Personal property tax on cars in Maine (2013, how much)

[xz2y]

Can someone who lives in Maine provide an idea of how much they are paying annually for the personal property tax on their cars? I looked at several websites, but there isn't a calculation (year and make of car, how the value is determined, and % of annual tax). Thanks!

[Fern435]

Here's a thread that can help (especially the link on post #55):

http://www.city-data.com/forum/maine...ise-tax-6.html

[Northern Maine Land Man]

My wife just registered her 2006 Chevy van yesterday and it cost $202.

[xz2y]

Originally Posted by Fern435

Here's a thread that can help (especially the link on post #55):

http://www.city-data.com/forum/maine...ise-tax-6.html

Thanks for the info. Based on the Maine DMV website and the MSRP value of a 2008 Civic, in 2013 in Maine, I would pay about $110 in excise taxes. Thanks!

[Northern Maine Land Man]

That's a lot of money for a 1" by 1 1/2" sticker.

[Kiwiluver]

Guess I need to sell about 3 before I move up!

[daydreamin71]

This is probably a stupid question, but we don't have excise tax on cars where I live, so I'm not familiar with how the whole thing works: So you pay a yearly registration fee on top of the excise tax? Or do you pay to register it initially, and then pay just the excise tax in the years that follow?

[MRVphotog]

Originally Posted by daydreamin71

This is probably a stupid question, but we don't have excise tax on cars where I live, so I'm not familiar with how the whole thing works: So you pay a yearly registration fee on top of the excise tax? Or do you pay to register it initially, and then pay just the excise tax in the years that follow?

The link in one of the posts should answer your questions.

Here is what I remember when I lived in Maine. The excise tax for vehicles is actually a property tax. It has to be paid before your can register your vehicle. The bill came in the mail prior to when your yearly registration is due. if you think it's expensive for your car, imagine the tax if you owned a plane.

Vermont, like many states, does not have a separate vehicle excise tax but some states include it in the registration fee.

It's all about the revenue a state brings in. Many of the states out west who have alot of oil or coal revenue has alot more money coming in so they don't kill ya on these types of taxes. Maine doesn't have much of that but speaking strictly from a tax perspective wind and solar farms produce alot of local and state taxes.

[Zymer]

Originally Posted by MRVphotog

The excise tax for vehicles is actually a property tax. It has to be paid before your can register your vehicle.

It's all about the revenue a state brings in. Many of the states out west who have alot of oil or coal revenue has alot more money coming in so they don't kill ya on these types of taxes. Maine doesn't have much of that but speaking strictly from a tax perspective wind and solar farms produce alot of local and state taxes.

Yep. That's how it works. You pay the tax every year, and you pay a registration fee every year (and an extra fee every year if you have a 'vanity' plate), and another fee to the town clerk for taking your money. What a racket.

Actually, I'm not completely against the excise tax. It goes directly to the town and (in my town, anyway) it all goes against the road maint. and repair budget- paving, snow removal, etc. It has to be paid for somehow.

[michael_atw]

Originally Posted by MRVphotog

The link in one of the posts should answer your questions.

Here is what I remember when I lived in Maine. The excise tax for vehicles is actually a property tax. It has to be paid before your can register your vehicle. The bill came in the mail prior to when your yearly registration is due. if you think it's expensive for your car, imagine the tax if you owned a plane.

Vermont, like many states, does not have a separate vehicle excise tax but some states include it in the registration fee.

It's all about the revenue a state brings in. Many of the states out west who have alot of oil or coal revenue has alot more money coming in so they don't kill ya on these types of taxes. Maine doesn't have much of that but speaking strictly from a tax perspective wind and solar farms produce alot of local and state taxes.

I believe the excise tax is more along the lines of a use tax.

The excise tax on vehicles directly benefits the townships. It's a beneficial local tax.


Being a native New Yorker, I never encountered one until Maine. Up here, the registration costs are about $50 cheaper though so it offset some of the excise tax. I didn't mind paying it; the town clerk was surprised I didn't make a huff. She said lots of people go stormin' norman.