Reminder: Payments are considered made when received by the Collector. We do not accept postmark or mailing dates. Please plan accordingly when mailing payment or utilizing our Payment Mailbox.
Our payment limits for Credit Cards and ACH are as follows:
ACH-$125,000.00 Credit Card-$125,000.00
**We will increase our limit during tax season to $3,000,000.00 for ACH payments**
Credit and debit card fees are 2.95% with a minimum charge of $2.95 and ACH fees are $0.40 per transaction
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."
Payment Mailbox Installed at Rear of City Hall: A “Payment Mailbox” has been installed in the rear of City Hall, 795 Massachusetts Avenue, for taxpayers who wish to make payments (checks and money orders preferred) directly to the City. Taxpayers can also make online or mail payments. Individuals using the Payment Mailbox option should ensure that their payments are in a sealed envelope, contain a payment stub, and include the bill number, parcel ID, or other identifying information, including a phone number on their check. Individuals can use the Payment Mailbox to make Real Estate, Water/Sewer, Excise, Parking Ticket, or other payments. Individuals should not make cash payments via the Payment Mailbox.
On-line Payment Information
The City of Cambridge offers residents an easy and convenient method to view and pay their real estate, motor vehicle excise, personal property, water bills, Municipal Lien Certificates, and Vital records online. The City accepts VISA, MasterCard, Discover and American Express for credit card payments with the exception of water and sewer. This is a fee-based service. The convenience fee for the online bill payment is assessed by the 3rd party merchant. Two separate charges will appear on your credit card or checking account statement. One charge will represent your bill payment and the other charge will represent your transaction fee. Due to Banking Regulations, we can only accept U.S. credit cards, debit cards and checking accounts excluding Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. In order to avoid interest or penalties, please process your payment prior to the close of business on the due date.
Excise Bill Notice:
The Registry of Motor Vehicles has changed their valuation method for excise bills. Previously they would round the valuation to the nearest $50, now they are displaying the exact value of the vehicle. This can result in minor adjustments to the tax amount due. Customers who have seen a stagnant excise tax over the past few years may see a slight change in their valuation amount or tax amount.
Registry Hold
IMPORTANT! IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY ON REGISTRY HOLD AND ALL YOUR OUTSTANDING EXCISE TAX BILLS ARE PAID IN FULL, PLEASE CONTACT THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, 617-349-4220 TO ELECTRONICALLY REMOVE THE REGISTRY HOLD. IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY ON HOLD FOR NON-PAYMENT OF EXCISE TAX BILLS AND YOU PAY BY E-CHECK, YOU MUST WAIT SEVEN BUSINESS DAYS BEFORE WE PROCESS THE RELEASE WITH THE REGISTERY.
VISA Not Accepted for Water and Sewer Payments
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.
Water and Sewer Automated Meter Reading System Upgrade
In our continuing effort to improve your utility service, the Cambridge Water Department needs to update the Automated Meter Reading (AMR) System at your business or residence. Mass Installation, Inc. (MII) has been contracted by the City of Cambridge to perform the Meter Transmitting Unit (MTU) replacements. This notification and additional information can be found on our website, http://www.cambridgema.gov/Water.
Tax Lien
IF YOUR PROPERTY IS UNDER TAX TITLE, PLEASE CONTACT THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT AT 617-349-4220 FOR THE CURRENT BALANCE INFORMATION.
Massachusetts Public Records Law
As a governmental entity, the Massachusetts Public Records Law applies to records made or received by the City. Any information received through use of this site is subject to the same provisions as information provided on paper. Otherwise we do not share any personally identifying information with any third party. For more complete information regarding the Public Records Law, please refer to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Secretary of State’s office website as well as the text of the Public Records Law.
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