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1. If I did not physically receive an excise bill from the Town, am I still responsible for late charges?

According to Chapter 60A Section 2 of the Massachusetts General Laws, “failure to receive notice shall not affect the validity of the excise”. A person who does not receive a bill is still liable for the excise plus any charges. Therefore it is important to keep the Registry, Assessor’s Office and the Post Office informed of a current name and address so that excise bills can be delivered promptly. All owners of motor vehicles must pay excise tax; therefore it is the responsibility of the owner to contact the local assessor if he/she has not received a bill. The largest mailing of excise bills generally happens in February each year.

Registry

2. I have received an excise bill on my new car, but I have already paid the excise on my old car. What should I do?

Pay the bill. Your old bill is eligible to be abated through the Assessor’s Office (781) 455-7507, from which you will receive a refund from the Collector. Follow abatement instructions on the back of the bill. The Registry prorates your excise on a monthly basis. The annual excise due on a car registered after January 1 will be reduced, therefore, by one twelfth of the full years excise for every month prior to the one in which the vehicle was registered. Conversely, you will be due a refund of one twelfth the excise you paid on you old car by the number of months it was not registered to you, in most cases.

3. How do I pay an auto excise tax?

• If you have the bill, send a check and the Collector's copy of the bill in the envelope provided. If you don't have the envelope, send it to: Tax Collector, P.O. Box 920636 Needham, MA 02492-0908. Please do not include any correspondence as this address goes directly to the Town's bank.

• If you do not have the bill, send a check with the owner's name, the vehicle's license plate number, the tax period being paid and the amount being paid clearly indicated to: Tax Collector, Town of Needham, 1471 Highland Avenue, Needham, MA 02492.

• If you pay your bills via your personal computer, you may use the bill payer option from your own bank account. Please be sure to only reference the Tax Account ID # if you are paying an Excise tax bill. If you include any other verbiage, your payment may be rejected.

• If you want a receipt or need to pay by cash or simply want to pay in person, come to the Needham Town Hall at 1471 Highland Ave, 1st Floor Collector/Treasurer’s Office between the hours of 8:30 am and 5:00 pm Monday through Friday.

• If you have been notified by the Registry of Motor Vehicles that you can not renew a license or registration because of unpaid auto excise taxes, you must call the Office of the Deputy Collector @ (781) 828-4219 or visit
Mass. Deputy