VALUES: Vehicles are typically assessed at 70% of their current retail value. Most often, these values are provided to the DMV and Assessors electronically by JD Power & Associates which now owns what was previously referred to as the National Auto Dealers Association (NADA) valuation guides. Vehicle values are updated periodically to reflect the most recent auto dealer and resale market pricing and JD Power values can be higher than those found in Kelly Blue Book.
BILLING: Motor Vehicle Bills are issued in July for vehicles registered prior to October 1st of the previous calendar year. Those vehicles registered between October and the next August are billed later in the following January. This means that you could be taxed 9 to 15 months after the car is first registered creating a situation where you may have disposed of the vehicle before the bill is even issued!
If you are in need of an adjustment due to the sale, loss or other disposal of a vehicle, please find the "required proofs of motor vehicle disposal needed for credits or refunds" document below for complete instructions on what to provide for an adjustment to your bill.
If you need an adjustment to a recent bill you have not yet paid, please provide the required documentation to the assessor PRIOR to overpaying the bill. Refunds of overpayment can take up to three months to process! Please complete form below to have a Motor Vehicle Tax refund processed and include this form with your proof of disposal.
UNREGISTERED: If a vehicle is not registered and is typically stored/used in Canterbury, the owner must declare it as Personal Property by November 1st of each year or face a steep penalty. Use form found here: Personal Property declarations
EXEMPTIONS: Active Duty Service Members and those with handicapped equipped vehicles, click BLUE RECTANGLE below for exemption applications: