Treasurer/Collector

Billing & Payments

Important Notice & FAQ Regarding a Processing Error on a Limited Number of Water Bills, Real Estate Tax Bills

Make Payments

Visit somervillema.gov/Payments to:

• Pay parking tickets
• Pay tax bills
• Pay library fees
• And more

View Billing Information Using Citizen Self Service

Use Citizen Self Service to see current billing information and your payment history for personal property taxes, real estate taxes, and utility billing (water and sewer). This is for viewing only. To make a payment, please visit somervillema.gov/Payments.

Refund Policy

View Policy (PDF)

Real Estate and Personal Property Tax Credits

At the end of the Fiscal Year (July 1 – June 30) credits on real estate tax or personal property tax bills will be refunded automatically to the January 1 record owner as appearing on the tax bill. Credits do not move forward to the next fiscal year.

Typically refunds are not issued during the fiscal year as more bills will be forthcoming (due dates are Aug 1, Nov 1, Feb 1 and May 1) and overpayments will roll forward to the next bill, however, if a hardship is created, a refund may issue provided the City is supplied with proof of payment, and provided there are no other outstanding taxes or water bills due and payable to the City from any other year or on any other property owned by the taxpayer.

Check copies, both front and back, are required to ensure that payments made to your account were made by you, or made by your bank or mortgage company on your behalf. To guard against mistakes made by third parties applying payments to the wrong accounts, City policy requires check copy review to ensure refunds (or transfers) are issued to the party that made payment.

A written request for a refund must be accompanied by canceled check copies or other acceptable proof of payment. If a mortgage company made payment, obtain a copy of their canceled check along with the disbursement sheets that accompany the payment. If you paid by cash, receipt copies must be provided.

Your letter of request must include your name, the property address, the Parcel ID number and your signature. Provide a current mailing address and telephone number and submit to: City of Somerville Treasury, 93 Highland Ave., Somerville, MA 02143, or email to treasury@somervillema.gov.

If the credit was caused by an abatement or tax exemption, a refund will automatically issue at the end of the fiscal year to the January 1 record owner as it appears on the tax bill. If the property transfers during the fiscal year, the date of transfer may determine refund eligibility; however, such matters should be handled at closing.

Motor Vehicle Excise Tax Credits

If an abatement causes a credit balance a refund will issue automatically. Contact the assessing department for additional abatement information: (617) 625 6600, ext. 3100 or e-mail: assessing@somervillema.gov.

Water Bill Credits

If selling, a final water reading should be obtained from Water Department and given to closing counsel so credit is received at closing. If the credit balance is the result of overpayment or overestimated utility bills, written request for a refund must be accompanied by proof of payment towards the utility account. If paid by check, provide front and back copies of the cancelled check. Please forward your signed written request to:

City of Somerville, Attn: Treasury Refunds, 93 Highland Avenue, Somerville, MA 02143.
 

MLC Request Fee Schedule

MLC Request Form

Newly Developed Condominiums

If you recently purchased a newly developed condominium, the assessing department may not have split the master parcel into individual condominium units. This means the entire building may be sharing one (1) real estate tax bill. Copies of tax bills are available on our website somervillema.gov at the “pay a bill” link.

It is your collective responsibility as an association to work together to ensure the shared master parcel tax account has a zero balance at each quarterly due date in order to avoid interest, fees, and a possible tax taking on the building. Fiscal year due dates are Aug 1, Nov 1, Feb 1 and May 1. Bills are issued one month before the due date.  If back taxes are owed, seek legal advice.  See our FAQS for more billing and collection information.  

A Unit Deed and the Condominium Master Deed should state the percentage interest of each unit in the common areas. Typically tax payments are based on the proportionate interest the condominium unit has in the master deed. 

If a mortgage company pays your taxes, inform them of your percentage interest in the master parcel to ensure they pay only your portion of the tax bill and not the bill for the whole parcel.  If you or your mortgage company overpaid in one quarter, deduct that overpayment from the amount you owe in the next quarter.  Inform your neighbors of same.  Please work together as a condominium association to ensure a zero balance throughout the fiscal year. 

When paying taxes under the master parcel's account number keep accurate records of all of your payments. Parcel ID and unit number should be on the front of your check. Mail payment to:  City of Somerville Treasury, 93 Highland Avenue, Somerville MA  02143. Payments sent to the lockbox service (P.O. Box 197) must be accompanied by a bill copy or they cannot be processed.

Delinquent Tax Information

• Tax Title Report
• Delinquent Real Estate Tax
• Delinquent Personal Property Tax

Is Your Payment Missing?

If you paid with your bank’s online banking and your payment is not credited to your account within two weeks, a written request for research must be accompanied by a copy of the canceled check, both front and back.  Your online transaction with your bank produces a paper check that is submitted to our office without a remit slip indicating the proper account to which it should be posted.  The paper check is posted manually to the “bill number” you provided in the “Account” field.  Fax, mail or e-mail us the copy.  Please consider making future payments via City’s website, as it is safe and secure:  www.somervillema.gov/payments 

If you paid by check, a copy of the cancelled check must be provided along with a letter of request that we research your misapplied payment.  Fax, mail or e-mail us the cancelled check copy.

If you paid by cash, the original receipt (copies not accepted) from your cash transaction must be provided along with a letter of request that we research your misapplied payment.  It is best not to mail the original receipt, so it does not get lost in the mail. 

If your mortgage company claims they paid, a copy of their cancelled check, front and back, along with the disbursement sheets including totals page, should be submitted to our office with a letter of request for research. 

If charges have been incurred, they will be reviewed on a case by case basis. See the frequently asked questions on this page for more information.

To check your balance and payment history for taxes or utility bills, use our Citizen Self Service portal. You may then make a payment with City Hall Systems. 

Thank you for your cooperation. 
With kind regards,
Treasury Department

Frequently Asked Questions

When are taxes due?

The City of Somerville is on a quarterly tax system and taxes are due 4 times per year. Tax due dates are August, November, February and May 1^st. If the first falls on a weekend or holiday, taxes are due the following business day. 

What is the period covered in the Fiscal Year?

Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24): July 1st, 2023 and ends June 30th, 2024.

What are the monthly periods covered by the tax bill?

• The bill due August 1^st  (quarter 1) covers July 1^st through September 30^th. (Preliminary Tax bill)
• The bill due November 1^st (quarter 2) covers October 1^st through December 31^st. (Preliminary Tax bill)
• The bill due February 1^st (quarter 3) covers January 1^st through March 31^st. (Real Estate Tax bill)
• The bill due May 1^st (quarter 4) covers April 1^st through June 30^th. (Real Estate Tax bill)

What is a Preliminary Tax?

Preliminary tax bills are estimated bills. The estimate is based on the actual net tax bill of the previous fiscal year. The preliminary tax is due in two installments (August and November). Formula: Actual for previous FY x 2.5% = X. (Actual + X) divided by 4.

What is Real Estate Tax?

Real estate tax is the actual tax for the Fiscal Year. In December, the Assessing Department assesses the tax for the year and the amounts paid on the Preliminary bills are subtracted from the tax. The RE tax is due in two installments (February and May).

Do you accept postmarks for payment date receipt?

No. Bills are considered paid when received by the Treasurer. Postmark dates on envelopes are not accepted as the date of payment. All payments are to be received by the Treasury office by the due date. Late payments will incur interest/penalties.

What are the interest rates for past due bills?

Real Estate, Personal Property, and Water outstanding balances are subject to 14% interest according to Massachusetts General Law Chapter 59, sections 57 and 57C. The Tax Title interest rate is 16% under Massachusetts General Law Chapter 60, section 62. Excise interest rate is 12% under MGL 60A, section 2. 

How do I change or update my billing address?

The Assessing Department maintains the tax bill mailing address database. The Water department maintains the water bill mailing address database. Contact each respective department for their requirements. Treasury does not maintain mailing address databases. Do not send address changes with your payment. 

Can I pay my bills by phone?

No, but you can pay online at the city’s website: www.somervillema.gov/PayOnline  

What if a payment check is returned?

If payment is returned for non-sufficient funds a $25.00 fee will be applied to the account, If said payment exceeds $2,500.00, a 1% fee will be put to the account per Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 60, section 57A.

What if I did not receive a tax bill?

Failure to receive your property tax bill does not excuse you from payment of taxes, or from the interest and fees that accrue on the outstanding balance(s). A tax bill is generated and mailed for every parcel in the City. It is the responsibility of the property owner to pay taxes regardless of receipt of a bill. Contact the Treasury Department to have a duplicate bill mailed to you. By operation of law, the name of the record owner as of January 1 of the previous fiscal year must be on the tax bill. New property owners can have their name added to the bill (shows as “c/o” on the bill) by contacting the Assessing Department assessing@somervillema.gov. 

My mortgage company pays my taxes, why did you send me a bill?

A tax bill is generated for every parcel in the City. Please note that mortgage companies typically take tax payment funds from your escrow account a month before the tax due date in order to pay your taxes on time. Look at your mortgage statements a month before the tax due date and compare it with the amount the city has billed you. Mortgage companies and tax servicing companies receive an electronic file from the City, they choose the accounts they wish to pay upon and return the marked file to the city with their remittance. The city posts the file, updating the real estate tax accounts as paid. 

I sold my property and still received a real estate tax bill. What should I do?

By operation of law, the name of the owner of record as of January 1 will appear on the tax bill for the next fiscal year (4 bills per fiscal year). If you sold your property on a date that is close to a tax due date, verify that your mortgage company did not make a tax payment on your behalf in addition to the closing attorney that handled the sale. The new owner should contact the Assessing Department to have his/her name and address “added” to the tax bill in the “c/o” field of the address for the remainder of the Fiscal Year. You may return the bill to the City, forward it to the new owner, or discard the bill. The Treasury Department/Tax Collector’s Office does not maintain the tax bill address database as this is an Assessing Department function.

Documents

• Abandoned Property Claim Form
• Certificate of Good Standing Request Form
   
• Is Your Payment Missing? ― Español
• Is Your Payment Missing? ― Portugues
• Is Your Payment Missing? ― Kreyol Ayisyen
• Is Your Payment Missing? ― नेपाली
• Is Your Payment Missing? ― 简体中文
   
• Refund Policy ― English
• Refund Policy ― Español
• Refund Policy ― Portugues
• Refund Policy ― Kreyol Ayisyen
• Refund Policy ― नेपाली
• Refund Policy ― 简体中文
   
• FAQ ― Español
• FAQ ― Portugues
• FAQ ― Kreyol Ayisyen
• FAQ ― नेपाली
• FAQ― 简体中文