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Treasurer's Office

Residents of Bath have more direct contact with the Treasurer’s Office than they do with almost any other department.  This office processes incoming taxes and fees for both City and State.  They handle tax collection, including excise taxes, property taxes, and personal property taxes.  They process the fees, fines and dues for city departments including Police, Recreation, Landfill, School Departments and the Skatepark, as well as the Bath Water Districts’ liens and foreclosure payments.  

They act as an agent for the Maine State Department of Motor Vehicles and Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.  These duties include processing fees for licensing motor vehicle registrations (including cars, trucks, boats, ATVs, snowmobiles) and offering the State of Maine’s Rapid Renewal online registration through the city website.  

The office works according to Maine Municipal laws to process liens, lien releases and foreclosures on municipal properties. They respond to routine calls from mortgage companies, law offices, banks and title researchers to provide status checks on property tax accounts.  

Contact Information

Treasurer’s Office: 443-8340

55 Front St.

Bath, Maine 04530

Notes from the Finance Department

- Much like the Police Department, which does not make the laws, only enforces them; the Treasurer’s Office doesn’t set the rates, they only collect the fees.  The mil rate for property taxes is set by the Assessor, City Manager, and City Council.  State and local fees are set by other entities.

- Often, citizens call to ask for quotes to register their motor vehicles.  Unfortunately, the office can’t provide quotes over the phone because it is difficult to calculate costs correctly without all of the paperwork in front of them.  There are too many variables, and quotes might not be accurate if the staff can’t see all the details.  

- If you know you’re coming up on the due date for a renewal payment, it behooves you to pay it early.  The State is not always up to date in their processing and filing, and adding to that is the rush of end of the month payments.  Some payments processed by the Treasurer’s Office are sent to State offices, and notification to the State doesn’t occur immediately.  For example, if you’re registering your car on a Friday afternoon the last day of the month and you get pulled over during the weekend, your registration has not had ample time to update at the State level.  

- Original liens and lien releases for the City of Bath are filled with the Sagadahoc County Registry of Deeds at the Superior Courthouse on High St.  Occasionally a lien that has been paid will appear on a person’s credit report.  A copy of the lien release may be obtained by contacting the Registry of Deeds.