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1. Can the Assessor enter my property in Dracut?

You do not have to allow the Assessors into your home.  We only request the inspection to be as fair and accurate as possible when assessing your home. 

However, if an Assessor is denied entrance, property owners give up their ability to challenge the assessed value.  

2. What happens if I sell my car, do I get a refund on my excise tax?

The short answer is yes, you do have to apply for an abatement and provide the Assessor’s Office with the return plate receipt and disposition of the vehicle.

3. Why did my assessed value increase when I did not do anything to the property?

The assessed value represents the estimation of market value of the property. The real estate market changes frequently. 

Example, your assessment for Fiscal Year 2023 represents the market sales in the calendar year of 2021.

So, though no improvements or physical changes have been made to the property, the buyers are willing to pay more for your type of property. Which then causes a seller's market and increases the sale prices of homes. The assessment follows what the real estate market is doing.  

4. Why would the Assessor come to my house?

When pulling a permit with the building inspector the Assessor Office is then notified. The Assessor then schedules a visit for 30 days after the permit is pulled. Assessor does not check the plans attached to the permit as they are off occasionally. Everything will be measured by Assessor. 

5. Why am I receiving a supplemental tax bill?

A supplemental tax assessment is made on a real estate parcel for the fiscal year whenever; a temporary or permanent occupancy permit is issued for that parcel during that fiscal year, and the new construction or improvements increases the assessed value of the parcel by over 50%.  

6. Where does the information on my excise bill come from?

The Registry of Motor Vehicles prepares the excise bills on behalf of the town. They are sent to the Town who commits them to the Tax Collector for collection.   

7. I moved to another Massachusetts community, why am I receiving a Dracut excise tax bill?

Even though all of your address has been changed, you may still need to change your vehicles address. You will need to change your GARAGING CODE with the Registry of Motor Vehicles or your local insurance company. This code is used to identify where the vehicle is stored with the state of MA. 

8. What will happen to my assessment if I put an addition on to my home?

Normally, when you are creating more gross or living space in your home it would then increase the assessment of your home. Depending on size, material, rooms and many other factors that the assessor would see when doing a site visit. After doing the site visit the Assessor may have an estimate of increase in assessment. Any improvements may increase your home assessment. 

9. I took a car off the road. Can I get a refund on the excise I paid?

In most cases, yes.

If you dispose of a vehicle, you are entitled to an abatement (refund) provided that you can show the Assessor's Office the following documentation:

• Proof that you no longer own the vehicle. This would include a copy of the bill of sale, donation or junk yard receipt, repossession paperwork, etc.
• Proof that the registration (license plates) was transferred to a new vehicle or proof that the registration was cancelled.

If you have moved out of Massachusetts and cancelled your MA registration, you are entitled to a refund if you show proof of MA registration cancellation and proof of registration of that vehicle in your new state. 

Unfortunately, you are not entitled to an abatement if you cancel or transfer the plates but retain ownership of the vehicle, move to another city or town in Massachusetts or if the cancellation is done in the month of December.

No excise may be reduced to less than $5 and no abatement or refund of less than $5 may be granted.  

Please be aware, that because the performance of more than one activity is required to establish eligibility for an abatement, the proper date for use in calculating the amount of the abatement is that date when the final activity is performed.

• For example, the abatement for an excise tax bill for a vehicle which you sold in December, but did not cancel the plates until February, will be calculated until the month that the plates are cancelled.
• Also, if you cancel the plates on a car in October, but do not sell that car and obtain a bill of sale until the following March, you will owe excise until the car is no longer in your possession.