Tax Collector

In the State of Connecticut you are taxed on real estate, motor vehicles, and personal property.

• Any land or buildings you own are considered real estate.
• Registered motorized or nonmotorized vehicles(including cars, trucks, motorcycles, and trailers) are considered motor vehicles for tax purposes.
• Personal property includes fixtures either owned or leased by a business. Unregistered motor vehicles are also taxed as personal property.

The property tax rate is expressed in mills, or thousandths of a dollar. For example, a mill rate of 24.78 would be equivalent to $24.78 in tax per $1,000 of net assessed value. The Board of Finance sets the mill rate annually.

The first installment of your real estate and personal property taxes is due July 1, payable by August 1. You have a one month “grace period” in which to pay without a penalty. If August 1 falls on a weekend, you have until the first business day in August to pay, in person or by mail (with a U.S. postmark used as date of payment).

The second installment is due on January 1, payable by February 1. You will only receive one bill for your real estate and personal property tax bills. We do not send a bill out for the second installment.

Motor vehicle taxes are due July 1, payable by August 1st. Motor vehicle taxes unpaid after August 1st will be reported to the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles, and, as provided by law, registrations will be denied until all tax bills are paid in full.

Supplemental motor vehicle taxes are due January 1, payable by February 1. Unpaid Supplemental Motor Vehicle taxes are also reported to the Motor Vehicle Department.

Past due payments are subject to interest at the rate of 1½ percent per month back to the original due date. Interest is applied the first day of each month, in accordance with Connecticut State Statute 12-146. Interest is applied to the outstanding principal balance only. Payments made after the “grace period” are considered past due and will incur interest charges. For example, a payment received on August 2 will incur 3 percent interest, for the two months of delinquency (July and August). These deadlines are set by Connecticut State Statute and cannot be changed by the town.

No, the interest charges are set by Connecticut state law. The Tax Collector does not have the authority to waive interest

Tax bills are mailed during the last week of June each year. If you do not receive a tax bill by the first week of July, please call the Tax Collector’s office at 860-663-1765, ext. 508 or send an email to [email protected] . Connecticut General State Statute 12-130 says that failure to receive a tax bill does not relieve the taxpayer of the requirement to pay the bill. Consequently, if you do not receive a tax bill, the tax is still due, even with any interest that may have accrued. Please note: you will only receive one bill for Real Estate and Personal Property Taxes. We do not send out a bill for the second installment of these bills.

If you newly registered a vehicle after October 1 (first time registration), you will receive a pro-rated tax bill. This supplemental bill will cover the time from the month the vehicle was first registered through September 30 (the end of the assessment period). Supplemental Motor Vehicle tax bills are mailed the last week of December and are due January 1, payable by February 1st.

Yes. If you replaced one vehicle with another, and used the same license plates, you will received a pro-rated supplemental tax bill in January for the new vehicle. You will receive a credit on the supplemental bill for the amount you paid on the old vehicle. You will receive this credit without applying for it. However, you still must pay the entire amount due on the old vehicle. If you obtained a new license plate for the new vehicle, you must apply for credit with the Assessor’s office. Contact the Assessor at 860-663-1765, ext. 506.

Do not ignore your bill! If your vehicle has been sold, stolen, or declared a total loss, you may be entitled to a credit. Two forms of written proof are required, and you must apply for the credit within a limited time. Please contact the Assessor’s Office at 860-663-1765, ext. 506 to discuss.

If your Real Estate tax is escrowed, the bill will be mailed to the mortgage company. If you receive the bill and your taxes are escrowed, you should immediately contact your lender and ask to whom and where the bill should be sent, so that payment can be made in a timely manner.

The most convenient way to pay your tax bill is by mail. If you wish to have a receipt returned to you, please include a self-addressed stamped envelope with your payment and make checks payable to Tax Collector, Town of Killingworth.

If you owe delinquent taxes on any vehicle in your name, you may not renew any registrations at the Department of Motor Vehicles without paying your taxes first. All delinquent taxes in your name must be paid in full with cash, bank check, or money order to obtain an immediate release or clearance for DMV.