Assessor

The Assessor’s office is responsible for the fair & equitable distribution of the Town’s tax assessments.  This is achieved through the discovery, data collection and valuation of all real estate, personal property and motor vehicles within the town in accordance with Connecticut General Statutes.   Voluntown’s Current mill rate for the October 1, 2023 Grand List is 29.24

Assessor: Cathy Sarvas   CCMA I
Email: csarvas@voluntown.gov

Assessor Hours:

Monday & Thursday 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.,  Tuesday  1:00 p.m-7:00 p.m.

Phone:   860-376-3927

To Access Voluntown Property Record Cards Click Here

Owner/Assessment information is generally updated quarterly.

Deeds, legal descriptions and survey maps can be found on the Town Clerk’s web page Land Record/Office of the Town Clerk

To Access Voluntown GIS mapping data visit  https://www.axisgis.com/voluntownct/

Please note:  The information available on the Axis GIS site is provided for illustrative purposes ONLY.  The accuracy of this information is not and cannot be guaranteed, and is used at the recipient’s own risk. Information contained in this system does not take the place of a professional survey or any other legal description and should not be used for site-specific decision making.

Scroll Down For: 

  • Board of Assessment Appeals Application
  • Information on Motor Vehicles
  • Property Tax Credit Program for Elderly and Totally Disabled Homeowners
  • Information on Campers, Trailers, and Recreational Vehicles
  • Assessor’s Notice to Taxpayers
  • Assessor’s Responsibilities
  • Forms and Applications

Board of Assessment Appeals Application

If you wish to appeal an assessment on the 2024 Grand List please complete and submit the application below to the Assessor’s Office.

Voluntown Board of Assessment Appeals Application 2024 GL

Please submit applications to the Board of Assessment Appeals for the 2024 Grand List between February 1, 2025 and February 20, 2025 by 2:00pm.  The Board of Assessment Appeals meeting will be held in March and must be attended in person for your appeal to be heard.  When appealing to the BAA, please be sure to prepare evidence, such as comparable real estate sales, to submit at your hearing.  

Information on Campers, Camp Trailers and Recreational Vehicles

A personal property declaration must be filed for all unregistered motor vehicles, campers, camp trailers and recreational vehicles owned by Connecticut and non-Connecticut residents.

Any camper that is registered in another state (e.g. Rhode Island or Massachusetts) or that is unregistered and owned by a Connecticut or non-Connecticut resident must declare the camper as personal property in Voluntown if it has been located in Voluntown since at least July 1, 2024 and remains in Voluntown on October 1, 2024.

For more information on campers  Click Here

Motor Vehicles

If you no longer own a vehicle on our Grand List or moved a vehicle out of state, please read the following instructions on how to notify the Assessor’s Office.

Motor Vehicle Documentation Instructions

Petition for Motor Vehicle Credit

If you would like to appeal your motor vehicle assessment. The September 2024 Board of Assessment Appeals meeting is September 23, 2024 at 5pm.  The BAA application for motor vehicle appeals is in the Common Forms section of our web page below.  There is no application deadline for the September meeting.

Property Tax Credit Program for Elderly and Totally Disabled Homeowners (Circuit Breaker)

Filing period:  February 1 through May 15, 2025

To qualify you must have reached the age of 65 on or before 12/31/2024 or have been deemed Totally Disabled by the Social Security Administration.

2023 Income limits :   Single $43,800   Married  $53,400

Applications can be downloaded from the Common Forms section of our web page below or call the Assessor’s office at (860) 376-3927 to request an application via mail or email.

Documentation of all income must be supplied at the time an application is submitted.

Assistance with applications is available by phone from the Assessor’s office.  Call (860) 376-3927.

 

ASSESSOR’S NOTICE TO TAXPAYERS

 DECLARING PERSONAL PROPERTY: All persons liable to pay taxes are hereby notified to declare all tangible personal property owned by them on October 1, 2024. Non-residents are required to declare property located in any town for any three months preceding October 1, 2024. Assessors mail declaration forms to all property owners previously on record. Failure to receive a form does not negate the requirement to declare. Forms are available online and in the Assessors’ Office. Failure to declare by November 1, 2024 will result in a 25% PENALTY assessment.

Taxable personal property includes: unregistered motor vehicles (e.g. motor homes, tent or truck campers, travel trailers, passenger cars, tractors, off-road construction vehicles, commercial use trailers, etc.), motor vehicles located in Connecticut but registered in another state, horses and ponies, mobile manufactured homes not assessed as real estate, manufacturing machinery and equipment, business furniture and fixtures, farm machinery, farming tools, mechanics tools, electronic data processing equipment, telecommunications equipment, cables, conduits, pipes, poles, business expensed supplies and other property such as billboards, video games, vending machines, leasehold improvements, etc. Real property and Connecticut registered motor vehicles do not need to be declared.

VETERANS who served for ninety days or more during a time of war or have been disabled must record their honorable discharge with the Town Clerk no later than September 30, 2024 to receive a minimum of 1,000 assessment exemption. Disabled veterans must file proof of their most recent VA rating with the Assessor to receive an increased exemption. Due to recent legislative changes, please contact your Assessor to ensure you are receiving the full amount for which you are eligible.

ADDITIONAL VETERANS’ EXEMPTION: Increased exemptions are available for those who meet necessary income requirements and the above Veterans criteria. An application along with proof of income must be filed with the Assessor biennially. Filings for this year must be received in the Assessors’ Office no later than October 1, 2024.

ARMED SERVICE MEMBERS may obtain an exemption on one passenger motor vehicle by filing an application with the Assessor.

 TOTALLY DISABLED: Any person under the age of 65, eligible to receive permanent total disability payments, must apply by January 31, 2025 to receive a 1,000 assessment exemption. Applicants must furnish proof of award.

FARM MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT: Eligible farmers must file their notarized exemption application, along with their current 2023 IRS Schedule F or 2023 IRS Schedule C for their farm business, no later than November 1, 2024.

 MANUFACTURING MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT installed in a manufacturing facility and used in the manufacturing process may be exempt. Eligible manufacturers must complete and file the MME Exemption Application by November 1, 2024.

NEW COMMERCIAL TRUCKS with a gross vehicle rating over 26,000 lbs. should check with the Assessors’ Office for tax exemption eligibility. Applications must be completed and filed with the Assessor by November 1, 2024.

LAND CLASSIFICATION: Persons seeking to classify land under Farm, Forest or Open Space for the first time, or to amend an original filing (ownership, use or acreage) must file between September 1, 2024 and October 31, 2024 with the Assessor. Persons applying for Forest Land classification must also have a PA490 Certified State Forester’s Report dated by October 1, 2024.

Voluntown Assessor’s Office

Rev. 9/12/2024

 

The Voluntown Assessor’s office is responsible for the discovery, listing and valuation of all real estate, personal property and motor vehicles within the town in accordance with Connecticut General Statutes.  The Assessor’s office also administers various exemption programs.

Voluntown’s Current mill rate for the October 1, 2022 Grand List is 27.77

Real Estate:  Real estate is assessed at 70% of fair market value as of the date of last revaluation.  The last town-wide revaluation was conducted for the October 1, 2020 Grand List.

Personal Property:  All owners of taxable Personal Property located in the Town of Voluntown are required to file a Personal Property Declaration with the Assessor on or before November 1st pursuant to CGS 12-41.  This includes all persons conducting business, professionals, occupations or trades, farmers, owners of unregistered motor vehicles, owners of non-Connecticut registered motor vehicles, recreational vehicle owners that are located in Voluntown, Mobile Manufactured Homes not assessed as Real Estate and owners of horses, ponies and thoroughbreds.

Motor Vehicle Tax Adjustments and Removal:  The Assessor’s office is also responsible for the adjustment and removal of motor vehicles that appear on  the taxable grand list as allowed by Connecticut State Statutes.  Two appropriate forms of proof must be provided in the time allowed to substantiate claims of vehicles sold, stolen and not recovered, totaled, junked or vehicles registered in another state.

For a list of statutes governing assessment in the state of CT click here

 

Assessment Notices and BAA Petitions

2023 Assessment Notices will be mailed the last week in January 2024 to any owner of Real Estate or Personal Property whose property value realized an increase from 2022GL to 2023GL as well as owners of Personal Property being  assessed a 25% assessment penalty.  Assessment penalties equal to 25% of the assessed value must, by state statute, be assessed for owners not filing a declaration or filing late (after November 1, 2023 without prior extension request approval).

Some of the most common reasons a Real Estate Notice of Increase may be issued are:

  • Property has sold and personal exemptions or tax relief granted to the previous owner have been removed from the account.
  • Land has been reconfigured i.e. combined, split, or a survey map recorded which corrects acreage
  • Land was classified as farm or forest under Public Act 490 and has changed ownership or use
  • Building improvements have been made
  • Errors in listing your property have been corrected i.e. number of bedrooms, bathrooms, square foot living area, outbuildings etc.

Keep in mind, these notices represent updates to your account since 10/1/2022.  Please do not hesitate to contact the Assessor with questions, the notice will include values, contact information and deadline to enter a petition to appeal with the Board of Assessment Appeals.

The deadline to enter a Petition to the Board of Assessment Appeals for the 2023 Grand List is 2/20/2024 by 2:00pm.  Petitions for printing are listed below in the “Common Forms” section of this page.  When appealing to the BAA, please be sure to prepare evidence to submit at your hearing i.e. when appealing the assessment of your personal property, a completed declaration form with itemized listing, or when appealing real property assessments, a list of comparable properties etc…those are only two examples of the type of evidence which may be submitted.  

 

 

 

Forms and Applications

Exemption or Tax Credit Applications/Information

Personal Property Declaration Forms

 

Land Classification Applications

Recommended reading for land owners wishing to apply for land classification under PA-490 (Farm or Forest) 

Board of Assessment Appeals Application Forms