Crackdown On Out-Of-City Vehicle Registrations Yields Over $300K In West Haven

From City of West Haven

WEST HAVEN, CT — The city is working hard to make sure everyone pays their fair share of taxes so the cost of running the city doesn’t fall unfairly on people already doing the right thing.

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Two programs that have made a big difference are the motor vehicle registration compliance program and the delinquent tax “boot” program.

The registration compliance program helps identify cars that are kept in West Haven but are registered in another town or even another state.

When that happens, West Haven loses out on tax revenue that should help pay for local services like roads, schools, and police and fire protection.

By working with a compliance company, Capital Tax Recovery of Berlin, the city has been able to find unregistered vehicles, correct tax records and recover lost revenue since May 2025.

Using an audit of West Haven’s motor vehicle grand list, CTR has added more than 1,300 cases of missing tax revenue from out-of-city and out-of-state registered vehicles to the tax database, netting $301,913 in recouped revenue, city Tax Manager Rachel A-Massih said.

By contrast, the boot program focuses on people who have motor vehicle tax bills that have gone unpaid for an extended period and, since its relaunch this spring, has resulted in driving a 3.5% increase in delinquent motor vehicle tax collection, or about $513,247 in additional revenue.

A-Massih said the program has helped the city collect overdue taxes and improve overall payment compliance.

“We welcome those who move to our city, but once here, you are required to register your car in the city that is providing you those services,” Mayor Dorinda Borer said. “The more we broaden and spread the tax base, the less those following the rules have to pay for those who aren’t following the rules.

“With respect to the boot program, we know folks can fall on hard times, and that is why we provide a grace period. But if you are simply not paying and ignoring our communication, the boot is the next necessary step.”

A-Massih said: “These programs may seem strict, but they are about fairness. If some people don’t pay their taxes or register their vehicles correctly, that cost gets pushed onto everyone else. Our goal is to make sure everyone pays their fair share so we can avoid unnecessary tax increases for the people who are already doing the right thing.”

To report cars housed in West Haven with out-of-state license plates, contact the assessor’s office at whassessors@westhaven-ct.gov or 203-937-3515. For tax bill information, contact the tax collector’s office at taxoffice@westhaven-ct.gov or 203-937-3525.