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Frequently Asked Questions

Below you will find information that might help you understand how to find things or learn about information you might need to know about your city or town.

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Law Department

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  • No. The Agawam Law Department does not represent individuals in private legal matters. Attorneys in the office represent City departments, boards and elected officials in the course of their "business" as City entities. Private legal matters must be handled by attorneys retained by the individual.

    Referrals for legal assistance dealing with private or personal matters may be obtained through the following Massachusetts Bar Association sources:
    - Main Office
    20 West Street
    Boston, MA 02111-1204
    Phone: 617-338-0500
    - Springfield Office
    73 State Street
    Springfield, MA 01103
    Phone: 413-731-5134
    Law Department

  • The Agawam Law Department represents the Town of Agawam by defending it in lawsuits, advising the Mayor, the City Council, Boards and Agencies as they make decisions and draft local laws. The District Attorney’s Office engages in criminal prosecution of felonies, misdemeanors and infractions.
    Law Department

  • No. The Agawam Law Department is not an investigative agency. Crimes must be reported to your local law enforcement agency, usually the Agawam Police Department:
    - Emergency Phone: 911
    - Non-Emergency Phone: 413-786-4767
    Law Department

  • Various courts have jurisdiction for the Town of Agawam. The following State Courts:
    - Hampden County Superior Court
    50 State Street
    P.O. Box 559
    Springfield, MA 01102-0559
    Phone: 413-748-7889
    - Housing Court for Western Massachusetts
    37 Elm Street
    Springfield, MA 01103
    Phone: 413-748-7838
    - Westfield District Court
    224 Elm Street
    Westfield, MA 01085
    Phone: 413-568-8946
    Law Department

Collector's Office

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  • The bill is due in quarterly installments on February 1, May 1, August 1 and November 1 each year. For more information, please call 413-786-0400, ext. 8218.
    Collector's Office

  • State law requires that bills be assessed to the owners of record on January 1st preceding the levy year. The Assessor’s office records all deed changes received from the Registry of Deeds through June 1st. Your name may not appear on the tax bill for up to one and one-half years after the closing, depending on the time of closing. For more information, please call 413-786-0400, ext. 8218.
    Collector's Office

  • State law requires that bills be assessed to the owners of record on January 1st preceding the levy year. If you are a new owner, the name or address change may not have been received from the Registry of Deeds in time to be recorded. Contact the Collector’s office to find out amounts due. Remember the due dates are February 1, May 1, August 1 and November 1 each year. Bills are mailed 30 days prior to the due date. For more information, please call 413-786-0400, ext. 8218.
    Collector's Office

  • Preliminary bills are based upon last year’s taxes. Your fiscal year valuation will appear on your actual bill mailed at the end of December. For more information, please call 413-786-0400, ext. 8218.
    Collector's Office

  • Last year’s exemption has already been subtracted from the preliminary bill. The preliminary bill is one fourth of last year’s net tax. It is determined by taking the tax less any abatement or exemption and then dividing by four. For more information, please call 413-786-0400, ext. 8218.
    Collector's Office

  • No. The preliminary bill reflects only last year’s net tax. Special assessments and water and sewer liens will be on the actual bill. For more information, please call 413-786-0400, ext. 8218.
    Collector's Office

  • The amount of the actual bill is not known until the valuations are certified and the tax rate is approved by the Massachusetts Department of Revenue. Your actual bill will be based upon the fiscal year valuation and tax rate. It will be calculated by taking the total tax plus any betterments or liens, less any abatements or exemptions, less the first two quarterly payments.For more information, please call 413-786-0400, ext. 8218.
    Collector's Office

  • Actual bills will be mailed by December 31. They will be due on February 1, May 1, August 1 and November 1 each year. For more information, please call 413-786-0400, ext. 8218.
    Collector's Office

  • Exemption applications will be sent out prior to mailing the actual bill. If your exemption is granted before the actual bills are mailed, your exemption will be reflected in the actual bill. For more information, please call 413-786-0400, ext. 8218.
    Collector's Office

  • They must be filed within three months of the date the actual bill is mailed. For more information, please call 413-786-0400, ext. 8218.
    Collector's Office

Community Preservation Act Surcharge

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  • The Community Preservation Act Surcharge provides funding for:
    - Acquisition, creation and preservation of open space 
    - Acquisition, preservation, rehabilitation and restoration of historic resources 
    - Acquisition, creation, preservation of land for recreational use
    - Creation, preservation and support of low income or low or moderate income senior housing

    For more information, please call 413-786-0400, ext. 8218.
    Community Preservation Act Surcharge

  • The voters of Agawam adopted the Community Preservation Act Surcharge in the November 6, 2001 election.
    - Eligible Voters: 17,572 
    - Voter Turnout: 7,608 (43%) 
    - Yes: 2,848 (37%) 
    - No: 1,836 (24%) 
    - Blank: 2,924 (38%)

    For more information, please call 413-786-0400, ext. 8218.
    Community Preservation Act Surcharge

  • It is one per cent (1%) of the annual real estate tax. This is the bill for the whole fiscal year. For more information, please call 413-786-0400, ext. 8218.
    Community Preservation Act Surcharge

  • 30 days after the bills were mailed. Interest will accrue at fourteen per cent (14%) per year on unpaid balances from the billing date. For more information, please call 413-786-0400, ext. 8218.
    Community Preservation Act Surcharge

  • Low income households and low to moderate income seniors may be eligible for an exemption. You must contact the Assessor's office to obtain a low income application for Community Preservation Act Exemption. The phone number of the Assessor's office is 413-786-0400, ext. 8700.
    Community Preservation Act Surcharge

  • No. This bill is for the whole fiscal year. The surcharge will be divided by four next year and added to each quarterly real estate tax bill. For more information, please call 413-786-0400, ext. 8218.
    Community Preservation Act Surcharge

  • Acceptance may be revoked, but the city or town must wait until at least five years after the referendum passes to do so. Revocation is by majority vote of the City Council and by referendum. For more information, please call 413-786-0400, ext. 8218.
    Community Preservation Act Surcharge

Curbside Trash Collection

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  • The Town of Agawam retains ownership of the carts. Each cart will have an RFID tag (Radio Frequency Identification) that will be scanned and linked to the delivery address. Carts should never be removed from their original delivery address. The cart’s RFID tag may be tracked through the use of a scanning technology mounted in the truck or by a hand held scanner to identify it’s intended location.

    You may also identify your cart by the serial number on the front of the cart. It is recommended you write down or take a picture of the serial number in the event your cart is stolen. Stolen carts should be immediately reported to the Police Department. A copy of the police report should be forwarded to the Department of Public Works to request a replacement cart.

    Curbside Trash Collection

  • Damaged carts should be reported within 24 hours of incident to the Department of Public Works at 413-821-0600. Carts damaged outside the times listed below, will not be the responsibility of the town.

    • Carts should not be placed in the street or on the tree belt before 7 p.m. the evening before your scheduled collection day.
    • Carts should be removed from the tree belt by 7 p.m. of the collection day.

    All carts will be inspected prior to exchange. Carts not covered under the manufacturer's warranty or deemed accidental will be exchanged at a cost of $75 to the home owner.

    Carts requiring maintenance due to normal wear and tear (wheels and lids) should contact USA Waste and Recycling at 413-372-6998.

    Curbside Trash Collection

  • No, carts are to remain at the location to which they were delivered.

    Curbside Trash Collection

  • New home owners are responsible to make sure Town of Agawam trash and recycling carts are left by the previous owner at the property.

    If replacement carts are needed there will be a charge of $75 per cart.

    Curbside Trash Collection

Fire Department

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  • For more information, please visit
    Fire Department

  • Individuals are allowed to build and maintain a cooking fire of reasonable size without a permit as long as smoke does not create a nuisance. For more information, see our
    Fire Department

  • For more information about permit fees, please visit the
    Fire Department

  • For more information, please visit our
    Fire Department

  • If the oil tank is not being used as a primary fuel source it must be removed. Call Fire Headquarters at 413-786-2662 for details.
    Fire Department

Online Police Reporting

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  • If your incident is an emergency, call 911. If your incident is a non-emergency, call 413-786-4767.
    Online Police Reporting

  • No, If a crime took place outside of the City of Agawam Police Department please call the police department for that city. For more information, please call 413-786-4767.
    Online Police Reporting

  • If this took place on a state Freeway please call the Highway Patrol Office nearest you. For more information, please call 413-786-4767.
    Online Police Reporting

  • A known suspect is when you or someone else knows the person or where to find the person who committed the crime or the license plate number of the vehicle the suspect(s) were in. For more information, please call 413-786-4767.
    Online Police Reporting

  • A known suspect is when you or someone else knows the person or where to find the person who committed the crime or the license plate number of the vehicle the suspect(s) were in. For more information, please call 413-786-4767.
    Online Police Reporting

Personal Property

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  • All personal property located in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and personal property belonging to the residents of the Commonwealth wherever located, is subject to taxation unless expressly exempted by law.
    For Fiscal Year of 2013 the City Council, at the request of the Mayor, voted in new legislation to raise the minimum taxable valuation on business personal property accounts from the low value of $500 to a more reasonable minimum value of $10,000. Passing this legislation helped the Mom and Pop and small corporate businesses that exist in our town.
    Personal Property

  • Tangible (that is, physical) property is subject to the personal property tax unless exempted by statute. Items defined as tangible personal property range from the chairs in a barber shop, to the furnishings of a doctor’s waiting room; from the drills used by a dentist to the poles owed by a utility company. For a list of the taxation categories visit the
    Personal Property

  • Generally, all tangible personal property is assessed in the city or town in which the personal property is situated as of January 1. The principal exception in situations where personal property has only a temporary location as of January 1, the property is assessed at the residence of the owner.
    Personal Property

  • Each year, by March 1, all persons subject to taxation in a city or town must submit a list of all their personal property that is not exempt from taxation. These personal estate items must be included on the documentation known as the Form of List. Blank forms are available at the Assessor’s Office at:
    36 Main Street
    Agawam, MA 01001
    Phone: 413-786-0400, ext. 8700.
    Taxpayers are not required to estimate the value of the property included on the Form of List. The Assessor’s Office will determine the valuation, based on standard reference tables. In the event that a taxpayer does not submit the list, the Assessor will ascertain as best it can the personal estate belonging to the taxpayer and will estimate its value. Note: The Form of List is not open to public inspection.
    Personal Property

  • There is a penalty for failing to file the Form of List pursuant to Massachusetts General Law’s c. 59, §64. A personal property taxpayer’s application for abatement may not be granted unless the taxpayer can show good cause for failure to file timely. Further, if the assessment of the personal estate exceeds by 50% the amount which would have been assessed had the list been timely filed, then only the amount which exceeds this 50% may be abated.
    Information Requests - The Assessor’s Office may require an owner or lessee of personal property to provide certain information in writing, as may be reasonably necessary, to determine the actual fair cash valuation of the property. Failure to comply with the request within 30 days will bar any appeal of the tax assessed, unless the owner or lessee was unable to comply with the request for reasons beyond his or her control any false statement that is knowingly made will also bar the taxpayer from any statutory appeal.
    Personal Property

  • The Fiscal Year 2026 Application for Abatement is available immediately following the issuance of the (first actual bill) which is the 3rd quarter Fiscal Year 2026 tax bill.

    The Fiscal Year 2026 application for Abatement of Personal Property Tax is due by the close of business (4:30pm) on February 1, 2026.

    Note: If you choose to mail your abatement application, it must bear a U.S. postmark dated no later than the February 1, 2026, deadline date. The assessors cannot waive this deadline and will not grant an abatement for applications received or post marked after the deadline date.


    Personal Property

Real Estate Tax

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  • The Assessor determines the market value of every parcel of property in a city or town as of each January 1. There are three approaches to value: market, income, and cost. For details about each of these approaches please view the
    Real Estate Tax

  • An abatement is a reduction of property tax granted by the assessors or, on appeal, by the ATB. Generally, abatements are granted when taxpayers are able to prove that the fair market value of their property is less than its assessed value. Taxpayers may also receive abatements if their property is entitled to an exemption or is improperly classified. Taxpayers may apply for an abatement of real estate tax once the actual real estate tax bill is issued, which is generally the third quarter bill in communities that bill quarterly.

    Real Estate Tax

  • A taxpayer may contest tax liability on specific grounds, which include: overvaluation, disproportionate assessment, misclassification of real property, and statutory exemption. For details on these items please visit the

    Real Estate Tax

  • In 1978 the citizens of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts adopted a Constitutional amendment authorizing the General Court to classify real property into as many as four classes (residential, open space, commercial, and industrial) and to tax such classes differently. The Department of Revenue supervises the implementation of property classification. In Agawam, the determination to allocate the tax burden by class is made annually by the Town Council, with the approval of the Mayor.
    Real Estate Tax

  • Assessors in Massachusetts assign all real property according to its use. The four classes are: Residential, Open Space, Commercial, and Industrial. For additional details on these four classes please view our
    Real Estate Tax

  • The Fiscal Year 2026 Application for Abatement is available immediately following the issuance of the (first actual bill) which is the 3rd quarter Fiscal Year 2026 tax bill.

    The Fiscal Year 2026 application for Abatement of Real Estate Tax is due by the close of business (4:30pm) on February 1, 2026.

    Note: If you choose to mail your abatement application, it must bear a U.S. postmark dated no later than the February 1, 2026, deadline date. The assessors cannot waive this deadline and will not grant an abatement for applications received or post marked after the deadline date. Download and fill out the

    Real Estate Tax

  • If you have a new permanent mailing address, you can request a Change of Address Form by calling the Assessor’s Office at 413-786-0400 extension 8700. The completed form signed by all property owners can be returned directly to the Assessor’s Office at: 36 Main Street, Agawam, MA 01001

    Real Estate Tax

  • The Assessor's Office routinely receives deeds recorded at the Hampden County Registry of Deeds to update property ownership. The ownership will typically update on the next billing cycle following the receipt of the recorded deed. If the ownership has not been updated after the passage of time, please contact the Assessor's Office at 413-786-0400, ext. 8700

    Real Estate Tax
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