Clifford Holman owed £3,816.53 in missed payments at two former addresses from January 5, 2002, to November 24, 2005.
He was found guilty by a Portsmouth magistrate yesterday, was jailed for 42 days and ordered to pay £4,208.54 including costs.
T
he 42-year-old was also sentenced to a further seven days' imprisonment for failing to pay fines of around £450.
Mr Holman lives in Priory Road, Eastney, with his family, who refused to comment on the matter.
Portsmouth City Council has praised the verdict, and bosses hope it sends a clear warning to tax dodgers, who cost the city £4m a year in uncollected council tax.
Roger Ching, the city's director for corporate resources, said: 'As far as we are aware, this man may be the first person in Portsmouth to be jailed since the former poll tax days for failing to pay his council tax.
'We believe this sends out a strong message to others who are refusing to pay their tax.'
Portsmouth council is ranked second, behind Reading, in the south east for successfully collecting the property charge.
Although £738m of council tax went uncollected last year nationwide, only £4.1m of that was from Portsmouth.
Mr Ching added the council was making 'determined efforts' to reduce the amount of uncollected tax each year.
