Abatements-Motor Vehicle & Boat
Motor Vehicle Excise Abatement:
Massachusetts law requires that you pay a tax on registered motor vehicles or trailers. Motor vehicles include motorcycles, cars, buses, Motor Homes, off-road vehicles, and trucks. Motor Vehicle Excise taxes run on a Calendar Year (January-December).
You may be entitled to receive an abatement of your motor vehicle excise tax if you submit all of the necessary documentation for the particular situation/reason that pertains to you. Please complete the Application for Motor Vehicle Abatement Form below and attach what is required for each situation.
- Vehicle Sold or Traded. Copies You Must Provide: Bill of sale AND plate return receipt from Registry of Motor Vehicle (RMV) or new registration form if plate transferred to another vehicle.
- Vehicle Stolen or Total Loss. Copies You Must Provide: Police report or insurance report AND plate return receipt, C-19 FORM (Affidavit of Lost or Stolen Plate from RMV) or new registration form.
- Vehicle Repossessed. Copies You Must Provide: Notice from lienholder AND plate return receipt, C-19 Form or new registration form.
- Vehicle Junked. Copies You Must Provide: Receipt from junk yard AND plate return receipt, C-19 Form or new registration form.
- Vehicle Returned (Lemon Law). Copies You Must Provide: Letter from dealer certifying return AND plate return receipt or new registration form.
- Moved Out of State. Copies You Must Provide: Date of move AND Registration from new state or country AND plate return receipt from Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicle (RMV)
- Exemptions. Charitable Organizations; POW's (Prisoner of War); Disabled Veterans (Degrees of disability required); Disabled Persons (Degrees of disability required); Non-Domiciliary Servicepersons.
Copies You Must Provide: Relevant documentation establishing qualifications.
No bill may be abated to less than $5.00 and a payment may not be abated to less than $5.00.
Motor Vehicle Excise - MGL Chapter 60A
- The Tax Rate is $25.00 per thousand $ of value.
- Tax Year Cycle: January 1 to December 31.
Valuation is based on a % of the factory list price new, established by the manufacturer for the year of manufacture as follows:
- 50% - In the year preceding the designated year of manufacture
- 90% - In the year of manufacture
- 60% - In the 2nd year
- 40% - In the 3rd year
- 25% - In the 4th year
- 10% - In the 5th and succeeding years
All Motor Vehicle Excise Tax Bill are due in full on or before the 30th day after issuance
Boat Excise Abatement:
The boat excise is imposed for the privilege of using the waterways of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
If you own a boat and it is habitually situated, moored or docked in Truro you need to pay annual taxes known as Boat Excise. This is in addition to any Mooring or Waterway fees by the Town of Truro, etc. We obtain information from multiple sources when producing the Boat Excise Bills. Boat Excise Tax runs on the Fiscal Year of July 1-June 30. Bills are usually sent out in Dec or Jan of the FY.
You may be entitled to receive an abatement of all or a portion of your boat excise tax if you submit all of the necessary documentation for the particular situation/reason that pertains to you. Please complete the Application for Boat Abatement Form below and attach what is required for each situation.
- Boat Traded, Sold, Stolen or Destroyed during the year it was taxed and the Registration was cancelled. Copies You Must Provide: Bill of sale AND complete the Massachusetts Environmental Police Status Change Form.
- Boat moored in another MA city/town and paid excise tax to that city/town. Copies You Must Provide: Proof of excise payment AND complete the Massachusetts Environmental Police Status Change Form (if necessary to update the mooring city/town).
- Moved to another state, registered boat in that state and surrender or do not renew your registration in MA. Copies You Must Provide: Registration in that State AND complete the Massachusetts Environmental Police Status Change Form.
- The Boat was Junked. Copies You Must Provide: Receipt from junkyard AND complete the Massachusetts Environmental Police Status Change Form.
No bill may be abated to less than $5.00 and a payment may not be abated to less than $5.00.