The deadline to pay your 2024 property tax bill is June 28, 2024.
Tax Payment Options
Payments are accepted at the municipal office, located at 1185 Highway 1, Little Brook, NS B0W 1M0, Monday to Friday (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.).
We accept cash, cheque, debit card, credit card, e-transfer, and wire transfers. Details for each method of payment are below. Credit card payments are processed via Paymentus Corporation, which charges a 2.5% convenience fee (see details below).
Pre-authorized Payments
The Municipality of Clare accepts pre-authorized payments on a weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, or annual basis. To set up pre-authorized payments, please fill out and submit our 
pre-authorized payment application form. The completed form can be submitted by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or delivered to the municipal office in person or by mail at 1185 Highway 1, Little Brook NS, B0W 1M0.
Bill Payments
Property taxes can be paid online (or in person at your bank) through the bill payment feature with most financial institutions. Here is the list of financial institutions that offer the Municipality of Clare as a bill payment option:
- BMO
- Scotiabank
- CIBC
- Caisse populaire de Clare (and other Credit Unions)
Credit Card Payments
The Municipality of Clare accepts credit card payments (Visa and MasterCard) through a third-party payment service called Paymentus Corporation, which offers you the convenience of paying your tax bill at any time. Paymentus charges a 2.5% convenience fee to access their service, that will be added to your transaction.
Here are two examples that show how the convenience fee is calculated:
|
Amount Owing |
Paymentus Convenience Fee (2.5%) |
|
500.00$ |
12.50$ |
|
1000.00$ |
25.00$ |
The Municipality of Clare does not receive any part of the service fee. For each payment you make with this service, you will receive a confirmation number. The Municipality will be notified of the payment immediately and it will be posted to your account on the next business day.
You can access this service online via the Paymentus Corporation website or by calling the Municipality of Clare’s Finance Department at 902-769-2031. You will need your Assessment Account Number (AAN) and the amount owing on your tax bill, as well as your credit card details to process the payment.
Cheque Payments
The Municipality of Clare will accept payments by cheque in person or by mail. Cheques should be made out to the Municipality of Clare and can be dropped off or mailed to 1185 Highway 1, Little Brook NS, B0W 1M0.
E-transfer Payments
The Municipality of Clare accepts property tax payments by e-transfer. Please call us at 902-769-2031 for instructions on how to pay your taxes by e-transfer.
Wire Transfer Payments
Please call the Municipality of Clare at 902-769-2031 for instructions on how to pay your property taxes by wire transfer.
How it Works
Property Assessments:
Each year in January, property owners receive a Property Assessment Notice by mail from Property Valuation Services Corporation (PVSC). If you want to learn more about how your property assessment is calculated, visit PVSC’s website. When you get your Property Assessment Notice in the mail be sure to:
- Read every section.
- Confirm your property details in your online “My Property Report”. You can log in with the Assessment Account Number (AAN) and PIN on your Property Assessment Notice.
- Note the deadline to appeal your assessment. PVSC must receive your appeal within 31 days of the date on your Notice.
- Contact PVSC if you have questions about, or disagree with, your Property Assessment Notice.
Click here for PVSC’s contact information.
How Property Taxes are Calculated:
When the appeal period closes and property assessments are finalized, the Municipality of Clare will receive this information from PVSC for each property. The assessment value of the property is then used to calculate your property taxes. Since 2014, the Municipality of Clare’s property tax rates have been the following:
- Residential and resource tax rate: $1.04 per $100.00 of assessment
- Commercial tax rate: $2.07 per $100.00 of assessment
- Forest acreage rates: $0.25 per acre (below 50,000 acres) and $0.40 per acre (above 50,000 acres)
Additional Fees and Service Charges:
Fire Service Fee:
Residential, resource and commercial properties have a fire service fee added to their property tax bills, which is calculated as follows:
- Fire Protection: $0.05 per $100.00 of assessment
- Fire Truck Purchase: $0.06 per $100.00 of assessment
Sewer Service Charge:
Properties on the municipal sewer system will see a $220.00 sewer service charge on their property tax bills. Properties that are not on the municipal sewer system will not have a sewer service charge on their property tax bills.
Streetlight Fees:
Some properties may have streetlight fees added to their property tax bill. Streetlight fees vary according to the number of streetlights that are installed and the number of properties for which street lighting costs are divided. Properties that are not within the streetlight coverage areas are not charged streetlight fees.
Property taxes, fire service fee, sewer service charge (if applicable), and streetlight fees (if applicable) are then added together to arrive at the amount due for your annual property taxes. Municipal tax bills are issued to property owners at the end of April each year.
The deadline to pay your 2024 property tax bill is June 28, 2024. Property tax bills that are not paid by the deadline will see a 1.5% monthly interest charge added to their bills.
How are my tax dollars spent?
The Municipality of Clare publishes its annual budget once it is approved by Council, usually around mid-April. Each year, the Municipality invests in a variety of community services such as protective services (fire departments, law enforcement, and other programs), environmental health services (for example, waste management and sewage systems), public health services (such as operational costs at the Clare Health Centre, doctor recruitment, etc.), community development, and more.
Download a snapshot of the 2024-2025 municipal budget here.
Tax Rebates
Municipal Property Tax Exemption Program
The Municipality of Clare offers a Property Tax Exemption Program for low-income households. The Municipality of Clare will grant a $300.00 exemption on property taxes to persons whose total household income(s) for 2023 was less than twenty-eight thousand dollars ($28,000.00).
If you qualify for the Property Tax Rebate for Seniors Program, you are not eligible for the Municipality's Tax Exemption Program for low-income households.
Click here for more information and to download the application form.
Provincial Property Tax Rebate for Seniors
The Province of Nova Scotia offers a Property Tax Rebate for Seniors to help low-income seniors with the cost of municipal residential property taxes. Rebates are 50% of what you paid on last year’s property taxes, up to a maximum of $800. Applications to this program usually open in July, and the deadline is usually at the end of December.
Note: you cannot receive both the municipal Property Tax Exemption Program and the provincial Property Tax Rebate for Seniors.
Click here to open the Property Tax Rebate for Seniors webpage.
Contact us
If you didn’t find the answer you were looking for on this page, please feel free to contact us by phone at 902-769-2031 or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
