MV Excise Tax FAQ's

What is Excise Tax?

Chapter 60A of Massachusetts General Law imposes an excise for the privilege of registering a motor vehicle in Massachusetts. If you have a Massachusetts license plate on your car (or in your possession) you must pay excise tax, a yearly tax, based on the value of the car on which the plate was registered. All bills must be reconciled within 30 days by either payment in full, or abated in full.

When are the motor vehicle excise taxes due?

All of the information regarding the motor vehicle excise bills comes directly from the Registry of Motor Vehicles. The RMV sends out between 10 – 15 mailings a year; the first and largest excise tax mailing usually goes out in February and due in March. If you need to correct any information on your bill, you must contact the RMV. If you are receiving a bill on a car you no longer own, please contact the Board of Assessors to inquire about an abatement.

Why did I get two excise bills in the same year?

Each time a car is registered or re-registered, the Registry of Motor Vehicles prepares a new excise bill. So when you buy a car, you will get another bill. If you register your new car in March, you will get a new bill for March through December on the new car. Please contact the Board of Assessors to inquire about an abatement on the original excise tax bill.

Do I still have to pay by excise tax bill if I’ve moved from Raynham?

Excise tax information originates with the Registry of Motor Vehicles. The address that the license plate was registered on January 1 determines where the tax bill for that year will be mailed. If you move January 2nd, the bill will still go to the January 1 address. If you lived in Raynham on January 1 of the tax year, you should pay the bill in full to the Town of Raynham. Failure to receive a bill does not excuse you from the tax or fees that accrue on outstanding excise tax bills. Change your forwarding address with the US Postal Service so that you receive you excise tax bills. To ensure correct future billing, change your mailing address and garaging of the vehicle with the Registry of Motor Vehicles. Contact the Treasurer/Collector’s office if you do not receive a bill.

My excise tax bill is the same as last year. Why didn’t it go down?

The Registry of Motor Vehicles values automobiles according to a fixed schedule of depreciation. The schedule lowers the value by a set percentage in each of the first five years and then fixes the value for the rest of the life of the car. Therefore, after the fifth year, the excise tax stays the same, year after year.

What happens if my payment is late?

If an excise is not paid within 30 days from the issue date, the tax collector will send a demand, with a fee for $20. In addition, interest will accrue on the overdue bill at an annual rate of 12 percent from the day after the due date. If the demand is not paid within 14 days, the overdue bills will be turned over to the deputy tax bill collector, which carries another $22 fee. If there is still no response, a final warrant, will be delivered or exhibited to the taxpayer at his/her residence or workplace, at an additional fee of $17. All interest and penalties should be clearly stated on the bill.

What happens if I don’t pay my excise taxes?

According to a Supreme Judicial Court ruling in April, 1996 and subsequent Registry of Motor Vehicle regulations, cities and towns must issue a final notice to the taxpayer stating that they plan to ask the Registrar of Motor Vehicles to prohibit renewal of his/her registration until the excise bill is settled. If the notice goes unanswered, such a request will be made. The Registrar may then prevent renewal of the vehicle registration along with the owner’s driver’s license until receiving notice that the bill has been paid.

If a taxpayer finds him/herself in this situation and has been refused renewal of a registration or license, he/she may remedy the matter by making full payment on the bill, including all fees and penalties, which will include a $20 release fee. All payments and inquires should be made to the Deputy Tax Collector, Kelley & Ryan. They can be reached at (508) 478-1218.

I am flagged at the RMV, can I pay my delinquent bill online?

Yes. Payments can be made online Kelley & Ryan Associates, Inc. at (TownPay.com)  or you can send a payment to:

Kelley & Ryan Associates
P.O. Box 203
Milford, MA 01757