Town of Fairhaven, MA - Frequently Asked Questions

Tax bills are issued twice a year. The semi-annual tax payments are due on the following dates:

You can obtain a statement by going to the Bill Lookup section of the site or by calling the Town Collectors Office at (508) 979-4027.

Under state law, Chapter 60, Section 3, failure to receive a bill does not affect the validity of the tax or any interest or fines incurred due to late payment(s). It is the responsibility of the taxpayer to secure his/her tax bill when one is not received.

If you are a new property owner and have not received your tax bill from the previous owner, you can request a statement as described above.

Interest of 14% per annum, from the mailing date of the tax bill, will start accruing at the close of business on the due date.

For proper credit, write the bill number on the check and enclose the remittance copy of your Real Estate Tax bill. To obtain a receipt, enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope and both portions of the bill with your payment. One will be stamped paid and returned.

How do I change the old owners name that appears on the Tax Bill, after purchasing the property?

New owners, at the time of recording the deed, should be sure to fill out the Change of Owner and/or Address card provided with the Municipal Lien Certificate. This will change the "mail to" portion of the bill; the permanent change will take place when the Assessors Office receives the deed from the Registry of Deeds.

NOTE: All changes of owners or addresses must be made in writing, by filling out a Change of Address form (see below).

All change of addresses must be made in writing, either by coming into the Assessors Office and filling out a change of address form or by completing a change of address form and mailing it to:

You may download and print the form from this Web site. (in Adobe .pdf Format)

Overpayments will be applied to the next half unless it is the last half of the Fiscal Year. If an overpayment is made on the last half it will be refunded to the person or mortgage company that caused the credit balance.

Tax payments must be received on or before the due date to avoid interest and demand charges. If payment is not made on or before the due date the account will begin to accrue interest at the rate of 14% per annum, computed from the mailing date of the bill.

After the due date of the second half tax, a demand notice will be sent and a demand fee of $30.00 is charged against the account.

If the account remains delinquent the owner's Name, Address and the amount of outstanding taxes will be advertised in the Standard Times and the advertising fee will be charged to the account.

If the account remains delinquent , a tax lien (a legal claim placed on the property for debt) is placed on the property and is recorded with the Southern Bristol County Registry of Deeds. A tax lien is the first step in the foreclosure process. All taxes, costs and interest must be paid to prevent foreclosure.

What should I do if I recently sold my property, but I am still receiving a tax bill?

If you receive a bill, please forward it to the new owner immediately as it is his/her responsibility to make payment, or call the Collector’s Office and we will send the new owner a copy of the tax bill.

You may obtain a Municipal Lien Certificate by completing a request for Municipal Lien form and mailing it to:

You may download and print the form from this Web site. Request for Municipal Lien (in Adobe .pdf Format)

You will need to supply the Property Address, name of the Current Owner, and the Map and Lot.

A self-addressed, stamped envelope should be included with the request, if you wish the Municipal Lien Certificate to be mailed to you.

The cost for a Municipal Lien Certificate is fifty dollars for residential property and one hundred and fifty dollars for commercial property. Acceptable forms of payment are: attorney's check; certified or registered check; personal check; and cash (if paid in person). Allow 10 business days from the day after it is received in the Collectors Office.

If you think you might qualify for one of these abatements or would like to inquire about other abatements that are available, you should contact the Assessors Office in Town Hall at (508) 979-4018. Timely filing for abatements is critical.

You can obtain a statement by calling the Town Collectors Office at (508) 979-4027.

Please retain your receipts and cancelled checks for your tax records.

You can obtain that information by calling the Town Collectors Office at (508) 979-4027.

What if I am buying a condominium that is in the middle of a conversion?

Until the conversion is completed, the property is recognized as just one parcel. There is only one bill for all units and it is between you and all the other unit owners how the Real Estate bill is divided. You must also notify your mortgage company as to the amount of your portion of the Real Estate bill that should be paid.

Once the conversion is completed, there will be separate Real Estate bills for each unit.