Tax Office
Brewer City Hall (lower level)
80 N. Main Street
Brewer, ME 04412

Hours:      Monday – Friday     8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Phone:     207.989.7060
Fax:          207.989.8435

New (or new to you) motor vehicle registrations will not be processed after 4pm.

May 2025 Pine Tree Plate Information

Starting May 1, 2025, anyone with a current Chickadee plate will be required to switch to a Pine Tree or No Tree plate upon renewal.

Pine Tree Plate                                    No Tree Plate
                       

If you would like to keep your current plate number/sequence (including vanity and low-digit plates), you are able to reserve them now. Reserving a plate number/sequence will cost a one-time $25.00 fee. You have a few options for how to complete the reservation:

• When using Rapid Renewal to renewal your vehicle’s registration.
• Through an online portal.
• At a branch office (i.e. Bangor DMV).
• By mailing in a paper form, which is available to be picked up at Brewer City Hall or you may print out the following fillable pdf.

Auto Registration Renewal – State of Maine

Renewal of many vehicle registrations can be completed online through the State of Maine’s Rapid Renewal website. Click the logo below to begin the process.

You can also renew in person at the Tax Office at Brewer 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**
• Previous Registration
• Current Mileage

NOTE: The State of Maine offers renewal reminders one-month prior to expiration. Please click Here to sign up.

New Registration – Maine Dealer Sale

The first registration must be completed by the resident listed on the vehicle’s title
application and bill of sale.

To complete your new Maine Dealer Sale registration, you will need:

• Proof of Insurance**
• Bill of Sale or Lease Agreement
• Title Application (if vehicle is 1999 or newer)
• 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.

New Registration – Out-of-State Dealer Sale

The first registration must be completed by the resident that will be listed on the vehicle’s title application and bill of sale.

A MVT-2 (Title application) and/or Use Tax Certificate (sales tax) will need to be
completed for this transaction. Please pick up and fill out these forms at the Tax Office
before registering your vehicle to ensure smooth transactions and a reduction in
processing times.

To complete your new Out-of-State Dealer Sale registration, you will need:

• Proof of Insurance**
• Bill of Sale
• Out of State Title or Maine State Title Application
• 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.

New Registration – Any State Private Sale

The first registration must be completed by the resident that will be listed on the vehicle’s title application and bill of sale.

A MVT-2 (Title application) and/or Use Tax Certificate (sales tax) will need to be
completed for this transaction. Please pick up and fill out these forms at the Tax Office
before registering your vehicle to ensure smooth transactions and a reduction in
processing times.

To complete your Private Sale registration, you will need:

• Proof of Insurance**
• Bill of Sale: 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.
• Previous Owners Original Title Certificate (if the vehicle is 1999 or newer): 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.
• 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.

New Resident – Previously Registered Out of the State of Maine

The first registration must be completed by the resident listed on the vehicle’s title.

A MVT-2 (Title application) and/or Use Tax Certificate (sales tax) will need to be
completed for this transaction. Please pick up and fill out these forms at the Tax Office
before registering your vehicle to ensure smooth transactions and a reduction in
processing times.

To complete your New Resident registration, you will need:

• Proof of Insurance**
• Title of vehicle (if vehicle is 1999 or newer). If the vehicle is financed, please bring documentation of lienholder and their address.
• Registration from previous State.

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. You may have your insurance company fax your ID card to (207) 989-8435 prior to your appointment.

Plate Types Available at the City of Brewer

*NOTE: Any other plates offered by the State of Maine and/or vanity plates will need to be processed at the Department of Motor Vehicle branch office. In this scenario, please come to the City of Brewer first to pay your excise tax before going to the DMV.

Check the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles for branch office locations and hours of operation.

Motor Vehicle Excise Tax and Registration Fees

In Maine, the excise tax is based on the MSRP (manufacturer’s suggested retail price) of the vehicle when it was sold new. That is why Maine law provides that each new
automobile, SUV, van or light truck registered for the first time must be accompanied by the Monroney Label (window sticker).

The law provides that excise tax declines over the first six years of the vehicle’s life and is calculated as follows:

• First year                                      $24.00 per $1000 of MSRP
• Second year                                $17.50 per $1000 of MSRP
• Third year                                    $13.50 per $1000 of MSRP
• Fourth year                                  $10.00 per $1000 of MSRP
• Fifth year                                      $ 6.50 per $1000 of MSRP
• Sixth and subsequent years         $ 4.00 per $1000 of MSRP

If you know the “sticker price” of a new car, you can calculate the excise tax by
subtracting the destination charges, dividing the result by $1,000 and multiplying that by $24.00.

New Vehicle Example:

Sticker price                           $26,000
Destination charges                 – $550
Total                                       $25,450

$25,450 / $1,000 = $25.45
$25.45 x $24.00 = $610.80

Excise tax                           $610.80
Registration fee                    $35.00 (varies depending on license plate)
Agent fee                                $6.00
Total cost to register           $651.80

The same method will be used to calculate the fees to re-register the same vehicle the following year. Your old registration will show the MSRP as the base and the mil rate used. The new mil rate will drop down one year as shown above.

Re-registration Example:

MSRP                                   $25,450
Excise tax                             $445.38 (25,450 / 1,000 x 17.50)
Registration fee                      $35.00 (varies depending on license plate)
Agent fee                                  $5.00
Total cost to re-register         $485.38