tax paid to State A and State B to the extent permitted by Virginia Code § 58.1-332. The return should be submitted within 30 days from the date of this letter to: Virginia Department of Taxation, Office of Tax Policy and Legal Affairs, Tax Adjudication and Resolution Division, P.O. Box 27203, Richmond, Virginia, 23261, Attention: *. The return will be reviewed and processed, and the assessment will be adjusted as warranted. If the return is not received within the allotted time, the assessment will be adjusted based on the available information.

After the assessment has been adjusted, the Taxpayer will receive an updated bill that will include accrued interest to date. The Taxpayer should remit the balance due within 30 days of the bill date to avoid the accrual of additional interest and possible collection actions.

The Code of Virginia sections and regulation cited are available online at law.lis.virginia.gov. The public documents cited are available at tax.virginia.gov in the Laws, Rules, & Decisions section of the Department’s website. If you have any questions regarding this determination, you may contact * in the Office of Tax Policy and Legal Affairs, Tax Adjudication and Resolution Division, at or **@tax.virginia.gov.

Sincerely,

James J. Alex

Tax Commissioner

Commonwealth of Virginia

AR 5033.Q

Related Documents

97-301

00-151

02-149

22-155