Thank you for being part of the Calais community! This page covers everything you need to pay your property taxes. Please read it through and reach out if anything is unclear.
New This Year
The Town no longer accepts postmark timestamps as meeting payment deadlines. All payments must be received by the Treasurer at the Town Office by 4:00 pm on the payment’s due date (September 15 for the first payment, November 16 for the second payment).
The Town went through a property valuation reappraisal this year, managed by NEMRC. We have been informed that 2026 State Property Tax Credits (based on household income) will be based on the 2025 pre-appraisal values, meaning there will effectively be a one-year reduction in the value of credits. This is a State-level decision, and not a process that the Town controls. See the Vermont Property Tax Credit document explaining the State’s process.
If you have a property tax credit, it will be automatically applied to your bill. Check the “Balance Due” line for the amount owed.
Ways to Pay Your Tax Bill
Direct Debit
Save yourself time and energy by enrolling in our direct debit program! With Direct Debit, your tax payments are automatically transferred securely, accurately, and on time from your bank account using the Automated Clearing House system. You can sign up by completing the Direct Debit Authorization Form and returning it to the Town Office along with a voided check, deposit slip, or screen shot for the account you wish to have debited. The Town will draw your property tax payments from your account on the tax due dates. Your bank statement will serve as your receipt.
Check or Money Order
Checks and money orders can be mailed, dropped in the secure drop box at the Town Office, or hand-delivered during regular business hours. Please include the payment coupon from the bottom of your bill. Write your six-digit Parcel ID in the memo line on the check (not the SPAN number or property address).
Write clearly, and please double-check the written amount; banks will reject a check if the words and numerals don’t match. Date and sign the check.
Credit Card
Payments with credit card are securely processed for the Town of Calais through Payroc. Click here to access the Online Payment Portal. This link is also accessible on the home page of our website. If you choose to pay with a credit card, please note that processing fees apply. All transactions will be charged an additional 3% processing fee, with a $1.50 fee minimum.
Important Note
There is no grace period for 2026 tax bills, per the articles approved by voters at the March 3, 2026 Town Meeting. Please pay on time. We are unable to accept cash. We are unable to accept post-dated checks; they’ll be returned to the sender.
Due Dates
2026 tax rates will be set at the end of July. Bills will be mailed out by August 15, 2026. If you do not receive your bill by the end of August, please contact the Town Office. The first payment will be due on September 15, 2026, and the second will be Monday, November 16, 2026.
If You Own More Than One Property in Calais
Other than direct debit, the simplest way to pay is one separate check, money order, or credit card charge per parcel.
If you’d rather pay for multiple parcels with a single check, please write each Parcel ID and the amount for that parcel in the memo line, and include the tax stub for each parcel. (If a payment is misapplied because this information is missing or incorrect, resulting penalties or interest can’t be waived.)
If a Payment is Late
Late payments accrue 0.5% interest per month, plus a one-time 8% delinquent penalty if unpaid after the second due date. These charges were set by the Calais voters during Town Meeting and can’t be waived without a decision of the Board of Abatement.
Taxpayers who do not pay their full property tax amount by the November due date will be contacted by the Delinquent Tax Collector, who can be reached at delinquenttaxes@calaisvermont.gov.
If you are unable to pay your property taxes, you may be eligible to apply to the Calais Board of Abatement for a one-time abatement of part or all of your delinquent taxes, fees, and interest. See the Board of Abatement page for more information.
Homestead Declaration
If you filed your Vermont Homestead Declaration (Form HS-122) after April 15, 2026, your Property Tax Credit (if you are eligible for one) may not appear on this bill. We will mail a revised bill as soon as the State processes the late declaration. Questions? Call VT Taxpayer Services: (802) 828-2865, Mon/Tue/Thu/Fri, 7:45 am – 4:30 pm
If You Bought or Sold Property After April 1, 2026
Whoever owned the property on April 1, 2026 is responsible for the 2026 bill. If you sold after that date, the bill may have been assigned at closing to the new owner. If we have the new owner’s address, we’ve sent them a copy as well. The Town Office doesn’t have your settlement details, so please check with your attorney, title company, or closing agent.
Want a Receipt?
Include a stamped, self-addressed envelope with your payment, and we’ll mail your receipt the day after we process it. We send about 1,000 bills each season, so this envelope is the fastest way for us to get your receipt back to you.
Questions?
If you have questions about how to pay your tax bill in Calais, see our “Guide to Paying Your Tax Bill” document below. It provides the answers to some of our most frequently asked questions.
If you have questions about specific data on your tax bill document, see the State Property tax bill fact sheet below.
Please direct any other specific questions concerning your tax bill to Kari Bradley, Treasurer, at treasurer@calaisvermont.gov.