The Motor Vehicle Excise Abatement Form is the City of Boston form for asking the assessors to reduce a motor vehicle excise tax bill after the vehicle was sold, traded, stolen, junked, repossessed or moved, or when an exemption applies. If you searched for Boston property tax forms, note that this one covers motor vehicle excise only, and that an abatement application does not stop collection, so the bill should still be paid within 30 days of its issue date. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the City of Boston publishes the form at boston.gov.
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What is Motor Vehicle Excise Abatement Form – Boston, MA?
The Motor Vehicle Excise Abatement Form is the City of Boston form, headed Motor Vehicle Excise Tax Abatement Form, that an assessed individual submits to apply for an abatement, a reduction, of a motor vehicle excise tax bill for a reason the form lists.
The form is built around the excise tax bill. At the top you copy the name, bill number, year of bill, plate registration number and address exactly as they appear on the bill, then check the reason the vehicle should no longer be taxed: sold, traded, stolen or total loss, moved from Boston, moved from Massachusetts, junked, repossessed, exempt, or other. Each reason carries its own list of documents that must be provided. The form cites Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 60A and ends with a statement signed under the pains and penalties of perjury.
Three rules printed on the form shape how it works. An application for abatement does not stay the collection of the excise tax. All information must be supplied for the bill to be abated. And when an abatement is granted because of a sale, trade, theft, total loss, removal of the vehicle from the City of Boston, or overvaluation, the abated amount is refunded to you. The form also sets a minimum below which no abatement or refund is granted and below which a bill is not reduced; read it on the PDF.
The form is not a payment form and does not resolve questions about the value placed on a vehicle: the form directs overvaluation questions to the Registry of Motor Vehicles at (857) 368-8181. The completed form goes to Boston's Taxpayer Referral & Assistance Center (TRAC).
Who needs to file Motor Vehicle Excise Abatement Form – Boston, MA?
The assessed individual named on a City of Boston motor vehicle excise tax bill uses this form when they want the bill reduced for one of the reasons printed on it. The City's page says you can file an abatement only for specific reasons, so check the list before you apply:
- the vehicle was sold or traded;
- the vehicle was stolen or is a total loss;
- you moved from Boston, or moved from Massachusetts (as of January 1 of the tax year);
- the vehicle was junked or repossessed;
- the vehicle is exempt by statute, with proof of entitlement;
- another reason, written on the OTHER line.
The signature line reads "Signature of assessed individual," so the person assessed signs. The form names no representative or other signer.
The form states that moving to another city or town (before January 1 of the tax year) does not entitle you to an abatement. Questions about overvaluation of a vehicle go to the Registry of Motor Vehicles at (857) 368-8181 rather than to this form.
When to file Motor Vehicle Excise Abatement Form – Boston, MA
The assessors must receive your application within three years after the excise is due or within one year after the excise tax bill was paid. The form's example: for a bill due on February 25, 2013, the deadline would be February 25, 2016, or one year after payment of the bill, whichever is later.
Filing the form does not delay payment. To avoid interest, charges and fee, the excise tax bill must be paid no later than 30 days from the bill's issue date. The City's page adds that if you do not pay the bill and your abatement is denied, you will have to pay any late fees and penalties.
If you moved from Boston, the form says you must notify the Registry of Motor Vehicles within 30 days of the move. No processing time is printed on the form.
Documents you need
- Sold: Bill of Sale and Plate Return Receipt, or, if the plate is transferred, a copy of the Registration Form.
- Traded: Purchase Agreement citing the vehicle as Trade-in, and a copy of the New Registration Form or the Plate Return Receipt.
- Stolen or total loss: Insurance Settlement Letter showing conveyance of Title to the insurance company, with VIN # and date of loss, plus Form C-19 (Affidavit of Lost or Stolen Plate) from the Registry of Motor Vehicles.
- Stolen or total loss, if the plate is transferred: a copy of the New Registration Form.
- Moved from Boston: proof of garaging prior to January 1 of the year of the bill, and a copy of your insurance policy (coverage selection page).
- Moved from Massachusetts (as of January 1 of the tax year): Registration Form from the new state or county and the Plate Return Receipt.
- Junked vehicle: receipt from the junk yard and Plate Return Receipt, or, if the plate is transferred, a copy of the New Registration Form.
- Repossessed vehicle: Repossession Letter with VIN # and repossession date, and Plate Return Receipt, or a copy of the New Registration Form if the plate is transferred.
- Exempt: proof of entitlement to statutory exemption.
How to fill out Motor Vehicle Excise Abatement Form – Boston, MA
Copy name and bill details
Enter your name, the Bill No. and the Year of Bill exactly as shown on the excise tax bill.
Enter plate and address
Write the Plate Registration # and the Address as shown on the bill. If your mailing address is different, fill in the Correct Mailing Address line.
Add your phone and email
Under Contact, enter your Phone and Email so the assessors can reach you.
Check the reason for abatement
Check the one box that describes what happened to the vehicle: SOLD, TRADED, STOLEN OR TOTAL LOSS, MOVED FROM BOSTON, MOVED FROM MASSACHUSETTS, JUNKED VEHICLE, REPOSSESSED VEHICLE or EXEMPT. For any other reason, write it on the OTHER line.
Prepare the documents for your reason
Gather the documents the form lists next to the box you checked, such as a Bill of Sale, Plate Return Receipt, Repossession Letter or proof of garaging.
Complete the Subscribed line
Enter the day, the month and the year (20__) in the "Subscribed this ___ day of ___" statement made under the pains and penalties of perjury.
Sign as the assessed individual
Sign on the Signature of assessed individual line. The form names no other signer.
Review and download the completed PDF
Check that every line matches the bill and that nothing is blank, then download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF and assemble it with your documents as described under How to submit.
How to submit Motor Vehicle Excise Abatement Form – Boston, MA
You can return the completed form by mail or in person at the Taxpayer Referral & Assistance Center (TRAC) at Boston City Hall.
- By mail: send the signed form and the documents for your reason to Taxpayer Referral & Assistance Center (TRAC), Room M5, One City Hall Square, Boston, MA 02201. The assessors must receive it within the deadline, so allow for mailing time.
- In person: go to TRAC on the Mezzanine level of Boston City Hall. You can bring a completed form or fill out a new one there.
The abatement form is on the reverse side of your excise tax bill. You can also download and print a blank one, or call TRAC at 617-635-4287 and ask for the form to be sent to you. The sources name no online filing channel for this form.
Keep paying the bill on time while the application is pending, because filing does not stay collection. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Assuming the application stops collection: the form says it does not, and an unpaid bill past 30 days from issue can bring interest, charges and fee.
- Leaving fields blank: the form states all information must be supplied for the bill to be abated.
- Copying the name, bill number, year of bill or address from memory instead of exactly as shown on the bill.
- Checking a reason box without attaching the documents listed for it, such as the Plate Return Receipt for a sold vehicle.
- Reporting a stolen vehicle or total loss without Form C-19 (Affidavit of Lost or Stolen Plate) and the insurance settlement letter with VIN and date of loss.
- Filing after the deadline: assessors must receive the application within three years after the excise is due or one year after the bill was paid.
- Expecting an abatement for moving to another city or town, which the form says does not entitle you to one.
- Leaving the date and month in the "Subscribed this ___ day of" line or the signature of the assessed individual blank.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Motor Vehicle Excise Abatement Form used for?
It is the City of Boston form for applying to reduce a motor vehicle excise tax bill. You check the reason, such as sale, trade, theft, total loss, a move, a junked or repossessed vehicle or an exemption, attach the listed documents and sign it.
Do I still have to pay my Boston excise bill if I apply for an abatement?
Yes. The form says an application for abatement does not stay collection, and the bill must be paid within 30 days of its issue date to avoid interest, charges and fee. If the abatement is denied and you did not pay, you owe late fees and penalties.
What is the deadline to file a motor vehicle excise abatement in Boston?
The assessors must receive it within three years after the excise is due or within one year after the bill was paid. The form's example uses a bill due February 25, 2013, with a deadline of February 25, 2016 or one year after payment, whichever is later.
What documents do I need for a motor vehicle excise abatement?
It depends on the reason you check. A sale needs a Bill of Sale and Plate Return Receipt, theft needs an insurance settlement letter and Form C-19, and a junked vehicle needs a junk yard receipt. The full list by reason is on the form.
Where do I send the Boston excise abatement form?
Mail it to Taxpayer Referral & Assistance Center (TRAC), Room M5, One City Hall Square, Boston, MA 02201, or bring it to TRAC on the Mezzanine level of Boston City Hall. TRAC's phone number is 617-635-4287.
Will I get a refund if my abatement is granted?
Yes, for the reasons the form names. If an abatement is granted because of sale, trade, theft, total loss, removal of the vehicle from the City of Boston, or overvaluation, the abated amount is refunded to you.
Where do I get a blank abatement form?
The form is on the reverse side of your excise tax bill. You can also download and print a blank copy online, or call the Taxpayer Referral and Assistance Center at 617-635-4287 and ask them to send the form.
Who do I ask if I think my vehicle was overvalued?
The form directs questions about overvaluation of motor vehicles to the Registry of Motor Vehicles at (857) 368-8181. The abatement form itself lists sale, trade, theft, move, junking, repossession and exemption as its reasons.
Can I fill out the Motor Vehicle Excise Abatement Form online on FillingPDF?
You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is independent of the City of Boston and does not file the form; you deliver it to TRAC by mail or in person.
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