3. How is the motor vehicle excise calculated?
The owner’s motor vehicle excise is $25 per $1000 of excise value for the calendar year. The excise value for the year is calculated by applying the percentage fixed by G.L. c. 60A, § 1 to the manufacturer’s list price for vehicles of the same make, type, model, and year of manufacture. The percentage declines over several years until it reaches 10% of that list price in the fifth year after manufacture and all succeeding years for the life of the vehicle.
The statutory percentages are:

    Excise Assessed for                                                                  Percentage
  Year before model year                                                                      50%
   Model year                                                                                      90%
   Second year                                                                                    60%
   Third year                                                                                        40%
   Fourth year                                                                                      25%
   Fifth and following years                                                                   10%


posted by Jeff Bennett