Assessor's Office

Forms can be found HERE within the file directory.

Simple field cards may be viewed and printed HERE.
Contact the Assessor's Office for a full field card.

The Assessor must be notified of any change in ownership for personal property, real estate, or motor vehicles before it can be removed from the tax bill.

If your vehicle was . . .
SOLD / TRADED IN:
Please Provide:
A copy of the CT Department of Motor Vehicles cancellation of plate receipt AND any one of the following: 

Veterans may submit their original Military Discharge paperwork (DD214) to the Town Clerk's Office to be filed. The Town Clerk will file your paperwork and give your information to the Assessor. You may then ask the Assessor about benefits.

Active Duty Exemption: for Connecticut residents on active military duty who are stationed outside the State of Connecticut.

Veterans Exemption: file your honorable discharge papers with the Town Clerk prior to October 1 in order to have an exemption applied to the next July's tax bill. This applies only to veterans who have not previously filed. Discharge papers DO NOT carry over if you move towns.

Additional exemptions are available to qualified individuals. Inquiries should be directed to the Assessor's Office. Filing period is February 1st to October 1st of any year. 

 Please read the local tax relief ordinances for a complete description of the eligibility requirements as they are slightly different for each program.
The Senior Tax Relief Freeze Program
The Senior Tax Deferral Program
All applicants eligible for the State of CT tax relief program (Circuit Breaker/Homeowners)
must apply for and be included in that program before they will be eligible for either town program.

The Senior Tax Relief Freeze Program allows certain taxes to be held at a fixed level.
The Senior Tax Deferral Program allows certain taxes to be deferred until a later date.

The State Senior Tax Relief Program
(commonly referred to as the Circuit Breaker/Homeowners Program) is also available through the Town of Durham.

Applications are available under Resources. See the Senior and Disabled Tax Relief Subpage for more information.

The Town’s last revaluation was completed in 2020. State laws require towns to recalculate market values every five years. A revaluation determines the fair market value of every property in town and equalizes the values of all properties for the purpose of a fair distribution of the tax burden.

In accordance with Connecticut General Statutes, the Town of Durham will conduct its next revaluation of all real property for the October 1, 2025 Grand List. This revaluation will correspond to the tax bills due in July of 2026.

See the Revaluation Subpage for more information.

THE TAXPAYER IS ALWAYS RESPONSIBLE FOR TIMELY PAYMENT ON ANY BILL BEING ADJUSTED.  If a bill is paid in full and subsequently adjusted, a request for a refund must be made in writing and can be submitted with documentation for an adjustment.
 
From the section below, choose a category that best describes your situation and forward the appropriate forms of proof to:
 
Assessment Office
Durham Town Hall
P.O. Box 428
30 Town House Road
Durham, Connecticut 06422
 
Please note:  Copies of the CT Department of Motor Vehicles cancellation of plate receipt may be obtained from CT Department Motor Vehicles online

If your vehicle was . . .
 
SOLD / TRADED IN:
  
You must provide: 
              
 A copy of the CT Department of Motor Vehicles cancellation of plate receipt AND any one of the following: 
  
    1. A copy of the Bill of Sale or leased vehicle return receipt with the year, make, model & Vehicle Identification Number, signed and dated. 
  
    2. A copy of your Title showing the transfer (front / the back of title must be signed and dated); 
  
    3. Reverse side of Registration Renewal Form – transfer of ownership form, signed and dated; or 
  
    4. Trade-in Agreement with the year, make, model & Vehicle Identification Number, signed and dated. 
  
    5. A letter from your insurance agent or company stating that the vehicle was sold, the date of the sale, and the year, make, model, and VIN of the vehicle.  Letters listing only the date of insurance cancellation will be rejected. 

 In Connecticut, property tax rates are expressed in mills, or thousandths of a dollar.
A mill is equal to $1.00 of tax for each $1,000 of assessment. To calculate the property tax, multiply the assessment of the property by the mill rate and divide by 1,000.
A property tax rate of 25.88 mills (2021 mill rate), or . 02588, results in the payment of $25.88 for each $1,000 of the property's assessed value. 

Effective July 1, 2023:  34.78 for RE & PP and 32.46 for MV
Effective July 1, 2022:  34.57 for RE & PP and 32.46 for MV
Effective July 1, 2021:  35.56
Effective July 1, 2020:  35.78 * Revaluation Year
Effective July 1, 2019:  35.89
Effective July 1, 2018:  36.50
Effective July 1, 2017:  37.58 for RE & PP and 32.00 For MV
                                                 (reduced 11/21/2017 from 39.50)
Effective July 1, 2016:  35.31
Effective July 1, 2015:  33.74 *Revaluation Year
Effective July 1, 2014:  33.22
Effective July 1, 2013:  32.66
Effective July 1, 2012:  32.19
Effective July 1, 2011:  30.46
Effective July 1, 2010:  26.81 *Revaluation Year
Effective July 1, 2009:  26.20
Effective July 1, 2008:  26.25
Effective July 1, 2007:  26.25
Effective July 1, 2006:  26.25
Effective July 1, 2005:  38.00 *Revaluation Year 

Owners of land who wish to apply for Open Space classification for the first time may do so from September 1st through October 31st. Landowners who have previously filed are not required to reapply except where there has been a change in the classification of land or a change in ownership. 

October 1st is the uniform assessment date in Connecticut. Motor Vehicles registered on October 1st will generate a bill due July 1st. Vehicles registered subsequent to October 1st. will be a supplement to the October 1st Grand List. Supplement tax bills are due January 1st.