Motor Vehicle Registration

Please visit the State of Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles website to obtain certain Title and Registration Forms.

Motor Vehicle Registration at Town Hall

The State of Maine has authorized the Town to register the following vehicles:

Automobiles
Farm Tractors
Mopeds
Motor Homes
Motorcycles
Special Equipment

Special Mobile Equipment
Tractors
Trailers
Truck Campers
Trucks
Vans

Online Registration Renewals

The Town of Gorham is now participating in the on-line Rapid Renewal Program offered through the State of Maine.  This is an on-line re-registration program which can be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for any registration renewals that do not have any changes.  You can access the website by clicking here.

Company Owned Vehicles

Company owned vehicles are registered at municipal office of the Maine community where the company has its principal office.  If the principal office is located outside the State of Maine, the vehicle should be registered at the municipal office of the Maine community where the vehicle is primarily housed.

Fees

The State of Maine registration fee is $35.00 for passenger vehicles weighing up to 6000 lbs. GVW (gross vehicle weight).  Commercial vehicle rates are based on the GVW.  Trucks with a total weight over  6000 lbs. GVW must use commercial plates.  (Trucks, vans, utility vehicles, etc. must be registered for the combined weight of vehicle and trailer with any load.)  The Town collects a $4.00 agent fee to process a new registration and a $3.00 agent fee to process a re-registration.  Agent fees can be avoided by paying the annual excise tax at the Town office first and then processing the registration through the Bureau of Motor Vehicles by mail or at one of their locations.

Click here to view the available types of license plates and to check if a certain vanity plate is available.  Vanity plates have an additional cost of $25.00 each year.  Specialty plates have and additional cost of $20.00 the first year and then $20.00 or $15.00 each year thereafter, depending on the style of plate.

Excise Tax

Excise tax must be paid at the registrant's Town office prior to completing any registration at a Buereau of Motor Vehicles location.  The Town collects a $4.00 agent fee to process a new registration and a $3.00 agent fee to process a re-registration.  The motor vehicle excise tax is a local tax.  Excise tax for all vehicles is based on the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of the vehicle when it was new.  Funds raised through the collection of the excise tax remain in your community.  The excise tax is also based on the age of the vehicle.

Model Year of VehicleTax Rate per Thousand of MSRP
1st year$24.00  (2.40%)
2nd year$17.50  (1.75%)
3rd year$13.50  (1.35%)
4th year$10.00  (1.00%)
5th year$6.50  (0.65%)
6th year$ 4.00  (0.4%)
7th year & older$ 4.00  (0.4%)

Examples:

  • In 2010, a 2010 vehicle with a MSRP of $20,000 would pay $480 in excise tax.  The same vehicle three years later would pay $200.
  • In 2010, a 2005 or older vehicle with an original list price of $15,000 would pay the five-year-old rate of $4.00 per thousand, or $60.00.

Fees When Trading Vehicles

In the event that a vehicle is traded, lost by fire, theft or accident, the registrant should retain the license plates and registration and can apply any remaining time and credit to the registration for another vehicle in the same name.  Using the registration credit may not always be cost effective.  If a vehicle is sold and there is no replacement registration, the unused portion of the excise tax is not refundable.  The State charges an $8.00 fee to transfer a registration during the registration year.  Any difference in the excise tax paid on the prior vehicle and the excise tax calculated for the new vehicle will be due at the time of the transfer along with a $3.00 excise tax transfer fee and a $4.00 agent fee to process the registration at the Town office.  Excise tax must be paid at the Town office prior to completing any registration at a Buereau of Motor Vehicles location.

Required Paperwork

The following paperwork must be presented at the time of the first registration of a vehicle.

If purchased from a Maine dealer:

  1. Blue Copy of Title Application
  2. Bill of Sale
  3. Proof of Insurance (can be e-mailed to the Town Clerk or faxed to 207-839-5036)
  4. Old Registration (if old plates are being used)
  5. Monroney Sticker (Window Sticker – for brand new vehicles)

If purchased in a private sale:

  1. Bill of Sale
  2. Previous owner(s) original title assigned to you on the back or the blue copy of your title application from a lending institution
  3. Lien Release (if needed)
  4. Proof of Insurance (can be e-mailed to the Town Clerk or faxed to 207-839-5036)
  5. Sales Tax must be paid to Town Office

If previously registered out of state:

  1. Out of State Title or leinholder's address or lease agreement
  2. Out of State Registration
  3. Proof of Insurance (can be e-mailed to the Town Clerk or faxed to 207-839-5036)

If purchased out of country:

  1. Call the Bureau of Motor Vehicles at (207) 624-9000 for information

Note:  Maine now requires that all vehicles with a model year of 1995 and newer be titled.  For vehicles with a model year 1994 and older, a complete bill of sale signed by the seller(s) which includes the year, make, model, VIN number, of the vehicle with the date of sale, and name of person sold to is sufficient.

For FIRST time registrations, the person or persons to whom the vehicle is being registered must come in to process the registration and sign the necessary paperwork.  Anyone can renew a registration.

Paperwork for Vehicle Re-Registration

  1. Old Registration
  2. Proof of Insurance (can be e-mailed to the Town Clerk or faxed to 207-839-5036)
  3. Current Mileage