The first step in registering a vehicle in Maine is paying the excise tax. If your primary residence is Calais, that tax is paid to the City of Calais. If Calais is not your primary residence, then we cannot process your registration here.
NOTE: If your vehicle is excise-exempt, you must still start the process by getting an excise exemption receipt from the City.
You can pay the excise in-person at the Calais City Building or as part of online registration renewal through the State of Maine’s Rapid Renewal website, accessible via this link:
You can complete many, but not all, vehicle registrations at the Calais City Building. Any registrations completed by us include a $3.00 agent fee. You can avoid this fee by paying only for the excise tax at the City Building and completing the registration at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV), which has a branch office in Calais.
The following information covers the most common registration scenarios. If you have questions about your particular situation, feel free to call us at 207-454-5807.
Re-Registration for vehicles previously registered in Calais
Having a copy of your prior registration helps to find you in our system but is not required.
To complete your re-registration, you will need:
- Proof of Insurance (show at BMV if paying “excise only”)
- Current Mileage (show at BMV if paying “excise only”)
Re-Registration for vehicles previously registered in another Maine municipality
To complete this re-registration, you will need:
- A Copy of the Prior Registration
- Proof of Insurance (show at BMV if paying “excise only”)
- Current Mileage (show at BMV if paying “excise only”)
NOTE: The State of Maine offers renewal reminders one-month prior to expiration. Please click Here to sign up.
New Registration – Vehicle Bought From a Maine Dealer as “Brand New”
To complete this registration, you will need:
- Window (Monroney) Sticker
- Blue Title Application (if the vehicle is 1995 or newer)
- Proof of Insurance (show at BMV if paying “excise only”)
- Bill of Sale (show at BMV if paying “excise only”)
New Registration – Vehicle Bought From a Maine Dealer as “Used”
To complete this registration, you will need:
- Blue Title Application (if the vehicle is 1995 or newer)
- Proof of Insurance (show at BMV if paying “excise only”)
- Bill of Sale (show at BMV if paying “excise only”)
New Registration – Vehicle Bought From a Dealer outside of Maine as “Brand New”
To complete this transaction, you will need:
- Window (Monroney) Sticker
- Out of State Title or Maine Blue Title Application (if the vehicle is 1995 or newer)
NOTE: We will process this type of transaction as “excise only.” You will need to complete the registration at BMV.
New Registration – Vehicle Bought From a Dealer outside of Maine as “Used”
To complete this transaction, you will need:
- Out of State Title or Maine Blue Title Application (if the vehicle is 1995 or newer)
NOTE: We will process this type of transaction as “excise only.” You will need to complete the registration at BMV.
New Registration – Vehicle Bought In a Private Sale
To complete this transaction, you will need:
- Previous Owner’s Original Title Certificate (if the vehicle is 1995 or newer): Must be fully completed on the back side by the seller, showing who the vehicle is being sold to, current mileage, date of sale and must be signed by each of the individuals listed on the front of the title. The title must be free of liens.
- NOTE: We will process this type of transaction as “excise only.” You will need to complete the registration at BMV.
New Maine Resident – Vehicle Previously Registered Outside of Maine
To complete this transaction, you will need:
- Registration from the Previous State
- NOTE: We will process this type of transaction as “excise only.” You will need to complete the registration at BMV.
