Motor Vehicle Taxes
The uniform assessment date is October 1, and any motor vehicle registered on this date will be a part of the October 1st Grand List. The bill covers from October 1 through September 30. All information related to motor vehicle taxes are based on how a vehicle is registered as of October 1. If you moved prior to October 1 and did not change the address on your motor vehicle registration, your bill will be mailed to the address on the registration that DMV had as of October 1. Changing your address on your driver's license does not change the address on your registration. In order to cancel a registration you must notify the DMV either in writing or by turning in your plate(s) to DMV. If you no longer own a vehicle, it is your responsibility to notify the Middletown Tax Assessor's office (860-638-4930); the DMV does not notify the Assessor.
Unpaid Motor Vehicle / Supplement Taxes
If you have delinquent motor vehicle fire taxes, your name has been reported to the DMV, and this will prevent you from registering your vehicles. In order to receive an immediate clearance to register any vehicle, you must pay all of your unpaid motor vehicle fire taxes including those your name is co-registered with cash, bank check, or money order. Please note: all delinquent motor vehicle taxes will be subject to a $3.00 DMV Release Fee.
Supplemental Motor Vehicle Taxes
This tax is on vehicles newly registered after October 1 but before July 31. Supplemental taxes are prorated from the month in which the vehicle was first registered. If you transferred the plates from a vehicle that you paid taxes on in July, you will receive a credit on the Supplemental bill for the portion of time that you did not own your old vehicle.
What if I no longer own a vehicle or have moved?
If you no longer own a vehicle, did not transfer a plate to a new vehicle, or moved, you may be entitled to a tax credit. You must provide the Middletown Tax Assessor with necessary information (860-638-4930).
Motor Vehicle Taxes & Clearance
The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) encourages taxpayers to go online to process transactions in order to avoid waiting in line at the DMV branches. You can now verify your tax status and other compliance issues with DMV online, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
If you pay by credit card through the Point and Pay service portal, the payment will be posted the next morning and you will receive clearance for DMV after payments have been posted. Exceptions are weekends and holidays. DMV clearances will be processed the next business day.
If you pay using a personal check, the South Fire District will not clear you for registration for 30 days, unless a copy of the cancelled check or mini-statement from the bank is provided to the Tax Collector's Office.
Paper Slips Discontinued
Effective November 2015, the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles discontinued the use of the ‘paper' vehicle clearance slip, and the tax collector's release stamp on vehicle registrations. The DMV no longer accepts either paper or stamped releases. This change came about through DMV's initiative, not South Fire District or the City of Middletown.