Vehicle Registration and Excise Tax Calculator
Auto Registration Renewal: Renewal of many vehicle registrations can be completed online through the State of Maine’s Rapid Renewal website.
You can also renew in person at City Hall. We take cash and checks. We also now accept credit and debit cards, though a convenience fee will apply.
To complete your re-registration, you will need:
- Proof of Insurance: Proof of insurance must be in effect the day of the registration. A policy is acceptable if it shows the effective and expiration dates and identifies the vehicle being registered. An insurance bill or road-side assistance card is not proof of insurance.
- Previous Registration
- Current Mileage
NOTE: The State of Maine offers renewal reminders one-month prior to expiration. Please click Here to sign up.
NEW Vehicle Registration: To complete your new Maine Dealer Sale registration, you will need:
- Proof of Insurance: Proof of insurance must be in effect the day of the registration. A policy is acceptable if it shows the effective and expiration dates and identifies the vehicle being registered. An insurance bill or road-side assistance card is not proof of insurance.
- Bill of Sale or Lease Agreement: if it is a private sale, paperwork must have year, make, model, VIN number, current mileage, date of sale, and a statement indicating the amount of the sale, who the vehicle is being sold to, and must be signed by the seller.
- Blue Title Application: if vehicle is 1995 or newer. Previous Owners Original Title Certificate must be fully completed on the back side by the seller, showing who the vehicle is being sold to, current mileage, date of sale and must be signed by each of the individuals listed on the front of the title. The title must be free of liens.
- Monroney (window) Sticker: if the vehicle is “brand new”.
- Previous Registration: if you want to transfer plates and/or credit. Note: The name(s) on the old registration for those plates must be the same as the names listed on the new vehicles’ title application. To transfer credit, you must no longer have possession of the previous vehicle.
Excise Tax
Excise tax is paid to the municipality in which the individual or business registering the vehicle resides. The amount of tax that must be paid is determined by applying a mil rate to the Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of the vehicle when it was new. The mil rate decreases annually until the vehicle is in its sixth model year, at which time the excise tax plateaus.
How much will it cost to renew my registration?
To calculate your estimated registration renewal cost, you will need the following information:
1. Your vehicle's MSRP
The MSRP is the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price of your vehicle. The MSRP is the 'sticker price' and NOT necessarily what you paid for the vehicle.
To find the MSRP of an existing registration: the MSRP is listed on your current registration form under 'Base'.To find the MSRP if you do not have an existing registration on hand: you many be able to find the MSRP online at sites such as MSN Autos or Kelley Blue Book. You can also call the dealership that the vehicle was purchased from.
2. Your vehicle's manufacture date
Once you have obtained your vehicle's MSRP and manufacture date you may proceed to the calculator below to give you an idea of what it will cost to renew the current registration on your passenger vehicle.
Please note, this is only for estimation purposes – the exact cost will be determined by the municipality when you register your vehicle.