Frequently Asked Questions

For Fuel Assistance, please call Georgette Ducey at the Truro Council on Aging: 508-413-9508

Food Pantry is open at the Community Center on Tuesday and Wednesday at 7 Standish Way, Truro MA. Hours: 10 am to 12:30 pm.

Yes. Call Georgette Ducey, Outreach and Resource Coordinator, at 508-413-9508.

Georgette Ducey, Outreach and Resource Coordinator. Call her at 508-413-9508.

Call Georgette Ducey, Outreach and Resource Coordinator, at 508-413-9508. The COA maintains a referral list.

Call us at 508-487-2462, Monday through Friday from 8 am to 4 pm at least two business days in advance of when the ride is needed. For medical rides, please make sure your appointment time is scheduled so that your pick up time and return time is within our business hours, taking into account travel time.

Please have the following available when you make your request:

• Exact physical address of pick-up location (must be within Truro)
• Destination address and phone number (destination must be within Barnstable County)
• If the ride request is for an appointment, anticipated length of appointment time
• Any details to ensure that the ride will be comfortable and safe for the rider (for example, mobility, sight, hearing or memory issues)

Monday through Friday, 8 am to 4 pm.

Building permits are required for sheds and they must abide by the setback regulations. Any shed 200 sq ft and under can be on blocks. Sheds larger than 200 sq ft must be on a foundation, such as a concrete slab or sonotubes.

A building permit must be submitted for a deck. 4 ft deep footings are required. When a deck is 30 inches off the ground, railings are required.

Please click HERE.

You may:

• Place a hold with one of our librarians at the Library or over the phone 508-487-1125
• Place a hold with CLAMS online

From the CLAMS website, log in to your account and search for your item. You may search by title, author, keyword, or subject. Be sure to have the correct spelling because CLAMS does not have a spell-check option. When you find the item you are looking for, click on "Request It" (to the right of the title from a result list; near top of page from a title detail). Select a pick-up location from the drop-down menu of CLAMS libraries and click "Submit." The system will let you know if your request was successful.

From your CLAMS account, select "View Outstanding Holds." You will see a list of your requested items. Check the status column to see if the item is ready for pick-up, and where. "In-transit" means it is on its way, and a due date means you are next up to receive the item. If the column is blank, you are still in the queue.

An InterLibrary Loan is a request for material outside of CLAMS. If CLAMS does not have the book or materials that you need:

• Make a request in person, over the phone 508-487-1125, or email the Library.
• Provide the title, author, ISBN, publication date and any other information you have for the requested item.
• To submit a request online, please visit the CLAMS website and click on "Virtual Catalog" under "Browse Other Catalogs." Fill out the form with as much information as you can and submit the form. Your library will search for and request the item for you. You will be notified by your library when the item is ready to be picked up.

• Any person, whether individually or as a partnership, conducting business under any title other than the complete real name of the owner(s).
• Any corporation doing business in a name other than its corporate name. The certificate must be completed and filed by a corporate officer.

No. However, you must provide a copy upon request.

File with the Town Clerk, either in person or by mail, in every city or town where an office of said business may be situated. If you are filing by mail, notarize it before mailing.

A business certificate is in full force and effect for 4 years from the date of issue. A new filing must be made every four years as long as the business is being conducted.

The person performing the marriage ceremony must complete and sign the original license (in black ink) and return it to the Town Clerk who issued the marriage license.

The clergy person must obtain a Certificate of Authorization from the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth prior to the ceremony. This certificate, which is issued by the Public Records Division of the Secretary of the Commonwealth, is to be returned to the clerk of the city or town where the license was issued.

For more information, view the Non-resident Clergy information.

Yes, it is possible for a non-minister or non-justice of the peace (such as a relative or family friend) to obtain special permission to perform a marriage from the Governor.

For more infromation view the One-day solemnization certificate information (includes downloadable application form).

An RAO may charge and recover a fee for the time spent searching, redacting, photocopying, and refiling a record.

• The hourly rate may not be greater than the prorated hourly wage of the lowest-paid employee who is capable of performing the task. Generally, an RAO is not permitted to charge an hourly rate in excess of $25 per hour to search for records. Municipal RAOs may petition the Supervisor for permission to charge a fee in excess of $25.
• The fee estimate (GFE-Good Faith Estimate) must provide the hourly rate and the number of hours required for each portion of the task. An RAO may not recover fees associated with record organization.

The federal Freedom of Information Act is a statute that applies to federal records. The Massachusetts Public Records Law applies to records created by or in the custody of a state or local agency, board, or other government entity.

The Division of Public Records (Division) has always provided an "attorney of the day" to assist any person seeking information regarding the Public Records Law.

The hours of operation for the Division are Monday through Friday, with the exception of holidays, from 8:45 am to 5 pm. You can email the Division or call them at 617-727-2832.

Every record that is made or received by a government entity or employee is presumed to be a public record unless a specific statutory exemption permits or requires it to be withheld in whole or in part. Specific statutory exemptions have been created by the legislature. There are non-statutory exemptions as well, called common law exemptions. Non-statutory exemptions include the common law attorney-client privilege and the work-product privilege. These exemptions permit the agency or municipality to withhold a record from the public. A records access officer (RAO) must prove with specificity why it should be allowed to withhold any public record.

The exemptions to the Public Records Law are described in this guide. If an RAO claims an exemption and withholds a record, the RAO has the burden of showing how the exemption applies to the record and why it should be withheld.

A person seeking access to government records must obtain them from the government office that created or received the records.

The Division of Public Records (Division) is not a warehouse for government records. The only records kept in the Division are those that are essential to the business operations of the Division. To obtain public records, a person must directly contact the municipal or state agency office that is the custodian of the sought-for records.

The Public Records Law does not apply to records held by federal agencies, the legislature, or the courts of the Commonwealth. Accordingly, the Supervisor is unable to assist requesters seeking such records.

A Records Access Officer (RAO) is the person responsible for responding to requests for public records. Information on how to contact an RAO is usually available on the website for the applicable municipal or state entity holding the records sought by requesters.

A records custodian means any governmental entity that makes or receives public records.

To obtain a copy of a record, you must make a request to the RAO for the municipal or state agency that you believe has the records you are seeking.

An RAO must respond to your request as determined by the Public Records Law. If the RAO fails to respond or denies a request, a requester may appeal the matter to the Supervisor within ninety days.

Under the Public Records Regulations, all appeals to the Supervisor must include a copy of the original request, any response by the RAO, and a statement indicating the reason for the appeal. The requester must also provide a copy of the appeal petition to the RAO.

A requester may also commence a civil action in a superior court to enforce the requirements of the Public Records Law. Where applicable, the superior court may award reasonable attorney's fees and costs in cases where the requestor obtains relief.

The Supervisor will close an appeal without a finding if a requester fails to provide a copy of the request or the response. The Supervisor will close an appeal without a finding if the requester fails to provide a copy of the request to the RAO, or fails to provide a copy of the petition for appeal to the RAO.

In such cases, a requester may seek a new appeal, provided the appeal is filed in compliance with the Public Records Regulations.

An RAO's response must be in writing and must provide the name of the RAO. The response must include a good faith estimate of any cost of providing the record.

The response must also include a specific exemption to the Public Records Law to justify the denial of access to any record and an explanation of how that exemption applies to the records. Any denial must include instructions on how to appeal to the Supervisor of Records.

A written request is not required but is strongly recommended. An oral request made in person is permitted. An RAO is not permitted to require a written request but may write an oral request on its own form to assist in a prompt response.

To appeal an RAO response to the Supervisor, however, a request must be in writing.

The Public Records Law only applies to records. An RAO is not required by the Public Records Law to answer questions or create a record in response to a request; however, an RAO must provide any records that exist that respond to a question.

Absent a specifically identified statute or regulation, an RAO may charge no more than $0.05 per page for single and double-sided black and white paper copies or computer printouts. There is no longer a separate charge for police or fire reports or for computer printouts.

The Public Records Law and its Regulations apply to all Massachusetts government records, regardless of form and regardless of location of the records.

The provision of public records in electronic form is preferred where available. An RAO is not permitted to assess a copying fee for electronic records. The $0.05 fee applies only to paper copies of records.

The Public Records Regulations require that an RAO provide a detailed, written, good-faith estimate for the cost of complying with a public record request.

The fee estimate must contain a statement advising the requester that the actual cost of producing the record might vary once the agency or municipality begins preparing the record. Any agency or municipality is permitted to require payment of the estimated fee before commencing work.

All agencies and municipalities are strongly urged to waive the fees associated with access to public records but are not required to do so under the law.

Public records that are of great interest to a large number of people must be readily available within the office of the RAO and should be provided at a minimum cost, if any. Examples include minutes of board meetings, town meeting documents, warrants, street lists, and municipal financial documents. Many of these records are required to be placed on the RAO's website.

RAOs must help the requester to determine the precise record or records responsive to a request; however, a requester must provide a reasonable description of the requested records. If a request is unclear, the RAO is expected to seek clarification from the requester.

• The File of Life card enables Fire/EMS to obtain a quick medical history when the patient is unable to offer one. The card eliminates the risk of the patient who, in a confused or incapacitated state, may forget to mention something important.
• The card, which is kept in a red plastic pocket labeled FILE OF LIFE, lists all the necessary information needed to provide the most accurate care.
• FILE OF LIFE is available by visiting Truro Fire Department at 344 Route 6

The current tax rate is $6.17 per thousand for residential (Fiscal Year 2026).  The Commercial/Industrial/Personal Property (CIP) tax rate is $5.71 per thousand.

To change the mailing address for your Truro property, complete the Address Change Form available on this website and mail or email it to the Assessors Office (PO Box 2030, Truro MA 02666 or click here

To change the mailing address for your Motor Vehicle excise, you must contact the Registry of Motor Vehicles at 800-858-3926 or you can use the RMV Online Center here.

This is normal: Massachusetts General Laws direct that the name of the Owner of Record as of January 1 (which is the assessment date, prior to the Fiscal Year) will appear on the next fiscal years two tax bills (October and April).  The “C/O” in front of your name stands for “Current Owner”.  Once the fiscal year has run its cycle, the former owner’s name will drop off because on the next January 1^st, your name will appear as the Owner of Record.

In Truro, each fiscal year starts on July 1 and ends the next June 30.   The fiscal year is named after the year in which the fiscal period ends.  Ex. Fiscal 2026 ends on June 30, 2026 (it started on July 1, 2025).

Personal Property is a Massachusetts tax that is assessed to properties assumed to not be the owner’s Primary Domicile (aka, a second home).

The definition of Personal Property is anything that can be removed without affecting the structure, such as household furnishings, appliances, furniture, bedding, artwork, recreation equipment, etc. 

The value is estimated using data obtained every five years by mailing a survey to 200 randomly selected homeowners.  In Truro, the last survey mailing was in 2021, and the survey results determined that the average value of Personal Property in a single family home was 2% (.5% for condos).  In January 2026, a new survey was mailed out.

Your Primary Domicile does not receive a Personal Property tax bill because the tax is only for a property that is not your Primary Domicile.

If your Truro property is your Primary Domicile but has more than one dwelling unit on it, the Personal Property tax bill is related to the other dwelling unit(s).

Personal Property tax is assessed to whoever owned the property on January 1 preceding the beginning of the fiscal year.  That owner is responsible for the entire bill even if the property was sold shortly after January 1.  The bill cannot be pro-rated for the months that you did not own the property.

The Assessing Office must establish the full and fair cash value of all real estate by reviewing qualified sales – what “willing sellers" and "willing buyers" are doing in the marketplace using the time period directed by the Department of Revenue. These are often called "Arms Length sales".   “Full and fair cash value” means current market value, what the property would sell for on the open market.  

We then use these sales (that can be between 1.5 to 2 years old by the time the tax bill comes out in October) to establish the property values for the upcoming fiscal year. 

 The Assessors also keep a record of important factors of the properties and buildings thereon such as location, house size, quality of construction, amount of finished square footage, and any outbuildings or features on the land.  That data is then valued by cost of construction data in the area. The object of the valuation program is to estimate "reasonable cash value" as of January 1 (known as the "assessment date") prior to the fiscal year. 

CPA stands for the Community Preservation Act.  It is a state law (MGL Chapter 44B) that gives towns the option to adopt a property tax surcharge to help fund projects that preserve the character of the community.  Matching money is available from the state.  The collected money is administered by the CPA Committee and the use of it is ultimately approved at Town Meeting.

Massachusetts Motor Vehicle excise tax is an annual local tax on registered vehicles, calculated at $25 per $1,000 of the vehicle’s value, based on a percentage of the manufacturer’s original list price that decreases with the car’s age and stops at 10% of the original MSRP.  The billing data is sent to the Town from the Registry of Motor Vehicles, and the Town sends out individual bills according to Department of Revenue directives.  

A Town’s assessment process differs from a paid-for appraisal in that “mass assessment” assesses many properties at once as part of determining property tax.  A fee appraisal from an appraisal company is done for purposes of purchase, refinancing, estate valuation, etc. and deals with only one property.

Being able to verify the interior data ensures that accurate data is used to make a determination of the overall property value. You are not required to let the Assessing Data Collector into your home if the Data Collector is visiting for a Nine-Year-Cyclical or Building Permit inspection.  Examples of items of interest are: condition, living area, number & quality of bedrooms, bathrooms and fireplaces, and whether parts or all of attics and basements are finished or unfinished. During a visit, the Data Collector will be happy to explain the information on your property record card.  If you refuse entrance to the Data Collector, there is no penalty, but you may give up the option to challenge the assessed value. This also ensures everyone pays their fair share of the property tax levy. 

A significant part of a property’s value is not just the physical aspects, but its value in the real estate market.  Although there may not have been any physical changes to the property, buyers may be paying more or less for properties similar to yours than they were in previous years.  All properties in the Town do not change in value to exactly the same degree because market value is based on sales trends - one type of land or house may be more or less in demand than in the past. 

A property valuation may be disputed via the Real Estate Abatement process. Real Estate Abatement applications are available at the Assessing office and on the Town website in the Assessing Department section. Applications are accepted during the thirty days after the Fall tax bill mailing date, which is the same time period that payments are due.  (However filing an application for Real Estate Abatement does not put your tax payment on hold.)  

The Town website (Assessing Department) has more information about Abatements, including a page of Abatement instructions.  If you have additional questions, the Principal Assessor would be happy to speak with you.