Pay Bill Online
Pay City bills such as Real Estate Taxes, Property Taxes, Motor Vehicle Excise Taxes, Water/Sewer, etc.
The Finance Department is responsible for the planning, implementation, oversight, integrity and reporting of the City's operating and capital finances. The Department also processes payments for real estate and personal property taxes, municipal lien certificates, motor vehicle excise tax, and water bills. The Finance Department includes Assessing, Auditing, Budget, Information Technology, Personnel, Purchasing, and Treasury. For more information, call 617-349-4220 or email treasurer@cambridgema.gov.
Payments are considered made when received by the Collector. We do not accept postmarked or mailing dates. Please plan accordingly when mailing payments or using the Payment Drop Box located behind Cambridge City Hall, 795 Massachusetts Avenue. This drop box can be used to make Real Estate, Water/Sewer, Excise, Parking Ticket, or other payments via check or money order in a sealed envelope. Please be sure to include a payment stub, bill number, parcel ID, or other identifying information, including a phone number on your check. Cash payments should not be made via the drop box. Payments can also be made online or via mail to: City of Cambridge Finance Department, 795 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139.
- FY2025 Real Estate Taxes and Personal Property Tax Bills Will Be Issued October 25, 2024.
If residents do not receive a bill by November 12, please call (617) 349-4220.
New Property Software May Require Some Customers to Reregister their Accounts
The City of Cambridge is now utilizing a software called “Just Appraised” which pulls property information directly from the Massachusetts Registry of Deeds and imports it into the City’s internal system. This is beneficial because it greatly reduces the manual entry of data and increases consistency year to year. In addition, we have set certain parameters, to comply with the U.S. Post Office’s standards, such as replacing pound signs “#” with the word “unit”, and certain limits on the use of punctuation.
These updates may have caused a “conveyance” on your account which means that you will need to reregister your account and reenroll yourself in autopay if you had previously enrolled. Your previous account has been rendered inactive.
Please visit our website at www.cambridgema.gov/paybill. Search for your account using your parcel ID number, when the results populate, you will see a link in orange at the bottom of the screen which will allow you to register your account. For more information, please contact the Finance Department at 617-349-4220 or treasurer@cambridgema.gov.
Announcing pay by phone
You can now check balances and pay your City of Cambridge invoices using any phone’s numbers-keypad via Interactive Voice Response (IVR) by calling (617) 314-8226.
You can check balances on all invoices for free. Additional $0.95 fee only applies for payments made.
Tips and FAQs
City of Cambridge Banking Relationships
The City of Cambridge’s (the “City’s”) banking services are provided by Eastern Bank located in Lynn, MA. The following services fall under the City’s contract with Eastern Bank:
- depository accounts
- checking accounts for vendors and payroll payments
- lockbox services for utility and property taxes
- ACH and wire processing
- East Cambridge Savings Bank
- Radius Bank
- Harbor One
- Leader Bank
- Cambridge Savings Bank
- People’s United Bank
- Rockland Trust Bank
- East Boston Savings Bank
A portion of the City’s Trust Fund and the Other Public Employee Benefits (OPEB) Trust Fund investments are managed by Morgan Stanley Wealth Management. The City’s portfolios include investments in government securities, certificates of deposit, corporate fixed income, and equities listed on the Massachusetts legal equities list.
Finally, the Cambridge Retirement System (“CRS”) is a defined benefit contributory retirement system created under MGL c. 32. CRS is administered by the Cambridge Retirement Board which has full discretion over investment decisions. The Public Employee Retirement Administration Commission (“PERAC”) is the Commonwealth’s oversight authority for all public employee retirement boards in Massachusetts.
As of October 18, 2020
Convenience Fees Associated with Online Payments
Due to the growing number of requests made on behalf of taxpayers, the City decided to include the collection of real estate and personal property bills to the existing online payments, which were water/sewer and excise payments.
What options do I have to pay my real estate tax bill?
The City of Cambridge offers several options for the collection of your real estate tax payments. You can make payments during business hours at the Tax Collector’s Office at Cambridge City Hall, 795 Massachusetts Ave. You can mail your payment to City Hall or the lockbox service. In addition to the traditional means of collection methods, the City offers online payments via its website using a credit card, debit card or electronic check. With the exception of water and sewer payments, the City accepts VISA, MasterCard, Discover and American Express for credit card payments.
If you have any questions regarding the collection processes offered by the City, please contact the Tax Collector’s Office at 617-349-4220.
Why does the City charge convenience fees for real estate and personal property payments via the website?
Municipalities cannot legally absorb the costs for credit or debit card transactions for any online payments for real estate or personal property.
Why did the City implement the convenience fees for water/sewer and excise payments via the website?
Since the implementation of online payments for water/sewer and excise, the City has absorbed the convenience fees. The number of taxpayers using the online system has grown tremendously over the last several years. As a result, a greater percentage of the City budget has been allocated to the credit card processing costs. Therefore, the City made a decision in FY 2012 to implement a convenience fee based system and refrain from passing along these costs to the taxpayers. Online payments are offered as a convenience to the taxpayer. The taxpayer still has the options to either mail the payments or pay them in person at the City Hall.
Why is VISA not an accepted payment option for water/sewer bills?
The City must follow the regulations set forth by VISA which states a convenience fee can only be charged for services/goods that fall into the Merchant Category Codes (MCC) including Governmental and Educational services. Utility Bills are not considered Governmental or Educational services by VISA. As a result, the City is restricted to only offering MasterCard, Discover, and American Express, all of which allow for third party convenience fees to be accessed.
What does the convenience fee cover?
The fees associated with online payments are assessed by the third party for the handling, bank processing, transaction fees and delivery of online payment services offered to the taxpayer. The City does not receive any revenue from the convenience fees collected.
Is the City competitive with other cities and towns in regards to the convenience fees?
All municipalities are paying approximately the same costs for convenience fees per transaction. Municipalities cannot legally absorb the cost for credit and debit card transactions for online payments for real estate and personal property. The fees associated with water/sewer and excise payments are comparable with other communities.
Do other cities or towns pass on convenience fees?
Legally, no municipality can absorb the convenience fees for real estate and personal property payments. Based on our research, all other municipalities pass on the convenience fees for online payments. This is not a cost traditionally offered by cities and towns.
Convenience Fee Table
| Bill Type | Credit Cards Accepted | Debit Cards Accepted | E-Check Accepted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motor Excise |
Fee: 2.95% of payment total, minimum fee of $1.95 |
Cards with all Consumer Debit logos Fee: 2.95% of payment total, minimum fee of $1.95 |
Electronic Check (ACH) via bank account Fee: $0.40 flat fee per transaction |
| Example: $100 payment, $2.95 fee | Example: $100 payment, $2.95 fee | Example: $100 payment, $0.40 fee | |
| Real Estate |
Fee: 2.95% of payment total, minimum fee of $1.95 |
Cards with all Consumer Debit logos Fee: 2.95% of payment total, minimum fee of $1.95 |
Electronic Check (ACH) via bank account Fee: $0.40 flat fee per transaction |
| Example: $2,000 payment, $59.00 fee | Example: $2,000 payment, $59.00 fee | Example: $2,000 payment, $0.40 fee | |
| Personal Property |
Fee: 2.95% of payment total, minimum fee of $1.95 |
Cards with all Consumer Debit logos Fee: 2.95% of payment total, minimum fee of $1.95 |
Electronic Check (ACH) via bank account Fee: $0.40 flat fee per transaction |
| Example: $250 payment, $7.38 fee | Example: $250 payment, $7.38 fee | Example: $250 payment, $0.40 fee | |
| Utility |
Fee: 2.95% of payment total, minimum fee of $1.95 |
Cards with MasterCard logo Fee: 2.95% of payment total, minimum fee of $1.95 |
Electronic Check (ACH) via bank account Fee: $0.40 flat fee per transaction |
| Example: $150 payment, $4.43 fee | Example: $150 payment, $4.43 fee | Example: $150 payment, $0.40 fee | |
| Municipal Lien Certificate |
Fee: 2.95% of payment total, minimum fee of $1.95 |
Cards with all Consumer Debit logos Fee: 2.95% of payment total, minimum fee of $1.95 |
Electronic Check (ACH) via bank account Fee: $0.40 flat fee per transaction |
| Example: $150 payment, $4.43 fee | Example: $150 payment, $4.43 fee | Example: $150 payment, $0.40 fee | |
| City Scholarship Fund |
Fee: 2.95% of payment total, minimum fee of $1.95 |
Cards with all Consumer Debit logos Fee: 2.95% of payment total, minimum fee of $1.95 |
Electronic Check (ACH) via bank account Fee: $0.40 flat fee per transaction |
| Example: $150 donation, $4.43 fee | Example: $150 donation, $4.43 fee | Example: $150 donation, $0.40 fee |
New credit card convenience fees will go into effect on 4/9/2023.
Credit card Fees: 2.95% - Minimum fee $1.95
E-check fees: no change
Finance Divisions
Administration Division
The Administration Division provides leadership to the operating divisions of the Department, as well as financial policy direction to other City departments. In addition, the annual independent audit of the City's financial records is budgeted in this division. The audit is performed in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, Government Accounting Standards Board (GASB) requirements, and assures potential purchasers of the City's notes and bonds of the City's fiscal soundness. The independent auditor also makes recommendations to improve the City's financial management.
Revenue Division
The Revenue Division is responsible for collecting and recording all of the City's revenues in a timely and accurate manner and providing a high level of customer service to taxpayers requesting assistance. During the course of a year, the Division processes approximately $430 million in receipts and issues approximately 190,000 bills and notices. The office works with the Law Department to initiate tax title and foreclosure proceedings for severely delinquent properties in order to protect the City's legal interests.
Treasury Division
The Treasury Division is comprised of two cost centers: Cash Management and Payroll. Cash Management is responsible for all of the City's banking, including the banking services contract; identification of all wire transfers into City bank accounts; investment of City cash; management of the City's trust funds; reconciliation of all cash; timely payment of all debt service obligations; and prompt payment of all approved obligations to vendors and contractors.
Payroll's primary responsibility is the timely weekly payment of approximately 3,000 employees. It is also responsible for paying federal, state and Medicare withholdings; health and life insurance; deferred compensation; retirement; MBTA pass purchases; and administering garnishments and attachments to employees' wages. At year-end, Payroll prepares and distributes approximately 6,500 W2s.