https://townofprospect.gov/tax-collector/
The Town of Prospect’s website provides a convenient location for many of your tax-related questions and needs. My goal is to assist the residents of Prospect in understanding the local taxation processes and procedures and to provide easily accessible information pertaining to the Tax Collector’s office.
The Tax Collector’s home page consists of nine separate tabs:
- Tax Collector Tab: Tax Office Mission Statement, general information regarding the types of taxes the office collects, due dates, and the interest rate charged on late payments, Tax Office staff and contact information, office hours, and mailing address
- View/Pay Taxes Online Tab: information regarding DMV clearance for registration, how to find your tax bills online, how to pay your tax bills online, online bill payment frequently asked questions, and the link to the Tax Bill Inquiry / Online Payment System
- Taxes Due Tab: legal notice for the current installment due, current Grand List year and mill rate, due dates for property taxes, general real estate, motor vehicle and business personal property taxation information, frequently asked questions regarding taxes, credits, DMV releases and payment methods
- Income Tax Tab: how obtain your tax information for income tax purposes (updates after January 1 for the previous calendar year), link to obtain your 2020 tax information
- Tax Definitions Tab: definitions of frequently used tax collection terms
- Tax Collection Ordinances Tab: ordinances pertaining to tax collection
- Tax FAQ Tab: answers to 38 of the most frequently asked questions
- Tax Collection Enforcement Tab: delinquent tax collection enforcement methods and policies
- How Do I? Tab: instructions for 4 frequently requested tasks
- Informational Articles Tab: informational articles regarding local taxation written by the Tax Collector as they appeared in the Prospect Pages over the past two years
About Your New Tax Bills:
- Current Grand List covers October 1, 2020 through September 30, 2021.
- Current Fiscal Year is July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022
- Current Mill Rate is 32.30 mills
- All Real Estate, Personal Property (Business), and Motor Vehicle tax bills were mailed June 28, 2021.
- The first installment for real estate and personal property tax bills and the entire motor vehicle tax bill becomes due July 1, 2021.
- The last day to pay without interest being charged is Monday, August 2, 2021.
- Payment must be received by the Tax Collector’s office on or before 4:00 p.m. EST on August 2, 2021 or if mailed contain an Official US Postmark of August 2, 2021 or prior to be considered on time.
- No additional bill will be sent for the second installment of real estate and personal property tax bills.
Official US Postmark:
- If you are mailing your tax payment on August 2, 2021, the only way to be sure the envelope will contain an Official US Postmark is to bring it inside at the Post Office and ask them to hand stamp it with an Official US Postmark.
- Metered mail does NOT contain an Official US Postmark.
- ACH payments you schedule through your bank’s online bill payment system are “Presorted” mail and DO NOT contain an Official US Postmark.
- Postage printed from your computer does NOT contain and Official US Postmark.
Failure to receive a tax bill:
- If you did not receive a tax bill for real estate or personal property (business) you own, or for any motor vehicle you owned as of October 1, 2020, it is important you contact the Tax Collector’s office immediately. Non-receipt of a tax bill does not invalidate the tax due nor eliminate the interest that must be charged for a late payment (CGS 12-130).
Interest:
- Connecticut General Statutes (CGS Sec. 12-146) require all municipalities to charge interest, at the rate of 1.5% per month (18% per annum), from the due date of any installment, on any portion of past-due taxes. It is important to note that a full month’s interest accrues on the first day of the month and that the minimum interest charge is $2. For example, if a resident receives a tax bill of $400 due July 1, 2021 and makes the payment on August 3, 2021 additional interest in the amount of $12 ($6 for July and $6 for August) would be required to settle the taxes due.
Payments can be made:
- In person - The Tax Collector’s Office, Prospect Town Hall, 36 Center Street, Prospect is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. The office does not close for lunch. The Tax Office is closed July 5, 2021 in observance of Independence Day. Payment methods accepted at the tax office are cash, certified bank check, money order, personal/business check, credit/debit card. If paying by credit or debit card a 2.95% convenience fee is charged by the processing company (Invoice Cloud).
- Drop Box – There is a secure drop box that can be utilized for check payments located at the rear entrance of the Prospect Town Hall, 36 Center Street, Prospect. Never leave a cash payment in the drop box!!! Please include a daytime phone number with your payment so I can contact you if I have a question regarding your payment. Payments left in the drop box are collected and posted daily to your account Monday through Friday. Payments left in the drop box over the weekend will be collected and posted on Monday.
- Mail – You can mail your check or money order payable to: Tax Collector – Prospect, 36 Center Street, Prospect, CT Please include a daytime phone number on your check so I can contact you if I have any questions regarding your payment.
- Online Payment System - CLICK HERE . Non-refundable fees charged by Invoice Cloud for online payments are: $0.95 for ACH payments and 2.95% for credit/debit card payments. Credit cards accepted are Mastercard, Visa, Discover and American Express.
- Pay By Phone – 844-953-0667. Non-refundable fees charged by Invoice Cloud for phone payments are $0.95 plus $0.95 for ACH payments and 2.95% for credit/debit card payments. Credit cards accepted are Mastercard, Visa, Discover and American Express.
- Pay by Text – scan the QR code on your bill to access our online payment system.
Now that both the Town budget and the Region 16 budget have passed, the mil rate will be set (usually during the first week of June). Exemptions and abatements for qualifying taxpayers will be applied to the tax bills and the billing file will be sent to our vendor for verification, printing and mailing. All tax bills are scheduled to be mailed on June 28, 2021.
The Town Hall opened to the public on May 3, 2021. Visitors must sign in on the iPad located at the top of the stairs. If you would like to pay your taxes in person, the Tax Office accepts cash, checks, money orders, credit and debit cards. If you choose to pay by credit or debit card, a 2.95% processing fee is charged by Invoice Cloud for that payment.
If you need to register or renew a registration with DMV and you owe delinquent motor vehicle taxes, the only way to obtain an immediate release is by coming to the Tax Office and paying all motor vehicle taxes due in your name by cash, money order or certified bank check. Your name will be electronically released from the DMV system within 30 minutes of your payment being made. Paper releases are no longer accepted by DMV. If you pay delinquent motor vehicle taxes with a check, credit card, debit card or through the online payment or telephone payment system, a DMV release will not be issued for 7-10 business days.
While most taxpayers are intimately familiar with paying taxes each year, not all are familiar with the requirements of a municipal tax collector’s duties. I would like to take this opportunity to give a brief overview of the position and how it pertains to collecting taxes in Prospect.
Our mission in the Town of Prospect Tax Collector’s office is simple but essential: to assist in maintaining the fiscal stability of the Town by ensuring the timely collection of all tax revenue and charges due. We do this by instilling public confidence in the integrity of the Office and assisting the public in understanding the taxation process and procedures. Our aim is to achieve the highest level of voluntary compliance through accurate, efficient, and courteous customer service.
Our office is responsible for the billing and collection of all real estate, personal property and motor vehicles taxes, as well as any related penalty charges. Additionally, Water Pollution Control Authority sewer use charges and related penalty charges are also collected by the Tax Collector’s office.
While the Mayor oversees many offices within the town, the office of the Tax Collector is overseen by the Office of Policy and Management, which is responsible for ensuring State of Connecticut tax collectors follow the practices and procedures set forth in the statutes. That being said, the Tax Collector provides monthly collection reports to the Mayor, Town Council and Treasurer, Quarterly Survey Reports to the U.S. Census Bureau, and annual reports to the Office of Policy and Management. The Tax Collector provides information as requested to the Town Auditor and reviews tax office policies and procedures to ensure all taxpayers are treated equally.
The Tax Collector’s office is governed by Connecticut State Statutes. Those statutes dictate specific procedures for the billing and collection of taxes, as well as the record-keeping involved. Statutes are strictly construed, with authority existing only if specifically granted by statute. Statutes govern when and how bills are sent; what notice is to be given or published concerning taxes; the rate and applicability of interest; how liens are applied; what means of delinquent collections are permitted; and so forth.
A tax collector does not have the authority to waive or reduce interest due on a delinquent tax. The Office of the Tax Collector must adhere strictly to procedures set forth in the Connecticut General Statutes. If a tax payment is not received by the tax office on or before the close of business on the last day to pay without penalty, or does not contain an Official US Postmark of the last day to pay or before, interest must be charged at a rate of 1 ½% per month from the due date of the installment. That is the law.
The Statutes also specify that failure to receive a tax bill does not invalidate the tax or interest due. As owners of property, taxpayers are responsible to know when their taxes are due. Failure to have received a bill does not exempt the taxpayer from payment of any taxes or subsequent interest charges. Interest is charged to all late payments and the statutes do not allow exceptions to this.
Real estate, personal property and motor vehicles are taxed each year with the tax becoming due July 1st. In Prospect, real estate and personal property bills equal to or greater than $100 may be paid in two installments if the taxpayer chooses to do so. Motor vehicle taxes are due in one installment. The first installment becomes due July 1st and is payable on or before the first business day of August, usually August 1st. Motor vehicles newly registered after October 1st of any given year are billed in December and become due January 1st. Each January, the second installment of the real estate and personal property taxes, as well as any supplemental motor vehicle taxes, become due January 1st and are payable on or before the first business day of February, usually February 1st.
In summary, if you own real estate, a business, or any motor vehicle you will be taxed for that property each year in July. If you do not receive a tax bill for property you own, please contact the office of the Tax Collector during the first week of July to inquire as to the amount of taxes due. We are happy to be of assistance and look forward to serving you throughout the year.
First, I would like to congratulate Taryn and Mike on purchasing The Prospect Pages and offer my very best wishes to them and their staff as they begin the new venture of publishing our hometown paper. The Pages is a great avenue for me, as an elected official, to keep the residents of Prospect current with news pertaining to the Tax Collector’s office. I firmly believe that one of the most important aspects of my position is keeping the people I serve educated, informed and updated on the duties and requirements of the local tax collection process as well as the policies of the Prospect Tax Collector’s office.
The past seven months have proved to be challenging for everyone. For the first time, taxpayers were not able to come inside the Town Hall to pay their tax bills. I hope the additional payment options offered served the taxpayers with as little inconvenience as possible.
One common issue that occurred frequently over the past few months is checks that were received for payment of taxes were either written incorrectly or were incomplete. Following are reasons your check would have to be returned to you without processing the payment.
- The bank will not process a check that does not have a date or has an incomplete date on it. The date line must have the month, day and year on it to be considered complete.
- The tax office cannot accept post-dated checks. Checks are posted to your account the day they are received and must be dated for the day it is processed or prior because it must be available for deposit that same day.
- The bank processes a check according to the legal line (the line that is written out in words). If a check has a dollar amount written in numbers in the amount box and nothing written out in words on the legal line, the bank will not process the check. If the words written on the legal line are written differently than the numbers written in the amount box, the bank will process the check according to what is written on the legal line (whether it is more or less than the number amount written in the box).
- If the legal line does not include the cents due for the payment, the bank will process the check for exactly what is written on the legal line. That will leave a balance due on your tax account and interest will accrue on the unpaid tax balance. Per CT State Statute, a minimum interest charge of $2.00 must be charged on any outstanding amount after the last day to pay. (Example: if you did not include the two cents that was due on the legal line, and the two cents was not paid on or before the last day to pay, you would owe $2.02.)
- If a check is not signed, the bank will not process it.
- Checks for tax payments should be made payable to: Town of Prospect – Tax Collector.
- Checks for sewer use payments should be made payable to: Town of Prospect – Sewer Use. Payment for sewer use charges cannot be processed if it is made payable to the Tax Collector.
It takes two to three days from the date it is mailed back for a returned check to be in your mailbox. Checks that are received early in the month the payment is due have time to be returned to the taxpayer and sent back to the tax office without being late. Incorrect or incomplete checks that need to be returned and are received back in the tax office after the last day to pay must be charged interest at a rate of 1.5% per month from the due date per CT State Statute.
In order to avoid any additional charges be sure to:
- Verify your check is dated properly
- Be sure the check is made payable to the proper department
- Verify the legal line is written correctly and includes the cents
- Be sure to sign your check
- Include a contact number on your check
Including a contact number on your check allows the tax office to contact you by phone if there is a problem with your check so you could make arrangements to correct the check. My policy is to call the number you provide and leave a message if there is no answer. If I do not receive a call back from you by 4:00 p.m. on the day I leave the message, I will mail the check back to you because we cannot hold a check that cannot be processed. If I call you and let you know there is an issue with your check, do not ask me to make the change necessary on the check for you. Altering a check is a federal offense. Any change that needs to be made must be made by the account holder.
In Connecticut, the assessment date for all property is October 1 (CGS Chapter 203 - Sec. 12-62a). Ownership of property on an assessment date makes a taxpayer liable for property taxes, unless the property is exempt from taxation.
The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) sends a list of all registered vehicles as of October 1 to the assessor’s offices across the state. The town listed on your vehicle registration as the Tax Town is the town that will bill you for that vehicle. It is important to verify that the information for your vehicles is correct with the DMV prior to October 1 so you will be billed from the correct town. In general, motor vehicles are subject to taxation in the city or town where, in the normal course of their operation, they most frequently leave from and return to or remain, although state law provides some exceptions to this general rule (CGS Chapter 203 – Sec. 12-71).
Connecticut law requires all Connecticut residents with a vehicle registration, driver’s license, or non-driver identification card to notify the DMV within 48 hours of any change of address. If you change your address on or after October 1st of any year, your tax bill will come from your previous tax assessor. If you change your address prior to October 1 of any year, your tax bill will come from your current tax assessor. It is important to note that you have to change your license and EACH motor vehicle registration. To ensure you receive your tax bill in a timely manner and from the correct taxing assessor, take a moment to verify that the address listed on your license and vehicle registrations is accurate. This small step can save you time, and possibly money, next July when tax bills are sent out.
The motor vehicle bill you receive in July 2020 will cover October 1, 2019 through September 30, 2020. After October 1, 2019 if you sell, donate, junk or dispose of any vehicle that held a valid registration as of October 1, you need to contact the assessor’s office for direction on what information they will need from you to adjust the bill. Providing the information to the assessor’s office prior to the July billing will save you time and money by ensuring that you are billed only for the time frame you owned the vehicle.
You can download Change of Address forms and instructions at ct.gov/dmv. Alternatively, you can stop by the Tax Collector’s office where I would be happy to provide you with the appropriate form to fill out and mail to the DMV. If you have any questions regarding the information above, feel free to call my office at 203-758-4461.
FROM THE OFFICE OF THE TAX COLLECTOR
The taxation and collection process can be complex and confusing, for public officials and taxpayers alike. While my primary function as Tax Collector is collecting taxes needed to fund the municipal budget, I am also committed to helping Prospect’s residents better understand the process. Articles from my office that have been published in The Prospect Pages in the past can be found on the Town website at www.townofprospect.gov on the Tax Collector page under the Informational Articles page.
This month I will cover the topic of interest on past-due taxes. The topic is timely in that August 1st is the last day to pay motor vehicle, real estate, and personal property taxes without being considered past-due. There is often confusion about what exactly is due on or before this date. The most important things to remember are:
- All taxes become due on July 1st and must be received on or before August 1st. The first installments of any real estate or personal property taxes are due and motor vehicle taxes are due in full.
- Any tax payments not physically received on or before August 1st at 4:00 p.m. EST are considered past-due.
- If you are mailing a payment for taxes due July 1st, it must bear an official U.S. Postmark of August 1st or prior to be considered on-time.
One thing I think we can all agree on is that we’d prefer to not pay more taxes than are required. Did you know that the Connecticut General Statutes (CGS Sec. 12-146) require all municipalities to charge interest, at the rate of 1.5% per month (18% per annum), from the due date of any installment, on any portion of past-due taxes? It is important to note that a full month’s interest accrues on the first day of the month and that the minimum interest charge is $2. For example, if a resident receives a tax bill of $400 due July 1, 2022 and makes the payment on August 2, 2022 additional interest in the amount of $12 ($6 for July and $6 for August) would be required to settle the taxes due.
Past-due interest is one of the most common causes of frustration this time of year. The information outlined above will allow you to navigate the tax collection process with a better understanding of State-mandated interest procedures.
WHY INTENT TO LIEN NOTICES ARE SENT
The last day to pay the second installment of the 2020 Grand List real estate tax bills without being charged interest was February 1, 2022. In compliance with Connecticut General Statute Chapter 205 Sect. 12-175, each April an Intent To Lien Notice is mailed to any real estate property owner who owes a balance on the current grand list year informing them that a lien will be placed on that property for taxes, interest and fees owed on that grand list year on June 1st. An inchoate (unrecorded) lien exists on each property from the assessment date (October 1) for two years from the date the first installment became due (July 1) or until it is replaced by the recorded lien, called a lien continuing certificate. This certificate is filed by the Tax Collector with the Town Clerk’s office and recorded on the land records on June 1st in order to secure the Town’s interest in collecting the taxes due. This lien continues for fifteen years from the date the tax became due (July 1) or until all amounts due on that tax bill are paid in full, including tax, interest, fees and lien release fee of $24.00.
Delinquent statements for all real estate accounts owing a balance were mailed out in February 2022 including the tax and interest due through February 28, 2022. Intent to Lien Notices will be prepared and mailed on or about April 19, 2022 to any property owner having a balance on the 2020 Grand List real estate bill. If the amount due is paid in full on or before June 1, 2022 at 1:00 p.m., no lien will be filed. Liens will be placed with the Town Clerk for recording at 1:00 p.m. on June 1, 2022.
Delinquent statements for past due real estate and personal property bills were mailed in February with interest through February 28, 2022. Delinquent statements for past due motor vehicle bills are sent out alphabetically. Taxpayers whose last names begin with A through G received statements with interest through February 28, 2022. If your payment is not received by the Tax Office on or before February 28, 2022, or if you mail in the payment and it does not contain an Official US Postmark of February 28, 2022 or before, additional interest will be charged. If you are not able to make payment on or before February 28, 2022, please contact the Tax Collector’s office and ask for an updated balance. The current amount due for your taxes is also available online at www.townofprospect.gov under the Tax Collector’s Department View/Pay Taxes Online. Taxpayers whose last names begin with H through Z will receive delinquent motor vehicle statements in March with interest through March 31, 2022.
Any taxpayer owing $10,000 or more in delinquent real estate taxes, or who owes more than two grand list years on a real estate account will receive a Tax Collector’s Demand Notice. Any taxpayer owing more than $1,000 in delinquent motor vehicle taxes, or owing on more than two grand list years, will receive a Tax Collector’s Demand Notice instead of a delinquent statement. Do not ignore the Demand Notice. If payment is not received in the Tax Office within 10 days from the date of the Demand, an Alias Tax Warrant will be sent to a Marshal for advanced collection methods. Once the warrant is issued, additional fees are incurred and all communication and payments from the taxpayer must go through the Marshal.
UCC – 1 liens are being filed with the Secretary of State on March 1, 2022 for any business that owes delinquent personal property (business) taxes.
By Statute, payments are processed by the date it is received in the Tax Office or the Official US Postmark on the envelope if the payment was received by mail. If you make payment with a check, either by mail or by drop box, please include a daytime phone number with your payment. If your check is received and does not contain a completed current date, a signature, or if the legal line (handwritten amount) is not filled in, or is filled in incorrectly, your payment cannot be processed. If a phone number is not included with your payment it must be mailed back to you. Mail takes a minimum of two days to get from the Tax Office to your mailbox. If this needs to be done at the end of the month, it may mean you will be charged more interest if payment is not received back in the Tax Office by the last day of the month.
Information regarding real estate, personal property and motor vehicle taxes paid in 2021 is available online at www.townofprospect.gov.
On the home page, click on “Departments”, then on “Tax Collector”
On the left side of that page, click on the “Income Tax Info” tab.
After reading the information on the Income Tax Info page, click on the “+” in the “HOW TO OBTAIAN YOUR TAX INFORMATION ONLINE” tab.
For step-by-step instructions, print that page.
After printing the instructions, click on the “CLICK HERE for 2021 Taxes Paid” link.
If your bills are listed under different first names, you must search under each name separately using the last name and first initial of each person’s first name. Bill numbers for taxes paid during the calendar year 2021, in most cases, will start with 2019 and 2020. The second installment of real estate and personal property taxes and supplemental motor vehicle bills for the 2019 Grand List became due January 1, 2021 and the first installment of real estate and personal property taxes and annual motor vehicle bills for the 2020 Grand List became due July 1, 2021. 2020 Grand List Supplemental motor vehicle bills were mailed out December 7, 2021. All taxes paid between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2021 will be listed by clicking on the “IRS Payment Records for Year 2021” option. Previous year tax information can be obtained by calling the office of the Tax Collector at (203) 758-4461. If you require a printed payment history of previous years tax information, there is a $0.50 payment history fee.
Supplemental Motor Vehicle Tax Bills
A supplemental motor vehicle tax bill is generated for anyone who registered a new vehicle between October 1, 2020 and July 31, 2021. This tax bill covers from the month you registered the vehicle through September 30, 2021. If you transferred a marker plate from a vehicle you previously owned to the new vehicle, the assessor adjusts the bill for the new vehicle to credit you for the period of time you paid taxes on the previous vehicle after purchasing the new vehicle.
Example: You owned a Ford Escape as of October 1, 2020. You paid a tax bill on that vehicle in July of 2021, which covered a billing period of October 1, 2020 through September 30, 2021. You traded in the Escape for a Chevy Blazer on January 15, 2021 and transferred the marker plate from the Escape to the Blazer. The supplemental motor vehicle bill you receive in December 2021 covers the tax due on the Blazer from January 2021 through September 30, 2021, but a credit is made for the taxes paid on the Escape from January 2021 through September 30, 2021.
Supplemental motor vehicle bills are typically mailed during the third week of December and become due January 1, 2022. Drop box payments are due no later than 4:00 p.m. on February 1, 2022 or, if mailed, contain an OFFICIAL US POSTMARK of February 1, 2022 in order to avoid interest being charged. Unpaid bills will be charged interest at the rate of 1.5% per month from the due date of January 1, 2022. The minimum interest charge is $2.00.
Payments can be made: 1) at the office of the Tax Collector, 2) online at www.townofprospect.gov (a convenience fee of $0.95 for EFT check or 2.95% for debit or credit card payments apply), 3) by phone at 844-953-0667 (a phone payment charge of $0.95 PLUS a convenience fee of $0.95 for EFT check or 2.95% for debit or credit card payments apply), 4) by mail to Tax Collector, 36 Center Street, Prospect, CT 06712 (mail payments must be received in the Tax Collector’s office by 4:00 p.m. on or before February 1, 2022 or contain an OFFICIAL US POSTMARK of February 1, 2022 or prior), or 4) payments can be left in the drop box located at the entrance of the Town Hall on or before February 1, 2022 at 4:00 p.m. NEVER LEAVE A CASH PAYMENT IN THE DROP BOX.
If you registered a vehicle between October 1, 2020 and July 31, 2021 and DO NOT receive a supplemental bill by the first week of January, please contact the tax office so we can provide you with a bill. Interest must be charged on unpaid bills, regardless of whether or not you receive the bill.
If you receive a supplemental motor vehicle tax bill for a vehicle you no longer own, please contact the assessor’s office by calling 203-758-4461. Do not ignore the bill because you no longer own the vehicle. The assessor’s office will need paperwork from you to adjust or remove the bill. Any person or entity owing motor vehicle taxes after February 1, 2022 will be reported to the Department of Motor Vehicles as owing taxes and will not be permitted to register or renew any registrations until all taxes have been paid in full.
Important Note: The Town Hall will be closed on December 23rd, December 24th and December 31st . The Town Hall offices will be closing at 12:00 Noon on December 30th .
Taxes on Leased Vehicles
One of the most confusing topics for taxpayers this past month has been the issue of leased vehicles. I hope to be able to clarify the process followed by my office as well as the office of the Assessor.
Leased vehicles are owned by the leasing company therefore the tax bills are sent directly to the leasing company. The leasing company pays the bill directly to the tax collector’s office and then depending on your lease agreement, sends a notice to you in August or September advising you of the amount of taxes they paid for that vehicle and requires you to send payment for that tax amount directly to them. If your lease agreement states that the taxes are included in your monthly lease payment, the leasing company will not send you the notice requesting payment.
Most taxpayers want to verify that the amount being requested from the leasing company is, in fact, the amount the leasing company actually paid. The amount paid by the leasing company can be verified by calling the tax collector’s office. If you would like a print-out of the account for your records you can call the tax collector’s office to get the bill number and then go on-line to www.townofprospect.gov and print a receipt.
The July motor vehicle billing period is October 1 of the previous year through September 30 of the current year. Taxpayers have been contacting me to say that during that billing period they either purchased the vehicle they were leasing or turned the leased vehicle back over to the leasing company. They want to know how much should actually be paid to the leasing company for the time frame they were leasing. The very unpopular answer to that inquiry is because the leasing company paid the tax amount for the entire year, they are looking for reimbursement from the lessee for the entire year.
If you turned the vehicle back into the leasing company, they cannot get a credit for any part of that bill until they sell the vehicle, which is what the majority of leasing companies do with the vehicles that are turned into them. Once they sell the vehicle, they can send proof of sale to the assessor’s office and the bill can be adjusted to the date of sale. This will result in a portion of the taxes paid in July being refunded to the leasing company. It would then be the responsibility of the taxpayer to get that refund from the leasing company.
If you purchase the vehicle you were leasing, you will want to make sure the leasing company sends the proof of sale to the assessor promptly because you will receive a supplemental tax bill in December covering from the date you registered it in your name through the end of the billing period. If the leasing company does not get the July bill adjusted to the date you purchased the vehicle you will most likely be taxed twice for the same time frame.
Motor Vehicle Bills Generate October 1 from DMV
In Connecticut, the assessment date for all property is October 1 (CGS Chapter 203 - Sec. 12-62a). Ownership of property on an assessment date makes a taxpayer liable for property taxes, unless the property is exempt from taxation.
The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) sends a list of all registered vehicles as of October 1 to the assessor’s offices across the state. The town listed on your vehicle registration as the Tax Town is the town that will bill you for that vehicle. It is important to verify that the information for your vehicles is correct with the DMV so you will be billed from the correct town. In general, motor vehicles are subject to taxation in the city or town where, in the normal course of their operation, they most frequently leave from and return to or remain, although state law provides some exceptions to this general rule (CGS Chapter 203 – Sec. 12-71).
Connecticut law requires all Connecticut residents with a vehicle registration, driver’s license, or non-driver identification card to notify the DMV within 48 hours of any change of address. If you change your address on or after October 1st of any year, your tax bill will come from your previous tax assessor. If you change your address prior to October 1 of any year, your tax bill will come from your current tax assessor. It is important to note that you have to change your license and EACH motor vehicle registration. To ensure you receive your tax bill in a timely manner and from the correct taxing assessor, take a moment to verify that the address listed on your license and vehicle registrations is accurate. You can change your address and tax town at ct.gov/dmv. This small step can save you time, and possibly money, next July when tax bills are sent out.
The motor vehicle bill you receive in July 2022 will cover October 1, 2021 through September 30, 2022. After October 1, 2021 if you sell, donate, junk or dispose of any vehicle that held a valid registration as of October 1, you need to contact the assessor’s office for direction on what information they will need from you to adjust the bill. Providing the information to the assessor’s office prior to the July billing will save you time and money by ensuring that you are billed only for the time frame you owned the vehicle.