Updates!
Real Estate, Personal Property and Motor Vehicle taxes become due each year on July 1st. If your tax liability for Real Estate or Personal Property is $100 or more, payment can be made in two (2) equal installments. The first installment would be due July 1st, payable on or before August 1st and the second installment would be due January 1st, payable on or before February 1st. The same tax bill you make payment with in July is used to make the January payment. We do not mail bills for the second installment of taxes due in January.
A lien is placed on JUNE 1st by the Tax Collector on any Real Estate having a balance of tax due. The lien filed on the land records at the Prospect Town Hall. UCC-1 Liens are filed with the Secretary of the State for non-payment of Personal Property Taxes.
Motor Vehicle taxes are due in one (1) installment in July, even if the tax due exceeds $100. The last day to make payments on motor vehicle taxes without being charged a penalty is August 1st. If you transfer a registration or get a new registration from October 1st to July 31st, you will not receive a tax bill in July for that vehicle. A Supplemental Motor Vehicle tax bill will be due the following January 1st, payable by February 1st. If you receive a tax bill for a vehicle you no longer own, an adjustment can be made to your bill if you provide the Assessor with two (2) forms of written proof showing when you no longer owned the vehicle. If you have moved out of the State of Connecticut, your bill can be adjusted to the date the vehicle was resgistered in another state, however, the Assessor needs a copy of the new registration and proof that your Connecticut registration was cancelled.
Any motor vehicle tax bill not paid on time is reported to the Department of Motor Vehicles. If you owe a tax on ANY VEHICLE, you will not be allowed to register any vehicle. Motor vehicle registration denial is done on a name basis, not a particular registration. If two names appear on a registration, all motor vehicle taxes must be paid in full for both names before a release is given. Also, if you owe a back tax on July 1st when new taxes become due, you are required to pay all motor vehicle taxes due, INCLUDING THE NEW BILLS, before a release is given.
A $35.00 FEE IS CHARGED FOR ANY CHECK RETURNED BY THE BANK FOR INSUFFICIENT FUNDS. If a release for the the Department of Motor Vehicles was given, the Department of Motor Vehicles is notified to SUSPEND all registrations until payment is made in full.